Cowboys keep pace with Commanders, move into second in NFC East

For a few minutes on Monday morning, it looked like the Washington Commanders would expand their lead in the NFC East to 1.5 games.

But an amazing final drive by Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys put that on hold. Dallas’ 20-17 win on Sunday Night Football, which became Monday morning football, kept the Cowboys just one game back.

It’s hard to say a game played just five weeks into the season was the key victory. But if Dallas does win the division, or even just makes the playoffs, this week five win just might fall into that category.

The Eagles slipped back into third place, a half-game back of Dallas and only a half-game ahead of the suddenly competitive Giants.

Buckle up folks, the NFC East is going to be a wild ride.

Dallas Cowboys (3-2)

After Prescott threw his second interception and the Steelers took a 17-13 lead late in the game, it seemed like a road loss was in the cards for the Cowboys after all.

The key difference on Sunday night was Dallas stuck with the run game and made it work. Rico Dowdle had his career-best game in yards with 87 rushing yards and a receiving touchdown.

Dowdle nearly found out what Hunter Luepke felt like last year in Miami.

Dowdle tried to leap over the line for the game-winning score, only to have a Steelers’ defender perfectly time his own leap and knock the ball out of Dowdle’s grasp.

Unlike last year, Prescott managed to recover the fumble and avert disaster.

With Brandin Cooks out to injury, and CeeDee Lamb pouting again, Jalen Tolbert stepped up with seven catches for 87 yards, including his game-winning touchdown catch in the final 30 seconds.

Next game: hosting Detroit, Sunday, 3:25 p.m.

New York Giants (2-3)

The Giants went out west and knocked off the team that leads its own division, the Seattle Seahawks.

Not an easy task, that. It’s also a sign that the Giants might a better team than we thought before the season began.

Nor was the win an easy one for New York.

With Seattle poised to tie the game at 23-23 with about a minute to play, the Giants blocked Jason Myers’ field goal attempt.

Bryce Ford-Wheaton recovered the block and returned it 60 yards for the game-sealing touchdown and a 29-20 victory.

Giants’ quarterback Daniel Jones had his third game with two touchdown passes against zero interceptions. He was 23-for-34 for 257 yards against the Seahawks.

Next game: hosting Cincinnati, Sunday, 7:20 p.m.

Philadelphia Eagles (2-2)

The Eagles had their bye week this week. The break couldn’t have arrived at a better time.

Philadelphia is 2-2 and had been missing two important cogs in their offense when they were battered by Tampa Bay last month.

If A.J. Brown (leg) and DeVonta Smith (concussion) can come back fully healthy next week, it will help the offense. It will certainly help quarterback Jalen Hurts.

Hurts is far from an elite quarterback.

Missing the two receivers that make him look above average proved that with his performance against the Buccaneers.

Hurts was 18-for-30 for 158 yards and a touchdown. He was also sacked six times because he had nowhere to throw the ball to.

Even better news for the Eagles is who they play when they return to action this weekend.

Next game: hosting Cleveland, Sunday, Noon.

Washington Commanders (4-1)

If you had the Minnesota Vikings (5-0) and the Commanders as the top two teams in the NFC after five weeks, why aren’t you living large in Las Vegas?

Now the question is: Can these two teams keep it up. Frankly, the way Minnesota man-handled the Jets and Washington beat up on the Browns on Sunday, they just might.

Jayden Daniels continues to be the best rookie quarterback of the year, with a 14-for-25 for 238 yards, a touchdown, and an interception.

He also added 82 rushing yards on 11 carries.

Granted, this was against Cleveland, who is quickly becoming the league’s punching bag. Still, he had an impressive day.

As did Dan Quinn’s defense.

Both will be put to the test next week, however.

Next game: at Baltimore, Sunday, Noon.