Through the first seven weeks, the NFC East has provided some entertainment, good and bad. The Philadelphia Eagles look to be in a position to be the first team to repeat as division champion since the 2003-04 Eagles.
Maybe the Washington Commanders can say something about that. Maybe the Dallas Cowboys can prove a great offense overcomes everything. Maybe the New York Giants have found something with their rookie quarterback and running back.
So far, every team but the Eagles has played three division games, so this is a good time to take the temperature of the NFC East race.
NFL Nation reporters Todd Archer (Dallas), John Keim (Washington), Tim McManus (Philadelphia) and Jordan Raanan (New York) offer their insight on where things stand.
Philadelphia Eagles
Overall record: 5-2
Conference record: 4-1
NFC East position: First
Reason for hope: The defending champs still have arguably the best roster in football, even with some offseason departures (DE Josh Sweat, DT Milton Williams, CB Isaiah Rodgers, etc.) that have impacted last season's No. 1 defense. The offense is breaking in a new playcaller in Kevin Patullo, and the group has underperformed relative to expectations and payroll. But the passing game showed some serious signs of life against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 7 and confidence is beginning to build.
They sit at 5-2 despite a challenging opening schedule and some nagging injuries to players such as DT Jalen Carter and G Landon Dickerson that took a toll on their normally dominant offensive and defensive lines. They might be a little more vulnerable but remain a serious contender in the NFC.
Biggest surprise, good or bad: There was bound to be some regression after Saquon Barkley rushed for 2,476 yards in the regular season and playoffs in 2024, setting a new NFL record. But the drop-off has been dramatic. He is averaging 53 rushing yards per game, down from 125, and is on pace for under 900 yards for the season. A combination of injuries along the front -- Dickerson, C Cam Jurgens and OT Lane Johnson have all been banged up -- and defenses keying even more on Barkley this year have led to the downturn.
QB update: Hurts is coming off of one of his best performances as a pro, as he threw for 326 yards and three touchdowns against Minnesota and finished with a perfect 158.3 passer rating. That was a much-needed showing to ease the frustrations of receivers DeVonta Smith and A.J. Brown and take some pressure off Barkley and the ground game. The passing attack ranked 30th in the league entering that game but appears to have turned the corner.
As a runner, Hurts is on pace for career lows in attempts per game (7.7), yards per attempt (3.4) and yards per game (26.4) since taking over as the full-time starter in 2021. It's reasonable to expect Patullo to call Hurts' number on the ground more down the stretch.
Positional need for potential trade? Cornerback. Edge is the other primary candidate, but with Nolan Smith Jr. (triceps) likely to return after the bye and Brandon Graham coming out of retirement, there's reason to think that group can be more productive over the second half. There's no identifiable solution for CB2, however. Adoree' Jackson and Kelee Ringo haven't been able to firm up the spot opposite Quinyon Mitchell, and Jakorian Bennett has been sidelined with a pectoral injury. Maybe Bennett will offer some relief when healthy, but general manager Howie Roseman isn't one to bank on hope.
Dallas Cowboys
Overall record: 3-3-1
Conference record: 2-3-1
NFC East position: Second
Reason for hope: The offense. It can attack in different ways. Running back Javonte Williams has been Dallas' best free agent signing. He runs with power but can also break long runs. Quarterback Dak Prescott has been surgical. He has big-play receivers CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens. He can win underneath with tight end Jake Ferguson. The line play has been much improved.
It's fashionable to say the Cowboys need to score 40 every week to win. That might be a tad unrealistic, but they are scoring 30 points a week.
Biggest surprise, good or bad: The defense being last in yards and third to last in points per game. I wasn't expecting the defense to be some sort of reincarnation of the Doomsday Defense of the late '60s and early '70s. I was expecting it to be middle of the road.
Let's put it like this: Even if Micah Parsons were still around, this defense likely still ranks in the 20s. Maybe the Washington game provides some confidence with the changes that were implemented (more man coverage, more pressures). If the Cowboys can be average, then, with this offense, they might be a factor.
QB breakdown: Prescott might be playing the best of any quarterback in the league. I say "might" because of what Baker Mayfield has done and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' 5-2 record. Prescott has the second-longest streak of at least three touchdown passes and no interceptions with four games in a row.
He has terrific weapons in Lamb, Pickens, Ferguson and Williams, but he has done it at times without four starting offensive linemen and Lamb. As good as he was in 2023, when he was the runner-up for MVP, he is playing better now.
Positional need for potential trade? Most would expect pass rusher, given the Parsons trade. But I'm going linebacker, after briefly considering cornerback. The Cowboys have touted the two first-round picks they received in the Parsons trade, but unless they are getting a surefire Pro Bowler back, then dealing a first-rounder should be off limits. The Cowboys have not gotten the play they expected from free agent additions Kenneth Murray Jr. and Jack Sanborn. But finding a high-end linebacker can be costly.
