Week 8 of the 2026 NFL season saw the Washington Commanders host the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday Night Football. The Dallas Cowboys faced off against the Arizona Cardinals, while the New York Giants enjoyed a bye week.
NFC East Standings:
- New York Giants (4-2-1; Point differential: +2)
- Dallas Cowboys (3-5; Point differential: +6)
- Washington Commanders (2-4-1; Point differential: -23)
- Philadelphia Eagles (2-6; Point differential: -65)
With their divisional win over Philadelphia, Washington jumped up a spot to No. 3 in the divisional standings. The good news for Commanders fans is that Washington still has one matchup against both the Giants and Cowboys remaining this season, so the NFC East crown is still up for grabs.
Let's take a deeper look at what worked and what didn't for each team in the NFC East and how they look heading into Week 9.
New York Giants
Looking ahead to the Philadelphia Eagles: Having lost their past six games, the Eagles are in a difficult position. They've gone from the top of the pack in the NFC East to the bottom and will be hosting a rested Giants team. By signing Greg Newsome to a three-year contract extension on Tuesday, New York ensured long-term continuity in its No. 8 secondary and renewed confidence in the unit.
Check out the top photos of the Washington Commanders during their Week 8 matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Dallas Cowboys
What worked: Although nobody broke out for long runs, the Cowboys' ground game served its purpose in moving the ball during their 33-30 overtime loss to the Arizona Cardinals. The team's longest run was a seven-yard scramble by Dak Prescott, who finished as the team's second-leading rusher with 20 yards on seven carries, including a five-yard touchdown run. Javonte Williams led Dallas with 24 carries for 56 yards.
Needs Improvement: The second-half defense allowed Arizona to come back in the game. Dallas led by two touchdowns early in the fourth quarter and never trailed until the Cardinals kicked the game-winner. Things changed when the Cardinals brought Gardner Minshew in for Jacoby Brissett toward the end of the third quarter. The change led to touchdowns on four straight possessions, which evened the score and sent the game into overtime.
Minshew had help from Tyler Allgeier, whose 147 rushing yards brought the Cardinals back into the game. He first had a career-long 63-yard dash, followed by a 50-yard run. Allgeier finished with 191 total yards, with all but seven coming in the second half, and averaged 13.4 yards per carry.
Looking ahead to the Indianapolis Colts: Indianapolis has been on a downward spiral with four straight losses, the most recent being a 42-7 blowout against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Colts have also started moving players, namely by trading DeForest Buckner to the San Francisco 49ers, which shows they'll likely be sellers when the Nov. 10 trade deadline hits. Daniel Jones struggled against the Jaguars' defense, and the offense failed to convert on either of its fourth-down attempts.
Jonathan Taylor will likely be the Cowboys' biggest challenge. Despite a quiet performance against Jacksonville, the running back ranks eighth in rushing with 610 yards on 148 attempts.
Washington Commanders
What worked: The Commanders secured their second win of the season and their first in the division. Although Jayden Daniels and the passing game needed some time to get traction without Terry McLaurin, receivers Antonio Williams and Treylon Burks showed up in big ways, making clutch catches of 30 and 53 yards, respectively. Both receptions set the Commanders up for field goals and ultimately bolstered their lead against a tough opponent.
The Commanders' defense also generated a season-high 46.5 percent pressure rate on dropbacks, according to NFL+. It also sacked Tanner McKee five times and forced two turnovers. Washington's five sacks were its most in a game since Week 5 of the 2025 season.
Needs Improvement: Slow starts plagued the Commanders last season, and that issue showed up again in the first quarter against the Eagles. A missed field goal attempt left three points on the field, and a fumble handed Philadelphia a touchdown. There were also a large number of pre-snap penalties that stifled momentum and pushed the offense back. Washington put itself in a 10-0 hole but was able to climb out of it after Daniels sent a message to the offense that things needed to change. Washington followed its leader, putting up 27 unanswered points and ultimately handing Philadelphia another loss.
Looking ahead to the Los Angeles Rams: The Commanders will be without Javon Kinlaw (knee), Daron Payne (foot) and Jeremy McNichols (foot) for the rest of the season. Washington has been moving the ball well on offense, averaging 5.9 yards per carry against Philadelphia in Week 8. The caveat is that the Commanders haven't faced a top-five defense since Week 3 against the Seattle Seahawks, a game they narrowly won 33-31.
Los Angeles' No. 5 defense could get a boost on Sunday with the return of Myles Garrett. The reigning Defensive Player of the Year has been sidelined with a knee injury, but his 21-day practice window was opened, and he was a limited participant in Wednesday's practice. He's a game-wrecker, and alongside Aaron Donald, the defensive line is dangerous. It would also be the first game the two have played side by side since Donald's return to the NFL, which adds even more pressure on Washington's offense to perform.
Philadelphia Eagles
What worked: The Eagles started hot on both offense and defense in the first half. The Philadelphia defense forced a Chig Okonkwo fumble that was recovered by Zach Baun, which they turned into six points with a touchdown drive. Despite the strong start and putting Washington in a 10-point hole, Philadelphia couldn't maintain the momentum.
Needs Improvement: The offensive line had a tough time protecting McKee from the Commanders' pass rush. McKee faced a lot of pressure from Washington, which made it difficult for him to get the ball out on time. The Eagles' only points came on a field goal and a rushing touchdown from Saquon Barkley, further emphasizing the need for the offensive line to provide better protection for its quarterback.
Philadelphia dropped to 2-6, its worst start through eight games since 1999, and suffered its sixth consecutive defeat for the first time since 2012.
Looking ahead to the New York Giants: The Eagles announced a quarterback change on Wednesday, benching McKee in favor of Joe Milton III. Milton, whose last game came against New York on Jan. 4 as a member of the Dallas Cowboys, will be the fourth quarterback to throw a pass for Philadelphia this season. The No. 3 option likely hasn't gotten many first-team reps ahead of this week's practices, which could lead the Eagles to make early mistakes and get off to a slow start.
