Philadelphia Eagles Closing In on Snapping NFC East Streak as Dallas Cowboys Lurk
If you've watched a nationally-televised game including any of the Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles, New York Giants or Washington Commanders franchises over the last decade, there's a good bet you were shown a graphic about how the NFC East hasn't had a repeat winner since the early 2000s.
However, despite the Cowboys having an NFL-best +162 point differential, they are two games back of the Eagles -- who have a still impressive, but more modest +64 mark -- in the NFC East. Philadelphia's resume may not include as many blowout wins as Dallas, but after consecutive comeback victories against the Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills, quarterback Jalen Hurts and the Eagles are 10-1 for the second year in a row. The Cowboys are 8-3, and already have a 28-23 loss to the Eagles in Week 9 on their resume.
So barring a comeback from the Cowboys over the final six weeks of the season, the Eagles will become the first NFC East team to win consecutive division titles since ... the Eagles did so from 2001-2004, led by coach Andy Reid and quarterback Donovan McNabb.
Dak Prescott (left) and Jalen Hurts (right) embrace after the Philadelphia Eagles defeated the Dallas Cowboys at Lincoln Financial Field in Week 9.
Eric Hartline/USA Today
Since the start of the 2005 season, each NFC East team has won the division at least three times, with the Cowboys and Eagles both taking home six division titles.
Eagles - Six: 2006, 2010, 2013, 2017, 2019 and 2022
Cowboys - Six: 2007, 2009, 2014, 2016, 2018 and 2021
Giants - Three: 2005, 2008 and 2011
Washington - Three: 2012, 2015 and 2020
Of course, there's still a chance for the Cowboys -- who last won consecutive NFC East titles from 1992-1996 -- to catch the Eagles. Philadelphia will host the San Francisco 49ers in Week 13, an NFC Championship Game rematch that the Eagles are hardly certain to win. The Eagles will then travel to Dallas for a Week 14 rematch with the Cowboys. If the Eagles lose to the 49ers and then to Dallas a week later, the race for the NFC East title and the No. 1 overall seed in the NFC playoffs will be wide open. That assumes that the Cowboys won't slip up against the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday, perhaps something that shouldn't be taken for granted.
There's a strong argument to be made that the Cowboys could use home-field advantage throughout the postseason more than the Eagles. Dallas is 5-0 at home this season, and former head coach Jason Garrett noted earlier this year how much more imposing the Cowboys are on the artificial turf at AT&T Stadium than natural grass on the road.
"... I do think Dallas is a little slower on defense when they play on grass," Garrett said. "When they're at home on that fast track, it's like they've got 14 guys on defense."
Notably, both the Eagles and 49ers play on grass, so if Dallas doesn't win the NFC East and ultimately find a way to move up in the NFC playoff picture, there's a good chance they would have to play both teams on the road in the postseason.
And if the Cowboys don't catch the Eagles in the NFC East, the most overused graphic in broadcasting history will be retired.
