by Tony Bosma
There seems to be a trend in the NFC East this year: teams with a bye week prosper without even playing a game. It happened for the Dallas Cowboys in Week 6 with the Eagles, Giants and Redskins all losing. It also happened for the Giants in Week 10 as the Cowboys and Eagles lost. Even with the woeful Redskins winning in Week 10, it didn’t matter, because, let’s face it, the Redskins aren’t going to contend for the division.
The NFC East is very much there for the taking, especially with seven divisional games yet to be played. Currently the standings look like so: Cowboys, Eagles, Giants, Redskins.
The Eagles and Giants are fighting for second place, the Redskins are terrible and barely in it and the Cowboys still have to play football in December, which means anything can happen. Except, of course, the Redskins defying all odds and somehow, SOMEHOW, making themselves relevant.
So where does that leave on of the toughest divisions in football? You might as well wipe the slate clean, and take the Redskins with it, because it’s a three-team race from here on out.
These three games will decide the NFC East, so mark your calendars:
Week 13 – DAL @ NYG: The Giants beat the Cowboys on the road in Week 2 and with a more likable schedule than Dallas in the next six weeks, a Cowboys loss could put them in a huge hole.
Week 14 – PHI @ NYG: There are a lot of questions about the Giants health and the consistency of the Eagles as a whole, but whoever wins this game, in my opinion, will be in the best position to take over the division, especially if the Giants knock off the Cowboys in Week 13.
Week 17 – PHI @ DAL: I’d bet anything I have this game will be for the NFC East, which is fitting. The Eagles crushed the Cowboys last year, setting up a long playoff run. Even though the Cowboys beat the Eagles in Week 9, this game will decide who takes the division, and who enters as a wild card.
