Seven Ruled Out, Saquon Trending In: The Final Cowboys-Eagles Injury Report Sets Up a Monday Night Gut Check in Philly

By Jake "Star" Whitfield, RF Sports Radio Cowboys voice

Cowboys Nation, the paperwork is done. The final injury reports for Monday night are out, and for the first time in a long time the Cowboys are the team getting bodies back while the other sideline keeps writing names on the out list. Two 2-4 teams, one prime-time stage, and no more excuses for anybody.

The facts

Per Saturday's final reports compiled by Cowboys Wire, Dallas ruled out three players: receiver and returner KaVontae Turpin (ribs), linebacker Dee Winters (calf) and tackle Drew Shelton (hamstring). Outside linebacker Marist Liufau (forearm) and safety P.J. Locke (foot), both in their 21-day practice windows, are questionable and could be activated before kickoff with corresponding roster moves. Everybody else on the Dallas report carries no game designation, including George Pickens (shoulder), Cobie Durant (hamstring), Tyler Guyton (calf), Joey Porter Jr. (ankle) and DeMarvion Overshown (hamstring). Cowboys Wire reports Dallas expects Durant, who has not played since Week 2, and Overshown, out since Week 1, to return.

Philadelphia ruled out four: receivers DeVonta Smith (hamstring) and Dontayvion Wicks (ankle), edge Nolan Smith (concussion) and corner Michael Carter II (abdomen). Seven more are questionable, including Saquon Barkley (hamstring), guard Landon Dickerson (knee/pectoral) and edge Jonathan Greenard (ankle). NFL.com reports Barkley logged a full practice Saturday, which has him trending toward his first game since leaving Week 4 early. NBC Sports Philadelphia reports Greenard, who missed the final two practices, will be a game-time decision. Dallas Goedert returned to full practice, per Eagles Wire.

Cowboys Wire also notes Jalen Hurts is on injured reserve and done for the year, so Tanner McKee starts at quarterback, with Joe Milton III, claimed off the Dallas practice squad last week, behind him.

RF Sports Radio's take (opinion)

My take: if Barkley plays, this is a different game than the one I was talking about Friday. A healthy Saquon is the one Eagle who can take the pressure off McKee and keep Dak Prescott on the sideline. So the whole night comes down to Christian Parker's front seven. Overshown back in the middle is the biggest addition this defense has made all year, and he has to be the guy filling the hole when Barkley hits it.

On the other side, Philly is playing without its top two receivers. If Durant and Porter are both on the field, Dallas can play aggressive man coverage on the outside and dare McKee to beat them. I would put an extra safety in the box all night and make the backup quarterback win it with his arm.

The Turpin loss still bugs me. Tyler Goodson and Jonathan Mingo just need to catch the ball cleanly and not hand Philly a short field.

My call: I am trimming my number with Barkley trending in. Cowboys 24, Eagles 20. That is a prediction, not a report.

What to watch next

Whether Dallas activates Liufau or Locke, Greenard's pregame warmup, and Barkley's snap count. Kickoff is Monday at 7:15 p.m. Central on ESPN's Monday Night Football. For Friday's practice report, read our Oct. 24 Cowboys column on Friday's practice report, and follow the Dallas Cowboys page through the final whistle.

Radio question: is Saquon Barkley's return enough to make this a toss-up, or is Philly still too banged up to hang with a healthier Cowboys team?

Sources: Cowboys Wire - Cowboys-Eagles final injury update has 7 ruled out including Smith; NFL.com - Saquon Barkley logs full practice, questionable to play Monday vs. Cowboys; NBC Sports Philadelphia - Jonathan Greenard to be game-time decision vs. Cowboys; USA TODAY Eagles Wire - Eagles rule out 4 against Cowboys as Goedert returns to full practice.