Memorandum
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- Delaney Sawyer via FOX News
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- Sports·3 min to read
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Cowboys favored by 4.5 points as injury-hit Eagles face Monday night test
ReCowboys favored by 4.5 points as injury-hit Eagles face Monday night test
The Dallas Cowboys are 4.5-point road favorites over the injury-depleted Philadelphia Eagles on Monday Night Football, as both teams look to escape 2-4 starts.
The Dallas Cowboys are 4.5-point favorites on the road against the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday Night Football, a line that reflects how far both teams have fallen from their expectations this season. Dallas is 2-4 overall and 1-2 away from home, while Philadelphia is also 2-4 and missing several key players. The matchup is a division rivalry, and both sides need a win to stay in contention for the postseason.
The Cowboys enter the game on a difficult stretch. They have lost three of their past four games, including a 24-16 home defeat to the Buccaneers with a backup quarterback, and a 23-13 loss to the Packers last week. Earlier in the season, Dallas edged the Texans on the road in a shootout, a style of play the team prefers, but the recent results have not matched that approach. The team also dropped an almost improbable game to the Ravens a few weeks ago. Dallas needs to turn things around quickly if it hopes to secure a place in the playoffs.
The Eagles are dealing with a steep decline from their recent success. The team won the Super Bowl two years ago, but last season it struggled with issues involving receiver A.J. Brown, and running back Saquon Barkley had an inconsistent year. Philadelphia still reached the postseason before losing immediately, ending its bid for a repeat title. In the offseason, the team traded Brown and added receivers, but that move has not yet translated into more success on the field.
The injury situation is the central concern for Philadelphia, and the source describes the season as a disaster both on the field and off. Quarterback Jalen Hurts, the team's star, is on injured reserve and is likely out for the season, after playing with a blood clot that the team reportedly knew about. Barkley is listed as questionable for the game and has 182 rushing yards on 36 carries this year. DeVonta Smith is out for the game, as is Nolan Smith Jr., the team's sack leader.
The shortened roster leaves open questions about how much offense the Eagles can generate. The source writer expects Philadelphia to be starting a second-string group against a Dallas team that needs a win, and argues the Eagles are too banged up for a rivalry game of this kind. The writer's own pick is Dallas to cover the 4.5-point spread on the road, with a margin of 10 points or more. That view comes from a betting analysis, and it reflects one assessment of a game still to be played.
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