NFC East update: Cowboys and in a race to the bottom
The Cowboys and Giants are pretty far away from the Commanders and Eagles these days.
It’s becoming our weekly Groundhog Day update in the NFC East; Washington and Philadelphia win while the Cowboys and Giants lose. As the divide between the division rivals turns into a chasm, their goals for the 2024 season should also be pointed in opposite directions.
There are two races going on now. The Commanders and Eagles, each with just two losses, are going to be neck-and-neck for the division crown through January. Meanwhile, the Giants have their sights set on their 2025 Draft spot and the Cowboys, fresh off another loss and a multi-game injury for QB Dak Prescott, are quickly closing on them in a mutual plummet.
We have a division game this week as the Cowboys, or at least what’s left of them, return home to host the Eagles. With Cooper Rush starting in place of Prescott, a game in which Philly should already have been favored is looking more like another blowout.
Remember, it was the Eagles who ended Rush’s winning streak in 2022 and that was before they had Kellen Moore on staff. Moore, who worked with Rush as a teammate and coach from 2017-2022, will be able to give Philadelphia even more insight into how he operates and where they can take advantage of things. Sometimes backups QBs catch teams by surprise with less tape to work from, which is a big part of why Rush is 5-1 as an NFL starter. But the same team that gave him that one less will be in a great position to worsen his record.
The Eagles could find themselves on top in the NFC East after this week as the Commanders host the surging Pittsburgh Steelers. Russell Wilson is looking more like the Seattle version since being named starter and Pittsburgh has won three in a row. Washington has looked vulnerable lately, barely beating the Bears and Giants in recent weeks. This is a huge week for the Commanders to either keep the magic going or find their season’s become less special.
Lastly, in an ultimate Toilet Bowl matchup, the Giants host the Carolina Panthers this week. Both are among a slew of 2-7 teams and it will be interesting to see if either of them puts much effort into winning.
