It took seven weeks, but someone in the NFC East finally started to separate themselves from the pack. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the Eagles. After the Eagles collapsed against the Panthers, the Redskins secured what could prove to be a huge win over the division-rival Cowboys, putting the ‘Skins in square control of first place. Let’s see how things look ahead of Week 8.
Redskins (4-2)
Washington gutted out a win over the Cowboys, forcing two turnovers and taking advantage of a misseed Field Goal in the 20-17 win.
The Redskins were carried by the running game, as Adrian Peterson gained 99 yards on the ground and the team averaged 4.1 yards per carry.
But it was the defense who made the difference. Ezekiel Elliott was limited to just 33 yards and 2.2 average while Dallas running backs combined for just 40 yards. Dak Prescott added 33 rushing yards and a rushing TD, but he fumbled twice, once of which went for a Redskins defensive touchdown. In addition, the Washington defense bothered Prescott all day, notching four sacks and nine QB hits.
In addition to being the only team in the division with a winning record, the Redskins are 1-0 in the division and 4-1 in the conference, putting them in excellent position as we approach the halfway point of the season. They have a golden opportunity to maintain or extend their cushion as a date with the dismal Giants awaits on Sunday.
Eagles (3-4)
As we all know, the Eagles suffered an inexcusable loss, dominating for three-quarters before disappearing in the fourth. The details have been discussed ad nauseam, so there’s little need to rehash things. There is plenty of blame to go around, and everyone from Doug Pederson to the 53rdman on the roster needs to look in the mirror. The Eagles season is dangerously close to going completely off the rails, and the team’s margin for error has gotten razor-thin. The good news is that with five division games remaining, including two against the Redskins, the Eagles still control their own destiny. They will look to get back on track Sunday in London against the Jaguars.
Cowboys (3-4)
As we discussed above, Dallas fell to Washington to drop to 2-3. The Cowboys are now 1-1 in the division and 2-3 in the conference and have fallen below the Eagles in the standings thanks to that divisional loss. The offense remains a real concern in Big D. The Cowboys will spend Week 8 rooting for slip-ups from their rivals as they are on the bye.
Giants (1-6)
The Giants downward spiral continued in a close loss to the Atlanta Falcons. Barring an unfathomable turn of events, the Giants have been reduced to spoilers and will look to start that role on Sunday when they host the rival Redskins.
Overview
For the first time this season, there is a bit of separation in the division. The Eagles have suffered a number of incredibly frustrating losses, and were getting close to could’ve, should’ve, would’ve territory. As we mentioned, not all is lost as the team controls its own destiny, but so far 2018 has provided more questions than answers along with a huge heaping of frustration. We’ll see if Week 8 brings any changes.
