It’s time to wrap up our take a look at the entire fowl groups the Dallas Cowboys will face in 2026 as a part of our larger preview collection that may undergo the total schedule, and essentially the most consequential birds as nicely – their NFC East rivals, the Philadelphia Eagles. We’ve already appeared on the Baltimore Ravens, Arizona Cardinals, and defending Tremendous Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks (hyperlinks under), which is able to all be massive video games for the Cowboys this season, but it surely looks like for the umpteenth time a Cowboys season will in the end be outlined by how they fare in opposition to the Eagles.
The Cowboys and Eagles break up the season collection for the third time within the final 4 years in 2025, with each groups defending dwelling area. The Eagles gained of their first sport as reigning champs within the Thursday evening kickoff sport, 24-20 after stopping a late Cowboys drive, and the Cowboys returned serve at dwelling in Week 12 with a 21-point comeback to win 24-21.
Though solely in essentially the most technical sense of the definition, the Cowboys and Eagles assembly this 12 months on Thanksgiving for simply the third time in historical past gained’t depend as a primetime sport, however the first assembly in Philly will probably be on Monday Night time Soccer in Week 7. Any fan with a pulse ought to know that each of those matchups are going to attract loads of eyeballs, and have their say during which workforce could win the division as both one has for 5 years in a row, and 9 of the final ten.
The Cowboys wish to construct a workforce with actual playoff viability past simply the division they haven’t gained since 2023. The Eagles had been repeat winners for the primary time by any NFC East workforce in over twenty years.
The Eagles suffered a Wild Card dwelling loss to begin off their title protection final season left so much to be desired inside their rabid fanbase, they usually have clear wants for change if the Eagles are going to climb to the highest of the mountain once more. The Eagles have been proactive about numerous these adjustments, but additionally must be reactive to the Cowboys hiring away Christian Parker to be their newest defensive coordinator, shedding a key piece alongside DC Vic Fangio.
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Eagles Key Free Agent Signings/Departures
DT Jordan Davis (Re-signed)TE Dallas Goedert (Re-signed)
*DEPARTED IN FREE AGENCY/TRADE
For a short while, this Cowboys-Eagles rivalry was sadly outlined by one workforce lacking their beginning quarterback, however followers can solely hope final season’s progress of getting each video games be a Jalen Hurts vs. Dak Prescott duel can proceed with each 2026 video games being in such excessive profile spots. If it does play out this fashion, one of the attention-grabbing factors of comparability will probably be how the 2 aspect’s vastly completely different approaches at extensive receiver this offseason will setup their franchise QBs for achievement.
The Eagles not with the ability to transfer the ball by means of the air in pivotal spots of that playoff loss to the 49ers was a part of the catalyst for fully retooling their move sport at extensive receiver, they usually’ll even have a brand new offensive coordinator in control of making all of it hum with Sean Mannion. After the current commerce of A.J. Brown that everyone type of knew was coming, the Eagles WR corps will probably be Devonta Smith and Hollywood Brown, Dontayvion Wicks, and maybe most significantly first-round decide Makai Lemon.
It’s been lined extensively how the Cowboys liking what they have already got at extensive receiver between CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens, and Ryan Flournoy has been instrumental in permitting them to deal with their full-scale defensive rebuild. Now matching up with the Eagles for 2026, will they get the varieties of Pickens and firm performances that sparked the unthinkable comeback at dwelling in opposition to Philly final season, or performs like Lamb’s letdown drops in week one which outlined that street loss? How a lot will offensive play-calling continuity matter on this equation, with the Cowboys additionally working it again with Brian Schottenheimer as HC/play-caller and Klayton Adams as OC, and the Eagles having one more new voice in Hurts’ helmet?
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Spherical 1, Decide 20: WR Makai LemonRound 2, Decide 22 (54 General): TE Eli StowersRound 3, Decide 4 (68 General): OT Markel BellRound 5, Decide 38 (178 General): QB Cole PaytonRound 6, Decide 26 (207 General): G Micah MorrisRound 7, Decide 28 (244 General): S Cole WisniewskiRound 7, Decide 35 (251 General): DL Uar BernardRound 7, Decide 36 (252 General): DE Keyshawn James-Newby
The Eagles began their draft with a full-court press on enhancing offensively, even pulling off a trade-up with the Cowboys to twentieth general to make sure they’d get Makai Lemon. The run on tight ends general got here a lot later on this draft, however the high two prizes in that class had been Eli Stowers and Kenyon Sadiq, with the latter going within the first spherical and the previous being a high-value second-round decide for the Eagles.
