Jalen Hurts Sits as Eagles Host Cowboys in Week 7
Philadelphia's offense is decimated by injuries, and Dallas arrives with a struggling passing game against a defense that blitzes at the fourth-lowest rate in the league.
By Kaito Sokolov ·
For the first time since the season began, the Philadelphia Eagles will play without their starting quarterback. Jalen Hurts is out for the Week 7 game against the Dallas Cowboys on Monday, October 26, due to blood clots found in his calf and lungs. The game is scheduled for 8:15 p.m. ET at Lincoln Financial Field. Dallas is favored by 4.5 points, and the over/under is set at 43.5.
The absence of Hurts leaves a hole in a unit that has lost four straight games. DeVonta Smith and Dontayvion Wicks are also out, while Saquon Barkley, Landon Dickerson, Jonathan Greenard, and Jalyx Hunt are listed as questionable. Tanner McKee, who made two starts in the previous season, will take the field. He has previously averaged 44 pass attempts per game when starting. The Eagles are expected to throw the ball more often without Hurts’ running threat, though Barkley’s return could change that dynamic. He fully practiced on Friday for the first time since his hamstring injury.
The Cowboys arrive in Philadelphia after losing their last two games in heavy fashion. Their offense combined for 29 points against the Buccaneers and Packers, a drop from the 30-plus point totals in the three games prior. Dak Prescott was 20 of 38 for 194 yards and no touchdowns when facing blitzes in those contests. The team ran for just 98 yards in those two games despite the return of guard Tyler Smith. The previous opponents blitzed on 38.8% of Prescott’s dropbacks, a pressure level that has exposed vulnerabilities in Dallas’s protection.
The Eagles’ defensive approach is different. Vic Fangio’s unit has blitzed on only 24.1% of drops, the fourth-lowest rate in the NFL. This is far lower than the pressure Dallas faced recently. Philadelphia allows opponents to complete 60.4% of passes for an average of 7.0 yards per attempt. However, the defense has given up eight touchdown passes and allowed 14 opponent drops, the second-most in the league. The Eagles rank 20th in opponents’ EPA per dropback.
On the ground, the Cowboys allow 4.7 yards per carry. The Eagles allow only 4.0 yards per carry. Javonte Williams averages 3.7 yards per carry this season, down from 4.8 last year. The Eagles’ running game has been inefficient without Hurts, but they have found success against Dallas’s run defense, with other opponents gaining at least 165 yards on the ground in each of the previous five games. If Barkley or Dameon Pierce can establish an early lead, it may limit Dallas’s offensive rhythm.
McKee is 16 of 45 for 179 yards and no touchdowns when under pressure in his career. His sack rate in those situations is 15.1%. The Cowboys’ defensive line will look to exploit Philadelphia’s thin offensive line, which is missing key starters. The Eagles’ top receivers against Dallas will be Makai Lemon, Darius Cooper, and Dallas Goedert. Joey Porter Jr. is expected to cover either Cooper or Lemon, while the return of Cobie Durant could shift the secondary alignment.
