NFC East Primer: Sleeping Giants in New York?

Finding a passing lane in the NFC East might be a pipe dream.

Based on the talent and depth assembled by Super Bowl champion Philadelphia, the Eagles are still viewed as the team to beat in the division. Upstart Washington came out of nowhere to beat the No. 1 seed in the NFC, the Detroit Lions, and crashed the NFC Championship game in January.

The Commanders weren't satisfied with the climb and continued to overhaul the roster, acquiring Pro Bowl talents in left tackle Laremy Tunsil from Houston and wide receiver Deebo Samuel from San Francisco. Still, the armor of the East runners-up is not without perceived flaws that could prove critical.

Dallas gets the first swing at the Eagles in the prime-time regular-season kickoff game Sept. 4, but will All-Pro pass rusher Micah Parsons be present? A training camp hold-in over his contract and public trade demand puts Parsons and the Dallas defense on tenuous footing.

And the Giants might finally be in position to puff out their chests and stand toe-to-toe with the contenders in the division with stability at quarterback and another game-changing pass rusher -- first-round pick Abdul Carter -- positioning New York for its best defense in years.

Challenges for the Eagles are plentiful, starting with a minefield for a schedule and injury concerns on the offensive line.

1. Philadelphia Eagles (11-6 predicted record)

Schedule

W1 Thu Sep 4 - vs Dallas Cowboys

W2 Sun Sep 14 - at Kansas City Chiefs

W3 Sun Sep 21 - vs Los Angeles Rams

W4 Sun Sep 28 - at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

W5 Sun Oct 5 - vs Denver Broncos

W6 Thu Oct 9 - at New York Giants

W7 Sun Oct 19 - at Minnesota Vikings

W8 Sun Oct 26 - vs New York Giants

W9 Bye

W10 Mon Nov 10 - at Green Bay Packers

W11 Sun Nov 16 - vs Detroit Lions

W12 Sun Nov 23 - at Dallas Cowboys

W13 Fri Nov 28 - vs Chicago Bears

W14 Mon Dec 8 - at Los Angeles Chargers

W15 Sun Dec 14 - vs Las Vegas Raiders

W16 Sat Dec 20 - at Washington Commanders

W17 Sun Dec 28 - at Buffalo Bills

W18 TBD - vs Washington Commanders

Calendar crush: Five of the Eagles' nine wins in the conference last season were against division opponents. The Commanders appear primed to contend in 2025 after playing at Philadelphia in the NFC Championship Game. The Eagles might catch the Cowboys at the right time to start the season but both the NFC East and conference as a whole stand to be stronger in 2025. If it comes down to Philly and Washington again, the teams meet twice in the final three weeks of the season.

Ringo's star on rise: Cornerback Kelee Ringo is easily overlooked in Philadelphia's loaded defense and a secondary with big expectations. But at 6-foot-2, he's a size and speed freak (4.36 40-yard dash) with a significant role in his third pro season. If not Ringo, there's a lot of summertime love being thrown the direction of pass-rush specialist Jalyx Hunt, whose rookie season was hindered by a wrist injury.

Roster weak spot: Head coach Nick Sirianni attempted to spare Saquon Barkley when given the chance last season. He had 345 carries in the regular season, 91 more in the playoffs and caught 46 passes including his 13 grabs in four playoff games. Barkley produced in spades and was never caught with his tongue wagging. But given his injury history and the daunting schedule ahead, an established timeshare early in the season could give the Eagles' repeat bid legitimate legs.

2. Washington Commanders (9-8)

Schedule

W1 Sun Sep 7 - vs New York Giants

W2 Thu Sep 11 - at Green Bay Packers

W3 Sun Sep 21 - vs Las Vegas Raiders

W4 Sun Sep 28 - at Atlanta Falcons

W5 Sun Oct 5 - at Los Angeles Chargers

W6 Mon Oct 13 - vs Chicago Bears

W7 Sun Oct 19 - at Dallas Cowboys

W8 Mon Oct 27 - at Kansas City Chiefs

W9 Sun Nov 2 - vs Seattle Seahawks

W10 Sun Nov 9 - vs Detroit Lions

W11 Sun Nov 16 - at Miami Dolphins (Madrid)

W12 Bye

W13 Sun Nov 30 - vs. Denver Broncos

W14 Sun Dec 7 - at Minnesota Vikings

W15 Sun Dec 14 - at New York Giants

W16 Sat Dec 20 - vs Philadelphia Eagles

W17 Thu Dec 25 - vs Dallas Cowboys

W18 TBD - at Philadelphia Eagles

Predicted breakout: Head coach Dan Quinn might be guilty of hyperbole from time to time, but there is no hiding his genuine belief in Jer'Zhan Newton. The 2024 second-rounder was Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year at Illinois and missed a lot of his first offseason in the NFL recovering from a foot injury. Short but strong and explosive, Newton has power and pass-rush moves to be a constant disruptive force in a scheme that demands blockers to ride rushers off the edge.

