Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles Take Early 2019 NFC East Lead With Wins Over Giants, Redskins

The NFC East has been projected to be a two-team race. The first NFL Sunday of the 2019 season presented little evidence to suggest otherwise.

The Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles are tied atop the division after securing victories in Week 1. The Washington Redskins and New York Giants are still searching for their first wins, having lost to an NFC East rival in the opener.

Few teams were more dominant than the Cowboys, who defeated the Giants 35-17 at AT&T Stadium. Dak Prescott posted a perfect passer rating by completing 25 of 32 pass attempts for 405 yards and four touchdowns.

Philadelphia got off to a slow start, though they bounced back after Washington took a 17-0 first-half lead at Lincoln Financial Field. Carson Wentz went 28-39 for 313 yards and three scores, leading the Eagles to a 32-27 victory. Case Keenum threw for 380 yards and a 117.6 passer rating in his Redskins’ debut.

The Eagles are one of the NFC’s Super Bowl favorites just two years removed from winning their first championship in franchise history. Philadelphia nearly reached the conference title game last season.

If Wentz can stay healthy, the Eagles are likely to make the playoffs for the third year in a row.

The Cowboys are the defending NFC East champions. No team in the conference has a better record than Dallas over the last three seasons. Prescott has led the Cowboys to a winning record in each year since becoming the team’s starting quarterback in 2016.

With Prescott under center, Ezekiel Elliott back from his holdout and one of the league’s most talented defenses, Dallas has what it takes to be a real contender this season.

Not much is expected from the Redskins and Giants. Washington was more competitive than expected in Week 1, covering the schedule’s largest betting line. New York’s defense was nonexistent in Dallas, a potential sign that the 2019 season is going to be another long one for the Giants.

Both the Redskins and Giants entered the season with a projected over/under win total of six. Since New York won the Super Bowl in the 2011 season, the Redskins and Giants have three combined postseason appearances and no playoff wins.