The Green Bay Packers’ win over the Dallas Cowboys, 23-13, on “Sunday Night Football” maintained a tale of two divisions in the NFC.
The NFC North is once again a very strong group to begin the 2026 season, and perhaps for the second straight week, the NFC East will be winless.
Last week, the Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles both lost, while the New York Giants and Washington Commanders managed an overtime tie in wacky fashion.
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Dak Prescott of the Dallas Cowboys reacts during the second quarter against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis., on Oct. 18, 2026. (Getty Images)
After the Giants and Eagles lost in the 1 p.m. slate this Sunday, the Cowboys were routed at Lambeau Field by a Packers team that did much of the same against their divisional foe, the Chicago Bears.
That leaves the Commanders, sitting at the bottom of the division at 1-3-1, as the only team still able to pick up a victory, though it will be tough on the road against a red-hot San Francisco 49ers squad that remains unbeaten.
It’s too early to say this NFC East division has shades of 2020, when Washington won it at 7-9, but it’s been an interesting start to say the least. In recent seasons, one team usually breaks away from the pack and wins pretty comfortably, but each team has its own issues that need addressing at the moment.
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For the Cowboys, it was the defense entering this game against the Packers. Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie quarterback Jalon Daniels looked too comfortable in “Jerry’s World” in just his second career start, and first road game, in Week 5’s shocking win over Dallas. The Cowboys brought Mike Pettine out of retirement, hiring him as a senior defensive assistant to help out Christian Parker, the team’s defensive coordinator, get this group back on track.
A seasoned football mind might be what the Cowboys need in the long run, but it didn’t work tonight against the Packers.
It was an inauspicious start for the Packers through the first three weeks. In fact, Mike LaFleur’s seat was getting quite hot after a blowout loss at home to the Atlanta Falcons in Week 3.
Since then, they’ve ripped off three straight wins, and a big reason is Jordan Love looking comfortable again in the pocket for Green Bay.
Matthew Golden of the Green Bay Packers celebrates a touchdown with fans during the first quarter against the Dallas Cowboys at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis., on Oct. 18, 2026. (Getty Images)
The franchise man continues to build a strong rapport with his receivers, finishing 23-of-41 for 276 yards with a touchdown pass to Matthew Golden, who led the game with 104 yards on six grabs. And this comes after Love threw for 367 yards with two touchdowns in the 31-7 win last week.
The Packers are simply buzzing now, which includes their defense continuing to take the ball away. They came into this game with nine on the year, and they added two more after picking off Dak Prescott twice.
Unlike the NFC East, the North, a division where every team finished above .500, have all gotten off to solid starts. The Packers and Bears are both 4-2 now after their wins on Sunday. The Minnesota Vikings, who remain undefeated at 5-0, and Detroit Lions, who are 3-2, are both on bye weeks.
Jordan Love of the Green Bay Packers warms up before an NFL game against the Dallas Cowboys at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis., on Oct. 18, 2026. (Getty Images)
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There’s so much football left to play, but the fact that the NFC East could go two weeks without a single team getting a win, while the NFC North can’t stop winning, goes to show the parody that makes the NFL so much fun each week.
For teams in the East, though, it would be more fun if they could get a victory. But at this rate, with a slow division race, all three who played Sunday will hope Washington doesn’t shock the football world on Monday night.
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