After a miserable 2013 season, the NFC East is collectively laughing at the numerous NFL pundits who predicted a similar result in 2014. With the Eagles and Cowboys sitting at 4-1 and the Giants surging from behind at 3-2, the NFC East has three legitimate teams that have playoff aspirations. Even the 1-4 Redskins have looked competitive at times, as they lost close games to the Eagles and the Seahawks. So far in this young season, these teams have proved that last year was an anomaly and none of them should be overlooked.
Practically every NFL fan heard the phrase “NFC Least” when this division was described last year. That characterization depicted the NFC East fairly accurately. The Redskins finished a miserable 3-13 season with eight straight losses. To top it off, they had to surrender the second overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft to the St. Louis Rams, so they couldn’t even cash in on a miserable season with a top-notch player. The Giants had a late-season surge and finished 7-9, but after an 0-6 start, it was far too late. The Cowboys finished with a typical 8-8 season after their playoff dreams were dashed when Tony Romo couldn’t play against the Eagles in Week 17. Speaking of the Eagles, they did win the weakest division in the NFL last season, but they ended up losing to the New Orleans Saints at home in their first playoff game. Losing to the Saints at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome is one thing, but they are a notoriously poor team on the road and the Eagles still couldn’t advance.
The surprisingly excellent start to this season has thrown all of the misery from last season out of the window. The four teams in the NFC East have combined for 12 wins so far this year, which is the most wins in any division in the league. The Eagles have arguably the best special teams unit in the NFL, and that has been the difference in a few games already. Darren Sproles has thrived in Chip Kelly’s offensive scheme and he has made a major impact on offense and in the return game. The Cowboys defense has surprised everybody this season, as they have played much better than anybody could have expected. Their offense has also been prolific, as they fifth in the league in yards per game and sixth in the league in points scored per game. The Giants have finally learned Ben McAdoo’s offensive scheme and they have thrived in the last three games. They trail Dallas by less than one point per game in offensive scoring despite a miserable start against the Lions. The Giants also sport the best defense in the NFC East and the re-emergence of Jason Pierre-Paul has sparked their pass rush. The Redskins are clearly the worst team in the division again this season, but don’t be surprised if they steal some crucial divisional games.
Will the NFC East sustain this success down the stretch? That’s why the games are played. From what has been seen so far, the answer is quite apparent. Don’t be surprised if the NFC East sends two teams to the playoffs this season.
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