Who are the teams and how are they performing?
A breakdown of each NFC East team and their current season:
Philadelphia Eagles – Having already clinched a playoff spot in the 2022 NFL Playoffs, the Philadelphia Eagles are widely recognized as one of the best, if not, the best team in the NFL this season. The combination of a juggernaut offense and lockdown defense have them sitting atop the NFC East division with 3 weeks to go. However, the loss of quarterback Jalen Hurts for at minimum this week could provide some skepticism to Eagles fans as they prepare for a playoff run. Backup QB Gardner Minshew has NFL experience under his belt but plays a different style of football than Jalen Hurts. If the Eagles can win one more game, not only will they clinch the NFC East for the first time since 2019, but they will also have accumulated their highest win total in franchise history.
Dallas Cowboys – Nationally known as “America’s Team”, the Dallas Cowboys season has been nothing short of entertaining. After scoring 3 points in the season opener to Tom Brady and the Buccaneers, the Cowboys have amassed a major turnaround going 10-3 since then. Almost half of these games were played with backup quarterback Cooper Rush pioneering the offense due to a grueling Dak Prescott injury that kept him sidelined for over a month. If the Cowboys do make the playoffs, they owe a lot of gratitude and respect to him. After defeating the Colts by 35 points, the last two weeks have seen very shaky performances by the Cowboys offense and defense. From defeating the 1-win Houston Texans on the last drive, to losing to the sub .500 Jacksonville Jaguars in overtime, there is a lot to be concerned about right now if you are a Cowboys fan. Should they find a way to win just one game over the next 3 weeks, the Cowboys will earn their first wild card birth since the 2006 season; a subpar performance by Cowboys standards. The Cowboys are looking to end a 27-year Super Bowl drought this season and could be in for a tough road ahead.
New York Giants – What started as a 6-1 season for the Giants has now turned into a 8-5-1 and a bubble spot in the playoff hunt. With one of the best defenses in the entire NFL, the Giants have been to hold opponents to relatively low totals throughout the entire season. However, this does not come without an expense of a run-first offense with A-list running back Saquon Barkley and dual threat QB Daniel Jones. The Giants have not scored more than 22 points against a team with a winning record since Week 6 against the Ravens. This could be a major roadblock if they attempt to make any run at a playoff spot or even the Super Bowl. The Giants have only made the playoffs once in the last 10 years and took an early wild card round exit to the Green Bay Packers. With one of the longest playoff droughts in the NFL, behind their Meadowlands counterpart New York Jets, the Giants have their work cut out for them facing 2 of the NFL’s top teams in the last 3 weeks: Minnesota and Philadelphia.
Washington Commanders – DC’s team of destiny has had quite the rocky road to get where they are now. From the rebrand of the organization to the workplace controversies, to the benching of QB Carson Wentz, to the off-field injury of RB Brian Robinson, the Commanders have shown they have grit and are battle tested for anything that stands in their way. Washington has only had one winning season since 2016 along with one playoff berth. They have been right on the verge multiple times in that span but have never been in a better position than they are now. Sitting in the wild card spot currently, the Commanders, lead by cancer survivor Ron Rivera, are showing no signs of giving up. Their 1-4 start to the season has turned into a 7-6-1 performance through their first 14 games. Having to face two current playoff teams in their last three weeks however, Washington finds itself yet another test. Journeyman quarterback Taylor Heinecke has led the charge for the 2nd half of the season and deserves much of the credit for taking over this offense. The return of 2020 2nd overall draft pick Chase Young has sparked a fire under the seat of Commanders fans to get excited fo the final 3 games of the season. Currently on a 30-year Super Bowl drought, the Commanders can take one step closer to a title by securing a playoff spot these last few games.
