NFC East Roundup: Sudden Quarterback Turmoil Has the Division in Flux

Week 3 is here, and even though it's early, some storylines are already taking shape behind injuries and player availability. That means tons of new info from the four teams across the NFC East. Let's dive right in!

Around the NFC East

Dallas Cowboys News
New York Giants News
Philadelphia Eagles News
Washington Commanders News

Dallas Cowboys News

Cowboys-Ravens Maracana Stadium Field Concerns Reignite With Viral Close-Up Video

A close up look at the field at Maracanã Stadium.#Cowboys #CowboysNation pic.twitter.com/tNKgkqB9md
— 105.3 The FAN (@1053thefan) September 26, 2026

NFL Field Director Nick Pappas said that the field passed all guidelines and that the league has "been in correspondence with the NFLPA and both teams about the surface." There are still small concerns that overnight rainfall could play a role and make the surface slick, but Pappas claims the field is "not expected to be inherently unsafe."

Dak Prescott, Cowboys want to 'be the aggressors' vs. Ravens in Rio

The Cowboys landed in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ahead of their Week 3 game against the Baltimore Ravens on Friday morning. A few hours later, Prescott and the Cowboys traveled to CR Flamengo's training grounds for a Friday practice, which provided a scenic backdrop ahead of a unique weekend.

"Surprised it's been this long, but excited it's here and it's in Brazil for the first time, a place I've never been," Prescott said. "Obviously just trying to expand the game to all the different places, understanding the game has been here, but not the Cowboys brand of football and not the organization…"

Jerry Jones Admits Ravens Are 'Bad Matchup' For Cowboys & Dallas' Fatal Flaws Prove Why

Dallas has been bad against the run this season, with the Cowboys giving up a whopping 173.5 rushing yards per game, the third-most in the NFL.

But Dallas' struggles against the run aren't only against running backs. Christian Parker's defense has been torched by mobile quarterbacks, with the New York Giants' Jaxson Dart and the Washington Commanders' Jayden Daniels having success.

Brian Schottenheimer's message to Cowboys in Rio: 'It's a business trip'

They're looking to build on the momentum from the bounceback victory in the home opener against the Washington Commanders, and that means staying focused and improving on their imperfections from last week.

"The biggest thing is this is a business trip," said head coach Brian Schottenheimer ahead of Friday's practice in Rio. "We're coming down here to play a football game. You can look at the Ravens roster and know that they're a really talented team in all three phases. We're down here to get a victory, to get a W and our second in a row.

"You wanna stack wins in this league. It's important because there's so much parody. There hasn't been much of a message that's had to be said. We're here to get better, grow, learn and we'll keep putting the final touches on what's been a short week; but we've got a lot of time between now and [kickoff]."

5 final thoughts about Cowboys-Ravens: Facing Derrick Henry, getting Quinnen Williams going

It’s been a discussion because it’s such an obvious X-factor in Sunday’s game. The Cowboys have allowed opposing quarterbacks to run for an average of 6.6 yards per attempt. Jaxson Dart exploited the Cowboys mostly with designed bootlegs in the season opener. Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels gashed the Cowboys by escaping the pocket, even when it appeared the Cowboys were designating players or designing their pass rush lanes to limit Daniels' rushing ability.

Lamar Jackson is averaging 6.7 yards per attempt on 11 carries. Running back Derrick Henry is having a lot of success, as well. He’s averaging 5.3 yards per carry. He already has four touchdowns in two games.

New York Giants News

Giants' offense about to 'shift' with Jameis Winston

"Probably the biggest thing is -- one of the things with this offense when we first got started is we wanted to be able to be prepared to have multiple styles of offense," Nagy said. "And so, if something like this does happen, it doesn't put you in a hole where it changes everything."

The Giants' offense was starting to take shape with Dart as the quarterback before he suffered a knee injury in Week 2 and was placed on IR. His legs and ability to run were a big part of the run game. He had 54 yards in an impressive season-opening win over the Dallas Cowboys.

