Last week, I broke down the four AFC divisions and where they stand at the halfway point. This week, I will break down the four NFC divisions. I will review how it’s gone so far for each team and what to expect moving forward. Let’s start with the NFC East. This division is simple. Two teams are competing for the division title, and two going in the wrong direction.
Surprise Division Leader
The Washington Commanders are one of the NFL’s biggest surprises and are one win away from doubling last season’s win total. The Commanders have had a rough 20 years. They have not won a playoff game since 2005. However, rookie quarterback and Heisman Trophy Winner Jayden Daniels has completely changed the trajectory of the franchise. They have won three straight and sit atop the division at 7-2.
You can’t help but notice the parallels between the 2024 Commanders and the 2023 Houston Texans. Both were coming off 13 loss seasons, both were picked second overall in the draft, and both drafted their franchise quarterbacks with that selection. With CJ Stroud under center, the Texans went from worst to first. The Commanders are hoping to replicate this and become perennial division winners.
The biggest improvement for the Commanders is on offense. They are currently third in the NFL in yards per game and fourth in points per game. They were 24th and 25th last season. It’s amazing what an elite quarterback can do for your team. Jayden Daniels has made everyone on the offense better. The defense has improved as well under new head coach Dan Quinn. They were dead last in the NFL in years per game. This year they are 14th, and they just acquired cornerback Marshon Lattimore from the Saints.
Can the Commanders hold off the Eagles and win this division? Absolutely. Are they true Super Bowl contenders? I am not sure. Despite how outstanding the offense has been, they need another weapon besides star receiver Terry McLaurin. The offensive line has been solid but could use an upgrade at tackle. If the Commanders can improve in both those areas, they could have the best offense in the NFL in 2025.
Second Place Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles got off to a great start last season. They were 10-1 and looked like a lock to win the division. But the Eagles collapsed losing five of six and finishing second in the division to the Cowboys. That was followed by an early exit to the Buccaneers in the Wild Card round. The Eagles are off to a 6-2 start, just a half-game out of first in the division, and are hoping to avoid replicating last season.
Offensively, the Eagles have one of the best units. Wide receiver AJ Brown has become one of the best weapons in the NFL, averaging nearly 20 years a catch. He missed three games earlier this season and the offense was not nearly as explosive. The Eagles are 5-0 when he plays and 1-2 when he doesn’t.
To make the offense even better the Eagles added running back Saquon Barkley in free agency from the division rival Giants. It turned out to be one of the best moves in the NFL this offseason. He is second in the league in rushing and needs just 75 yards to hit 1,000 for the season. With Brown and Barkley healthy, the offense should continue to thrive.
Where the Eagles improved the most was the defense. The secondary was an issue in 2023, so the Eagles used their first two draft picks on cornerbacks Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper Dejean. Both players have contributed to a unit ranked third in yards per game. They were 26th in yards per game last year.
I believe the Eagles have the best roster in the division. They have won four straight games and have been looking like a Super Bowl contender. I think the Eagles will ultimately win this division. They have fewer weaknesses than the Commanders and a better defense. They still play each other twice so the division will likely be decided in those two games.
Disappointing Cowboys
Third place in the division belongs to the Dallas Cowboys. Expectations are always high in Dallas. Their fans expect a division title every year. Last season, the Cowboys won the division with a 12-5 record that included a perfect 8-0 at home. This season they have already lost five of their first eight games and have lost all three home games.
So what happened to the Cowboys? They didn’t have an ideal salary cap situation and multiple starters on both sides of the ball left in free agency. The goal was to replace these starters with draft picks. For example, future Hall of Famer left tackle Tyrone Smith signed with the Jets in free agency. The Cowboys drafted Tyler Guyton in the first round to replace him. Guyton has struggled with consistency and the offensive line has suffered.
The main reason for the salary cap issues was quarterback Dak Prescott’s contract. The Cowboys did not have the cap space to re-sign most of their free agents. Owner/General Manager Jerry Jones prioritized big-money extensions with Prescott and wide receiver CeeDee Lamb. These deals did not get completed until late in the off-season, and it left them unable to make any significant moves in free agency.
This past Sunday the Cowboys lost to the Falcons 27-21. Dak Prescott can be seen on the sideline saying, “We (expletive) suck.” I would not go that far but they do not look like a team that can compete with Washington or Philadelphia. It doesn’t help that they have the worst run defense in the NFL. Defensive tackle has been an issue and 2023 first-round pick Mazi Smith looks like a total bust.
The Cowboys are a draft-and-develop team. They re-sign their key players, let their other free agents walk, and then replace those players via the draft. This is a sound philosophy, but only works if you draft well. The Cowboys have not gotten much out of their last two drafts, and this is the main reason why they are struggling.
Cowboys fans are not happy. The team has lost three straight, and to say they are a mess right now is an understatement. Dak Prescott hurt his hamstring and is likely to go on Injured Reserve. He would have to miss at least the next four games. Their next three games are against the Eagles, Texans, and Commanders. Those teams have a combined record of 19-7. Even if the Cowboys can win one of these games, they will still be 4-7.
Last Place Giants
In last place, we have the New York Giants. They are currently tied for the worst record in the NFL. General Manager Joe Schoen did as bad a job in free agency as any GM in the league. We got to see how it went down on Hark Knocks and I wrote about it here. The losses of stars Saquon Barkley and Xavier McKinney in free agency have not been replaced. The Giants made the playoffs in 2022, but their roster has continued to get worse ever since.
This is a lost season for the Giants. They need an upgrade at quarterback over Daniel Jones. His contract is the second worst in the NFL only behind the Brown’s Deshaun Waston. If Giants fans want a high draft pick then you want the team to keep losing. Despite a stellar 2024 draft, the Giants are a long way off from competing in the division.
It’s a shame the Commanders and Eagles don’t play in the last game of the regular season. The division could come down to the final week. Washington is at Dallas while New York is at Philly. The Cowboys and Giants will most likely be out of it long before then, but they could potentially play spoiler. It won’t be a total loss for the team that finishes second in the division. The Eagles and Commanders should both be strong Wild Card teams that will have a great chance to pull off a road upset.
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