At one point late in the afternoon on Sunday, the Eagles had already secured their win and were watching the rest of the NFC East play one of the wildest afternoons of football in recent history.
The Giants were shutting out the Broncos, in Denver, at halftime. The Cowboys were clinging to a 20-15 lead over the Commanders when Dak Prescott was sacked at the Cowboys’ 21 with 31 seconds left in the half.
Just 21 seconds later, the Cowboys went up 27-15 to go into the half.
Washington would implode in the third quarter and the rout was on before the fourth quarter began.
The Giants would implode in their fourth quarter in Denver, blowing a 19-0 lead and eventually yielding 33 points in what might be a season-crushing blow.
It was a crazy Week 7 for sure for the NFC East. It may eventually be the week we all look back at as the turning point.
For all four teams.
Dallas Cowboys (3-3-1)
The Cowboys not only managed to get back to .500 with Sunday’s rout of the Commanders, they slid into second place in the division too.
They now lead Washington by .5 games and the Giants by 1.5 games.
That also happens to be the margin they trail the Eagles by for first. And Philadelphia already has a win in hand over Dallas.
The Cowboys still have a hard road ahead of them to catch the Eagles or even secure a wildcard playoff spot.
Dallas has a murderer’s row for a closing schedule to navigate.
However, if they can get anything close to the kind of performance from their defense that they got on Sunday, they might have a chance.
A loss on Sunday probably would have been the next-to-last nail in their 2025 playoff coffin. For one more week at least, those hopes are on life support.
Next Game: at Denver, Sunday, 3:25 p.m.
New York Giants (2-5)
It was there for the taking for the Giants on Sunday. A 19-point lead going into the final quarter against Denver.
The rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart engineered an improbable touchdown drive to retake the lead with 37 seconds left.
Then the Giants kicker missed the PAT to keep the lead at just two points. Then the Giants’ defense, which had held the Broncos scoreless for the first three quarters, vanished.
Denver went 56 yards in four plays and kicked a game-winning 39-yard field goal.
In 37 seconds and without a timeout.
New York was poised to be right in the hunt for the division. Now they’ll be playing the Eagles next week hoping not to have their playoff hopes ended for 2025.
Next Game: at Philadelphia, Sunday, Noon.
Philadelphia Eagles (5-2)
Yet again, Philadelphia gets a victory gift-wrapped by a team that should have easily beaten them.
Sooner or later, the Eagles will start losing more games this way than they win. The sooner, the better.
This most recent win, a 28-22 road victory over the Vikings, came courtesy of their former No. 1 draft pick in 2016, quarterback Carson Wentz.
Wentz threw two interceptions, one returned by the Eagles for a score. Five of the Vikings scoring drives ended in field goals.
The Vikings’ defense shut down Saquon Barkley, but let Jalen Hurts throw bombs to DaVonta Smith (9-183, 1 TD) and A.J. Brown (4-121, 2 TDs).
The Eagles will be looking to avenge an earlier loss to the Giants in the next game and extend their slim division lead.
Next Game: vs. Giants, Sunday, Noon.
Washington Commanders (3-4)
The Commanders slipped from second place in the NFC East after Sunday’s loss and are a 33-point fourth quarter by the Broncos from being tied for last in the division with the Giants.
Less than a week ago, Washington was two minutes away from being tied for first with the Eagles. A poorly handed shotgun snap in a D.C. rainfall derailed that.
The Commanders not only went off the rails that night, they appear to be heading off the bridge, into the water, and over the cliff.
Washington’s defense has checked out.
Its offense can’t keep its skill players healthy. That’s a recipe for a team predicted by some to win the NFC East this year, to end up with a very high draft pick in April.
Unfortunately for the Commanders, that light at the end of the tunnel is a freight train called the Kansas City Chiefs.
And that game will also be on the road.
Next Game: at Kansas City, Monday, 7:15 p.m.
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