Players to watch in Week 3 👀
— New York Giants (@Giants) September 26, 2026

Giants’ Chris Horton Has High Praise for Rookie Kicker Dominic Zvada

“It was very encouraging,” Horton said. “From the day we got him here, we always believed in him, and just needed to get him out there to get him those opportunities … We know who he is; he knows who he is. And so, it was very encouraging to get him out there in a game setting and let him kick that 52-yard field goal.”

“What I'm looking for is him coming out weekly and just going through the process and just doing what he's been doing,” Horton said.

“Again, he does not lack confidence. So, I think when you get young guys, sometimes they have to go out there, and they have to do it. And they have to do it enough for them to be like, you know what, ‘I belong.’

“And he belongs. He's just got to go out there and continue to be consistent,” he added. “Consistency is everything that is a part of his game, and as long as he's consistent and he plays, he continues to do the things that he needs to do, starting in practice, and then carrying those things over to the game, he's going to be fine.”

“And he belongs. He's just got to go out there and continue to be consistent,” he added. “Consistency is everything that is a part of his game, and as long as he's consistent and he plays, he continues to do the things that he needs to do, starting in practice, and then carrying those things over to the game, he's going to be fine.”

Ex-49ers QB Emerges as Potential Giants Replacement After Jaxson Dart Injury

This now puts veteran Jameis Winston in a position to start at quarterback, but GM Joe Schoen is reportedly actively looking to make a move to add another QB to the room alongside Winston and backup Jake Haener, according to Tom Pelissero of Netflix Sports.

Giants sign QB Jake Haener to active roster; elevate 2 from practice squad

The New York Giants made the following roster moves Saturday ahead of the team's Week 3 matchup against the Tennessee Titans.

Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation)

WR Braxton Berrios
LB Malik Harrison

Free Agent Signing from NYG Practice Squad

QB Jake Haener

A golden get-right opporunity awaits Malik Nabers (even without Jaxson Dart)

Tennessee has been one of the league's stingiest run-stopping teams through two games. They've given up the fifth-fewest yards per carry (3.4) despite tying with the Carolina Panthers for the most attempts faced (71). In other words, moving the ball on the ground will be easier said than done, putting additional onus on Nabers and the pass-catchers.

Philadelphia Eagles News

Tyson Bagent Injury Update Gives Strong Signal of Who's In Line to Start for Bears vs Eagles

The Chicago Bears' chaotic quarterback situation took another turn ahead of their Week 3 matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles. According to Bears reporter Kevin Fishbain of The Athletic, Bears coach Ben Johnson said QB Tyson Bagent will return to practice on Saturday, the first step in the possibility he will be able to start Monday.

Jonathan Greenard (pectoral) warming up. The #Eagles OLB has been limited at practice all week — just as he was ahead of the first two games that he didn’t play.

Nick Sirianni said Greenard has looked good this week. Status report for Monday’s game vs. the Bears will be issued… pic.twitter.com/K3aRznBLj6
— Jeff McLane (@Jeff_McLane) September 26, 2026

Eagles at Bears Injury Report

Outside linebacker Jonathan Greenard (pectoral) was upgraded to a full participant at practice for the first time this season and is listed as questionable for Monday after being ruled out for Weeks 1 and 2.

"I had a pretty solid week. Even last week was solid. Just kind of like I said before, just leaving it up to the coaches and staff, how did I look? And that answer will come pretty soon," Greenard said after practice on Saturday. "I'm pretty optimistic. I'm ready to get out there. But like I said, man, if it's not smart on my end or for the team's sake, they'll let me know that."

Greenard has said it's hard not being out there with his teammates – he would play if it were up to him, but trusts that the medical staff will make the right decision for him and the team.

"You can try to get as much football shape as you possibly could, but you never get in shape of when you're actually playing," Greenard said when asked about his fitness. "I don't feel like it'll be that long before I can get back in gear."

Did Eagles break rules? Bears accuse Philly of crossing a line: ‘It’s not to be used’

“Something different, something we noticed from Week 1,” Clay said about Mann holding the ball on kickoffs. “I believe Atlanta did it with [kicker] Nick Folk, and it just gave us a different opportunity, a different launch angle and they executed pretty well in terms of [kicker] Jake [Elliott] and Braden Mann holding on that. We’re always looking for ways to help the team in any way we possibly can. It’s a different technique, and we’ll see if we keep using that as the year goes on.”

