Red’s 2026 NFL Picks – NFC East
Red traditionally starts with the NFL East. Don’t ask why – because he doesn’t know.
Philadelphia – Let’s start with the two-time reigning NFC East and 2024 NFL champs. 2025 finished on a disappointing note. After a nice 8-2 start, the Eagles lost 3 straight and floundered to a 11-6 finish not quite good enough to secure a first round bye. That resulted in a Wild Card round close 23-19 loss to the 49ers. Red notes that a surprising 22 games in NFL history have ended with that somewhat odd score. Jalen Hurts (known to some as the most polarizing QB in the NFL) is still in his prime. Can the experience of the venerable Red Rifle aka Andy Dalton help Hurts overcome some of the errors of his ways? Hurts has Saquon Barkley hoping to defy old man time for at least one more season. He is effectively entering his 8th season have missed most of 2020 with only 19 carries. A few RBs continue to excel after 7 seasons but they are the exception to the rule. As such, the Eagles had best not count on another 300 plus touches from Barkley in 2026. And maybe that will not be necessary. The receiving corps gets a welcome addition in first round pick Makai Lemon and possibly free agent Marquise Brown. Maybe Tank Bigsby lives up to his name to take some heat off of Saquon in short yardage situations. What does not seem questionable is the Eagles defense. Red expects the No Phly Zone to be in rare form in 2026. Questions about a 5th offensive coordinator in 5 seasons are certainly reasonable, but HC SirIanni has shown that he knows how to win with a 59-26 record over 5 seasons – second in winning percentage only John Madden and Vince Lombardi. Not bad company for a team that actually plays in the city in its name. Eagles go 12-5 and win the East rather easily.
Washington – The former OTNAs if you have to ask you have not been paying attention) who play in Maryland are a sexy pick to challenge for a playoff spot in 2026 after a disappointing 5-12 record last season. Let’s face it – an 8 game losing streak is tough to overcome. And on top of that, the Commandos were the first NFL team ever to lose four consecutive games by 21 or more points. But as all NFL fans know, every year one formerly pathetic excuse for a professional football team rises from the dustbin and makes the playoffs. Red is not calling the Commandos his “2026 NFL Team of Destiny” just yet, but he thinks that the DC faithful will not be dissatisfied in December. Jayden Daniels and Terry McLaurin are back. New additions include Laremy Tunsil who may have something left in the tank, Deebo Samuel a reliable option at WR and Von Miller and Will Harris on defense. Dan Quinn is an experienced and successful Head Coach and while memories are short, this team did go 12-5 in 2024. Commanders will finish 10-7 with an outside shot at a Wild Card spot.
New York – The New York Football Giants who play in New Jersey. Most predict the Giants to be around 7-10 in 2026. Red certainly has no love lost for Trump bootlicker Jaxson Dart, but he is a competent NFL QB with a good crop of receivers. Red does like Tyrone Tracy, Cam Skattebo and if they stay healthy the Giants’ rushing attack will take a lot of pressure off of Dart. Abdul Carter looks like a superstar in the offing at outside LB for a defense that could set a new team sack record. If they knock off the Cowboys in Week 1, they have 3 very winnable games in their next 6 when facing, the Titans, Cardinals and Saints. A 4-3 record going into their bye week sets them up nicely. It gets much tougher after that and some upsets will be needed to bring home an 8-9 record and win the tie-breaker with Dallas for 3rd spot in the East. Giants 8-9.
Dallas – The Cowboys (who play in Arlington) are clearly in decline. Since back to back to back 12-5 seasons, the team has won only 7 games the past two seasons and of course, missed the playoffs. Since 1996, the Cowboys have won a grand total of 4 playoff games. If you are not a math whiz that is one playoff win on average every 7.5 seasons. So first, what do the Cowboys have going for them this season. They still have the best kicker in the league in Brandon Aubrey and added George Pickens at wide receiver. The defense was not technically the worst in the NFL in 2025 but it wasn’t for lack of trying. Only the Jets gave up more points and only the Bengals and Commandos gave up more yards per game. The run defense was bad, but the passing defense was truly atrocious giving up more yards per game than any other team. (NOTE: If defenses could win Deadman of the Year – the Cowboys would have swept the field. Maybe Red needs to rethink his award strategy!) Yes, the defense will not be as truly terrible as it was in 2025, but . . . Anyhow, Red will continue here with his traditional beef. A team that has not really sniffed a chance at a Conference Championship appearance, much less a Superb Owl in 30 years gets 9 national TV appearances yet again. That includes the big time Week 1 Sunday night game, one more Sunday night game against Green Bay in October followed by a Monday night showdown with the Eagles, the mandatory Thursday night game, another Monday nightery in December and 4 late afternoon Sunday games including the prime Thanksgiving spot. Only one of the late pm games is time zone related when they play the Rams in late December. Cowboy haters will have their hands full. Cowboys go 8-9 and round out the bottom of the NFC East.
Paradise in Hell 