The Washington Commanders have the weekend off. Their division rivals have plenty to sort out.

The first-place New York Giants are changing quarterbacks, while the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles head into Monday night with matching 2-4 records. Dallas still believes it has the roster to win the division. Philadelphia would probably settle for getting more of its roster healthy. Here’s the latest NFC East news as Washington works through its bye.

Around the NFC East

1. Dallas Cowboys News
2. New York Giants News
3. Philadelphia Eagles News
4. Washington Commanders News

Dallas Cowboys News

America’s highest-profile cheerleading squad has won a victory of its own: The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders have formed a union.

The union is believed to be the first in the nation among all pro-sports cheerleading squads, outside of a short-lived effort by the Buffalo Bills’ “Buffalo Jills” in the mid-1990s.

The Dallas cheerleaders’ bargaining unit has already been recognized by the Dallas Cowboys, according to a brief joint press release issued Friday by the team and the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Association. The agreement came after “meaningful discussion” between the two sides, the release said.

The next step will be bargaining for an official contract for the cheerleaders. The squad currently consists of 36 active members, though it is not clear how many will be officially represented by the union. “The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders are an esteemed part of the Cowboys organization, deeply respected for their talent and dedication they exhibit,” the two groups said in the release.

Brev’s big play vs the birds 🫯

Up Next 📺: #DALvsPHI 10/26 on ESPN/ABC pic.twitter.com/dVaXJMQvRs

— Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) October 24, 2026

"No one likes it. I block out most of it; some of it gets to me, but at the same time, I've got strong shoulders," Schottenheimer said. "I know what a great coach I am, and I know what this team is capable of. That's what I focus on."

The Cowboys' next opponent is the Eagles, who are just as desperate and will most likely start Tanner McKee. That doesn't mean the Cowboys won't get to see quarterback Joe Milton, who remained on Dallas' practice squad until last week.  

"We think about it just like that," Lamb said Friday, via the team's website. "Anybody can win this division, so why not us? Every opportunity that we can get, we know what we're messing up, and what are our areas of improvement -- like playing complementary ball. I feel like, at the end of the day, we feel like we have the best roster, top down, and we've got to be able to play like that on Sundays or Mondays."

This includes the return of cornerback Cobie Durant and linebacker DeMarvion Overshown, both of whom have missed multiple weeks due to hamstring injuries. Durant has been out since getting injured in Week 2's win over the Washington Commanders while Overshown suffered his injury in Week 1 against the New York Giants.

Overshown's return had been anticipated during the week, his healthy status is now official on Saturday's injury report. It comes an ideal time for a Dallas defense that will be without starting linebacker Dee Winters due to an Achilles strain. His status will be one to watch headed into Week 8.

Troy Aikman talking about Cowboys WRs: “I won’t name names, but there’s one particular player, I was embarrassed. It’s the worst performance I’ve ever seen from a wide receiver on a football field.” https://t.co/Tq7f0BlWOF

— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) October 24, 2026

“Were going to have a foul called on No. 94 on the defensive team for illegal hands to the face,” Anderson said. “The only action relative to any hands is really by the offensive player here. So this is the type of play that the Competition Committee has instructed officiating that if objective information in terms of just asking the officials, ‘Are we sure we have the right number of the player here?’ that we can end up assisting with this. Because it’s clearly not a foul by No. 94. If there is illegal use of hands, it’s obviously by No. 52 of the offense.”

New York Giants News

After two weeks of mixed offensive performances and disappointing results, John Harbaugh and the New York Giants are switching things up at quarterback, with J.J. McCarthy taking over for Jameis Winston ahead of a pivotal matchup with the Houston Texans.

The Giants are hoping McCarthy’s presence will spark an offense that lost some of its luster when Jaxson Dart went down and became too one-dimensional in its previous two games against the Washington Commanders and New Orleans Saints, behind Winston’s inconsistent decision-making and an unestablished running game.

That said, New York will need more than its new starter’s efforts to leave Houston with a huge win. Here are the three key matchups the Giants must dominate to stun the Texans and improve to 4-2-1 before their bye week.

