The Dallas Cowboys missed the playoffs for two seasons while the Philadelphia Eagles won a Super Bowl and had two playoff appearances during the same period.

However, Geoffrey A. Knox of Eagles Wire believes the Cowboys' offense has an edge over the Eagles in the NFC East division in the 2026 season, as the Eagles' defense will be tasked with "slowing an offense that has enough firepower to challenge any opponent."

Dallas still knows how to move the football

The Cowboys offense ranked No. 2 overall in total offense (391.9 average yards) and passing offense (266.3 average passing yards), while they ranked near the bottom of the defense (No. 30) in the league last season. 

Geoffrey A. Knox of Eagles Wire pointed to the Cowboys' offensive production in 2025 as a reason for the Eagles to remain cautious. He noted the talent in the Cowboys' potent offense could give the Eagles' defense little room for error while facing them in 2026

Dak Prescott continues to deliver during the regular season

Prescott had one of the most productive seasons in his career last year, where he completed 404 of 600 pass attempts for 4,552 yards (leading the league in completions with 67.3%) and 30 touchdowns, having a passer rating of 99.5.

Despite the Cowboys finishing with a 7-9-1 record, Prescott’s production remained one of the offense’s biggest strengths, making it important for the Eagles to generate pressure without leaving its secondary vulnerable.

The Cowboys have again invested heavily in their passing game.

With Lamb having an average annual value of $34M and Pickens under a franchise tag worth $27.3M, along with paying the quarterback ($60M) in the highest market value, the Cowboys have invested heavily in the receiving corps. 

Lamb posted 75 catches for 1,077 receiving yards and three touchdowns, while Pickens posted 93 receptions for 1,429 receiving yards and nine touchdowns last season.

Knox believes that the Eagles will have “their hands full” trying to cover both wide receivers George Pickens and CeeDee Lamb, as Prescott has one of the league’s most talented receiving duos. 

The Cowboys consistently extended drives

The Cowboys converted 41.1% of their third downs (ranking No. 11 in the league), while their 56.92% red-zone touchdown rate ranked 16th.

Knox wrote that the Cowboys remained capable of sustaining drives despite their inconsistent 2025 season. He believes that if the Cowboys improve on their red-zone efficiency while converting on third down, the team could turn extended drives into touchdowns while playing against the Eagles.

The Eagles' defensive line gave Dak Prescott time to operate

Knox of Eagles Wire believes the right side of the Cowboys' offensive line could present a vulnerability against the Eagles' defensive front.

With Eagles linebacker Nolan Smith and defensive tackle Jalen Carter capable of generating pressure, the Cowboys could counter by using quicker throws and additional help from right guard Tyler Booker and right tackle Terence Steele.

This could force the Eagles' pass rush to hesitate rather than allowing it to consistently attack the same protection.

The Eagles have fielded one of the NFL's premier defenses in recent seasons, but their matchup with the Cowboys in 2026 could present a different challenge.

Knox believes the Eagles' best chance of limiting the Cowboys' offensive production could be by exploiting weakness along their offensive line.

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Written by

Archana Ramakrishnan

Edited by

Zaid Quraishi