Week 7 really felt like the end of the Philadelphia Eagles' hopes of making any kind of run in 2026 after a 38-21 loss to the Dallas Cowboys, but there are still some positives to take away from it.
Yes, it's now five straight losses, and ESPN Analytics says the Eagles have a 1% chance of making the postseason and winning the division, with a projected 5-12 record. That's all bad, but the offense might finally be coming alive.
Eagles offensive coordinator Sean Mannion has faced heavy criticism this season for how bad the offense has looked. The unit entered the Cowboys game in the bottom 10 in every offensive category. Philly's Week 7 performance might have actually been Mannion's best work all year.
Week 7 showcased the Eagles' offense looking at arguably their best
Let's look at the issues the Eagles faced going into the game. They're missing Jalen Hurts, DeVonta Smith, and Dontayvion Wicks due to injuries. Philly traded away Cam Jurgens to the Baltimore Ravens, and Lane Johnson retired, leaving their offensive line in shambles.
That said, the Eagles' offense might have played its best game of the season. They gained 321 total yards, including 121 on the ground.
Getting Saquon Barkley back was massive after he missed two huge games with a hamstring injury, but he played only 10 snaps, and his hamstring and back still hurt. Barkley gained 71 yards on nine touches and scored a touchdown on the ground.
Without Smith and Wicks, rookie first-round pick Makai Lemon finally broke through as the leading receiver, catching seven receptions for 67 yards and passeshis first career touchdown. Dallas Goedert also stepped up as the second-leading receiver, catching five for 48 yards.
Hollywood Brown finally emerged in the Eagles' offense with his first two receptions since joining the team, for 30 yards. Darius Cooper caught a 17-yard pass, and Elijah Moore caught two passes for 16 yards.
The offensive line still leaves much to be desired, but it allowed only three quarterback hits and two sacks. Philly ran the ball much better with Landon Dickerson coming back from IR, averaging 4.8 yards per run.
Sean Mannion deserves a ton of credit for how the Eagles offense looked
What made this game plan work for Mannion was that he finally adjusted to the talent he has on the field. He used a variety of formations, like more plays under center, running play-action from there, and moving guys around. It was the first time Eagles fans saw what the new offensive scheme was supposed to look like.
Lemon succeeded because Mannion didn't use a bubble screen for him. He forced his rookie receiver to go vertical, and it worked perfectly, using Lemon's quick feet and stellar route running.
Mannion used Brown well on crossing routes and let his speedy receiver do the rest. It was the same with Cooper and Moore, using those guys the right way.
Some of the offensive struggles weren't on Mannion, though. Tanner McKee missed two throws on the first-half drive that should have been caught and turned into big plays. McKee also threw an interception in the fourth quarter, which wasn't on Mannion, since it was the right play call.
Read more: Eagles' $328 million investment in defensive line this offseason backfired in Week 7
No, this wasn't a perfect performance by the Eagles, but Mannion still called a really good game. Eagles fans may not want to hear about moral victories, but this was definitely one for the offense.
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