When the 2015 NFL season started, we thought we knew a little about this NFC East. The Dallas Cowboys would be pretty good, Washington Redskins would be bad, and the New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles would be somewhere in the middle, with the Eagles’ fortunes dependent on how Chip Kelly’s new offense worked out. Sure, there were a few questions (like how the Cowboys would replace the production of departed RB DeMarco Murray), but we thought we had a handle on things.
Since then, we’ve seen five weeks of NFL football – and probably know less now than we did before.
The Cowboys were indeed pretty good, but then they lost star quarterback Tony Romo to injury. They’ve been in a tailspin ever since. The Eagles started out looking awful, but they’re kind of clicking now thanks to improvement in the running game. The Giants have looked good for at least part of every game they’ve played, but they took two losses thanks to late-game meltdowns. And the Redskins, while mostly bad, have occasionally stepped up and competed with tough teams, as they did in Atlanta last week (they lost in overtime to the undefeated Falcons).
Five weeks in, and nothing but more questions. Let’s try to answer some. Here are our rankings of the teams most likely to win the NFC East.
4. Washington Redskins (2-3)
The Redskins are being punished here for being the least enigmatic of the teams in the NFC East. They could finish higher than last – statistically, they look better than the Eagles – but there’s not much reason to think they have any hidden upside. This is as good as things will get in Washington this year, and it’s not good enough to steal the division.
3. Philadelphia Eagles (2-3)
Chip Kelly’s grand experiment looks like a failure right now, but it’s worth noting that the Eagles have gotten their running game going lately and finally seem to be using running back DeMarco Murray properly. That’s good, because the Eagles desperately need to improve as a team: right now both their offense and their defense fall in the bottom third of the league. If these were power rankings, the Eagles would probably be last; but we’re trying to pick the most likely division winner, and the Eagles have the potential upside to edge the Redskins.
2. Dallas Cowboys (3-2)
The Cowboys only need a few wins under their backup quarterback to keep their heads above water. Just a few! Then Tony Romo comes back, and this team is once again the class of the NFC East. It shouldn’t be that hard.
And yet, it has been. Brandon Weeden hasn’t been the worst quarterback in the world, but this team just hasn’t looked the same since Romo went down. The Cowboys are 0-3 since the injury, and the Romo-less road ahead includes two crucial divisional games (Giants and Eagles) and a tough match-up with the Seattle Seahawks. Once Romo is back (assuming he recovers on schedule), they’ll still have to deal with tough opponents like the Carolina Panthers, Green Bay Packers, and New York Jets. If the Cowboys can’t find a way to steal a few wins in Romo’s absence, they’ll be done before he gets back. If they can, however, then a revitalized team could take the division late in the season.
1. New York Giants (3-2)
New York started last season 3-2, and it didn’t go well. So why is this year different?
Well, because their division is in shambles this year, that’s why. If the Giants can beat the Eagles next week, they’ll have the inside track to the division crown. They’ll get to face the Cowboys a second time without Romo there to lead any last-minute game-winning drives (whether the Giants will melt down at the last minute again, however, is up to them). The Giants also have the Saints, Buccaneers, Redskins, Dolphins, and Jets left on their schedule. Tough games against the Patriots and Panthers loom large, but the schedule seems manageable. If the Giants keep winning at about the clip they are now, they should be able to bury the Cowboys before Tony Romo gets back and revitalizes that team. The Eagles have upside, but the Giants have consistency. Aren’t they about due for another improbable Super Bowl year?
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