NFC East Standings: Three weeks will tell the Eagles and Cowboys tales

Ahead of the most recent Monday Night Football game, we had seen every other team in the NFC East lose their respective contests, which set the stage for the Philadelphia Eagles to retake their place atop the division. The New York Giants and the Washington Commanders’ losses were to be expected, but the Dallas Cowboys' blowout loss? Phew… Buddy, that was delicious.

Then, it happened. The Eagles blew it. They’re still in second place behind Dallas thanks to some bizarre, ludicrous, and stupid stroke of luck.

Sure, they still control their destiny and can take the NFC East by winning out. The race is tightening. It seems almost dumb to say, but if the Eagles win three straight, they'd claim divisional superiority by a fifth tiebreaker (number of conference losses). Dallas would have three, and Philly would only have two.

The NFC East race has yet to be decided, but the Eagles are currently in second place.

The Cowboys’ remaining schedule is as follows: They face the Miami Dolphins at home. They host the Detroit Lions. They visit the Washington Commanders in the regular-season finale.

The Eagles' remaining schedule is as follows: They host the New York Giants on Christmas before hosting the Arizona Cardinals in Week 17. They visit the New York Giants in Week 18.

Here are the current divisional standings.

The most NFC East thing to happen would be that the division title comes down to the Week 18 game where both the Giants and the Commanders are trying to tank, and either the Eagles or the Cowboys lose. It'd be disgustingly poetic.

That tanking aspect becomes important because the Commanders currently have the fourth pick in next April's NFL Draft while the Giants own the sixth pick. There’s a legitimate chance that both teams could land themselves a top-five pick. Week 18 could assure that.

The Giants’ remaining schedule consists of a Week 17 home game versus the Los Angeles Rams being sandwiched between the aforementioned pair of games versus the Eagles.

The Commanders’ remaining schedule features a road date verus the New York Jets, a home affair with the San Francisco 49ers, and the aforementioned home regular-season versus the Cowboys at FEDEXFIELD. 

There was a minute there where we felt the NFC East looked like the strongest division in the NFL. That time has long since passed. That being said, despite both the Eagles and the Cowboys losing streaks, they’ve clinched a spot in the playoffs. It’s a freakish example of failing upwards.

Read more Eagles news and notes on Inside The Iggles.