NFC East Notebook: Week 17 Preview

The 2022 regular season is almost over with only two weeks left to play. The Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys have already punched their tickets to the playoffs and are now playing solely for seeding purposes.

The New York Giants and Washington Commanders are both still very much in the playoff race, with each team having clinching scenarios this week.

The NFC East remains the best division in football record wise. They’re the only division where each team has a record of at least .500 or better. The four teams of the NFC East have all been very fun to watch over the course of the season and all could end up making the playoffs as a result.

With that being said, here’s what you need to know about each NFC East team as Week 17 begins.

Dallas Cowboys 27, Tennessee Titans 13

The Dallas Cowboys took care of business Thursday night against the Tennessee Titans, etching a 27-13 win that improved their record to 12-4.

The win over the Titans keeps the Cowboys' slim hopes of winning the NFC East alive. Dallas would have to win their regular-season finale against the Commanders, and the Eagles would have to lose their remaining two games for the Cowboys to move ahead of their division rivals for the title.

But if the Cowboys want to move up in the playoff seeding, they'd need for both the Vikings and 49ers to each lose one of their remaining two games.

Indianapolis Colts at New York Giants

Spread: Giants -5.5

The Giants lost on a heartbreaking 61-yard field goal last week in Minnesota. The loss was tough, but there were many positives to take away from the game, especially from quarterback Daniel Jones.

Jones threw for 334 yards and one touchdown. He was making throws all across the field, finally seeing a plethora of explosive plays that the Giants' offense had lacked. Running back Saquon Barkley is bouncing back nicely after a slump of bad games. Barkley had 84 rushing yards and one touchdown while adding eight catches for 49 yards.

The receiving core stepped up nicely. Richie James had 90 yards, Isaiah Hodgins had 89 yards and one touchdown, and Darius Slayton had 79 yards on just four catches. The ultimate downfall of the Giants in this game was due to their own mistakes. Richie James dropped an easy catch on fourth and five.

Rookie tight end Daniel Bellinger fumbled deep in Giants territory on a drive that would have likely ended in points. The defense did their best against a Vikings offense that employs star wide receiver Justin Jefferson and Adam Theilen and running back Dalvin Cook.

The pass rush has been stellar the last couple of games and was on point again, sacking Kirk Cousins four times and hitting him eleven.

Despite the loss, the Giants have a very simple clinching scenario this week: win, and they’re in. They host the Colts this week, who looked terrible against the Chargers on Monday night. If the Giants can take care of business Sunday, they’ll be going to the playoffs for the first time in six years.

New Orleans Saints at Philadlephia Eagles

Spread: Eagles -5.5

The Eagles lost only their second game of the year last week but are looking to rebound and keep the number one seed in the NFC.

They’re likely going to be without quarterback Jalen Hurts this week, which means Gardner Minshew will have to step in again. Minshew played solid against Dallas, tossing two touchdowns and 355 yards.

However, his two interceptions ultimately led to the Eagles' downfall. Wide receiver DeVonta Smith was the recipient of both touchdown passes while accumulating 113 yards on eight catches.

A.J. Brown also had 103 yards, which means both Smith and Brown now have over 1,000 yards receiving on the season. Running back Miles Sanders had a 21-carry game but only had 65 yards to show for it.

Sanders also fumbled late in the game. The Eagles defense sacked Dak Prescott six times, but it was not enough, as they allowed 40 points and almost 500 yards of total offense.

The Eagles are still trying to keep the NFC’s top seed. They play the Saints at home this week and look to win their 14th game of the year.

Cleveland Browns at Washington Commander

Spread: Browns -1.5

The Commanders are in an interesting situation. Just two weeks ago, they were 7-5-1 and needed one more win to almost guarantee a playoff spot. Fast forward two weeks, and Washington’s sitting at 7-7-1. They lost to San Francisco last week and are still clinging to the seventh seed in the NFC.

The Commanders came out flat against a very talented 49ers defense. Quarterback Taylor Heinicke threw for 166 yards and two touchdowns with one interception before being benched for Carson Wentz. Wentz threw for 123 yards and one touchdown and, in a surprising move, has been named the starter for their Week 17 matchup against the Browns.

The wide receiver trio of Curtis Samuel, Terry McLaurin, and Jahan Dotson each caught a touchdown pass in the loss. Washington’s defense managed to sack Brock Purdy three times but could not stop star tight end George Kittle, who had 120 yards and two touchdowns. Washington’s run defense was also put to the test, allowing the Niners to rush for 153 yards and two touchdowns while averaging 5.9 yards per carry.

The Commanders can clinch a playoff spot this week, however. They need to beat the Browns, but also need Seattle and Detroit to lose and a Green Bay tie or loss. The Commanders can also be eliminated this week. If Washington loses but the Packers and Lions win, the Commanders will not see the playoffs this year. It’ll certainly be interesting to see how the Commanders’ fate plays out on Sunday.

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