3 biggest reasons Cowboys will knock Eagles off NFC East perch

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3 biggest reasons Cowboys will knock Eagles off NFC East perch

Douglas Fritz, ClutchPoints · ClutchPoints

Thu, Jul 2, 2026 ·

5 min read

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There's already talk of a big season for the Dallas Cowboys . Their roster appears strong enough for the team to make noise. And here are the three biggest reasons the Cowboys will knock the Eagles off their NFC East perch.

First, let's get the nonsense out of the way. The Commanders and Giants are not real contenders in the NFC East. Yes, every team feels like it can contend in July. But when they actually start playing games, this is a two-team race.

However, it's really a one-team show as even the two-time defending champion Eagles won't be able to keep up with the Cowboys.

Cowboys have all of the tools to win 12-plus games

Barring catastrophic injuries, the Cowboys will win a lot of football games in 2026. Let's start on the offensive side of the football.

First, Prescott is that dude. It's time for him to put together another massive season. And this could be his best ever. Look for him to set career highs in yards and touchdowns. The former is tough as he gunned for 4,902 in 2019. But the touchdown total is reachable. Prescott had 36 scoring strikes in 2023. Look for him to hit 40-plus this year.

The touchdown total will come down to how many times the coaching staff wants to throw from the 1- or 2-yard line. If they let Prescott get six or seven of those cheap ones, when the team could have run the ball instead, Prescott will be able to push the 40 mark for the first time in his career.

CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens will absolutely cut loose this year. The Cowboys averaged 27.7 points per game in 2025. They'll hit the 30 mark this year.

The offensive line is good enough. The running game is above average. And the receivers are already great. If Ryan Flournoy develops as a solid WR3, the Cowboys will be flat-out unstoppable.

Cowboys' defense is primed for big year in 2026

There's no doubt the Cowboys will be better in 2026. The unit gave up 30.1 points per game last year. They have to be better by default. But how much better can they be?

If defensive coordinator Christian Parker doesn't get overwhelmed in his first big-time coaching role, the Cowboys could move that points number to the low 20s. That puts them in the top 10 to 15 range. And that makes them dangerous.

Parker and the Cowboys only need three things to happen to have a strong defense. The run defense simply needs to be average or better. This happens if Quinnen Williams does his usual thing, Kenny Clark still has something left in the tank, and DeMarvion Overshown stays healthy for at least 14-15 games.

The second thing is that the Cowboys need one of three players to have a standout pass-rushing season. It can be Rashan Gary , Donovan Ezeiruaku , or Malachi Lawrence. We're not talking 20 sacks here. But one of them needs to get to double digits, plus.

Lastly, the Cowboys need Caleb Downs to be the rookie just about everybody expects him to be. If he's the mix for the defensive rookie of the year honor, the Cowboys are going to be very good on defense. Because the only way that happens is if the seven guys in front of him are playing at a solid level and allowing him to make plays on the back end.

That's the blueprint for the Cowboys. And it could add up to 12-14 wins.

Eagles staring at the likelihood of dropping off

The trade of AJ Brown doesn't drop the Eagles out of contention by itself. But it doesn't help matters. Brown was a huge reason the Eagles have controlled this division in recent seasons.

There were already questions about the direction of quarterback Jalen Hurts' career. He was solid last year, but more will be needed from him in 2026. Saquon Barkley is another year older.

Yes, the Eagles' offensive line is rock solid. And whatever they do in chasing the Cowboys will come back to their ability to control the line of scrimmage when they have the ball.

But let's face it. The NFL is about making plays. And the Eagles have one less big-time playmaker. Plus, they will be relying heavily on DeVonta Smith becoming a true WR1. He has three 1,000-yard seasons in his five-year career, so there's reason to believe he can do it. But how much of that came because defenses were so concerned about Brown?

After him, the Eagles will need a big season from either a rookie, Makai Lemon, or from fourth-year pro Dontayvion Wicks . His career high in yards was 581 during his rookie season in 2023.

The one caveat to this whole thing is the Eagles' defense. If it reaches its best version, the Eagles will be able to stick around with the Cowboys. And that will make their Thanksgiving Day showdown a really big deal.

What about the Commanders and Giants?

There's no pathway for the Commanders to challenge the Cowboys. Yes, the Commanders have Jayden Daniels and an improved defense. But the overall roster has holes and weaknesses.

As for the Giants, there's no definitive proof yet that Jaxson Dart can win football games. Even with new head coach John Harbaugh taking over, the team doesn't have enough to sustain wins over the course of the season.

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