NFC East Week 7 Wrap-up: Perfect

Let's check in around the NFC East to see how every team did.

Author:
Joe Najarian
Publish date:
Oct 23, 2022 8:07 PM EDT

In this story:

New York Giants

Dallas Cowboys

FGCU Eagles

Washington Commanders

Perfect.

That's the only way to describe the outcome of the Week 7 action in the NFC East, as the Giants, Cowboys, and Commanders all won their respective games (the undefeated Eagles had a Week 7 bye).

That's right, the "NFC Least" is no more as the Giants, Eagles, and Cowboys are all within a game of each other for the division lead with a lot of football left to play. So let's round up all you need to know about Week 7.

Giants 23, Jaguars 17

Giants 6-1, 2nd Place

The New York Giants improved to 6-1 after a combined tackle from safeties Julian Love and Xavier McKinney stopped Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Christian Kirk 1-yard short of the end zone to seal the 23-17 win.

The Giants racked up 436 yards of offense, including 236 on the ground, although Jacksonville put up 452 total yards. Giants QB Daniel Jones threw for 202 yards and rushed for 107 while running back Saquon Barkley totaled 135 scrimmage yards.

The Giants and Jaguars scored touchdowns on their opening drives, but Jacksonville led 8-7 thanks to a successful two-point conversion attempt. After both teams traded field goals in the second quarter, the Giants forced a fumble from running back Travis Etienne and took a 13-11 lead into halftime on Graham Gano’s second of three field goals.

The Jaguars scored a touchdown on the second half's opening possession to take the 17-13 lead and then turned the Giants over on downs. But in the fourth quarter, the Jaguars turned the ball over on downs themselves, and the Giants took the lead back on a 10-play, 79-yard touchdown drive culminating with Jones’s 1-yard QB sneak into the end zone.

The Giants pushed their lead to six on Gano’s third field goal, leaving the Jaguars with just over a minute and no timeouts to put together a game-winning touchdown drive. But after penalties erased several potential game-ending plays, Jacksonville was 17 yards away from an improbable comeback win until the Giants pushed back, stopping them one yard shy of their goal.

The Giants will face the Seahawks in Week 8 at Seattle. Seattle is coming off a 37-23 win over the Los Angeles Chargers.

Cowboys 24, Detroit 6

Cowboys 5-2, 3rd Place

In Dak Prescott’s return as starting quarterback, the Cowboys offense was out of sync in the first half as the Detroit Lions took a 6-3 lead entering halftime. But Dallas completely dominated the second half, scoring three touchdowns, while the defense forced five turnovers in the final 30 minutes.

Prescott completed 19 of 25 passes for 207 yards, and his touchdown pass to tight end Peyton Hendershot put the game out of reach.

There was very little action in the first half outside of three field goals, two from the Lions. Dallas was able to move 70 yards in seven plays on their last drive of the half but came away with nothing when receiver Noah Brown fumbled the ball away.

On the third play of the second half, cornerback Trevon Diggs intercepted Lions QB Jared Goff, which would set the tone for the rest of the game. The Cowboys then marched 82 yards in seven plays and took the lead for good on running back Ezekiel Elliott’s 1-yard touchdown run.

The Lions later advanced to the Dallas 1-yard line, but running back Jamaal Williams fumbled, and Dallas recovered. Later, another Goff interception set up an 11-play, 54-yard touchdown drive that another 1-yard run by Elliott finished.

Goff was strip-sacked on the Lions’ next drive, leading to Prescott’s 2-yard touchdown pass to Hendershot, which put the game away.

The Cowboys host the Chicago Bears in Week 8. Chicago is at New England on Monday Night Football this week.

Commanders 23, Packers 21

Commanders 3-4, 4th Place

The Washington Commanders pulled out another intense victory against the slumping Green Bay Packers, overcoming a 14-3 deficit to win 23-21.

Washington quarterback Taylor Heinicke, starting in place of the injured Carson Wentz, completed 20 of 33 passes for 201 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. Wide receiver Terry McLaurin was his top target, catching five balls for 73 yards and a touchdown.

The Packers took control in the first half when De’Vondre Campbell returned a Heinicke interception 63 yards for a touchdown to extend their lead to 14-3. But the Commanders responded with a 12-play, 83-yard touchdown drive that culminated in Heinicke’s 9-yard touchdown pass to Antonio Gibson.

The Commanders took the lead for good on their first drive of the second half, driving 74 yards in five plays thanks to a 37-yard touchdown to McLaurin. Washington would extend their lead to nine on a pair of Joey Slye field goals, but Green Bay made it a one-score game again when QB Aaron Rodgers threw a 21-yard touchdown pass to Aaron Jones.

Washington was forced to punt the ball away with 23 seconds left in the game, and even with no timeouts, the scenario was still very dangerous with Rodgers under center. But the Packers failed to get into field goal range with only five seconds remaining, and their desperate lateral play was snuffed out.

Washington will visit the Colts in Week 8. The Colts dropped a 19-10 decision to the Tennessee Titans.