After last week's Thursday night loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, 26-18, the Washington Commanders are ready to turn the page and face their next NFC East foe, the Dallas Cowboys.
The rivalry between Washington and Dallas is a storied NFC East battle, and this one means even more for head coach Dan Quinn. It will be Quinn's first time facing his former organization, where he was the offensive coordinator from 2021-23. Additionally, Tyler Biadasz, Dorance Armtsrong, Noah Brown, Noah Igbinoghene and Dante Fowler Jr. are also former Cowboys players looking to best their former team.
More than winning the rivalry game, the Commanders are hoping to avoid a three-game slide and bounce back for a playoff push before their Week 14 bye. The much-needed extra rest from their 10-day break should be helpful, as Dallas is coming off a short week and a Monday Night Football loss to the Houston Texans.
As the Commanders prepare to host the Cowboys, let's look around the rest of the NFC East.
Philadelphia Eagles (8-2)
Despite a slow start, the Eagles took hold of their Week 11 Commanders' matchup in the fourth quarter to run away with the win. Philadelphia plays again in the primetime slot for the Week 12 edition of Sunday Night Football on the road against a gritty Los Angeles Rams team.
Quarterback Jalen Hurts popped up on the injury report with an ankle injury and has been limited in practice all week. While his mobility could be in questions, his playing status isn't, and he'll suit up Sunday. Despite early season injuries for wide receivers Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp, the Rams have been relatively healthy. Their offense has been clicking recently with the Nacua-Kupp dynamic threat.
Rams' Head Coach Sean McVay's offense is known for their pre-snap motions, which are put in place with the purpose to distract and glean all they can from the opposing defense through communications. The key for the Eagles will be playing with their eyes and trying not to overthink anything.
Vic Fangio's defense for Philadelphia has also caught fire after a slow start, currently ranking No. 2 against the pass and No. 7 against the run. Safety Reed Blankenship leads the defense with three interceptions, including one last week thrown by quarterback Jayden Daniels. The Eagles' defense can clearly hold their own, and the offense ranks No. 1 in rushing thanks to running back Saquon Barkley. If all units continue to fire as they have been, Philadelphia will remain the team to beat in the NFC East.
New York Giants (2-8)
The Giants used their bye week not only to rest up and get healthy, but also to re-evaluate the personnel on the team. The Giants have officially benched quarterback Daniel Jones in favor of backup Tommy DeVito. It's up to New York to put DeVito, who hasn't taken the field since Jan. 7, in the best spot to start his tenure off on a successful note.
Like the Giants, the Buccaneers have also had a rollercoaster of a season. They're the only team to beat the NFC-leading Detroit Lions, yet they have a losing record, sitting at 4-6 on the season. They're currently fighting a four-game losing streak, although the bye week could help them overcome that.
A boost to Tampa Bay's offense could be coming this week, as wide receiver Mike Evans returned to practice after being sidelined by a hamstring injury. He's trending in the right direction to take the field for the first time since Oct. 21, with the hopes of working his way toward his eleventh 1,000-yard season.
While the Giants' defense isn't without flaws, it has certainly outplayed the offense this season and could very well be the difference-maker against the Buccaneers. Tampa Bay quarterback Baker Mayfield is playing some of the best football of his career, although it could be beneficial for the Buccaneers to utilize their run game more against the Giants, who rank No. 17 against the run.
Dallas Cowboys (3-7)
The Cowboys come to Northwest Stadium on a five-game losing streak and without their starting quarterback Dak Prescott, who is out for the season with a hamstring injury. Against the Texans on Thursday night, the Cowboys managed just one touchdown and quarterback "Super Duper" Cooper Rush had a pass completion rate of 58.2%.
Despite Dallas' woes this season, it's important to remember they still have weapons on both offense and defense that are looking to end their losing streak. Wide receiver CeeDee Lamb was the top receiving yards candidate against Houston, notching eight receptions for 93 yards. Edge rusher and game wrecker Micah Parsons is lethal on defense. The Commanders' offensive line will have one of their toughest tests of the season in keeping Parsons in check.
The Commanders' offensive production has dipped since Daniels' Week 7 rib injury, which is something that needs to change against the Cowboys. Dallas' run defense ranks No. 28 in the league, which Washington should exploit with lead backs Brian Robinson Jr. and Austin Ekeler. On the defensive side, the Commanders need to tighten up. Coverage on Lamb to prevent deep catches is paramount. Overall, a win against Dallas would help set the tone in the division and boost the team's playoff hopes, while dashing those of the Cowboys.
