Around the NFC East with Michael Phillips

By: Jonathan Howard, Staff Writer
September 11, 2025

Leading up to last week’s NFL kickoff, our founder Steve Pugh dropped in for an interview with Michael Phillips, host of the MP on the Mic radio show heard on Richmond, Virginia’s 910 The Fan. The two discussed the foundations of the Versus Sports Simulator and its multiple uses for sports fans. In addition to his radio duties, Phillips is an award-winning journalist and has covered Washington Commanders/Football Team/Redskins football for years for a number of outlets. Following week one, we got a chance to pick his brain about the NFC East.

Eagles vs. Cowboys: Two Sides of a Rivalry

JH: You’re on the Washington beat, but I’m going to start with a question about the Eagles and Cowboys. On your show, you love to say that the one team in the league that can for sure beat the Eagles … is the Eagles. It looked like that might be the case early on when Jalen Carter got thrown out, followed by the Cowboys eating up six minutes and scoring a touchdown on the first drive. Ultimately, do you think the result of the game was more of a show of the two sides we see out of Philadelphia, or are the Cowboys a lot closer to being a contender than we might have thought?

MP: The Cowboys will win 8 or 9 games, because the Cowboys always win 8 or 9 games. But it’s hard to see that team, as top heavy as they are, breaking through to legit contender status. Dak is good, but the rest of that roster is already showing signs of aging. I’ll defend Jerry Jones for the Micah decision, but in doing so, you’ve also got to acknowledge that extending CeeDee was a terrible decision. The Eagles will be fine. Week 1 is the most chaotic week of the season, and their roster is loaded. But “spit-gate” shows they’re always right on the edge of ruining it all.

Washington’s Sloppy Start or a Sign of Things to Come?

JH: Last season Washington won a bunch of close games that felt like they shouldn’t have necessarily been close. By the eye test, Washington beat New York up and down the field on Sunday, but by the scoreboard, it wasn’t really closed out until Deebo Samuel’s mid-fourth quarter touchdown. Do you see this as an indication of perhaps another wild ride, or maybe just the team’s sloppiness (12 penalties for 89 yards) keeping them from putting things away earlier?

MP: Jayden Daniels will be the first to admit he was a little off, but it’s easy enough to explain. Terry McLaurin’s holdout cost him the whole offseason, and after minor injuries started piling up late in camp, coach Dan Quinn only had two on-field practices in the two weeks leading up to the opener. So it’s easy to see how we got here. One of the most impressive things about Daniels last year was his ability to adjust and adapt as the season went on, and Thursday will be a test for him to see if he can get back on track in an offense that loaded up on weapons.

Giants Struggles on Defense and Quarterback Woes

JH: The one unit that we thought the Giants would be able to rely on was its defensive line. However, it got gashed for over 200 yards on the ground. Did you see this as a case of Washington’s offensive line doing a better job than anticipated, or is New York in even more trouble than believed?

MP: Man, I would not want to be the Giants. Jaxson Dart offers a hint of promise, but there’s just not enough there to compete in a loaded NFC East. Their early schedule does them no favors — the safest prediction right now is an 0-4 start, and a red-hot seat for Russell Wilson.

JH: Sticking with the Giants and the quarterback issues you mentioned, 36-year-old Russell Wilson simply isn’t going to have a career renaissance and elevate this squad. How would you compare the quarterback situation in New York with Jaxson Dart sitting behind Wilson to Carson Wentz with Sam Howell in Washington a few years ago?

MP: I think that’s a great comparison because in the end, neither worked out. The truth is that being an NFL pundit isn’t that hard — predict that a rookie quarterback won’t make it, and you’ll almost always be right. There’s a reason quarterback is one of the highest paid positions in sports. Daboll walks a fine line here — he has to make the change early enough in the season to provide some juice that leads into the offseason, but not so early that the fans turn on Dart as well.

Dallas’ Future Under Jerry Jones

JH: With Philadelphia coming off a Super Bowl and Washington continuing to trend upwards, do you get a sense that this season carries a little extra weight for Dallas’ hopes for the future, or do you think it’s all the same as long as Jerry Jones is running the team?

MP: I respect Jerry’s refusal to bottom out or do any sort of rebuilding process. The Cowboys finishing with 8 or 9 wins is the safest prediction in sports, and they’ll be right there again this year. The Netflix show will give him the attention dollars he’s looking for, but as for a Super Bowl, it’s hard to see it in the next three years, that’s for sure.

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2025 NFL Player Props & NFC East Coverage

Did you know Versus Sports Simulator now publishes free 2025 NFL player prop projections every week — from passing yards to rushing and receiving totals. Whether you’re tracking Jalen Hurts, Dak Prescott, Jayden Daniels, or Saquon Barkley, our props page gives you data-driven predictions to follow along with every NFC East matchup and beyond.

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