Breaking Down the NFC East

[poost]

In taking the season by quarters, I felt we needed to at the least split the Philly-NE game and win the Rams-Seattle games. So that means to make some head way the Philly game is important. Not just for our win column but for their lost column.

Dare we tag it as a "must-win" game, and then forget about all the Romo choking talk after we win?

 

[Hostile]

I think we can sweep the East.

 

[skinsscalper]

I think we can sweep the East.

It would be the first time in a while, but I agree, Hos. This team is just too damn talented to not go on some type of run this season. Maybe it starts this week. Who knows? I do know that there's not a single team in our division that worries me in the slightest.

 

[DL23]

I think the two games against Philly will decide the winner of the East. With the Skins' QB issues and the Giants injuries and tough schedule, I just can't see either of them winning many games down the stretch. The Cowboys and Eagles are the two most talented teams, and could end up on equal wins by seasons end. I don't think a wild-card berth will be coming from the East, so it may come down to head to head for the division winner.

The week 8 game should be treated like a playoff game.

 

[birdwells1]

I think we can sweep the East.

I don't think that we're consistant enough nor do we run the ball efficiently well enough to sweep the East but we can have a winning record. Philly is not out of this thing, the Giants are the Giants, and the Commanders are currently in first place.

 

[casmith07]

I would really like you to be right so I can shut up some Eagles fans

I've sat here for about 5 minutes trying to figure out what Eagles fans would be jawing about.

And I got nothin'.

 

[Kevinicus]

I don't think that we're consistant enough nor do we run the ball efficiently well enough to sweep the East but we can have a winning record. Philly is not out of this thing, the Giants are the Giants, and the Commanders are currently in first place.

They are in 2nd place and it won't last long.

 

[CooterBrown]

New York Jets...3-3
San Francisco 49ers...5-1
Washington Commanders...3-2
Detroit Lions...5-1
New England Patriots...5-1

Combined Record...21-8, 72.4% winning percentage

This is why I think we will win the NFC East as much as any other reason.

If the Cowboys had won games they should have won, and lost games they should have lost, it would look more like this:

Jets....2-4
49ers.....6-0
Commanders....3-2
Lions.....4-2
Patriots....4-2

Combined.....19-10, 65.5 opponent winning percentage. I think a more accurate way of doing it would be to take out all the games the Cowboys have played against their opponents and compare their winning percentage against the rest of the teams they have played.

So,
Jets....2-3
49ers...5-0
Commanders...3-1
Lions...4-1
Patriots...4-1

Combined....18-6, 75% winning percentage.

Anywhichway you put it, the Cowboys opening season schedule has been brutal. But, I'll go on record right now as saying that in my opinion, useless as that is, the 49ers and the Patriots are the only ones on the list likely to make the playoffs this year.

 

[peplaw06]

Anywhichway you put it, the Cowboys opening season schedule has been brutal. But, I'll go on record right now as saying that in my opinion, useless as that is, the 49ers and the Patriots are the only ones on the list likely to make the playoffs this year.

Really? I got 4 playoff teams in my mind from that schedule.

 

[CCBoy]

Really? I got 4 playoff teams in my mind from that schedule.

So, you are saying that the Jets come back off life support and that the Lions are still alive through black and blue December....

 

[Deep_Freeze]

My only issue with this theory is that since we are 2-3, we contributed to those teams having better records on our past schedule. It does show we played some good teams, but some appear better at our expense.

 

[Nova]

More importantly. Dallas has the best defense that will most likely only get better.

The Giants will get some key players back on D as well though, so I think they'll be right there until the end although they're schedule is absolutely brutal.

We could stick a fork in the eagles next week, who didn't look much more impressive in their win against the skins than in their losses.

Commanders are going to show us why it's important to have playmakers as the season rolls on... more dropped passes, etc.

 

[CCBoy]

More importantly. Dallas has the best defense that will most likely only get better.

The Giants will get some key players back on D as well though, so I think they'll be right there until the end although they're schedule is absolutely brutal.

We could stick a fork in the eagles next week, who didn't look much more impressive in their win against the skins than in their losses.

Commanders are going to show us why it's important to have playmakers as the season rolls on... more dropped passes, etc.

To me, the Commander's change in quarterback is a bandaide for now...

The Giants have a tremendous box arena, that takes pressure off it's secondary. But control their running game and make them stand solely upon Manning's arm, and he can be targeted then.

Philadelphia truely stands at the center of stage for The Lady or the Tiger...

 

[TNCowboy]

"You are what your record says you are."

 

[AdamJT13]

My only issue with this theory is that since we are 2-3, we contributed to those teams having better records on our past schedule. It does show we played some good teams, but some appear better at our expense.

Except that we actually make them look worse. They're only 3-2 (.600) against us and 18-6 (.750) against the rest of the league.

And, even if we were 5-0 right now, our opponents' combined records -- including the losses to us -- would STILL give them a .621 winning percentage.

 

[CCBoy]

"You are what your record says you are."

And, in Kismet: 'The writing hand once having written, moves on'...but when a major actor in a production will re-enter that play, then an additional plot has to then be written.

 

[tyke1doe]

If we can take care of business against Philly, I think it's in the bag. They will end up being the main competition, IMO.

Don't underestimate the Giants. But I agree. I believe we're just now getting our sea legs under us. 11-5 is still doable.

 

[CCBoy]

Except that we actually make them look worse. They're only 3-2 (.600) against us and 18-6 (.750) against the rest of the league.

And, even if we were 5-0 right now, our opponents' combined records -- including the losses to us -- would STILL give them a .621 winning percentage.

Forever vigilant...quality characteristic.

 

[SkinsFan28]

I would say those stats prove more why the Giants won't be winning the East. The other 3 teams have the basically the same strength of remaining schedule at this point.

From Hos' post:
Dallas Remaining Combined Record...26-35, 42.6% winning percentage
Commanders Combined Record...29-34, 46% winning percentage
Philadelphia Combined Record...25-29, 46.3% winning percentage
Giants Combined Record...32-24, 57.1% winning percentage

With the understanding that you have played 3 of the 5-1 teams, and lost to two of them. The Skins have to play only 2 of those (we don't play Detroit) so losing to those two would be a wash in the schedule meaning we are one game up now, and losing those 2 but winning at Minnesota (the equivalent of Detroit as the schedule is created) would mean we balance out that part of the schedule. As for Philly, they already lost to SF, and assume they will lose to NE, so their equivalent game is the Chicago game, which I think they might win. So, all 3 teams will probably go 1-2 in that part of their schedule. Ultimately this division will probably come down to 1 team in the playoffs, and that team will be decided by head to head games. So far the Skins don't look to good on that

 

[sonnyboy]

"You are what your record says you are."

Sure, after 16 games. Because at that point if we're 9-7 and miss the playoffs on a tiebreaker, our strength of schedule won't help us.

But after 5 games, who you played is a close 2nd to your record when trying to project what we might be after 16 games.

Now we are 2-3. And 2-3 is 2-3, no one is denying that we are in fact 2-3. We're just trying to look ahead and see what we might be.