Time to get home: Maybe Von Miller has more in the tank than showed in his final season with the Bills. The Commanders are quite literally banking on it. Otherwise, Washington's modest pass rush remains a glaring weakness. NFL Next Gen Stats credited Miller with the fastest time off the line of scrimmage among all defensive players at 0.69 seconds last season, and he was in the top five with a 17.9 percent pressure rate in a niche role.

3. New York Giants (9-8)

Schedule

W1 Sun Sep 7 - at Washington Commanders

W2 Sun Sep 14 - at Dallas Cowboys

W3 Sun Sep 21 - vs Kansas City Chiefs

W4 Sun Sep 28 - vs Los Angeles Chargers

W5 Sun Oct 5 - at New Orleans Saints

W6 Thu Oct 9 - vs Philadelphia Eagles

W7 Sun Oct 19 - at Denver Broncos

W8 Sun Oct 26 - at Philadelphia Eagles

W9 Sun Nov 2 - vs San Francisco 49ers

W10 Sun Nov 9 - at Chicago Bears

W11 Sun Nov 16 - vs Green Bay Packers

W12 Sun Nov 23 - at Detroit Lions

W13 Mon Dec 1 - at New England Patriots

W14 Bye

W15 Sun Dec 14 - vs Washington Commanders

W16 Sun Dec 21 - vs Minnesota Vikings

W17 TBD - at Las Vegas Raiders

W18 TBD - vs Dallas Cowboys

Sophomore jumps: The two biggest beneficiaries of competent line play and consistent, effective quarterback performance are running back Tyrone Tracy and tight end Theo Johnson. Tracy emerged as a starter as a fifth-round rookie last season but the Giants are more stable on the offensive line and should get more out of the deep passing game with Russell Wilson never afraid to let it fly. A borderline dominant WR1 in Malik Nabers leaves defenses no choice but to make someone else move the sticks. Johnson, drafted a round earlier than Tracy last year, caught 29 passes but didn't have the benefit of knowing where the ball was going -- or who was throwing it -- much of his first season.

Roster weak spot: The lunchpail offensive line rates as a worry because of modest depth, uncertainty on the interior and a replacement-level starter at right tackle.

4. Dallas Cowboys (8-9)

Schedule

W1 Thu Sep 4 - at Philadelphia Eagles

W2 Sun Sep 14 - vs New York Giants

W3 Sun Sep 21 - at Chicago Bears

W4 Sun Sep 28 - vs Green Bay Packers

W5 Sun Oct 5 - at New York Jets

W6 Sun Oct 12 - at Carolina Panthers

W7 Sun Oct 19 - vs Washington Commanders

W8 Sun Oct 26 - at Denver Broncos

W9 Mon Nov 3 - vs Arizona Cardinals

W10 Bye

W11 Mon Nov 17 - at Las Vegas Raiders

W12 Sun Nov 23 - vs Philadelphia Eagles

W13 Thu Nov 27 - vs Kansas City Chiefs

W14 Thu Dec 4 - at Detroit Lions

W15 Sun Dec 14 - vs Minnesota Vikings

W16 Sun Dec 21 - vs Los Angeles Chargers

W17 Thu Dec 25 - at Washington Commanders

W18 TBD -- at New York Giants

Catch them if you can: Trade acquisition George Pickens gives the Cowboys a true threat at the No. 2 wide receiver position with CeeDee Lamb on the opposite side, easing some worry about an unproven running game and offensive line. Pickens easily defeats man coverage and represents the best downfield option Dak Prescott has ever had in this role.

Passing lanes: Donovan Ezeiruaku was a productive pass rusher at Boston College and as a sidekick to Micah Parsons, he would be the beneficiary of constant one-on-one blocking. Parsons, scheduled to play on the fifth-year option of his rookie contract, hasn't been on the practice field for the Cowboys to understand the reality of this vision. The predicament piles pressure on a second-round pick to generate enough heat around the pocket for new defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus to position the many sticky hands in his secondary to flip the field. Without Parsons, Ezeiruaku's expectations can be tamed.

Roster weak spot: More pressing issues pushed the Cowboys toward the offensive line in the first round of the draft for the third time in four years. That leaves the run defense to wallow well below mediocrity and counting on more than should be reasonably expected from the collective interior run defenders. A repeat of last season -- 137 rushing yards per game, 25 rushing TDs allowed -- invites a similar result (10 losses).