Taking it to Texas ✈️ pic.twitter.com/WjzR3Ra12y

— New York Giants (@Giants) October 24, 2026

Activated, from Reserve
CB Paulson Adebo

Reserve/Injured
LB Tremaine Edmunds

J.J. McCarthy, fresh off his 243-yard fourth quarter effort, will make his first start as a member of the Giants, taking over for veteran Jameis Winston. McCarthy led the Giants to 17 unanswered points in the final 11 minutes of the game and came one completion short of completing the comeback. Despite arriving in East Rutherford less than a month ago, McCarthy has been able to pick up the offense quickly, giving the coaching staff confidence in him as they head to Houston.

"His operation is really, really good," offensive coordinator Matt Nagy told reporters Thursday. "When I say operation, what does that mean? It starts with listening to the play call in your headset, being able to say it and or read it on the wristband, get to the line of scrimmage, and then be a quarterback, see the formation, motion shifts, see the play clock, make your ID checks or whatever you do with the center, and then make a play. The operation right now, what he's doing is amazing. Then you throw in some of the throws that he made, not just when we're 70 yards away, but when we're in that red zone or when we're in a situation where you've got to make a throw. He did that, too. His demeanor has been really good for all four weeks. He's very eager to learn. He wants as much as he can get to digest within our offense."

Cam Skattebo leads the Giants in rushing yards with 294 yards on 81 carries, but in last week's 34-27 loss to the New Orleans Saints, he wasn't given a single rushing attempt. It marked the first time in his two-year NFL career that he didn't touch the ball once in a game he played in. His limited snaps and lack of opportunities were a response to his costly fumble during overtime in the team's Week 5 27-27 tie against the Washington Commanders. 

The running back room also saw the departure of Najee Harris, . Harris drew headlines for his criticism of the New York run game, expressing confusion over the game plan. Harris finished his short Giants tenure with 31 rushing attempts for 99 yards in five games.

“Just focusing on one day at a time is the biggest thing,” Winston said about the quarterback change following the team’s practice on Wednesday.

“I’m extremely grateful that I still get to do what I love, and that’s play football at a high level for the New York Football Giants. And being able to accept roles and understand what your significant role is, and how you can be the best at your role with this team, is one of the things that you have to adjust to in this league.”

“I believe that last game, it wasn’t what it was capable of being,” Winston said of the team's performance against the New Orleans Saints last week. “I think every single week, as a football team, you’re defined by the last time you stepped foot on the field.

“So, I believe that based on the last game, my job is to lead the New York Football Giants to a win, and that didn’t happen. So that being said, I understand where I’m at now.”

Philadelphia Eagles News

"I just had a little bit of inflammation in there," Goedert said. "I had to let that settle down. But I felt really good running out there today."

Out: WR DeVonta Smith (hamstring), WR Dontayvion Wicks (ankle), OLB Nolan Smith (concussion), DB Michael Carter II (abdomen)

Questionable: RB Saquon Barkley (hamstring), OLB Jonathan Greenard (ankle), OLB Jalyx Hunt (knee/ankle), OG Landon Dickerson (knee/pec), TE Eli Stowers (quad), TE Grant Calcaterra (back), CB Jakorian Bennett (knee)

“It’s been unfortunate”

— Nick Sirianni when asked if the Eagles are considering shutting down WR DeVonta Smith due to his lingering hamstring injury

Sirianni says Smith has been attacking his rehab pic.twitter.com/5DBCnSv17L

— Jeff Skversky (@JeffSkversky) October 24, 2026

"Obviously I'm wearing another color now and that's a rival, but hey, can't wear blue this week. I'm totally fine on that," Milton said after practice on Thursday.

The Eagles announced last Friday that the team signed Milton from the Cowboys' practice squad. Selected in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL Draft by the Patriots, the 6-foot-5 quarterback out of Tennessee was heralded for his athleticism and big arm. After all, Milton ran a 4.62 40-yard dash and tied with Josh Allen for the fastest-recorded throw speed in NFL Combine history, reaching 62 miles an hour.

After leading the Patriots to a Week 18 victory at the end of his rookie year in place of an injured Drake Maye, the Cowboys traded for Milton during the 2025 offseason to serve as the backup to Dak Prescott. Milton would appear in four games for Dallas in his sophomore NFL season.

"I definitely learned a lot over there," Milton said. "Development-wise, it's going great. It's amazing. I love to learn. Taking notes again and learning the new offense."

"Just because it is a rivalry and it was just like, 'Dang, no way.' My agent called me and mentioned it to me. ... I went to practice like it was a normal day and tried to operate under a Dallas Cowboy at the time," Milton said.

