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Imago

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Imago

From 2004 to 2024, the NFC East never had a repeat champion. Every team has won the division at least three times during that span, but none of them were able to do it two years in a row until the Philadelphia Eagles in 2024 and 2025. But will they be able to do it again?

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That’s what I’m trying to figure out today. I went through all four NFC East teams’ schedules, predicted every game, and found out who I think will come out on top in 2026.

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Dallas Cowboys

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NFC East Odds: +200

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2025 Record: 7-9-1

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The Dallas Cowboys had one of the best offenses in the league last year, but could only manage to win seven games because they had a historically bad defense. Their goal this offseason was clear: keep the offense intact and focus their resources on defense.

Offensively, the Cowboys are going to be pretty much the same. They still have Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens, Javonte Williams and Jake Ferguson leading the charge, but their offensive line – specifically the tackle positions – need to be better if they want to take a step forward and be a top-five offense.

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Defensively, the Cowboys were awful last year, but they made a ton of additions this offseason. They brought in Rashan Gary, Malachi Lawrence, Caleb Downs, Jalen Thompson, Cobie Durant, Dee Winters and others to get them closer to the NFL average in terms of PPG allowed.

If Dallas can finish top-16 in scoring defense, they’ll be in the playoffs and could very well win the NFC East.

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Record Prediction

at New York Giants – W

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vs Washington Commanders – W

vs Baltimore Ravens – W

at Houston Texans – L

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vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers – L

at Green Bay Packers – W

at Philadelphia Eagles – L

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vs Arizona Cardinals – W

at Indianapolis Colts – W

vs San Francisco 49ers – L

vs Tennessee Titans – W

vs Philadelphia Eagles – W

at Seattle Seahawks – L

at Los Angeles Rams – L

vs Jacksonville Jaguars – L

vs New York Giants – W

at Washington Commanders – W

Final Record: 10-7 (5-1)

Philadelphia Eagles

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NFC East Odds: +125

2025 Record: 11-6

The Philadelphia Eagles had a down year in 2025, but still won 11 games and comfortably took home the NFC East crown. They will have a much bigger threat in their division this year with Dallas, but will the Cowboys be able to dethrone the Eagles?

While Philly got a much-needed new play caller, the team also lost arguably its best offensive player in A.J. Brown. They replaced him with Makai Lemon in the draft, but it’s going to be hard to fully replace someone as talented as Brown. I think their offense could be better in 2026 with Sean Mannion leading the way, but I don’t see them making huge strides.

On defense, the Eagles lost their top edge rusher in Jaelan Phillips and a great safety in Reed Blankenship. They weren’t able to do a whole lot to replace either of those guys, but this unit should still be one of the best in the league.

Overall, I think the Eagles will be a very similar team to the one they fielded last year. Their offense should be better, but their defense will probably be a bit worse. 10-12 wins feels right for this team, but I have them on the lower end of that spectrum and losing out to Dallas in a tiebreaker.

Record Prediction

vs Washington Commanders – W

at Tennessee Titans – W

at Chicago Bears – L

vs Los Angeles Rams – L

vs Jacksonville Jaguars – W

vs Carolina Panthers – W

vs Dallas Cowboys – W

at Washington Commanders – L

vs New York Giants – W

vs Pittsburgh Steelers – W

at Dallas Cowboys – L

at Arizona Cardinals – W

vs Indianapolis Colts – L

vs Seattle Seahawks – W

vs Houston Texans – L

at San Francisco 49ers – L

at New York Giants – W

Final Record: 10-7 (4-2)

New York Giants

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NFC East Odds: +550

2025 Record: 4-13

A lot of people are high on the New York Giants because they’re fans of Jaxson Dart and Cam Skattebo, but in my eyes, this is a team that’s still a year away from competing in the NFC.

I like Jaxson Dart, Malik Nabers and Cam Skattebo, but we don’t know how healthy Nabers is going to be this year, and behind him, the Giants don’t really have any major receiving threats. Isaiah Likely should boost their passing game, but not enough to make up for Nabers missing any time.

