Cowboys-Eagles on 'Monday Night Football': What We Learned from Dallas' 38-21 win

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• Dak back on track.Monday night wasn’t solely about Dallas getting a pivotal NFC East win to inch closer to .500. It also served as a get-right game for Dak Prescott, who looked less than stellar over the past two weeks while throwing two touchdowns and four interceptions. He was flawless in the turnover department against Philadelphia, and he threw three TDs -- all dots -- while guiding the Cowboys to victory. His accuracy was actually most impressive on those three touchdown tosses, as he only completed 55.6% of his passes for 212 yards. Still, Prescott enjoyed a much-needed bounce-back performance, and notably got both of his big two wideouts involved. CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens had alternated putting up gaudy stat lines this season, with Lamb doing the heavy lifting in that regard, but for the first time in 2026, both found the end zone. Lamb had five receptions for 74 yards and two scores, while Pickens went 4-57-1. It was a tremendous night for them and Prescott, which is huge moving forward. The Cowboys offense so often goes as its four-time Pro Bowl QB and his two pass-catching stars do.
• Barkley clearly not 100 percent.Saquon Barkley’s return to the lineup was a welcome sight for an Eagles squad that has suffered massive casualties of late, likely losing Jalen Hurts for the season due to blood clots and facing the Cowboys without its top two wide receivers, DeVonta Smith and Dontayvion Wicks. Unfortunately, Barkley was only able to provide a fleeting glimpse of what could have been. He tallied three touches for 49 yards on Philadelphia’s opening touchdown drive but appeared to feel something in the hamstring that held him out the past two games at the end of a 29-yard run. Barkley sat for two plays but returned to the game, seemingly assuaging any fears from the Philly faithful by bouncing outside on his next carry and easily jetting past DaRon Bland for a score. Instead, interruptions became a theme. Barkley moved gingerly throughout his abbreviated night, often retreating to the sideline and stretching or receiving treatment after a play or two. He logged only nine snaps (touching the ball on all nine for 71 yards) before leaving in the third quarter with what was labeled a back injury. He had been gashing the Cowboys for 8.9 yards per carry. Dameon Pierce filled in admirably with 47 yards and a touchdown, but he also sustained an injury in the final frame. That left Philadelphia with only Elijah Mitchell at running back during its final two possessions and change. The Eagles, already plagued by a CVS-receipt level list of injuries, will now need to wait and see how Barkley comes away from this loss.
• Cowboys rediscover ground game.Dallas’ inability to pound the rock had been a major contributor to the team’s 2-4 start. Such struggles were nowhere to be found against the Eagles. The Cowboys’ offensive line made sure of that, manhandling Philadelphia’s interior to the benefit of Javonte Williams. The 26-year-old running back is a tough runner known for picking up what his blockers allow him but not much else. On Monday night, though, he had the juice, tallying a career-high 155 yards and a touchdown on 25 carries. He averaged 6.2 yards per attempt, four carries of 10-plus yards and 50 rushing yards over expected. Tyler Goodson got some run, as well, nearly doubling his carry total this season (11) with 38 yards on 10 rushes. The Cowboys put up 101 rushing yards by halftime, more than they’ve managed in five of six games this year. They had 204 by game’s end, which is just the second time Philadelphia has allowed 200-plus rushing yards in the last three seasons. The complementary football allowed the Cowboys to eventually take over, and it will be the formula they aim to replicate moving forward.
• Eagles defense goes M.I.A.Dallas fans still won’t be elated with their team’s defensive effort. The Cowboys let the Eagles pull ahead early in the third quarter by allowing a nine-minute, 16-second touchdown drive directly out of halftime, and they only started getting stops consistently once their opponent was down a few running backs. Christian Parker’s defense did get the stops, though. That’s important regardless of context. The Eagles? There is nothing positive to take away defensively. They gave up 20 points in the first half, their most allowed since Week 6, 2025. They haven’t allowed 38 points as they did by the final whistle since Week 13, 2023. The barrage came about due to a meek performance all around. Philadelphia got clobbered at the line. Dak Prescott threw under pressure just five times and Dallas’ ball-carriers had lanes aplenty to choose from when running. In the secondary, Tariq Woolen, Andrew Mukuba and Cooper DeJean each allowed a touchdown. Woolen got burned particularly badly, allowing five catches and 111 yards on seven targets. The Eagles D, so long a strength of this team, needed to play well enough to give Tanner McKee a chance in his fourth career start. Sadly, the unit was instead a no-show.

Around the NFL will have more from Bobby Kownack shortly.