"I went home, but really when I got in my car, everything's just changed. I was just like, 'What am I going to do? Am I going to stay on the practice squad or should I show up for my opportunity?' I'm here."

PHILADELPHIA, P.A. — Rookie Keyshawn James-Newby doesn’t have to look very far to see the success a seventh-round draft pick can make. All the Eagles' outside linebacker needs to do is walk a few stalls deeper into the locker room where Moro Ojomo stows his gear.

Further toward the back of the locker room is another former seventh-rounder—left tackle Jordan Mailata from 2018, who is already on his third contract with the Eagles. Ojomo was a seventh-round pick in 2023 and is playing himself into a second contract that should pay him handsomely, either back in Philly or in another city.

The Eagles announced on Thursday that the team has signed RB Jaydon Blue, G Evan Neal, and LB Anfernee Orji to the practice squad. Tight end E.J. Jenkins was waived from the active roster.

The Philadelphia Eagles are in the midst of a disastrous four-game losing streak. Injuries have been piling up, with star players like quarterback Jalen Hurts and running back Saquon Barkley missing action. The next-man-up mentality that comes with playing in the NFL is certainly being put to work.

The roster depth general manager Howie Roseman has built through the NFL Draft is being tested on a weekly basis. There are opportunities for young rookies to take over starting roles, much like linebacker Jihaad Campbell and safety Andrew Mukuba did last year. It's all about taking advantage.

Washington Commanders News

Mike Sainristil opened the season atop the Washington Commanders’ cornerback depth chart alongside Amik Robertson, then played 54 of 55 defensive snaps against Philadelphia. Six games into the season, finding a place for him has become a much different conversation.

Sainristil played seven defensive snaps against San Francisco. Robertson played all 62, while Rasul Douglas and Trey Amos played 36 apiece. That leaves Washington entering its bye with three corners getting considerably more work than a player it drafted in the second round just two years ago.

Jayden being Jayden@CampbellsChunky | #RaiseHail pic.twitter.com/PieMW9rjZI

— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) October 24, 2026

Against the Washington Commanders, opposing offenses have a 49.7% success rate on 169 plays run on first down, ranking the defense last in the NFL, according to HB Analytics. Looking for a fix to that should have been near the top of defensive coordinator Daronte Jones’ to-do list during the bye.

The Washington Commanders are on their bye week, so that means a week-long break for the players, coaches, and fans, but general manager Adam Peters maintained his weekly radio appearance with the Junkies. The Commanders are 1-4-1 after failing to come back from a 23-3 deficit, losing 23-17 to the San Francisco 49ers om Monday Night Football. A primetime game, after an all-time game management error, had all eyes on Washington as they traveled to the west coast to face the #1 team in the conference.. That pressure didn’t prevent them from making more questionable calls. Jayden Daniels threw the ball away on 4th down after a penalty flag was thrown. He should have attempted to make a play, a mistake that Dan Quinn and Peters have emphasized won’t happen again.

#49ers LB Fred Warner was fined $65,673 for two instances against the #Commanders — $17,911 for a hit on TE Chig Okonkwo (flag was thrown then picked up, with ESPN broadcast saying it should’ve stayed a penalty) and $47,762 for use of the helmet here that wasn’t flagged. pic.twitter.com/fxkApK6gLQ

— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) October 24, 2026

The Washington Commanders played their last game on Monday, October 19, and will return to action against Philadelphia on Sunday, November 1, 13 days later. The Eagles, meanwhile, will host the Dallas Cowboys this coming Monday night, then will travel to visit Washington six days later.

These aren't the same teams that met in Week 1, with Washington losing 24-22. The Eagles have gone through several things, including the retirement of long-time right tackle Lane Johnson and blood clots that put Jalen Hurts on injured reserve. The Commanders have had injury issues since training camp started and lost the face of their franchise last Monday night when Terry McLaurin went down.

Washington Commanders edge rusher K'Lavon Chaisson did something over the last two games he's never done before. Chaisson strip-sacked Jameis Winston against the Giants, then eight days later peanut-punched the ball out of Christian McCaffrey's arms on Monday Night Football. Both plays resulted in takeaways, with Tim Settle recovering the first fumble and Frankie Luvu the second.

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