Just two weeks after the Giants and Commanders tied in a pivotal NFC East matchup, both teams get a chance to run it back on "Sunday Night Football."
Both teams are 7-5-1 and trying to hold off the Seahawks and Lions in the NFC wild-card race. One of New York and Washington will likely take a hit when they go head-to-head Sunday night in another divisional showdown.
This will be the Commanders' first game since that tie. They had a bye last week, and they watched the Giants lose to the Eagles to bring their records even.
At the top, the Cowboys aren't letting the 12-1 Eagles coast to the title, and the teams will meet in a marquee matchup in Week 16.
In a crowded division and an even more crowded conference, there's the race for first and the race for wild cards. The latter has the spotlight in Week 15.
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Here's the outlook for each team in the NFC East heading into Sunday's games:
NFC East standings
1. Eagles
Record: 12-1
Games remaining: at Bears, at Cowboys, vs. Saints, vs. Giants
The Eagles' path to the East title and No. 1 seed in the NFC is clear. They have a two-game lead on the Cowboys heading into Week 15; if they win their next two games — and, again, Week 16 is against the Cowboys — they will wrap up the division.
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That starts, of course, with the Bears this week. Although Dallas linebacker Micah Parsons has stirred up a hornet's nest with comments about Jalen Hurts' MVP credentials, the Eagles have said their focus is on the Bears. But it's hard to imagine that some of them don't already have the Cowboys circled on their calendars.
2. Cowboys
Record: 10-3
Games remaining: at Jaguars, vs. Eagles, at Titans, at Commanders
The Cowboys have not had a smooth ride to 10-3, and they've been as under the radar as a double-digit-win Cowboys team can possibly be.
This year started with an ugly loss to the Buccaneers capped by Dak Prescott leaving with a thumb fracture that sidelined him for more than a month. The Cowboys won four straight games with backup Cooper Rush at the helm before losing to the Eagles.
Beating the Eagles in the return game in Week 16 is imperative if they are to win the division. The Cowboys may well need to win out to win the East, but regardless, they're looking for help from the Bears, Saints and Giants, the Eagles' other opponents down the stretch.
MORE: How 49ers, Cowboys, Chiefs & more can clinch playoff berths in Week 15
3. Commanders
Record: 7-5-1
Games remaining: vs. Giants, at 49ers, vs. Browns, vs. Cowboys
The Commanders have had a roller-coaster season. They brought Carson Wentz in to address their issues at quarterback, but then Wentz went down with an injury. Taylor Heinicke came in and resuscitated their season. He's 5-1-1 as the starter and, despite stats that aren't going to blow anyone away, has kept the No. 1 job after Wentz was cleared to return.
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The Commanders were 27th in the Sporting News' power rankings in the preseason, so to say they've overperformed is an understatement. As the season winds down, the road is difficult. The 49ers and Cowboys will be serious roadblocks, but they're looking to keep the surprises coming.
4. Giants
Record: 7-5-1
Games remaining: at Commanders, at Vikings, vs. Colts, at Eagles
The Giants were in a similar position as the Commanders in the preseason. Indeed, they were just one spot ahead of Washington in the preseason power rankings at 26th. A 6-1 start put them in the thick of the playoff race.
First-year coach Brian Daboll deserves credit for some of the success, but like the Commanders, things have been ugly at times. The Giants' main concern now is that their defense has been folding of late. With a fulcrum game against the Commanders and two of their last three games coming against the top two seeds in the NFC, the task is difficult.
The Commanders and Giants will be watching the Seahawks and Lions closely down the stretch. The Seahawks are 7-7 after a Thursday night loss to the 49ers and the Lions are just behind at 6-7 heading into a road matchup against the Jets.
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Preseason expectations for the division were low, but all four teams have been impressive to varying degrees. In the next two weeks, we could well learn who's who in the division and, by extension, the NFC.