I also don’t love this defense. They have a great defensive line on paper, but Brian Burns and Abdul Carter underperformed last year. Plus, they lost Dexter Lawrence, one of the premier interior defenders in football. But even if they’re great up front, they have a lot of problems in the secondary that are going to be hard to mask.

The Giants are a fun team, but they’re not going to be in the NFC East race.

Record Prediction

vs Dallas Cowboys – L

at Los Angeles Rams – L

vs Tennessee Titans – W

vs Arizona Cardinals – W

at Washington Commanders – L

vs New Orleans Saints – L

at Houston Texans – L

at Philadelphia Eagles – L

vs Washington Commanders – W

vs Jacksonville Jaguars – L

at Indianapolis Colts – W

vs San Francisco 49ers – W

at Seattle Seahawks – L

vs Cleveland Browns – L

at Detroit Lions – W

at Dallas Cowboys – L

vs Philadelphia Eagles – L

Final Record: 6-11 (1-5)

Washington Commanders

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NFC East Odds: +500

2025 Record: 5-12

The Washington Commanders went from NFC runners-up in 2024 to 5-12 in 2025. This was largely due to a bunch of injuries on offense, including two that caused Jayden Daniels to miss time, so if they can stay healthy in 2026, they could be a solid team.

Jayden Daniels returns for his third year with Terry McLaurin, and Washington just added Antonio Williams to work in the slot, but I do still worry about their run game. They have three guys – Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Kaytron Allen and Rachaad White – that are all good, but none of them have proven they can carry a backfield in the NFL.

I think Washington had one of the most underrated offseasons when it comes to improving their defense. They signed Odafe Oweh and K’Lavon Chaisson to improve their pass rush, signed Leo Chenal and drafted Sonny Styles at linebacker, and signed Nick Cross at safety. They should be way better than they were in 2025.

While I think Washington is much improved and can win this division, I do think they come up a couple of games short.

Record Prediction

at Philadelphia Eagles – L

at Dallas Cowboys – L

vs Seattle Seahawks – W

vs Indianapolis Colts – W

vs New York Giants – W

at San Francisco 49ers – L

vs Philadelphia Eagles – W

vs Los Angeles Rams – L

at New York Giants – L

vs Cincinnati Bengals – W

at Arizona Cardinals – W

at Tennessee Titans – L

vs Houston Texans – L

vs Atlanta Falcons – L

at Minnesota Vikings – W

at Jacksonville Jaguars – W

vs Dallas Cowboys – L

Final Record: 8-9 (2-4)

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Written by

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Luke Hubbard

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Luke Hubbard is a NFL Analyst at EssentiallySports, recognized for his comprehensive coverage across the NCAA and NFL landscapes. An LSU graduate, Luke brings deep reporting experience as a writer for On SI, where he covers the Tennessee Titans, Michigan Wolverines, Baylor Bears, and Virginia Tech Hokies. Previously, he served as a contributing writer for Canal Street Chronicles at SB Nation, focusing on the New Orleans Saints since 2023. Luke has also provided in-depth LSU athletics reporting for Rivals and Athlon Sports, spanning football, basketball, baseball, and gymnastics. Luke’s journey in sports journalism began as a student intern in the LSU Athletic Communications Department, where he covered diverse sports including women’s volleyball. His bylines appear in major outlets such as Athlon Sports, SB Nation, and Sports Illustrated, earning him recognition for insightful analysis and versatile game coverage. In addition to his print and digital work, Luke has contributed content to publications like Death Valley Insider, BVM Sports, and Yardbarker. Luke loves sports and the stories behind them. From NFL clashes and college rivalries to the roar of Formula 1, he chases the action with both a reporter’s tenacity and a storyteller’s heart. Based in Louisiana, he brings hometown insight with a wider perspective, giving fans sharp analysis, inside scoops, and just enough personality to keep it fun.

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Antra Koul

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