Early Prediction: 10-Win Cowboys Topple Eagles In NFC East
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For many, the battle for the NFC East is already down to the Dallas Cowboys and the Philadelphia Eagles. With both teams thought to be in the conversation for a Super Bowl run, the NFC East makes for fascinating viewing … and thinking - even though their games are months away..
Dallas has improved, particularly on offense, adding Brandin Cooks to a receiver room that desperately needed help. Defensive coordinator Dan Quinn's unit has retained the majority of its star power and has added Stephon Gilmore to pair with Trevon Diggs at corner.
But the most significant change has been off the field, with head coach Mike McCarthy now the offensive play caller despite Brian Schottenheimer being the offensive coordinator.
But is that enough to usurp the Eagles for the division? CBSSports.com's Will Brunson thinks so as the trend of having no back-to-back division winners since the Eagles in 2004 and 2005 continues.
"Eagles fans are also very steamed up about this projection," Brunson writes. "Don't blame me! The Brinson Model™️ is an unbiased, proprietary projection system designed to mathematically simulate an NFL season as accurately as robotically possible. Also, Philly went from having the easiest schedule in the NFL in 2022 to having the hardest. For now I'm rolling with the Cowboys, who might actually be improved on offense with a little balance from Mike McCarthy's playcalling, something I'm sure I won't regret later."
Brunson has the Cowboys winning the division with a 10-7 record that has them tied with the Eagles, as Dallas must own the tie-breaker over Philadelphia.
Dallas pushed the Eagles for the division last season but ultimately fell short. The additions of Cooks and Gilmore, coupled with an offense that looks to be more electric, in theory give Dallas a better chance of stealing the NFC East off its bitter rivals.
Of course, it is just a computer projection, and a single down has yet to be played, so we can take this with a grain of salt.
There have been a lot of moves this offseason for the Cowboys, and the offense will be under a microscope as McCarthy takes over a unit that was in the top five in back-to-back seasons.
It's not a third straight 12-win season for Dallas, going by Brunson's predictor, but the Cowboys win the division, which is more than a fair trade-off.
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