Highlighting NFC East blockbuster games of 2024 season

The NFL released its complete schedule for the 2024 season on Wednesday. Here is the blockbuster game (and another intriguing matchup) for every team in the NFC East division:

Dallas Cowboys | Complete schedule

BLOCKBUSTER: at Philadelphia, Sunday, Dec. 29: Eight of the last 10 division titles have gone to Dallas or Philadelphia. Cowboys-Eagles games are always a big deal, especially in Philly where fans remain “all-in” regardless of records or score.

By Week 17, this game could hold the key to an NFC playoff berth and possibly Mike McCarthy’s job. The Cowboys head coach owns a 42-25 record with Dallas but doesn’t have a contract beyond 2024.

ALSO INTRIGUING: vs. Houston, Monday, Nov. 18: Texans quarterback and 2023’s Offensive Rookie of the Year, C.J. Stroud is off to a great start but Dak Prescott’s time could soon be up in Dallas. With just $1.9M in cap space available, efforts to extend the Cowboys quarterback haven't gone smoothly and could easily become a distraction once the regular season begins.

For their part, the Texans added wide receiver Stefon Diggs to a roster that already included Nico Collins and Tank Dell and replaced Devin Singletary with running back Joe Mixon. The Cowboys signed two free agents, including former Cowboy Ezekiel Elliott.                    

New York Giants | Complete schedule

BLOCKBUSTER: at Philadelphia, Week 18 date/time TBD: The Giants have lost eight of the last 11 meetings (including postseason games) against Philadelphia. The final game of the regular season will be running back Saquon Barkley’s first game in New York since signing a three-year, $57M deal with the Eagles this offseason and it will be Daniel Jones' first game against the Eagles since a 38-7 playoff loss in 2022.

If the Giants want a piece of the NFC East, they’ll have to get past the Eagles and if Jones wants to see $30.5M scheduled for 2025, he’ll need to improve on his 2-3 career record against Philadelphia.

ALSO INTRIGUING: at Carolina, Sunday, Nov. 10 : Carolina spent $259M on free agents in the offseason, third-most in the NFL. The Giants spent $230M, fifth-most in the league not including the five-year, $141M contract they handed edge-rusher Brian Burns after giving up second- and fifth-round selections in 2024 and a conditional fifth-round pick in 2025 in a trade with the Panthers.

Burns will be saying, "Guten tag," to old teammates as the game will be played in Munich, Germany, marking the Giants’ fourth trip overseas and Carolina’s second. 

Philadelphia Eagles | Complete schedule

BLOCKBUSTER: vs. Green Bay, Friday, Sept 6: When the NFL announced that the Eagles would take part in the first-ever NFL game in South America, many assumed they would face some middling team looking for a boost with an international audience.

Instead, they will face a Packers team that won seven of their last 10 games last season, including a 48-32 wild-card thumping of the Cowboys. Green Bay replaced running back Aaron Jones with former Raider Josh Jacobs in the offseason while Philadelphia signed Barkley to replace D’Andre Swift, last year’s fifth-leading rusher.

Both should see plenty of action in Sao Paulo, Brazil, in what will be the NFL’s first of five international games in 2024.

ALSO INTRIGUING: at Dallas, Sunday, Nov. 10 : After a game against the Jaguars on Sunday Night Football, the Eagles and new offensive coordinator Kellen Moore travel to Arlington, Texas in Week 10 to face the defending NFC champions at AT&T Stadium.

Moore spent eight years with the Cowboys, three as a player and five as a coach, including four seasons as the team’s offensive coordinator. The Cowboys let him go in 2023, prompting McCarthy to criticize his penchant for passing plays. You can bet Moore has this game circled on the calendar.

Washington Commanders | Complete schedule

BLOCKBUSTER: vs. Chicago, Sunday, Oct. 27: For the second-straight year, quarterbacks taken No. 1 and 2 overall in the draft will face off in the regular season when the Commanders welcome the Bears to FedEx Field. Last year, first overall pick Bryce Young led the Panthers to a late-October victory over Houston Texans and No. 2 pick C.J. Stroud.

This year, top-pick Caleb Williams will be hoping to do the same in Week 8 against Heisman winner Jayden Daniels, the second pick of the 2024 NFL Draft. That may not be so easy. Only Oregon’s Bo Nix had more passing touchdowns (45) than LSU’s Daniels last season (40), although Williams led the FBS with 42 scores the year before.

ALSO INTRIGUING | vs. Dallas, Sunday, November 24 : The Commanders were outscored 83-20 in two losses to the Cowboys last season. Dallas finished at the top of the division with a 12-5 record while Washington went 4-13 to finish last for the second-straight year.

Under defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, Dallas allowed the fifth-fewest points (18.5) and yards (187.4) per game in 2023 but now coaches the Commanders. No team gave up more points per game (30.5) than Washington last year, something Quinn will certainly want to address against his former team.