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In Philadelphia, morale has taken a hit as the Eagles grapple with a four-game skid and an injury to quarterback Jalen Hurts. With three divisional games and the NFL trade deadline looming before a Week 10 bye, the team cannot afford to wait to turn things around.
The Eagles have an opportunity to right the ship when they welcome the Dallas Cowboys to Lincoln Financial Field for Monday Night Football in Week 7. Both NFC East rivals hold 2-4 records and have split their last 10 meetings, but Philadelphia has won four straight at home against Dallas.
For the Eagles to contend for the division title, changes are imperative. The offense has suffered from too many three-and-outs, leaving the defense overworked and exhausted. Here are three lineup decisions that head coach Nick Sirianni should consider.
1. Get Makai Lemon More Involved
This is a move Sirianni must make, whether he wants to or not. Wide receivers DeVonta Smith (hamstring) and Dontayvion Wicks (ankle) are both banged up and were absent from Saturday's final practice; both have been ruled out for Monday night. Rookie Makai Lemon has shown flashes, recording a reception of 13-plus yards in five of his six games. The USC product, selected in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, impressed with exceptional route-running and yards-after-catch ability in college. Using Lemon on bubble screens with inexperienced blockers won't build his confidence. The Cowboys rank among the bottom 10 defenses in opponent completion percentage and yards per completion. Quarterback Tanner McKee should target Lemon over the middle early and often.
2. Lean on Dallas Goedert in the Red Zone
Dallas Goedert's red-zone prowess repeatedly rescued the Eagles' offense in 2025. The veteran tight end led the team with 18 red-zone targets and 11 touchdowns. However, a redesigned offensive scheme and a knee issue have hindered his 2026 success. Goedert's only two red-zone targets this season came in Week 1, when he scored twice in a win over the Commanders. Notably, he also drew a defensive interference penalty that set up Dameon Pierce's two-yard touchdown in Week 6. Good things happen when Goedert is the focal point. Sirianni and offensive coordinator Sean Mannion would benefit from utilizing Goedert's 6'5", 250-pound frame. Crafty pre-snap motions could create mismatches near the end zone. Relying on this proven method would aid an offense averaging a dismal 17.7 points per game.
3. Prioritize Run Defense in the Trenches
Dallas's lackluster defense is offset by a potent offense. Quarterback Dak Prescott, wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, and wide receiver George Pickens have the talent to frustrate defenses. However, the blueprint to stopping the Cowboys has emerged in their past two losses. Dallas managed just 50 rushing yards on 13 carries (3.8 average) against the Buccaneers in Week 5 and 48 rushing yards on 15 carries (3.2 average) against the Packers in Week 6. Running back Javonte Williams has yet to find his rhythm, forcing the Cowboys to become one-dimensional. It's crucial for defensive coordinator Vic Fangio to emphasize discipline in the trenches. Closing running lanes and finishing tackles would put Prescott in long third-down situations. One tipped pass or errant throw could result in a game-changing takeaway.