The NFC East is one of the NFL’s most volatile divisions — often unpredictable, always dramatic. From a reigning Super Bowl champion in Philadelphia to the ever-controversial Dallas Cowboys, a surging Washington Commanders squad, and a rebuilding New York Giants team facing the league’s toughest schedule, there no shortages of intrigue.
As the 2025 NFL season approaches, each NFC East team carries one looming question that could define it’s sucess — or failure.
Dallas Cowboys : Is this finally Dak Prescott’s defining season?
It’s hard to ignore the weight on Dak Prescott’s shoulders entering 2025. The 31-year old quarterback signed a $240 million extension before the 2024 season but missed most of the season with a hamstring injury. Now, under new head coach Brian Schottenheimer, Prescott returns with perhaps more pressure than ever before.
The Cowboys still have talent: Micah Parsons leads an elite defense, and weapons like Jake Ferguson and Ceedee Lamb bolsters the offense. The Cowboys went out and acquired another weapon for Prescott in George Pickens. But after years of underwhelming playoff exits — Dallas hasn’t reached an NFC Championship Game since 1995 — the narrative continues to shift.
Prescott, often viewed as the face of underachievement in Big D, must prove he can be more than just statistically sound. With MVP-level projections and loaded NFC, there’s no room left for mediocrity. If he can’t deliver now, when will he?
Philadelphia Eagles: Can the Eagles avoid the Super Bowl hangover?
The Philadelphia Eagles enter 2025 as defending champions, fresh off a resounding win over the Kansas City Chiefs. With Saquon Barkley, Jalen Hurts and AJ Brown, and one of the deepest defensive units in the NFL, their roster still oozes championship pedigree and the ability to go back-to-back.
Although, history hasn’t been kind to Super Bowl winners. The famed “ Super Bowl hangover” has derailed plenty of repeat hopefuls. Philly’s schedule opens with a high profile week 1 showdown against Dallas, and then proceeding to have a Super Bowl rematch against the Chiefs in week 2. Then they’ll have a late season gauntlet against the Lions, the Bills and the Commanders.
Analysts still favor the Eagles to still win the division, but with defensive depth tested and turnover among assistant coaches, cracks could form if they aren’t careful. The reason questions isn’t about talent, it’s about mindset. Are they still hungry?
Washington Commanders: Was 2024 a fluke or a sign of things to come?
Last season, the Washington Commanders shocked the NFL by reaching the NFC championship with rookie QB Jayden Daniels. Daniels dual-threat brilliance, paired with a resurgent defense under then-new head coat Dan Quinn, transformed Washington from a laughingstock to contender.
Now comes the hard part: proving it wasn’t a one year wonder.
Washington made some moves this offseason, trading for Deebo Samuel and reinforcing the offensive line by trading for Laremy Tunsil. Yet questions remain. The defense lost some key contributors, and expectations will be sky-high for a team that benefited from low pressure a year ago. The NFL now knows what to expect from Jayden Daniels, it’s all about making adjustments and evolving this team.
With two late-season games against the Eagles that could decide the division, the Commanders ability to repeat sucess is under the microscope.
New York Giants: Can the Giants survive the NFL’s toughest schedule?
After a disastrous 3-14 season in 2024, the New York Giants hit the reset button — again. They decided to bring back head coach Brian Daboll but made some good offseason moves. They signed S Jevon Holland, signed CB Pauleson Adebo, and signed Russell Wilson along with Jameis Winston. They also drafted edge rusher Abdul Carter with the 3rd pick and traded back into the 1st round to select Jaxson Dart at the 25th pick.
The pieces are interesting, but the challenge is enormous. The Giants face the league’s most difficult schedule in 2025. Their first three games? Commanders, Cowboys and the Chiefs.
Still, there are reasons for hope. They retain promising young receivers in Malik Nabers, Wan’Dale Robinson and brought back veteran Darius Slayton. They also will have back cornerstone LT Andrew Thomas who expects to be fully healthy in 2025. Winston recently said in minicamp, “Yes, we got all the pieces”.
But optimism needs results. If the Giants don’t show real progress — especially on offense— it could lead to a complete overhaul in 2026.
The NFC East might be the NFL’s most watchable division in 2025. With four unique narratives and stakes ranging from legacy to legitimacy, each team carries a different kind of pressure.
Some quarterbacks must prove they belong in elite conversations. Some head coaches are fighting for credibility, and for some franchises like the Giants and Commanders —may soon face crucial identity-defining decisions.
In a league built on parity and pressure, every snap in the NFC East will matter. The answers to these burning questions will determine which of these stories franchises rises— or crumbles this fall.