The calm before the storm hit Philadelphia this past weekend, although there was still plenty of roaring to be found at Citizens Bank Park. The Eagles were on their bye week following a dismal loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and had to sit on their hands and watch on as every other team in the NFC East notched a win. But what did we really learn about the state of the division?
Washington Commanders rise up
At the beginning of the season I stated that the Commanders are the second-best team in the division behind the Eagles. My favorite prop bet was an NFC East 1-2 finish of the Eagles & Commanders. It hasn’t taken long for Washington to begin picking up speed, with Jayden Daniels rallying to win #4 of his young career.
The Commanders now maintain a 4-1 record having won 4 in a row, scoring 30+ points in their last 3. Washington has a young roster that is already showing immediate signs of growth and look primed to at least give Philadelphia a sizeable problem in each of their contests this year.
Defensively, the Commanders sit around midfield, but their confidence in Jayden Daniels has resulted in a stunning 8.5 yards per pass attempt through 5 weeks, the 2nd highest-rate in the NFL.
The Eagles have won 5 of the last 6 against the Commanders, but that stat might not look as dominant at the end of this season if Philadelphia can’t figure out how to stop this offense.
Dallas Cowboys rebound
The Steelers’ hot run had to end at some point. Dallas grinded out a narrow win over Pittsburgh under the primetime lights and finally got some production on the ground from Rico Dowdle, who put up 87 yards, while the team bottled up Najee Harris who could only amass 42 yards on 14 carries.
The Cowboys are still far from being a legitimate threat in the NFC this season, with Dak Prescott still making costly mistakes as he has to force the ball to receivers. The clashes against Philly could be absolute slopfests reminisicent of preseason play, but the games remain extremely winnable and ones where the Eagles should be favored.
New York Giants are still a pain in the rear
The Giants were able to ride Tyrone Tracy Jr.’s rushing excellence and a surprise Slayton show to get their 2nd win of the season this past weekend, stunning the Seahawks in the process. The Seattle defense absolutely crumbled following a torrid outing against the Lions, and the offensive line gave up 7 total sacks on the day. It’s hard to say if this was a Giants breakout or a Seahawks implosion, but the answer is likely somewhere in the middle.
While this was a promising win for New York, there are still too many question marks long-term for them to be considered a danger to Philly’s divisional hopes.
Takeaways for the Eagles
Watch out for Washington
Jayden Daniels and the Commanders are a problem. The rookie QB is still averaging a 77% completion rate this season despite a much lower number on Sunday, and he already has 300 rushing yards and 4 rushing scores on the season. That’s bad news for a team that has struggled to get pressure in the first quarter of the campaign and remains succeptible to easy passes over the middle.
The Eagles will genuinely need to be at their best to get past the Commanders. Terry McLaurin remains as lethal as ever and it’s not like the secondary has instilled much confidence as of late.
Aside from the two games the teams will play against each other, it’s worth noting just how hot the Commanders have been this year. Their schedule is pretty tame, with games against the Panthers, Bears, Steelers, Saints, Falcons, and Titans all still on deck alongside divisional matchups. The Eagles need to start stacking wins and fast in case this hot start is more than just a flash in the pan.
The Browns stink
If there is ever a silver lining to be had, it’s that the Cleveland Browns, who the Eagles face this week, looked terrible. Deshaun Watson looked like a Ghost of his former self, there were misfires and miscommunications everywhere, and the Browns are yet to score more than 20 points in a game this year. If there is ever a chance for a bounceback game, this is it.
The rest of the division is still a mess
Sure, the Cowboys & Giants both picked up wins on Sunday, but is anyone really afraid of either team? With the division in total disarray, the very worst-case scenario for the Eagles is a viable playoff push as the most-talented team in the NFC East on paper.
Sure, the Commanders are having a great season, but is it sustainable? Will they be able to turn it on when the weather gets colder and the stakes get higher, like we’ve seen Jalen Hurts and the Eagles do SO many times?
You’d like to think that the Birds can iron out the early teething problems and get back to being the dominant powerhouse they were for most of last season, and there’s only one real team in the division who can halt that progress…and that’s the Philadelphia Eagels themselves.
Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
