The Philadelphia Eagles did something the NFC East had not seen in two decades: win the division title twice in a row. But come the 2026 season. However, that three-peat is at risk, and it's all thanks to an overhaul in Dallas.

Reporter Tim McManus believes that the Dallas Cowboys' off-season overhaul can cause serious consequences.

"The Cowboys' offense looks ready to roll and...The Cowboys' defense has some adapting to do of its own, but this feels like a season where Philly could take a step back while Dallas hits its stride," McManus wrote, via ESPN.

The Cowboys had a busy offseason. They managed to retain George Pickens with the franchise tag. And with him on board, the two will form the best receiver duo in the league. That means they retain their offensive core, the same one that managed 391.9 yards on average and 27.7 points.

Moreover, the team has invested in the one area that caused problems last season: the defense. They brought in defensive coordinator and former Eagles coach Christian Parker, with the likes of Rashan Gary and Malachi Lawrence being added to the team.

And as Todd Archer wrote, "Any improvement over last season's defense, which allowed an NFL-high 511 points, will take some pressure off Prescott and the offense to put up 30-plus points a game."

New offensive system could test Eagles early

Reporter Tim McManus raised concerns that the change in the offensive system of the Eagles could make it difficult for quarterback Jalen Hurts to perform without a top receiver.

"The shifting landscape goes beyond personnel: New offensive coordinator Sean Mannion is implementing a different scheme featuring more motions and under-center looks," McManus wrote in the same ESPN article. "It's a lot of change, even for a QB who has had seven different playcallers over six-plus seasons as a pro."

The Eagles have changed their OCs every year, with Hurts adjusting to five new schemes in the past six seasons.

As Sean Mannion replaced Kevin Patullo, Hurts is expected to work under a more QB-centered under-center play system, different from the inside-zone style of the former OC Patullo.

Moreover, after the trade of A.J. Brown to the New England Patriots, McManus believes his production would be "difficult to replace" as DaVonta Smith and rookie Makai Lemon step in for the WR1 and WR2 positions, respectively.

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Written by

Archana Ramakrishnan

Edited by

Siddharth Shirwadkar