We are close to the final week of the season. The NFC East has been the worst division in the league this season and given how it will end, it might be the worst division that has ever existed in a particular season. The fact that the division records have been bad doesn’t mean the division race isn’t close. The Cowboys, Eagles, and Giants all still have a shot at the division title. The Commanders will come in last place in the division, and the league…Lets take a look at week 17 results, and then see what each team will need in order to become champion.
Eagles 38 Cowboys 20
The Giants and Eagles both needed losses in the final two weeks from the Cowboys. The Eagles did a great job this week in making sure that one of those things happened. Given the history of these two teams, it was a real tossup at who could win.
The Eagles have turned to QB Penix lately, giving up on the widely inaccurate Ridder. Ridder was brought in for a high price, and it seems that was a waste of draft picks, but all of that won’t matter if the Eagles win the division. The Eagles have been great on offense, despite using backup quarterbacks, and their issue has been the defense. In this game, they forced Dax to throw 5 interceptions and that was a key part to them winning the game.
Commanders 28 Bills 27
The Commanders have played some of the worst football in the league and it has resulted in them locking up the number one pick in the draft a week before the season is even over. With that pick locked up, they might have played their most impressive game to date. The issue with the Commanders has always been defense and interceptions. It’s so bad that the defense is last in the league in almost every single category while Maye is second in the league in interceptions thrown.
None of this mattered in this game as Maye and the defense were able to out play the neutered Josh Allen. Maye still had 3 interceptions, but the defense forced Allen to throw two and did just enough to secure the game. The defense actually played really well last week as well. If both the offense and the defense could come together this team may be able to double the amount of wins they have next season. For now the Commanders will look to the draft where a generational quarterback is said to be entering the league. With Maye on the roster, the Commanders should trade this pick to help bolster one of the worst rosters in the league.
Giants 35 Cardinals 32
Ewers has thrown the most interceptions in the league, and the Giants have been a team who can’t close or finish a game for most of the season. They have suffered at least three devastating losses this season that would have changed the entire outlook of their season. So far they gave up an 18 point lead in the fourth quarter to the Packers. Next was a horrible overtime loss to a team that has the worst record in the league and finally was last week where they gave up a rpo catch and run touchdown when they knew it was coming preceded by a kickoff fumble when trying to make an attempt at tying the game. Win any of these games and it’s a different outlook right now.
As for this game, it was one that the Giants needed to have if they wanted any shot at the division crown. Coach Burn knew that he needed to install a game plan that attacked the worst part of the Cardinal roster. Barkley and Jones successfully rushed for 200 yards and the offense combined for 4 rushing touchdowns. With the Cardinals keying in on the run game, and with the Giants only up three late in the fourth, Ewers knew he had to throw and he was able to take the Giants down the field to score a touchdown to seal the game. The Cards would get a touchdown of their own but it was too late in the game for a comeback.
Week 18 Divisional Title Scenarios:
Dallas: Win versus the Lions.
Giants: Win versus the Eagles and a Dallas loss.
Eagles: Win versus the Giants and a Dallas loss.
If Dallas loses, the winner of the Giants and Eagles game would get the tiebreaker over Dallas.
Standings:
Cowboys 6-10
Giants 5-11
Eagles 5-11
Commanders 2-14
