NFC East Week 12 Preview

Let’s take a look at each NFC East team’s matchup heading into a pivotal Week 12.

The NFC East race is tightening as three out of the four teams won their Week 11 games, with things heating up as the schedule dwindles to just a few weeks. 

The Philadelphia Eagles came back against the Indianapolis Colts and won 17-16. The Dallas Cowboys destroyed the Minnesota Vikings 40-3 and are now back in second place in the division. The Washington Commanders will not go away, beating the Texans 23-10.

The only loss? The New York Giants fell to the Detroit Lions 31-18 in an all-around bad day for New York. There’s a quick turnaround for two teams this week, as the Giants and Cowboys play each other on Thanksgiving evening, just four days after their Week 11 games.

That said, here is everything you need to know about the NFC East in Week 12.

New York Giants (7-3) vs Dallas Cowboys (7-3)

Latest Spread: Giants +7.5

The Giants were knocked back to earth on Sunday against Detroit. The 31-18 loss sparked a negative shockwave across the fanbase, not just because the team lost but because many key players went down with injuries throughout the game.

Starting cornerbacks Adoree’ Jackson (knee) and Fabian Moreau (oblique) were both ruled out of the game. Jackson, the Giants’ top cornerback, suffered a sprained MCL and is out for 4-6 weeks. Starting center Jon Feliciano and right tackle Tyre Phillips, who was filling in for injured rookie Evan Neal, both went down with neck injuries. Safety Jason Pinnock left the game with a jaw injury and had to be taken to a local hospital.

The most deflating loss arguably was rookie wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson tearing his ACL in another awkward landing on the MetLife Stadium turf. Robinson was featured more in the offense, as he had nine catches for 100 yards before being injured. Robinson’s role was growing; this was another devastating blow for a paper-thin position.

The Giants couldn’t get the run game going with Saquon Barkley against Detroit. Barkley had 15 carries for 22 yards, a measly 1.5 yards per carry. The offense seemed to shut down once Barkley was figured out by a Lions defense that was prepared to take down the star running back. 

Quarterback Daniel Jones had his first 300-yard passing game of the year but also had two costly interceptions. The Giants, who usually play turnover-free football, had three on Sunday, resulting in 21 points for the Lions.

The bad news keeps coming, as the Giants have just four days until their next game. Injury-wise, it’s not ideal, especially playing a Cowboys team that dominated the Vikings. The Giants head to Dallas on Thursday as the early underdogs. It’ll be interesting to see how the team responds this week against a better opponent.

As for the Cowboys, things could not have gone better in Week 11. They faced a Vikings team, who the week before, walked into Buffalo and defeated the Bills in overtime. The Cowboys had given up a two-touchdown lead in Green Bay and lost to the Packers. Things were not looking good for the Cowboys, but they completely flipped the script.

Dallas put up 40 points in Minnesota and held the Vikings to just three points, total domination in all three phases. Quarterback Dak Prescott went 22/25 for 276 yards and two touchdowns on the day. Running back Tony Pollard is setting himself up nicely for the offseason, doing it all for the Cowboys. 

On the ground, Pollard had 80 yards on 15 carries. He caught six passes for 109 yards and two touchdowns in the air. Running back Ezekiel Elliott was used in more short-yardage situations, leading to his two rushing touchdowns. Dallas’ defense also returned to form, sacking Kirk Cousins seven times and accumulating 13 quarterback hits.

Dallas currently holds the head-to-head tiebreaker over New York with their win over them in Week 3. If Dallas can win on Thursday, they will start to potentially make their way to threatening the Eagles, who remain in first place.

Philadelphia Eagles (9-1) vs Green Bay Packers (4-7)

Latest Spread: Eagles -6.5

The Eagles barely squeaked out a win against the Colts in Week 11, winning 17-16 on a Jalen Hurts go-ahead touchdown run. No matter how they won, the Eagles bounced back after receiving their first loss of the year the week prior.

This game was certainly a sloppy win for the Eagles. Quarterback Jalen Hurts went 18/25 for 190 yards with just one touchdown. The running game was all Hurts, as he had 16 carries for 86 yards and one touchdown. 

The Eagles’ lone receiving touchdown did not come from DeVonta Smith or AJ Brown this week, but rather Quez Watkins. Watkins had just two catches for 31 yards on the day, but his touchdown catch in the fourth quarter helped the Eagles mount their comeback. 

The Eagles defense was very physical, sacking Matt Ryan four times and totaling eight quarterback hits. They also had seven tackles for loss on Sunday and finally held an opposing running back to under 100 yards rushing.

The Eagles are on primetime again, taking on the Packers on Sunday night. The NFC East is still very much up for grabs, but if the Eagles can take care of business again, they’ll be sitting good with just a few games left.

Washington Commanders (6-5) vs Atlanta Falcons (5-6)

Latest Spread: Commanders -4.5

The Commanders continue to climb their way back into the NFC East race. Sitting with a 6-5 record, Washington is looking to win another big game to keep up with the other teams in the division.

Washington dominated the Texans, especially on defense. They sacked Davis Mills five times and had nine quarterback hits and nine tackles for loss. The Commanders also forced two interceptions, one by cornerback Kendall Fuller, who returned it for a touchdown, and the other from safety Darrick Forrest. 

Washington’s offense did not exactly dominate but did enough to earn the win. Their running back duo of Antonio Gibson and Brian Robinson continue to work, with Gibson rushing for 72 yards and Robinson for 57. Washington’s only offensive touchdown of the day came from a Curtis Samuel touchdown run.

The good news for Washington is that pass rusher Chase Young is expected to be activated for Sunday’s game against Atlanta. Young missed time due to a torn ACL last season and is primed to make his debut at a pivotal point in the year for Washington.

The Commanders host the Falcons this week, a team also looking to climb the rankings in their division. This matchup will be tougher for Washington but will go a long way in the NFC East race if they can pull out the win.

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