Remember all of the jokes about the NFC East in recent years? A popular term when describing the NFC East was the NFC “Least.” Now, with the Eagles sitting at 4-0 and the Giants and Cowboys at 3-1, no one is laughing at the once-proud division.
Unless you are the Washington Commanders.
The Commanders sport a 1-3 record, losers of three consecutive games and those losses aren’t pretty. Washington has been outscored 49-18 in back-to-back losses to the Eagles and Cowboys, respectively.
What’s wrong with the Commanders? Well, take your pick.
NFL.com’s Jeffri Chadiha named three storylines through the first four weeks of the season, and the resurgence of the NFC East was No. 1.
NFC East is a beast: We were supposed to be talking ad nauseum about the brilliance of the AFC West by now, especially after all the powerhouse offseason moves by the teams in that division. Instead, the best division in football feels very much like a collection of franchises that haven’t been part of that conversation for a long time. You’ve already heard ample praise for what the Eagles have become in Year 2 under Sirianni. They can hurt you in every phase of the game, and Sunday’s win over Jacksonville was as on-brand as it gets. The Eagles fell behind by 14, then battled back to take control and claim a victory. What’s most surprising about the division is what the Cowboys and Giants have shown in the first month of this season. Dallas has ridden backup quarterback Cooper Rush and a smothering defense to three wins while Dak Prescott recovers from thumb surgery. The Giants are proving to be resourceful, as well. They’ve only allowed 16 points per game in their three wins, and that’s without some key personnel on their own defense. On Sunday, they lost their starting quarterback (Daniel Jones) to an ankle injury and their backup quarterback (Tyrod Taylor) to a concussion. With the two QBs out, head coach Brian Daboll turned to the Wildcat offense and asked running back Saquon Barkley to close out the win over the Bears. Yes, the Washington Commanders are in the running for worst team in the league, but that shouldn’t diminish what’s happening here. The NFC East boasts three teams that are resilient, well-coached and consistent. It’s been a long time since the division could make that claim.
Sigh.
The most depressing aspect for Washington fans is the Giants have an entirely new regime that has them playing as they have in years. Meanwhile, the Commanders are in year three of the Ron Rivera era and getting worse.
Will it be another long season for Washington, or can Rivera lead a turnaround such as the one from 2020?
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