With four games left in the regular season, the NFC East is heating up-and the Philadelphia Eagles hold a two-game lead over the Dallas Cowboys in the win column. But that cushion might not feel so comfortable in Philly right now. The Eagles have shown more cracks in the armor this season than we've seen in recent years, and Week 15 just got a little more interesting thanks to a quarterback change out west that could ripple all the way across the conference.
The Dallas Cowboys have their own challenge this weekend, hosting the Minnesota Vikings in a primetime showdown. The Vikings are rolling in off a shutout win against the Commanders and will be looking to keep that momentum alive. But while Dallas has its hands full, their eyes will no doubt be on what’s happening in Philadelphia-where the Eagles are set to face a struggling Las Vegas Raiders team that just threw a wrinkle into the NFC playoff picture.
The Raiders were already long shots to knock off the Eagles, but now they’ll be doing it without starting quarterback Geno Smith, who’s sidelined with a shoulder injury suffered in Week 14. In his place?
Kenny Pickett, a familiar face in Philadelphia. The former Eagles backup will get the start against his old team, and while that might not set off alarms in the betting markets, it should at least raise some eyebrows.
Let’s be clear: Geno Smith hasn’t exactly been lighting it up this season. Turnovers, sacks, and inconsistency have plagued him throughout his first year under Pete Carroll in Las Vegas.
That’s part of why the Raiders have been one of the league’s more disappointing teams this year. So while Pickett isn’t exactly stepping in as a proven savior, he might offer a steadier hand-or at least a different look.
In limited action last week against Denver, Pickett showed flashes. He came off the bench and made the most of a softening Broncos defense, tossing a late touchdown that irked Sean Payton in a game Denver otherwise controlled. It wasn’t a full-on breakout, but it was enough to suggest that Pickett might be ready to make the most of this unexpected opportunity.
And let’s not forget the added layer of motivation. Pickett was once part of the Eagles' quarterback room, only to be traded-first to the Browns, and then to the Raiders after an offseason injury derailed his shot at competing in Cleveland. Now he gets a chance to face the team that moved on from him, with a national spotlight and playoff implications on the line.
For Pickett, this is more than just a spot start. It’s an audition-potentially a four-game stretch to prove he deserves another shot at a starting job in 2026. And what better way to start than by going toe-to-toe with Jalen Hurts and making a statement against one of the NFC’s top teams?
For the Cowboys, this is one of those rare Sundays where they can help themselves and get help at the same time. If they take care of business against the Vikings and Pickett can somehow guide the Raiders to an upset in Philly, the NFC East race tightens dramatically. Suddenly, that two-game gap becomes one, and the Cowboys are right back in the thick of it.
So while all eyes in Dallas will be on AT&T Stadium Sunday night, don’t be surprised if there’s a little scoreboard watching going on. Because if Kenny Pickett can channel some of that underdog energy and pull off something special, it could change the entire trajectory of the NFC playoff picture-and give the Cowboys exactly the break they’ve been waiting for.