With preseason and training camp now over, it is time to shift focus onto the regular season. The first game kicks off next Wednesday in a Super Bowl rematch from last year between New England and Seattle while all four NFC teams play on Sunday, including the Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Commanders slated for the Game of the Week at 4:25 at Lincoln Financial Field.
The Eagles are the odds on favorite to win a third consecutive NFC East crown, but the other three teams are always pesky throughout the season.
Let’s take a look at some of the biggest headlines surrounding the other three division teams leading into Week 1.
The biggest rivals to the Eagles, the Cowboys went 2-1 in the preseason (for whatever it’s worth) and are looking to have another strong season offensively while shoring up the league’s worst defense from a season ago.
The front office certainly made changes on the defensive side of the football, notably prying away new defensive coordinator Christian Parker from the Eagles who is viewed as one of the bright and upcoming coordinators.
The team also made approvements across the board hoping that it shores up a defense that allowed 30 points per game a season ago.
The Cowboys pose the most legitimate threat to the Eagles for the divisional crown. ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith believes the Cowboys can win the division racking up 12 or 13 wins.
Meanwhile, ESPN’s NFL Insider Adam Schefter noted how there was no drama surrounding the Cowboys this summer unlike in years past. Schefter emphatically mentioned that the Cowboys “are coming.”
At the time of writing, the Cowboys are +185 to win the NFC East and +1250 to win the NFC, something they haven't done since in over three decades.
On Wednesday, a report from The Athletic surfaced that Cowboys' legend and Pro Football Hall of fame running back Emmitt Smith and his real estate company, 4 13 Solutions Inc., has been accused of cheating a Native American investor out of $2.5 million as part of an alleged solar project scheme based in Texas.
The Giants wrapped up a 2-1 preseason and gear up for the season with an exciting young core on offense highlighted by Jaxon Dart, Cam Skattebo and Malik Nabers. However, they have an old friend back in the mix as well in Odell Beckham Jr.
At 33, the wideout certainly isn't what he used to be when he was regarded as one of the top wide receivers in the NFL when he took the league by storm winning Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2014, earning three straight Pro Bowl nods to start his career.
In four of his first five seasons with the G-Men, he racked up over 1,000 yards receiving. After a solid year in Cleveland in 2019, he has been on a decline since with injuries and underperformance.
However, after not playing in the league last year, he is back with a vengeance and made the 53-man roster.
Many believe the Giants could be a darkhorse in the NFC with John Harbaugh coming over with all of his playoff experience with the Baltimore Ravens. However, a list compiled by Mike Sando of The Athletic polled executives and the Giants came in only ahead of Atlanta and Arizona in the NFC according to the execs.
There are a lot of question marks surrounding the Giants, mostly if Dart and Skattebo can stay healthy for an entire season. They could be fun to watch, but more likely a year or two away from really being a force in the division again.
The Commanders make the short trek up I-95 to visit the Eagles to kickoff the regular season schedule for the two teams. A game that has question marks on both sides, but perhaps more so for Washington.
The Commanders are already suffering from major injuries with starting left tackle Laremy Tunsil unavailable for the season opener and will also be without their top cornerback Trey Amos for the first month.
The Eagles know all about Terry McLaurin and what he's capable of doing. In his career, the top wideout for the Commanders has averaged nearly 75 yards receiving per game against Philadelphia and has scored five touchdowns in 14 games.
Now, the Commanders have veteran Stefon Diggs to play opposite of McLaurin and he has impressed head coach Dan Campbell.
"I knew he was a competitor. I didn't know how good the fire was," Quinn said according to Nicki Jhabvala of the Athletic.
Diggs, 32, had a resurgence in New England last season where he posted his. seventh career 1,000-yard season and first since 2023. He hauled in 85 catches and scored four touchdowns thriving against zone coverage defense.
The veteran will look to continue to show he has gas left in the tank and become a reliable weapon for Jayden Daniels.
