Last week, the Cowboys let a golden opportunity to gain ground on the Giants in the NFC East slip through their fingers. But even after their folly against Arizona, Dallas is still just a couple of games back from the lead with plenty of season still to go.
And really, if the playoffs are still in the cards for the Cowboys, winning the division is the most likely path. The NFC North is monopolizing the bracket right now, with the Bears, VIkings and Packers holding all of the current wild card spots. Green Bay would be the seventh seed with a 5-3 record and a head-to-head win over Dallas, which will be tough to overcome.
Again, a lot can change between now and January. But clearly, the odds are much more favorable to the Cowboys being NFC East champs than an NFC wild card team. Given that, focusing on our weekly divisional action is all the more important.
NFC East standings after Week 78
Note: Division record in parentheses
1. New York Giants 4-2-1 (1-0-1)
2. Dallas Cowboys 3-5 (2-1)
3. Washington Commanders 2-4-1 (1-2-1)
4. Philadelphia Eagles 2-6 (1-2)
Looking ahead to NFC East action in Week 9
The Cowboys got a "must win" two weeks ago against the Eagles, only to blow up against the Cardinals. As such, they're right back on the brink in a road trip to Indianapolis.
The Colts have already aborted the 2026 season, trading off key players and reportedly shopping others ahead of Tuesday's deadline. If Dallas can't go get this win, it may be time for them to start considering a similar fire sale. At the very least, it could push Jerry Jones to go back on his previous statements about Brian Schottenheimer's job security.
Another pivotal game takes place in Philly with the Eagles hosting the Giants. Beyond just NFC East implications, Joe Milton's first start for Philadelphia will be fascinating for Cowboys fans. How he performs will either serve as validation for Dallas' controversial decision to cut him last August, or another indictment of this front office's decision making.
Assuming that the Cowboys handle their own business in Indy, a Giants loss would make things very interesting for the back half of the season. They'd both have four wins, albeit with Dallas at 4-5 and New York at 4-3-1. But that's still a razor-thin margin with eight weeks to go, and especially with another head-to-head coming in Week 17.
Granted, the G-Men didn't get to their current spot because they're out here blowing games against weaker teams. And at this point, Philly seems to be that. We may have to wait until upcoming games against the Jaguars, 49ers, and Seahawks for New York to start taking hits. But division games often go off script, so you never know how this one or next week's against Washington may turn out.
Speaking of the Commanders, they're looking for a second post-bye win against the Rams. They got a gift last week with Philly, but Los Angeles is starting to work through its early-season issues and just got back to .500.
This will be a truer test of Washington's mettle going forward, and could be its own swing game for how they treat the rest of their season.
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