Giants Country

NFC East Notebook: Previewing Week 10

NFC Least no more, as the NFC East continues to dominate the NFL.

Andrew Parsaud

In this story:

Week 9 only saw two out of the four teams play, with the Philadelphia Eagles remaining undefeated at 8-0. The Washington Commanders fell to the Minnesota Vikings and remained at the bottom of the division at 4-5. 

The Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants, both 6-2, are coming off of their bye week and looking to continue winning more games starting this week.

The NFC East is now a combined 24-8, the best winning percentage of any division in the league, and are the winningest division in NFL history, with 13 combined Super Bowl wins between the four teams.  

Here is everything you need to know about the upcoming action in the NFC East this weekend.  

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Houston Texans at New York Giants

Spread: Giants -4.5

The Giants are coming off their bye with a 6-2 record. Many thought they wouldn’t be in this position at this point, but they’re right in the mix to make the playoffs in the NFC if they continue to win.

There was unfortunate injury news for the team during the bye week: starting safety and captain Xavier McKinney suffered a broken hand during an ATV tour in Cabo. McKinney was placed on the Non-Football Injury list and will miss at least four games. This means Julian Love will take over as the defense’s signal caller, with rookie Dane Belton’s snaps expected to increase in McKinney’s absence.

However, there was some good injury news. Guard Shane Lemieux had his 21-day practice window opened and is eyeing a return to the field soon. Wide receiver Kenny Golladay is expected to play for the first time since Week 4 after suffering an MCL sprain.

Rookie tight end Daniel Bellinger said his eye is healing well, and he should play again this season. Outside linebacker Oshane Ximines and rookie cornerback Cor’Dale Flott also returned to practice but were limited.

The Giants' first test out of the bye is the 1-6-1 Houston Texans. The Texans have allowed 1,445 rushing yards, the most in the NFL, while also giving up 5.4 yards per carry.

The Giants' defense has not been good at stopping the run either, and with rookie running back Dameon Pierce coming to town, the task does not get easier. After a tough loss in Seattle two weeks ago, the Giants are looking to claim their seventh win of the season and begin the second half of the year strong.

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Dallas Cowbiys at Green Bay Packers

Spread: Cowboys -4.5

This week's big storyline for the Cowboys is that head coach Mike McCarthy will be facing his former team. McCarthy was the Packers head coach from 2006-2018 and helped them win Super Bowl XLV in 2010.

Cowboys players have also been active in the recruiting department. Free agent wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr should be cleared to play this week and is deciding on a team for this season and beyond. 

One team that wants the receiver to join them is the Cowboys, whose players and coaches have been vocal in their preference. If Beckham were to sign in Dallas, he’d be playing for one of his former teams’ biggest rivals in what would be a shockwave across the NFL.

Running back Ezekiel Elliott, who missed last week’s game, returned to practice on Wednesday with a knee brace he said he’d wear if he plays against the Packers. McCarthy said that safety Malik Hooker and defensive end Sam Williams will also return to practice.

The Packers have not been themselves this year and are currently on a five-game losing streak. The Cowboys have a good chance to make it six, with their compelling defense bound to disrupt Green Bay’s offensive game plan.

Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

Washington Commanders at Philadelphia Eagles

Spread: Eagles -10.5

There’s another NFC East showdown set for primetime this week, as the undefeated Eagles host the Commanders on Monday Night Football in the final matchup between the two teams this season.

The Eagles are 8-0 for the first time in franchise history and are looking to continue their dominance over the rest of the league. Quarterback Jalen Hurts had another nice game last week, throwing for 243 yards and two touchdowns, with tight end Dallas Goedert catching eight passes for 100 yards and one touchdown.

The Eagles defense continues to be one of the best in the league. Defensive tackle Javon Hargrave collected three sacks against the Texans, while C.J. Gardner-Johnson and James Bradberry each snatched an interception against quarterback Davis Mills.

With no losses and a rowdy fanbase, this week’s matchup is favorable for the Eagles to get their ninth win of the season and remain undefeated.

Meanwhile, the Commanders had a nice winning streak heading into Week 9, but that all ended after a 20-17 loss against the Minnesota Vikings. The Commanders faced their former quarterback Kirk Cousins, and he ended up taking the victory at his old home stadium.

Quarterback Taylor Heinicke continues to look better than Carson Wentz. However, in this game, he did not exactly put Washington in a position to win. The Commanders were leading in the fourth quarter and looked like they would win their fifth straight game.

Heinicke then threw a costly interception to Vikings safety Harrison Smith, completely changing the momentum which propelled Minnesota to 13 fourth-quarter points and an eventual win.

The Commanders now head to Philadelphia in what could be another ugly matchup. The teams last met in Week 3, where the Eagles dominated Washington 24-8. The main problem was the Commanders offensive line, allowing the Eagles to sack Carson Wentz nine times.

If the Commanders, who, along with the NFL, are facing a lawsuit alleging collusion in a toxic workplace probe, want to get back into the NFC East race, they’ll need to block out the noise and focus on the task at hand. 

Join the Giants Country Community

Published
Andrew Parsaud
ANDREW PARSAUD

Andrew Parsaud is currently attending Penn State, where he is studying digital journalism and media. He is an avid follower of the major New York sports teams. 

Home/Big Blue+