NFC East Power Rankings After Week 15: Cowboys Slide, Eagles Hold On, and the Giants Look to the Future
With two straight losses and their playoff hopes hanging by a thread, the Dallas Cowboys are staring down a harsh reality. What looked like a promising season under first-year offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer has taken a sharp turn, and now, the path to the postseason is steep, narrow, and littered with “what-ifs.” But despite the current frustrations, there’s a clear roadmap to fixing what’s broken - and it starts on the defensive side of the ball.
Let’s take a look at where things stand in the NFC East after a chaotic Week 15.
4. New York Giants (2-12)
The Giants are in full rebuild mode - again - but there’s finally a flicker of optimism. Rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart has shown enough flashes to make you believe he might be the guy. He’s got the arm, he’s got the moxie, and if he can learn to protect himself better in the pocket, he could be the long-term answer under center.
That said, this season has been rough. The coaching staff is on its way out, and the roster still has major holes.
But there are foundational pieces - enough to think that by 2026, this could be a team on the rise. For now, though, they remain at the bottom of the NFC East, and the Cowboys need to make sure they don’t let the Giants catch up in the near future.
3. Washington Commanders (4-10)
The Commanders are shutting down Jayden Daniels, and you can’t blame them. It’s been a brutal season, and after a 12-5 campaign not long ago, the fall has been steep. The defense hasn’t held up, the offensive line has struggled, and without Daniels on the field, the offense has lacked any real spark.
If Daniels had stayed healthy, Washington might have been in the playoff conversation. But instead, they’re staring down another offseason full of questions. The roster doesn’t stack up to Dallas’ right now, and this could be the Cowboys’ chance to leapfrog Washington in the NFC East pecking order long-term - if they can fix their defense.
2. Dallas Cowboys (6-7-1)
This one stings. Just a few weeks ago, the Cowboys were 6-5-1 and in control of their own destiny. Now, after back-to-back losses, they’re on the outside looking in - needing to win their final three games and get a lot of help just to sneak into the playoffs.
What makes it even more frustrating is that the offense has been good enough to win. Schottenheimer’s first year calling plays has been largely successful.
The passing game has clicked, the run game has had its moments, and the unit as a whole has looked playoff-caliber. But the defense?
That’s been the Achilles’ heel. Bottom-tier by almost any metric, it’s held this team back from making a real run.
The good news? In today’s NFL, you can rebuild a defense quickly - especially through free agency.
Dallas doesn’t have to spend every draft pick on defenders to turn things around. There’s a clear path to fixing this, and if the front office gets aggressive in the offseason, 2026 could look very different.
But for now, the Cowboys are stuck in a tough spot - talented enough to contend, flawed enough to fall short.
1. Philadelphia Eagles (9-5)
The Eagles are still the class of the NFC East - at least on paper - but this isn’t the same team that hoisted the Lombardi Trophy earlier this year. They’ve taken a step back, and the cracks are starting to show. The roster just isn’t as deep or dynamic as it was even a year ago, and the quarterback play has been inconsistent at times.
Still, 9-5 is 9-5, and in a division where no one else has separated themselves, that’s good enough for first place. But this isn’t a juggernaut.
If the Cowboys can overhaul their defense this offseason, they’ve got a real shot to reclaim the division in 2026. Because as good as Philly has been, they’re beatable - and the gap isn’t as wide as the standings might suggest.
Bottom Line
The NFC East has been a rollercoaster this season. The Giants are rebuilding, the Commanders are regressing, the Cowboys are underachieving, and the Eagles are clinging to the top spot despite clear flaws.
For Dallas, the mission is simple: fix the defense. The offense is already in place.
With the right moves this offseason, they won’t just be back in the playoff mix - they’ll be back in the hunt for the division crown.