The fact that the NFC East does not have a single team with a winning or record with at least the same amount of wins as losses at this point in the season should be enough to explain how bad this division is. But, the story of this year’s division is a lot more complex than that.
The 2020 NFC East division, according to the NFL, was the first division in NFL history to not have a single team that had three wins by week seven of the season. Typically, at least one or more teams within the division show superiority at that point in the season.
Those teams usually go on to finish the season at or above an even (8-8) to win the division or make the playoffs. In fact, only four teams have made it to the playoffs with a losing record. The NFC might have a team added to that list.
With some simple math, it can be realized just how bad this division really is. The Eagles can win the division with a 5-10-1 record, according to Delaware Online, which is pathetic.
With six games remaining, the Eagles are currently in third place with a record of 3-7-1.
Two other teams – The Washington Football Team and the New York Giants – are both a full game ahead at 4-7. Dallas is in last place at 3-8.
The Eagles are currently in a stretch of four games against opponents with a combined record of more than 28-12. Given that fact, it’s very possible that the Eagles could be 3-10-1 heading into their final two games, both against NFC East opponents – at Dallas on Dec. 27 and home against Washington on Jan. 3.
Nevertheless, the Eagles would still have a chance at winning the division at 5-10-1, if they can pull off wins against both of those teams. And yes, although possible, it would materialize into the worst record ever for a division winner.
These dismal games have also hurt the NFL’s ratings. For example, an interdivisional Thursday Night Football game between the Giants and Eagles averaged 10.07 million viewers across FOX and NFL Network, marking the least-watched primetime NFL window on broadcast since Broncos-Cardinals on TNF two years ago (9.10M) and the third-least watched on record, according to Sports Media Watch.
In my opinion, the Giants will be the ones that come out on top. The Eagles offense just has not clicked this season. Dak Prescott getting hurt changes everything for the Cowboys, and the Washington Football team has a great defender in Chase Young and not much else.
To be clear though, the Giants’ march to hosting a playoff game will not be pretty. During their week 12 game against the Bengals, their special teams gave up a kickoff return touchdown for the first time in five years, got destroyed on a fake punt and then gave up a 29-yard punt return to midfield in the final minute. But, they are top 10 in the league in takeaways and added more to their total this past Sunday against the Bengals, according to CBS Sports. That is what I think gets them to the top.
Whoever wins the division this year, it is clear that so far this year, the NFC East has shown off some incredibly ugly football and I hope, for everyone’s sake, this never happens again.