Wild Week 7 brings chaos to NFC East standings

1 month ago
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Cowboys defense

At one point late in the afternoon on Sunday, the Eagles had already secured their win and were watching the rest of the NFC East play one of the wildest afternoons of football in recent history.

The Giants were shutting out the Broncos, in Denver, at halftime. The Cowboys were clinging to a 20-15 lead over the Commanders when Dak Prescott was sacked at the Cowboys’ 21 with 31 seconds left in the half.

Amazing football action featuring Dallas Cowboys player catching a pass against Washington Commanders defender during a game, highlighting NFL football skills, team rivalry, and sports excitement.

Just 21 seconds later, the Cowboys went up 27-15 to go into the half.

Washington would implode in the third quarter and the rout was on before the fourth quarter began.

The Giants would implode in their fourth quarter in Denver, blowing a 19-0 lead and eventually yielding 33 points in what might be a season-crushing blow.

It was a crazy Week 7 for sure for the NFC East. It may eventually be the week we all look back at as the turning point.

For all four teams.

Dallas Cowboys (3-3-1)

The Cowboys not only managed to get back to .500 with Sunday’s rout of the Commanders, they slid into second place in the division too.

They now lead Washington by .5 games and the Giants by 1.5 games.

That also happens to be the margin they trail the Eagles by for first. And Philadelphia already has a win in hand over Dallas.

The Cowboys still have a hard road ahead of them to catch the Eagles or even secure a wildcard playoff spot.

Dallas has a murderer’s row for a closing schedule to navigate.

However, if they can get anything close to the kind of performance from their defense that they got on Sunday, they might have a chance.

Quarterback throwing a football during an NFL game between Washington Commanders and Dallas Cowboys.

A loss on Sunday probably would have been the next-to-last nail in their 2025 playoff coffin. For one more week at least, those hopes are on life support.

Next Game: at Denver, Sunday, 3:25 p.m.

New York Giants (2-5)

It was there for the taking for the Giants on Sunday. A 19-point lead going into the final quarter against Denver.

And they blew it.

The rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart engineered an improbable touchdown drive to retake the lead with 37 seconds left.

NFC East quarterback Jaxson Dart of the New York Giants

Then the Giants kicker missed the PAT to keep the lead at just two points. Then the Giants’ defense, which had held the Broncos scoreless for the first three quarters, vanished.

Denver went 56 yards in four plays and kicked a game-winning 39-yard field goal.

In 37 seconds and without a timeout.

New York was poised to be right in the hunt for the division. Now they’ll be playing the Eagles next week hoping not to have their playoff hopes ended for 2025.

Next Game: at Philadelphia, Sunday, Noon.

Philadelphia Eagles (5-2)

Yet again, Philadelphia gets a victory gift-wrapped by a team that should have easily beaten them.

Sooner or later, the Eagles will start losing more games this way than they win. The sooner, the better.

This most recent win, a 28-22 road victory over the Vikings, came courtesy of their former No. 1 draft pick in 2016, quarterback Carson Wentz.

Wentz threw two interceptions, one returned by the Eagles for a score. Five of the Vikings scoring drives ended in field goals.

The Vikings’ defense shut down Saquon Barkley, but let Jalen Hurts throw bombs to DaVonta Smith (9-183, 1 TD) and A.J. Brown (4-121, 2 TDs).

The Eagles will be looking to avenge an earlier loss to the Giants in the next game and extend their slim division lead.

Next Game: vs. Giants, Sunday, Noon.

Washington Commanders (3-4)

The Commanders slipped from second place in the NFC East after Sunday’s loss and are a 33-point fourth quarter by the Broncos from being tied for last in the division with the Giants.

Less than a week ago, Washington was two minutes away from being tied for first with the Eagles. A poorly handed shotgun snap in a D.C. rainfall derailed that.

The Commanders not only went off the rails that night, they appear to be heading off the bridge, into the water, and over the cliff.

Washington’s defense has checked out.

Its offense can’t keep its skill players healthy. That’s a recipe for a team predicted by some to win the NFC East this year, to end up with a very high draft pick in April.

Unfortunately for the Commanders, that light at the end of the tunnel is a freight train called the Kansas City Chiefs.

And that game will also be on the road.

Next Game: at Kansas City, Monday, 7:15 p.m.

Richard Paolinelli

Richard Paolinelli

Richard Paolinelli is a sports journalist and author. In addition to his work at InsideTheStar.com, he has a Substack -- Dispatches From A SciFi Scribe – where he discusses numerous topics, including sports in general. He started his newspaper career in 1991 with the Gallup (NM) Independent before going to the Modesto (CA) Bee, Gustine (CA) Press-Standard, and Turlock (CA) Journal -- where he won the 2001 Best Sports Story, in the annual California Newspaper Publishers Association’s Better Newspapers Contest. He then moved to the Merced (CA) Sun-Star, Tracy (CA) Press, Patch and finished his career in 2011 with the San Francisco (CA) Examiner. He has written two Non-Fiction sports books, 11 novels, and has over 30 published short stories.

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James Vargas
James Vargas
Oct 21, 2025 9:21 AM

Nice written article. Eagles will not have an easy ride to the NFC East title. They are vulnerable. We still have a chance to win it.

Edward Carmichael
Edward Carmichael
Oct 21, 2025 3:46 PM

a Dallas Cowboys fan, since the 70’s it won’t mean a thing the world champion Philadelphia Eagles will win the N.F.C. East and Cowboys will be home watching the super bowl the Cowboys won’t make the playoffs

Cowboys fan
Cowboys fan
Oct 21, 2025 6:45 PM

You really need to stay off the drugs!! The eagles are not as good as they were last year!! They are lucky to even be in first place right now!! If it wasn’t for Ceedee dropping 4 catches in week 1, we would have beaten the eagles in that game and we would be in first place right now!! The eagles have only won half of their games so far because the other teams they play gave them the game!! The eagles are a really bad team this season, and if you knew anything about football, you would see that!! We have a really good chance to win the division and go to the playoffs because our team is actually good!! So why don’t you stop being such a downer and stop making comments!! You sound stupid!! The eagles will win the NFC East and the cowboys will be at home watching the super bowl, the Cowboys won’t make the playoffs!! Lol…. Like I said, you sound stupid!! And the first thing you ever say is you’ve been a Cowboys fan since the 70s, but that’s bull crap!! If you were a fan, you wouldn’t be saying that stupid crap!! Real fans get behind their teams, they always think the best for them and always think they’re gonna win!! And that’s not you!! You are not a Cowboys fan!! So stop lying and go make your stupid comments on some other teams site!!

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