The NFC East tightened up a few weeks ago, but things are back to where they were earlier in the season – with the Eagles firmly out in front. Now 6-2, the Eagles have some breathing room as the rest of the division is sub-.500. The Cowboys are currently second at 3-4-1, while the Commanders (3-5) and Giants (2-6) are bringing up the rear. Let’s look at what happened in the division in this week’s NFC East Takeaways.
Eagles:
Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) reacts after a touchdown pass to wide receiver Devonta Smith (not pictured) during the fourth quarter against the Los Angeles Rams at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
The Eagles are rolling again
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It was touch-and-go after a 4-0 start, but the Eagles are back on track at 6-2 after avenging their Week 6 loss to the Giants. Despite missing A.J. Brown with a hamstring injury, the Eagles put up 427 yards of total offense (including four Jalen Hurts touchdown passes), and their defense held the Giants to just 246 yards after allowing 366 just two weeks ago. If the Eagles can keep playing like this, they’ll be tough to stop in the playoffs.
Saquon Barkley is unstuck
Saquon Barkley had been struggling to start the 2025 NFL season after his monster 2024 season, but he finally got back on track against his former team on Sunday. With 150 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown on just 14 attempts and four receptions for 24 yards and a touchdown, Barkley looked like the player we remember from last season. This is exactly the type of performance the Eagles needed from their star back.
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Cowboys:
Oct 19, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) looks on prior to the game against the Washington Commanders at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images
Things don’t look great, but there’s hope for Dallas
Despite now being 3-4-1, there’s some hope for the Dallas Cowboys to turn things around. They’ve more or less been alternating wins and losses every week (with a tie thrown in for good measure), but will now get to face the Arizona Cardinals and Las Vegas Raiders. They’ll be favored in both of those games, so there’s a good chance the Cowboys will be 5-4-1 when we revisit things in two weeks.
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The Dak Prescott MVP candidacy has hit a speed bump
Dak Prescott was squarely in the MVP conversation heading into Week 8, but the 44-24 loss to the Broncos might detail things a bit. Besides the fact that the Cowboys don’t have a winning record (which never helps an MVP case), Prescott looked very mortal in going 19-of-31 with two interceptions. He’ll have a chance to get back on track against the Cardinals on Monday Night Football, but the MVP talk will head to the back burner for now.
Commanders:
Oct 19, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) warms up prior to the game against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images
Washington really needs Jayden Daniels back
For as great as last year was for the Commanders, this year is quite the opposite, as they’re now 3-5 on the season. The Commanders still have two games against the Eagles at the end of the season, so all is not lost yet. But Washington really needs their star quarterback healthy if they want to turn things around. They’ve been snakebit all season with injuries, and the absence of Daniels is the most impactful yet.
The schedule gets even harder for the Commanders
Washington has had some tough games to start the season, but they’re in the middle of their toughest stretch yet. With the Seahawks and Lions next before taking on the Dolphins and Broncos, the Commanders will come off their loss to the Chiefs with three really tough matchups in their next four. With five losses already, the Commanders could see their playoff hopes dashed by Thanksgiving.
Giants:
New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart (6) throws the ball during a game against the Los Angeles Chargers at MetLife Stadium, Sep 28, 2025, East Rutherford, NJ, USA.
The Giants are a walking MASH unit
After losing star receiver Malik Nabers for the season, the Giants will now be without running back Cam Skattebo after the rookie suffered a gruesome ankle injury against the Eagles on Sunday. At 2-6, the Giants likely won’t be major players at the trade deadline, so they’ll be rolling out a host of backups alongside rookie Jaxson Dart for the rest of the season.
The Giants are staring at yet another top-10 draft pick
After getting within shouting distance of having a respectable season, the Giants are now 2-6 and will be without two of their best players for the rest of the season. While Jaxson Dart has looked promising, the Giants now have five games in a row against teams with a record above .500. Upsets can obviously happen, but a 2-11 start is a very realistic scenario for New York.
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