Does Anyone Actually Want To Win NFC (L)East? Predicting NFL’s New Worst Division

The NFC East is as wide open as it’s been in years, for any team that wants to take it. It’s just not clear that any of them actually can. Right now, this entire division is a jumbled, ugly mess. Just last weekend, the first-place New York Giants (yes, you read that right) literally fumbled away a shot to open a big lead in the division race. And they were only partially bailed out by the Washington Commanders’ mind-boggling inability to read the clock. Meanwhile, in Philadelphia, the Eagles have half their roster on the injury report, including quarterback Jalen Hurts. A day after Hurts appeared on the injury report for the first time, it was announced that the quarterback would miss their Week 6 matchup against the Carolina Panthers due to blood clots. And they just blew back-to-back games, including one where Nick Sirianni’s game management skills rivaled those of Dan Quinn. Yet, they’re still in better shape than the Dallas Cowboys, who are playing with the worst defense Jerry Jones’ “old man” money can buy. If it weren’t for the NFC South, they’d easily be the worst division in football, and they might be by the time this season is mercifully over. They can already kiss their wild-card chances goodbye. And at this point, nine wins should be enough to win this division … maybe less. So which of these also-rans could actually emerge from this increasingly sad pack? Or to put it another way: Does anyone in the NFC East want to win this thing? Here’s a look at the current state of the race, such that it is: The Giants hold an early 1.5-game lead, so they would be considered the favorite in most circumstances, except Vegas actually gives them the third-best odds to win this four-team mess. That’s because they’ve lost their starting QB (Jaxson Dart) and best defensive player (edge rusher Brian Burns). Also, their record is inflated by two nail-biting wins over the awful Cardinals and even-worse Titans, plus that ugly tie in Washington. Why they can win the division: Well, a lead at the quarter pole isn’t nothing. Also, they may have the best coach in the division in John Harbaugh, who is certainly the best they’ve had in New York since the Tom Coughlin days. They still play strong, opportunistic defense and they can run the ball. QB Jameis Winston sure does have a bunch of good weapons to throw to as well, at least when he’s throwing to the right team. Why they can’t: The Winston Experience has historically meant a lot of interceptions, and the Giants aren’t good enough to survive a ride on the turnover train. They’re also already starting to pile up injuries and are dangerously thin in a lot of key spots, particularly along the offensive line. Mostly, though, having long-term success without Dart and Burns seems really unlikely, especially with a bunch of tough teams and defenses waiting for them the rest of the way. Prediction: They will hold the line and the lead until just before Thanksgiving, when they’ll run into a four-week brick wall, of sorts, with home games against the Jacksonville Jaguars and San Francisco 49ers while hitting the road to take on the Indianapolis Colts and Seattle Seahawks during that stretch. That will be their reality check. Maybe they’ll have a big enough lead that it won’t matter. But more likely that stretch will drag them back to the pack, where at the very least they’ll be in the chase until the end. Second place, 8-8-1. The most talented team in the division when they’re at full strength, but the next time they’re at full strength will be the first. They’ve been hammered by injuries to key players like RB Saquon Barkley, WR DeVonta Smith, edge rusher Jonathan Greenard and most of their offensive line. And now Hurts is added to the painful list. They’re a puzzle, too. They should have beaten, and almost did beat, the Rams and Jaguars the last two weeks. So they could be 4-1, but they’ve been too dysfunctional on offense to pull that off. Why they can win the division: They are still loaded. That offense, when it’s working, is so strong, so diverse. And Vic Fangio’s defense is as solid as any team’s in the league. He might employ the best secondary, too. They really were talented enough to hang until the end against two of the best teams in football. And that bodes well, since the next time they play anyone of the caliber of the Rams or Jaguars is when they play host to the Seahawks in Week 15. Presumably, Hurts will be back long before then. Why they can’t: The strength of this impressive run of success for the Eagles in recent years has been their offensive line. But that line has been decimated by retirements, trades and injuries. Right now, LT Jordan Mailata might be the only starter on Sunday who was projected to be a starter when the season began. And the replacements are struggling. That means that running the ball isn’t their superpower anymore. The offense overall has been a dysfunctional mess. And if Hurts’ injury is long-term, forget it. Prediction: These Eagles do know how to win better than any team in the division. And they may have just come through the toughest part of their schedule — at least the toughest until late December. Also, don’t forget, reinforcements are coming if some of their walking wounded get healthy. As long as Hurts is one of them, it should be more than enough for them to rise to the top of this trash heap. First place, 9-8. Just like last year, they are proving that Jerry Jones’ money can’t buy football happiness, especially when it’s backing questionable decisions. Once again, this team has a loaded, potent offense backed by a defense that is a house of really flimsy cards. And honestly, they were still good enough to be on the winning side of .500, but then their offense shut down in a tragic loss to the winless Bucs last week. If that was more than a hiccup, they’re in trouble. Why they can win the division: If you ignore the Bucs disaster, their offense is as explosive as any team in the league. They have a strong line, depth at receiver, a good-enough run game and a QB in Dak Prescott who can make it all work. They are perfectly capable of winning games 35-32 all season long if they have to. And yes, they might have to. Why they can’t: Have you seen the defense Jones has built? It includes a lot of big names and their checks have a lot of zeros in them, but it’s almost impossible to find one thing they’re good at. They can’t stop the run. They can’t stop the pass. They don’t get a lot of turnovers. They give up a lot of points. But other than that, Mr. Jones … Prediction: Despite all the “old man” money he wants to throw around, there isn’t a lot Jones can do about the defense at this point, other than perhaps firing young, embattled DC Christian Parker. More likely the Cowboys are likely to ride the rollercoaster of shootout wins and losses all season long, at least until they crash with games at Seattle and at the L.A. Rams surrounding their Week 14 bye week. If you’ve got Cowboys players on your fantasy team, you’ll be happy most of the way. If you’re just rooting for them … well, sorry. Third place, 7-10. Everything was looking up when Jayden Daniels made his triumphant return on Sunday. The Commanders had survived some early-season struggles without him. He looked healthy and as dangerous as ever. He might be the one player in this division capable of carrying his team on his back. And then, well, you know the rest. Between him and coach Dan Quinn, they couldn’t spare one eye to watch the clock on Sunday. The result wasn’t just a tie. It was a destruction of whatever spirit they had just found. Why they can win the division: Two words: Jayden. Daniels. That’s really it. It’s not like they’re playing good defense. They certainly didn’t surround him with a lot of weapons. And it’s hard to be encouraged by the coaching of Quinn after clockgate last Sunday. But anyone who saw what Daniels did as a rookie, when he dragged a flawed Commanders team all the way to the NFC Championship Game, knows what he’s capable of doing. It might be impossible this year, but as long as he’s healthy there’s a shot. Why they can’t: See above, I guess. Outside of Daniels, what is there to like about this team? They have a ceiling of mediocrity at just about every position on the field, outside of quarterback. Also, sitting in the cellar of this terrible division can’t help their psyche. They have to know that they might be just another loss or two away from an in-season coaching change. Teams rarely thrive under a dark cloud like that. Prediction: I know it wasn’t a loss, but that tie with the Giants really felt like their Waterloo. They were stumbling to begin with, but it looked like they were ready to turn things around … until they suddenly weren’t.  And now there’s a real shot they can get buried by Thanksgiving with the 49ers, Eagles, Rams, Giants again and Bengals between now and their turkey dinner. By then, their fans can look towards the draft. Last place, 5-11-1.