Zach Ertz: 'It's special to be back'

He praised his wife, soccer superstar Julie Ertz, for taking care of a household with three young boys while he embarked on his mission to return to the field. He wanted to set an example for those young boys that there are times in life that you have to dig down deep and battle to overcome adversity.

"I was going to do everything I could to give myself a shot to not go out like that. And so I really committed myself," Ertz said. "I was going to do everything I could to get back and I could live with those results."

The comeback brought him to where his NFL career began as a second-round pick in 2013. One of the most accomplished tight ends in franchise history, Ertz signed to the Eagles' practice squad on Tuesday.

Eagles' Best Rookie Through Two Weeks Isn't Anyone They Drafted

As soon as the draft ended on April 25, Underwood agreed to sign with the Eagles. The undrafted free agent wasted little time renting a U-Haul and driving 17 hours from Gainesville, Fla., where he had spent five years at the University of Florida and had just earned a bachelor’s degree in Sports Management.

“I think we left at like 6 a.m., got here like 11 or 12 or something like that, and made it safely,” Underwood said. “Definitely had a positive mindset about it all. Came up here a little bit early just to get settled in and figure everything out, figure out the area.”

Washington Commanders News

Why the Commanders Will Beat the Seahawks, Why They Won't — and a Prediction

The Washington Commanders are a team facing one of the toughest opening schedules possible, with a head coach on the hot seat and a franchise quarterback out and officially listed as week-to-week with a dislocated elbow that, thankfully, won't require surgery. In addition to missing Jayden Daniels, Washington will also be without Sam Cosmi, Frankie Luvu, Nick Cross, and Chig Okonkwo. While the home opener is not an impossible game, the margin for error is extremely small against the NFL's hottest team, the Seattle Seahawks, who are riding a 12-game winning streak that includes last year's Super Bowl.

No flinch@BankofAmerica | #RaiseHail pic.twitter.com/FAPXLUMK44
— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) September 27, 2026

Seahawks continue to deal with injuries as they face Commanders for week three

With Jayden Daniels out after dislocating his left elbow, it's going to be back-up quarterback Marcus Mariota taking on the Seahawks' lights-out, 'Dark Side' defense.

That being said, the former Oregon Duck is an experienced backup quarterback, with this season being his 11th season in the NFL. Last season, Mariota completed 139/227 passes, and threw for nearly 1,700 yards, filling in for when Daniels injured the same elbow.

While it's easy to assume that the back-up quarterback will struggle with one of the NFL's top defenses, Mariota's experience, as well as having Terry McLaurin and Stefon Diggs to throw to, will make Sunday's game interesting.

10 Commanders Quotes That Define Washington Entering Week 3 vs. Seahawks

The Washington Commanders enter Week 3 looking for answers after an 0-2 start, and they’ll have to find some of them without Jayden Daniels. With Marcus Mariota taking over at quarterback and a defense trying to clean up some costly mistakes, here are 10 quotes that help define where Washington stands entering Sunday’s matchup with the Seattle Seahawks.

Commanders Starter Called ‘NFL’s Worst Defensive Player’

"WORST DEFENSIVE PLAYER IN THE NFL?" Polymarket Football wrote on its official X account. "Commanders CB Mike Sainristil is DEAD LAST among 96 qualified cornerbacks per PFF. PFF grade: 31.2."

"I really want to feel hopeful for the game tomorrow, but Mike Sainristil, Jeremy Reaves, and Quan Martin is the worst secondary in the NFL," Commanders reporter Josh Taylor wrote on his official X account on September 26. "Could get ugly quick."

Washington’s Captains Made Their Feelings About Marcus Mariota Clear — Commanders Daily

The Washington Commanders had a single message at the start of the week: rally around Marcus Mariota. Head Coach Dan Quinn has repeatedly said that Mariota is more than a capable backup; he's someone the team already naturally followed. "We will start Marcus on Sunday, and there's nobody easier to rally around than him," Quinn said. "When you ask anybody on our team who some of our greatest leaders are, whether it's on or off the field, Marcus is somebody that constantly comes up."

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