Washington Commanders
Overall record: 3-4
Conference record: 1-4
NFC East position: Third
Reason for hope: They still have quarterback Jayden Daniels. As punter Tress Way said earlier this season, with him on their side they always have a chance. But more on him below.
A big part of Washington's hope rests upon the return of multiple players on offense who can make a difference, notably receivers Terry McLaurin and Deebo Samuel. McLaurin has been a nonfactor, having missed four consecutive games with a right quad injury. But he has been a key part of Washington's offense since entering the NFL in 2019, with five consecutive 1,000-yard seasons.
The passing attack has been inconsistent, but having McLaurin and Samuel, who missed the Week 7 loss at Dallas with a bruised heel, could help offset a woeful defense and give the team life down the stretch.
Biggest surprise, good or bad: How bad the defense has been. Yes there have been some injuries -- both starting defensive ends are now done for the season and strong safety Will Harris is on injured reserve with a fractured fibula, though he might return this season. However, the group has not played with any level of consistency and good offenses continually hurt them. If it's not missed tackles, it's miscommunication in coverage or poor run fits or simply getting beat down the field.
The Commanders rank 21st in scoring and 27th in yards -- over the past four weeks they're 28th and 29th, respectively. Only Miami has allowed more plays of 15 yards or more this season.
QB breakdown: Daniels has not had the season he or the team hoped, but it's due to injuries and missing key help in the passing game, not from any so-called sophomore slump. Not only has McLaurin missed four games, but as a result of his holdout/hold-in that caused him to miss all of training camp, he and Daniels started the season out of sync.
Their third-best receiver, Noah Brown, missed four games with a groin injury before finally being placed on injured reserve, and third-down back Austin Ekeler tore his Achilles in Week 2 and also is done.
Daniels missed two games with a knee injury and then hurt his hamstring in Week 7 vs. Dallas, which will sideline him against the Chiefs on Monday night. His completion percentage compared to last year is down (from 69% to 61%); he's thrown for 1,031 yards, eight touchdowns and a pick, while rushing for 211 yards and another score. His pace is comparable to last year's, but he has also spent the season throwing mostly to backup receivers, so the dynamic impact is different.
Positional need for potential trade? Oh, man. Thanks to injuries, the Commanders need a lot of help, but they should be getting key players back on offense. Otherwise, I'd say receiver. They need help in the secondary as well, someone who can make plays. But they just lost their third defensive end for the season, including both starters (Deatrich Wise Jr., and Dorance Armstrong, who led them in sacks). The position has been depleted.
Out of necessity they need more help up front -- can it be two trades? Besides, they have only two ends under contract for next season, so if they added a quality starter signed through 2026, that could also eliminate an offseason need.
New York Giants
Overall record: 2-5
Conference record: 1-3
NFC East position: Fourth
Reason for hope: Jaxson Dart and Cam Skattebo. The rookie quarterback and running back have changed the feel of the Giants. They've brought juice, energy and youthful exuberance. They even helped them snap an eight-game skid in the division when they led New York to a win over the Eagles two weeks ago on Thursday night.
New York is so back in play in the NFC East that outside linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux said afterward, "F--- the Eagles!" Ah, to be relevant again. Or at least competitive. Most importantly for the Giants, Dart looks like he's going to be a high-end NFL quarterback. That gives them a chance to win some games now and be a factor in the future.
Biggest surprise, good or bad: Brian Burns. Everyone knows he's a good player. The standout edge rusher, whom the Giants traded for last year, has at least 7.5 sacks in each of his first seven professional seasons. But Burns has taken his game to the next level. He's currently tied for the NFL lead with nine sacks, is first with 12 tackles for a loss, tied for fifth with 13 QB hits and top 20 among edge rushers in pass rush win rate (19%) and pressure percentage (11.6%). He's playing at a Defensive Player of the Year level.
QB breakdown: Dart has been the starter for four games and accounted for 10 touchdowns (seven passing, three rushing). The Giants are averaging 25.5 points with him as the starter after being 31st in points per game each of the previous two seasons. So clearly there has been a difference. Even in a hostile road environment such as Denver, Dart "made a lot of good plays for us," according to coach Brian Daboll.
Bottom line, this offense is now, at the very least, dangerous with Dart behind center. The first-round pick has a chance to be a really good player if he keeps developing.
Positional need for potential trade? This is easy: wide receiver. The Giants have already been linked to Miami's Jaylen Waddle. There is interest there, according to sources. The biggest problem is that the Dolphins aren't motivated to move him at the moment. New Orleans' Chris Olave and Las Vegas' Jakobi Meyers are some other names that have been mentioned. Still, more likely, the Giants will add a lower-end veteran and hold on to that future draft capital even though star wide receiver Malik Nabers is out for the season with a torn left ACL.
