Man, Week 4 in the NFL was bonkers, and for us 12s, it was a gut punch knowing our Hawks played a part in making the NFC East an absolute circus. Seriously, after Sunday’s wild ride, the New York Giants are somehow sitting in first place, and the whole division standings got flipped. This division has always been competitive, but 2026 is looking like a straight-up mess, with a surprise team leading the pack and the two-time reigning favorite tied for second after only three of 12 division games played. It’s a sign of the crazy things still to come.
The NFC East Is an Absolute Trainwreck, and We’re in It
Let’s break down this insanity. The New York Giants are out front at 3-1. Right behind them are the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys, both tied at 2-2. And then there are the Washington Commanders, who sit at 1-3. How did we get here? The Giants pulled out a victory, the Cowboys staged a rally to win, and the Eagles straight up blew a lead. Every single one of these teams is flawed, in many ways. The Eagles are dealing with a pile of offensive injuries to guys like Dallas Goedert, DeVonta Smith, and now Saquon Barkley, plus their defense is losing key pieces too. The Cowboys’ defense is a massive liability, putting tons of pressure on Dak Prescott and the offense to constantly put up points.
And then there’s Washington. They’re probably the worst overall team in the division, struggling with shaky defense and injuries that have them down to just two quarterbacks, Jaylen Daniels and Marcus Mariota. But here’s the kicker, and the part that probably still stings for us: with their upset win over *our* Seahawks in Week 3, even the Commanders can’t be counted out as a dangerous spoiler. Seriously? A team that’s 1-3 is now a “dangerous spoiler” partly because they got a win against us. You hate to see it, but that’s the NFL for you.
Winston’s Wild Ride Is Shaking Up the Whole Division
So, how are the Giants suddenly leading the charge? They’re on a two-game winning streak with Jameis Winston starting at quarterback because Jaxson Dart is out for the entire regular season with a knee injury. Winston is a total gunslinger, fearless, even if it means some turnovers. But he played mostly aces against the Cardinals in a 36-24 win that went down to the wire, throwing for 250 yards, 3 touchdowns, and averaging 8.6 yards per attempt, against 2 interceptions. He also helped beat the Cowboys in Week 1 with a ball-control game plan when Dart was healthy. After getting smacked by the Rams in Week 2 when Dart went down, Winston has done enough to lead the offense to wins over a winless Tennessee team and that 1-3 Arizona squad.
The Giants’ schedule actually breaks pretty well for them coming up. They’re back in the division for Week 5, facing the Commanders, who, as we just discussed, have an uncertain QB situation. Then they’ve got a home game against the Saints, which is Winston’s former team, and they’re good but definitely beatable. Week 7 brings another suddenly winnable game at the 0-4 Texans. After their Week 8 bye, things ramp up, with two Eagles games and contests against the Jaguars, 49ers, Seahawks, and Lions outside the division. For New York to really make a run, they need to stay hot and surge to get to either 5-2 or 6-1 before that tougher stretch.
What’s next? The Giants head to the Commanders in Week 5. That’s a huge divisional game where a win could solidify New York’s unexpected lead, and you know the Commanders, especially after beating *our* Hawks, are going to be playing with some fire. This division is gonna be a dogfight, and it just proves every single game in the NFL matters, for every team, even if it feels like just a blip on the radar for others.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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