There is no division within the Nationwide Soccer League (NFL) fairly just like the Nationwide Soccer Convention (NFC) East.
For the reason that Philadelphia Eagles received the division 4 years in a row from 2001-04, no group has received the East in consecutive seasons. The Eagles, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, and Washington Commanders (beneath quite a lot of names) have all secured a number of division crowns in that span—simply by no means twice in a row. The present 18-season streak with out a repeat champion within the NFC East is the longest for any division in NFL historical past, in line with ESPN, and the longest lively such streak for any division throughout the NFL, Nationwide Basketball Affiliation (NBA), Nationwide Hockey League (NHL), and Main League Baseball (MLB).
The Cowboys can maintain one of many wackiest streaks within the sport happening Sunday, the ultimate day on the NFL’s regular-season calendar.
Here is how.
Richard Rodriguez/Getty Photographs/Getty Photographs
Cowboys Clinch NFC East With Win
Dallas has already clinched a playoff spot, however a win over the Washington Commanders on Sunday would lock up the NFC East title, plus a house playoff sport, for “America’s Crew.”
That is essentially the most easy path to a division championship, not less than. The Cowboys win the NFC East with a win over the Commanders, a tie plus an Eagles tie to the New York Giants, or simply an Eagles loss. Dallas (11-5) would definitely wish to maintain its destiny in its personal palms by beating Washington, enhancing to 12-5 for the third consecutive yr, and successful the East for the second time previously three seasons.
If that is the case, it will not matter how Philly (11-5) finishes.
“We have got a chance to win the division and go on the market and make a press release win and prepare for the playoffs,” Professional Bowl pass-rusher Micah Parsons advised reporters. “… Now we have to go make a press release that we’re the higher group, the extra dominant and aggressive group.”
Added Professional Bowl guard Zack Martin: “The playoffs begin for us this week. It is a must-win for us.”
The Cowboys and Eagles have already secured playoff appearances. The groups break up their two regular-season conferences, although Dallas owns a tiebreaker due to a greater convention file (9-3 vs. 8-4) than its division rival. If the Cowboys beat the Commanders, they might additionally safe the No. 2 seed within the NFC playoff image—partially due to a controversial win over the Detroit Lions—to go together with the East title. And the Cowboys, who completed 8-0 at dwelling within the common season, will take as many video games at AT&T Stadium as they will get.
The Commanders, 4-12 and losers of seven straight, host the Cowboys at 4:25 p.m. ET.
How Eagles Can Nonetheless Win NFC East
The Eagles received the NFC East final season on their approach to an eventual Tremendous Bowl journey. And whereas the franchise’s hopes of capturing the division for a second yr in a row—and snapping the East’s streak of not having consecutive division winners within the course of—are slim, Philly does nonetheless have life.
Philadelphia can nonetheless win the East if certainly one of these two eventualities happens:
- The Eagles win and the Cowboys lose or tie OR
- The Eagles tie and the Cowboys lose
“We need to be taking part in our greatest soccer going into the playoffs,” Eagles tight finish Dallas Goedert stated earlier this week. “We’ve not executed that, and that is why Sunday means lots. We all know they are going to have some changes towards us, nevertheless it’s good being aware of them and figuring out what they may do to attempt to cease us. I am taking the optimistic method there.”
The Eagles had been as soon as in command of the NFC at 10-1, however 4 losses of their final 5 video games have relegated them to a Wild Card spot. If Philly cannot get some Week 18 luck to go its method, that is the place the group will keep.
With no division title, the Eagles will head into the postseason as the highest Wild Card group and play the NFC South champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers subsequent weekend.
The 5-11 Giants host the Eagles at 4:25 p.m. ET.
Unusual Information
Newsweek is dedicated to difficult typical knowledge and discovering connections within the seek for frequent floor.
Newsweek is dedicated to difficult typical knowledge and discovering connections within the seek for frequent floor.
