Cowboys at Eagles: The latest news from the Eagles’ side of things

Eagles rule out four players for Cowboys game on Sunday - Dave Zangaro, NBC Sports Philadelphia

An Eagles’ offensive lineman may be making his first career start.

The Eagles have ruled out four players for their Sunday afternoon game against the Cowboys.

G Cam Jurgens (foot), CB Bradley Roby (shoulder), RB Boston Scott (personal matter) and Grant Calcaterra (concussion) were all ruled out of Friday afternoon.

Jurgens has missed the previous four games on Injured Reserve with a foot injury. His 21-day practice window was opened this week and he returned as a limited participant all week but he isn’t quite ready to go. We will likely see him return after the bye week on Nov. 20 against the Chiefs.

Without Jurgens, the Eagles are actually expected to start rookie third-round pick Tyler Steen at right guard. This will be the first start of Steen’s career. Veteran Sua Opeta has been the starter the last four games but Steen got out there for six snaps late in the second quarter against the Commanders and has been working with the first-team offense this week.

This will be Roby’s third missed game since suffering a shoulder injury. He wasn’t put on IR so the Eagles were hoping he’d be back before four weeks. So maybe we see him return against the Chiefs too. Roby was working with trainers on a side field Friday.

Spadaro: Secondary ‘growing in the defense’ with potent Dallas pass game coming - Dave Spadaro, PhiladelphiaEagles.com

An often-shuffling lineup in the Eagles’ secondary is preparing to be tested this Sunday.

Constant change, to the tune of seven different combinations in the secondary during the course of eight weeks. The Eagles’ secondary has had its hands full keeping track of who is where and what is up from game to game and, at times, play to play.

“We’ve always had that next-man-up mentality, and it has been put to the test this season,” cornerback James Bradberry said. “I think we’ve held up pretty well.”

The Dallas Cowboys come to town on Sunday, if you weren’t aware, and bring with them a potent passing game led by wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, who coming off back-to-back huge games, including a 12-catch, 158-yard, 2-touchdown performance in the Cowboys’ win over the Los Angeles Rams. Lamb has 46 receptions for 633 yards and 3 touchdowns this season.

“Good receiver. Runs great routes and makes plays,” Bradberry said. “We definitely have to be aware of where he is at all times.”

What the Eagles are searching for is stability in the secondary, something that went off the rails from the very start of the season. Nickel cornerback Avonte Maddox played in two games before suffering a season-ending pectoral injury, safety Reed Blankenship has missed time with injured ribs, Bradberry had a concussion that kept him out of a game, and safety Justin Evans is on Injured Reserve with a knee injury. Cornerback Darius Slay missed a game with a knee injury. Bradley Roby, signed to replace Maddox, is out with a shoulder injury.

“All you can do is keep playing and make sure that everyone is ready to go when their number is called,” said Blankenship, who has been inactive for two games. “Obviously, we would like to have the same guys out there every week, but that hasn’t been the case. It’s football. You just have to roll with it.”

Nick Sirianni defends Kenneth Gainwell as Eagles’ No. 2 RB; Rashaad Penny remains odd man out - Jeff Kerr, CBS Sports

Despite trading for starting RB D’Andre Swift during the draft, the third-year Eagles’ RB still has his place on the roster.

Kenneth Gainwell is not getting replaced in the Philadelphia Eagles’ running back rotation. Just days after Gainwell finished with two carries for -4 yards — including a fumble inside the 5-yard line — in Sunday’s win over the Washington Commanders, the Eagles will stick with him as the No. 2 running back.

“He’s the No. 2,” Sirianni said Wednesday. “He’s our No. 2 because we believe it right now. He’s the second best running back on our team.”

Gainwell has been struggling throughout the year, having just 153 rushing yards and averaging 3.0 yards per carry in seven games. Of the 41 qualified running backs, Gainwell is 40th in yards per carry. Of the 107 players who have 10-plus carries since Week 4, Gainwell is 96th in yards per carry (2.4).

Sirianni is sticking with Gainwell regardless.

“That’s based off games,” Sirianni said. “That’s based off past games. That’s based off practice. That’s based off the whole body of work, not just — and obviously I understand where that question is coming from, but I didn’t get this question last week when he ran over two guys in the Miami game and got into the end zone because we were all singing his praises.

Philadelphia Eagles TE Dallas Goedert on Dallas Cowboys Rivalry: ‘I Love The Hatred!’ - Max Gamarra, Sports Illustrated

It remains evident that there is no love lost on either side of the Cowboys-Eagles rivalry.

Philadelphia Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert is a big, unironic fan of the rivalry with the Dallas Cowboys and “loves the hatred,” something he hasn’t been shy about in recent seasons despite the identical names.

“I’m a Philly guy and I love the hatred we have towards Dallas so hearing ‘Dallas Sucks!’ just gets me fired up,” Goedert said. “Because I feel the same way about them.”

The Eagles and Cowboys have one of the most historic rivalries in the NFL, dating back decades upon decades. The latest iteration of the rivalry has been headlined by quarterbacks Dak Prescott and Jalen Hurts.

Goedert has played in nine games against Dallas since he has entered the league, recording 28 catches for 412 yards and three touchdowns. In those nine games, Philadelphia is 3-6, spanning back to 2018.

Here are the final injury reports for both teams heading into this Sunday.