NFC East recap: Eagles see biggest rival lose their star QB

Posted on September 13, 2022
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Eagles fans can rest easy knowing the team pulled away a (surprisingly nerve-racking) victory.

Unfortunately, some rival fans are feeling the same way.

The NFC East had a successful week, going 3-1. Now, not every team was facing a Super Bowl contender, but some did pull off surprising victories.

Others experienced drastic developments that will no doubt effect their season – helping Philadelphia, who’s already caught the eyes of odds makers, along the way.

Cowboys Lose Prescott For Several Weeks

Sunday Night Football was no doubt the game all Eagles fans were watching, and it didn’t disappoint. Dallas looked lost against Tampa Bay, putting up three points in a 19-3 stinker against Tampa Bay.

  • The big news of the night: Dak Prescott will be out six to eight weeks following surgery on his throwing hand. Cooper Rush – who’s played in just 11 games for the Cowboys since 2017 – will be QB1 going forward. No matter how you spin it, it’s brutal for Dallas playoff aspirations.
  • The Eagles will benefit from Prescott’s absence – they play Dallas in a SNF matchup Oct. 16. Should Rush remain the Cowboys’ starter, you can imagine who will probably be favored in the matchup. However, it seems unlikely Dallas will be content with running with Rush (hello, Jimmy G?).
  • WR2 Michael Gallup remained out in the season opener, while star CeeDee Lamb had a pitiful outing: just two receptions on 11 targets for 29 yards (couldn’t be Brown!). I like James Bradberry and Darius Slay against those two with Prescott out.
  • Ezekiel Elliott actually looked solid on 10 carries, putting up 52 yards (5.2 yards/carry). Unless the Eagles’ run defense can shape up over the next couple weeks, I expect a ground approach in the prime time matchup.
  • They also win the award for the crappiest fans of the week:

Giants Pull Off Upset Against The Titans

The Giants had no reason to winning that game in Tennessee. They hadn’t won a season opener since 2016. And yet, that’s exactly what they did: although they really shouldn’t have.

  • I’m more willing to call this one an awful fluke than a solid victory. With 4 seconds left, Randy Bullock shanked one, resulting in a 21-20 New York victory. Daniel Jones went 17 for 21 with two touchdowns, an interception, and 188 passing yards.
  • Saquon Barkley looked scary, with 164 rushing attempts on 18 yards. Definitely a player to keep an eye on and see if he’s finally overcome his injury concerns and past duds of performances.
  • However, much of Jones’ and Barkley’s success will come at the hands of their offense line, which had its good and bad moments against the Titans.

Old Friends Meet In D.C., With Wentz Having The Last Laugh

  • Carson Wentz… actually looks good? On 27/41 passing, Wentz had 313 passing yards for four touchdowns and two interceptions, registering a 101.0 rating while propelling the Commanders to a 28-22 win. He seemed to connect well with his receivers:

  • I wouldn’t surprised in the slightest if Wentz puts up a very solid statistical season, similar to the ones Kirk Cousins regularly has. Or at least one good enough to start the belief Wentz is back from the journeyman graveyard. With the uncertainty surrounding Washington’s rushers, this is a pass-heavy offense. They’re going to let Wentz sling.
  • I could also see Washington finishing a few games above their typical projected win total. Yes, a narrow victory against the Doug Pederson-led Jags doesn’t move the needle, but this is the most-talented QB Washington’s had in years, and Ron Rivera does pretty good with less. They could give the Eagles, who face them on Sept. 25, a run for their money more than Dallas at this point.
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Drew Rhoades Avatar
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Drew Rhoades

If there’s one thing you need to know about Drew Rhoades, it’s that he knows Philadelphia sports. A graduate from Saint Joseph’s University, Rhoades has previously written about Hawk sports for The Hawk Newspaper and covered baseball at Phillies Nation. In his spare time, he loves to volunteer at his local animal shelter and bike.

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