In Week 16, we saw the Washington Commanders and Philadelphia Eagles put together impressive performances in their own right. The Eagles looked like they were going to finish the game on top, but the resilience of the Commanders gave them the lead with six seconds left in the game, and the eventual win.
The New York Giants remain the same team that started the season. Flashing excellence from their star players, but are burned by their lackluster support.
The Dallas Cowboys remain an underwhelming team struggling with injuries, but they continue to get impressive play from depth pieces and young players. Here's where the division stands with two weeks remaining in the regular season.
4. New York Giants (Last Week: 4th)
The Drew Lock experience has been disappointing in New York, just as it was in Denver and Seattle. The Giants' defense didn't play poorly, with 14 of the Atlanta Falcons' points coming off pick-sixes. Other than a couple of 15-yard plays, the Falcons, run by rookie Michael Penix, did not overwhelm the G-Men.
It's difficult to win a game with turnovers, especially when they are returned for scores. When you add the inability to get the ball into the hands of your playmakers, you have the recipe for a blowout. With the urgency to throw the ball while down big, running back Tyrone Tracy was erased from the game script.
Even when Lock got the ball into the hands of his talented wideouts, the Falcons played clean defense and made tackles to prevent extra yardage. The opposite could be said about the Ginats' defense, who let Darnell Mooney and Drake London get loose too many times.
The defensive line was always their strength, but their inconsistencies showed up on Sunday. They failed to sack Penix once, and only hit him twice. Atlanta's offensive line is a solid unit, but it should not have been enough to dominate the pass rush and run defense of the Giants.
3. Dallas Cowboys (Last Week 3rd)
In a Sunday Night Football matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Dallas Cowboys played like they were fighting for a playoff spot. Big hits on defense, players visibly pushing through injuries and creative formations. Dallas put on a show and made the Bucs' path to the playoffs a lot more difficult.
Cooper Rush has settled in with the Cowboys' scheme and is running the system well. That gave Dallas' receivers the opportunity to make some plays. CeeDee Lamb had his third 100-yard game of the season, Brandin Cooks got rewarded for creating separation, and Jake Ferguson showed he is still a very reliable tight end.
READ MORE: Jason Garrett's prediction for Mike McCarthy's Cowboys future feels spot on
Donovan Wilson and Marist Liufau laid out big hits in the game, both being a huge momentum boost for the team. They knocked out would-be completions, which frustrated the Bucs' offense. That's the physicality this team has been missing for a while.
The pass rush excelled, forcing quarterback Baker Mayfield to run for his life all game. There were only four sacks on the books, but the pressures were plentiful. It's encouraging to see what the defensive line can do without DeMarcus Lawrence and Sam Williams.
2. Washington Commanders (Last Week: 2nd)
Turnovers kill. The Commanders gave up the ball far too many times. Most of that is on Brian Robinson, who fumbled the ball away twice at running back, but quarterback Jayden Daniels also threw two picks. Despite all the turnovers, Washington remained in the game the entire way, and finished victorious.
Five turnovers are a lot to overcome, but the defense stepped up and somewhat contained the Philadelphia Eagles offense. It was at least enough for their own unit to win the shootout. Many thanks should be given to corner Marshon Lattimore. If he wasn't knocking the ball down, he made a quick clean tackle for minimal yardage.
Washington couldn't slow down running back Saquon Barkley, but who can? The Eagles knew that which is why he got the ball handed to him 29 times. Against the pass, the Commanders' defensive line had a field day. They generated three sacks, seven quarterback hits, and enough pressure to force backup Kenny Pickett to scramble more than he'd like.
Daniels is a fantastic quarterback as a rookie. His arm and leg talent is every offensive coordinator's dream. Daniels' ability to find success with different receivers and his legs make the Commanders lethal against any defense. According to The 33rd Team, he is only the third player to throw five touchdowns and run for 80+ yards in a game.
1. Philadelphia Eagles (Last Week: 1st)
Quarterback Jalen Hurts exited the game on the Philadelphia Eagles' first drive with a concussion on a quarterback draw. That resulted in backup Kenny Pickett taking the reigns in his first game since Week 13 in 2023. Still, the talented Eagles stayed hot.
Saquon did Saquon things, rushing for 150 yards and two scores. He now has ten plays where he ran for 20+ mph, which leads the NFL, per Next Gen Stats. The combination of Barkley and Hurts running the ball is enough to instill fear into any set of linebackers. Philly hopes to have that dynamic threat back for next week.
Wideout A.J. Brown is dominant. Even if there is tight coverage, he can fight for the ball. Lattimore and Brown both had their wins and losses in this matchup, but eight catches for 97 yards and a score sounds like a Brown win to me.
Washington only punted twice, scoring five touchdowns and turning the ball over six times. It was a very hot and cold night for the Eagles' defense. They excelled in the run game, giving up only 32 rushing yards to the Commanders' running backs, although Daniels ran for 81 himself. Against the pass, however, Philly struggled mightily for the first time since Week 4.
The Eagles' hopes of getting the top seed in the NFC decreased significantly, with the Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions winning this week. The Commanders are comfortably in the playoffs with two wins ahead of the Buccaneers and Seattle Seahawks.
Giants fans just want this season to be over, and understandably so. It is a horrific output by a team that, while was expected to have a rough year, should be emberrassed to have only two wins. The Cowboys are comfortably competing to improve their roster heading into 2025.
Week 17 look ahead
An NFC East division matchup between the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles will be intense. The Eagles need a win to stay in the running for the number-one seed in the NFC. The Lions and Vikings lead by one game, and the Cowboys' recent improved play makes them a tough matchup. Thankfully for Dallas, it should warm up rather than being a snow game.
The Commanders play the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday Night Football against rookie Michael Penix. While he had success against the Giants, it's too early to tell what the Falcons have in him. New York will play the Indianapolis Colts. While they have their share of struggles, the outcome looks to be set in stone unless something miraculous happens.