Defensively, the Eagles do nonetheless have Vic Fangio in place as coordinator and constructing blocks like Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis, Zack Baun, Cooper DeJean and Quinyon Mitchell, and drafted some attention-grabbing items to maintain their depth robust as nicely. Cole Wisniewski is a possible steal of this draft within the seventh spherical at security, a rangy participant that ought to be a plus scheme match beneath Fangio.
Then there’s Uar Bernard, drafted by means of the Worldwide Participant Pathway out of Nigeria with none expertise in organized, skilled soccer. The Eagles have some expertise turning such gamers into gems like offensive line starter Jordan Mailata, a former Australian rugby participant, and now will probably be wanting to take action within the trenches on the opposite aspect of the ball with Bernard.
So far as Cowboys and Eagles conferences go, each video games are comparatively early this season, because the Cowboys will as a substitute play the Giants and Commanders in Week 17 and Week 18.
Eagles 2026 Teaching Adjustments
*New to employees this season:
Offensive Coordinator Sean MannionPassing Recreation Coordinator Josh GrizzardTight Finish/Run Recreation Coordinator Ryan MahaffeyOffensive Line Chris KuperSecondary Mike Pellegrino
The most important identify on this listing that will probably be within the greatest highlight, and sure have essentially the most strain on him, is offensive coordinator Sean Mannion. Coming over from the Inexperienced Bay Packers the place he was quarterbacks coach for Jordan Love, Mannion’s identify got here up shortly on this offseason’s teaching search as a candidate numerous groups thought extremely of.
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Mannion is the Eagles’ third OC in three years, going from Kellen Moore within the Tremendous Bowl season to Kevin Patullo to Mannion. Relating to scheming in opposition to the Cowboys, he will probably be calling performs in opposition to a Cowboys protection additionally on their third coordinator in three seasons, going from Mike Zimmer to Matt Eberflus to now Christian Parker straight from the Eagles. The Eagles are additionally breaking in a brand new line coach and run sport coordinator alongside Mannion.
Whether or not or not this can result in one other resurgent season from Saquon Barkley out of the backfield, or if he’s already reached his peak in Philly, is a dialogue value having. Regardless of if it’s by means of the air, on the bottom, or with splash defensive performs, and even particular groups getting concerned, Cowboys and Eagles video games have a approach of being outlined by only a handful of clutch-time performs every trip. 2026 is wanting no completely different as Schottenheimer and Nick Sirianni go head-to-head.
2026 will probably be 12 months six for Sirianni, surpassing his predecessor Doug Pederson who coached 5 seasons from 2016-2020. Each Pederson and Sirianni have already introduced a championship to Philadelphia, however the long-term future past this season for Sirianni is using on holding off the Cowboys, Giants, and Commanders to be at very least within the playoff image once more.
Cowboys followers are additionally anticipating way more in 12 months two from Brian Schottenheimer, seeking to finish a two-year playoff drought. The depth surrounding nearly every little thing for Cowboys-Eagles this season, Thanksgiving included, really feel heated as much as a boiling level.
Mike Pellegrino is the Eagles’ most direct rent as a substitute for Christian Parker. He was the Patriots cornerbacks coach from 2019-24, and most just lately the nickels coach for the Payments in 2025. Cowboys followers are already aware of how Parker’s emphasis on the nickel place whereas working alongside Fangio was an enormous a part of the Eagles having nice move defenses, in addition to serving to them land Caleb Downs as a do-it-all nickel defender as Parker’s first draft decide as DC. The Eagles saved this emphasis in hiring Pellegrino as secondary coach, which ought to proceed to make the Eagles secondary a formidable take a look at for the Cowboys continuity-based passing sport.
Earlier 2026 Opponent Previews:
