The NFC East looks like three cats in a bag fighting to escape.
Despite the division’s much-maligned image over failing to produce one super team to compete with New Orleans or Minnesota for the NFC title, it’s still the NFL’s most interesting postseason race.
Dallas (8-4), Philadelphia (8-4) and New York Giants (7-5) probably won’t know which advances until the Philadelphia-Dallas season-ender. One will emerge as the division champ while the other two compete with Green Bay (8-4) for two wild card slots.
Dallas has the toughest final four opponents. It seems the Cowboys are about to discover who’s all hat and no cattle.
Dallas’ coming foes are a combined 32-16 in San Diego, New Orleans, Washington and Philadelphia. That’s an AFC power, undefeated team and two rivals. Good luck with that. Sounds like a 2-2 finish at best for 10-6.
Philadelphia has New York, San Francisco, Denver and Dallas remaining for a combined 28-20. That’s two division rivals, so-so San Francisco and floundering Denver despite 8-4. The Eagles could go 3-1 for 11-5.
New York has Philadelphia, Washington, Carolina and Minnesota left for 26-22 combined. If the Giants lose to Philadelphia on Sunday, they’ll need serious help. Otherwise, the G-Men might survive a midseason slump. New York has the tie-breaker over Dallas.
Green Bay has the softest schedule of Chicago, Pittsburgh, Seattle and Arizona for 24-24 combined. However, the Packers only home game is Seattle. Green Bay has the tie-breaker over Dallas.
The only NFC East team not in the playoff chase can have a big say in who advances. Washington plays Dallas and New York. The Cowboys escaped the Redskins, 7-6, earlier while the Giants won the season-opener easily.
Ironically, Redskins fans have a tough choice in the Dec. 27 encounter with Dallas. If the Cowboys don’t make the playoffs, Dallas is expected to compete with Washington over coach Mike Shanahan. So, if the Redskins really want the two-time Super Bowl winner, they should lose to the Cowboys.
My crystal ball says Philadelphia wins the division while New York and Green Bay are wild cards. None may survive the second round, though, as Minnesota and New Orleans are clearly the standouts in the NFC.
Undefeated Indianapolis, along with Cincinnati and San Diego, are the AFC’s elite. The AFC East offers the only drama with Miami perhaps overtaking New England. One of the big three will make the Super Bowl, though.
New Orleans versus Indianapolis in the finals? Looks too easy, and the NFL rarely does easy.
Rick Snider has covered local sports since 1978. Read more at TheRickSniderReport.com and Twitter @Snide_Remarks or e-mail [email protected].
