Coming out of a much-needed bye week, the rested Washington Commanders squad is heading south to face the New Orleans Saints in Week 15. Wide receiver Noah Brown, however, will not be traveling with the team and has been placed on Injured Reserve due to a kidney injury suffered in the team's Week 13 win over the Tennessee Titans. While Brown's unique skill set is irreplaceable, the Commanders claimed wide receiver K.J. Osbourn off waivers from the New England Patriots to fill the void, which could be the rest of the season.

Washington also signed kicker Zane Gonzalez to the 53-man roster, showing their confidence in him despite missing two kicks in Week 13. The team also elevated Greg Joseph, who was signed to the practice squad earlier this week, to the game day active roster due to Gonzalez dealing with a foot injury. Cornerback Marshon Lattimore has been a full practice participant will make his Commanders' debut against his former team. His addition to the lineup could prove a big boost to an already dominant defense.

The 5-8 Saints will be without starting quarterback Derek Carr, who broke his hand and is in the concussion protocol despite leading the team to a three-point Week 14 win over the New York Giants. Standout wide receiver Alvin Kamara also missed the team's Wednesday practice, which is something to keep an eye on. Beating the Saints on their home turf is an important win for the Commanders, as it would be another step toward a playoff berth for the first time since 2020.

As the Commanders continue preparations to take on the Saints, let's look at the rest of the NFC East.

Philadelphia Eagles (11-2)

The Eagles stretch of dominance seemed to wane in their Week 14 matchup against the Carolina Panthers. Despite putting up a 22-18 win, it wasn't pretty.

The Eagles' defense didn't have its best showing, with the Panthers converting seven third downs and four fourth downs to keep them in the game. Carolina's only vice seemed to be themselves, when wide receiver Xavier Legette dropped the game-winning touchdown with seconds left on the clock despite having immense separation from his defender.

Jalen Hurts had just 108 passing yards against Carolina and hasn't eclipse 300 passing yards in the past three games. The team will need to be on the same page if the team has any hope of beating the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday.

The Steelers trounced their AFC North-rival Cleveland Browns, 27-14. They have one of the best run defenses in the league, allowing the fourth-fewest yards per game and equipping them to stop Barkley.

Dallas Cowboys (5-8)

In a Simpson-themed Monday Night Football game, the Cowboys dropped a winnable game to the struggling Cincinnati Bengals. A blocked Cincinnati punt, which should have been advantageous to Dallas, ended up sealing their demise -- the punt was recovered by the Bengals and converted to the go-ahead touchdown. The Cowboys were once again burned at home, 27-20.

There's clear frustration in Dallas, which was made even more apparent when edge rusher Micah Parsons walked off the field angry following the loss. Despite the fan and player frustration, it seems nothing will change in Dallas. The team will be without linebacker DeMarion Overshown, who endured a gruesome knee injury in the loss.

The Cowboys are not favored to win their Week 15 matchup against the Panthers on Sunday, the first time since 2022 that Carolina has been favored to win a game. That is likely because of the Panther's prowess against the Eagles last week, as well as a strong showing from quarterback Bryce Young over the past few weeks. While it's mathematically impossible for the Cowboys to win the division with their record, they compete with the Commanders for the No. 7 seed in the NFC; a loss this week could knock them out of playoffs if they also lose to the Commanders in Week 18.

New York Giants (2-11)

The struggling Giants have officially been knocked out of the playoffs and will likely remain at the bottom of the division. However, they still have a game to play come Sunday. New York will be at home against one of the top teams in the AFC in the Baltimore Ravens. While the MetLife atmosphere might be helpful, the Giants are turning back to quarterback Tommy DeVito. Quarterback Drew Lock, who has started the past two games, has a heel injury. The quarterback turnover isn't helpful to the Giants' receivers, who have suffered due to the inconsistency throughout the season,

In contrast, the Ravens are coming off a bye week fully rested and mostly healthy. There might be some trouble in paradise in Baltimore, as reports surfaced that wide receiver Diontae Johnson, who the team traded for at the deadline, refused to enter the game in the team's Week 13 loss to the Eagles. Johnson will be serving a one-game suspension for the refusal, so he won't see the field Sunday.

The rookie matchup of Giants' first-round wide receiver Malik Nabers and Ravens' first-round cornerback Nate Wiggins will be a good one. Nabers has been New York's top receiving threat since his arrival, so it will be interesting to see if Wiggins can keep him locked down. The Giants' defense will have a strong task in handling running back Derrick Henry, who has posted over 1,000 yards this season. If they can keep Henry in check and exploit the rookie Wiggins to commit defensive pass interference in coverage of Nabers, the Giants could win the game.

A Giants' win would not only be unprecedented, but honestly hurtful to the team's future. They currently hold the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, and a win could push them further down the list. New York needs all the help they can get next year, and while a win would be awesome, it's not the end all be all for an already lost season.