The Eagles won even though it was the bye week. No team in the NFC East recorded a win as both New York and Dallas lost, while Washington was on a bye as well. As the Eagles look ahead to Sunday night's showdown in Dallas, here is a look at the final nine opponents and how each of them fared in their last game.
Week 9 at Dallas (2-5) - Wide receiver Dez Bryant returned to the lineup for the Cowboys for the first time since the season opener due to a foot injury, but was a non-factor catching just two passes for 12 yards in the Cowboys' 13-12 loss to the Seahawks. The loss was Dallas' fifth in a row, all have come since quarterback Tony Romo was injured in the Week 2 matchup against the Eagles. Romo may start to practice this week, but is not eligible to play on Sunday night against the Eagles. Seattle used a 17-play drive in the fourth quarter to get the game-winning field goal with just 1:06 remaining.
Week 10 vs. Miami (3-4) - The Dolphins won two straight games under interim head coach Dan Campbell before coming back to earth on Thursday night in a 36-7 loss to the undefeated Patriots. To make matters worse, Miami lost star pass rusher Cameron Wake for the season due to an Achilles injury and starting offensive tackle Ju'Wuan James for an extended period of time due to a toe injury.
Week 11 vs. Tampa Bay (3-4) - For the second straight week, it looked like Tampa Bay was going to blow another big lead. This time, however, the Bucs recovered. After inspiring Washington quarterback Kirk Cousins' "You like that!" after watching a 24-point lead evaporate, the Bucs allowed the Atlanta Falcons to come back from a 20-3 margin before recovering in overtime to win 23-20. No. 1 overall pick Jameis Winston only threw for 177 yards, but the quarterback took care of business converting three third-down situations on the go-ahead drive in overtime.
Week 12 at Detroit (1-7) - The Lions fired their offensive coordinator leading up to Sunday's showdown with the Chiefs in London. It didn't make much of a difference as the Lions were routed 45-10 by Kansas City. Quarterback Matt Stafford struggled once again as he threw for just 217 yards, a touchdown and a pair of interceptions. He was harassed by the Chiefs' defense that sacked him six times. Meanwhile, Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith beat the Lions with his arm (two touchdowns) and his legs (a career-long 49-yard scramble).
Week 13 at New England (7-0) - The Patriots dismissed the Dolphins and have been the league's most impressive team through the first half of the season. Quarterback Tom Brady had 356 yards passing and four touchdowns in the win on Thursday night. Former Eagle Dion Lewis has been a hidden gem for New England this season. The running back had 93 yards receiving and a touchdown, while tight end Rob Gronkowski continued his dominance with 113 yards receiving and a touchdown. New England's defense might not get as much love as the offense, but it is top 10 in points allowed and second in sacks this year.
Week 14 vs. Buffalo (3-4) - The Bills were on the bye week along with the Eagles. They entered the bye off the heels of a 34-31 loss to Jacksonville overseas in London. Buffalo overcame a 27-3 deficit and led 31-27 before giving up the game-winning touchdown with 2:16 left. Buffalo was without quarterback Tyrod Taylor for the game. The matchup with the Eagles will mark the return of running back LeSean McCoy to Philly. McCoy has dealt with a hamstring injury all season, but leads the team with 304 yards rushing and a touchdown.
Week 15 vs. Arizona (6-2) - The Cardinals scored 27 unanswered points as quarterback Carson Palmer threw four touchdowns passes (three in the second half) to defeat the Cleveland Browns, 34-20. The Browns led 20-7 in the first half behind three touchdown passes from quarterback Josh McCown, but couldn't score a point in the second half. The Cardinals lead the NFC West and are tied with the Falcons for the third-best record in the conference behind the undefeated Panthers, who play tonight, and the Packers, who were handed their first loss on Sunday night to Denver.
Week 16 vs. Washington (3-4) - Washington continues to hang around in the NFC East after entering the bye with a 31-30 win over the Bucs fueled by a furious second-half rally that erased a 24-7 halftime deficit and ended with a touchdown pass from Cousins to tight end Jordan Reed with 24 seconds left. The next three games are crucial, as Washington travels to New England, hosts the revived Saints and go to Carolina. Eagles fans don't need to be reminded that Washington won the first matchup of the season.
Week 17 at New York Giants (4-4) - The Giants remain in first place in the NFC East despite a 52-49 loss to the New Orleans Saints. Quarterback Eli Manning threw six touchdown passes, only to be outdone by Drew Brees who tied the NFL record with seven touchdown passes and became the first player to accomplish the feat since Nick Foles did it in 2013. The 101-point total tied the third highest in NFL history. The two teams combined for 1,030 yards of offense. Brees' 511 passing yards set a new career high. Gross. Despite all of the offense and lack of defense, it was a special teams miscue that played a major role. Marcus Murphy did his best DeSean Jackson imitation and returned a punt 24 yards to the Giants' 47-yard line with 20 seconds left. Fifteen yards were added from punter Brad Wing's facemask penalty and Kai Forbath kicked a 50-yard field goal as time expired.
