The NFC has not had a repeat champion since Andy Reid and Donovan McNabb were losing in NFC championship games in the early 2000’s. Even when seemingly new powerhouses emerge, like the 2014 Cowboys or 2017 Eagles, these teams are unable to sustain that level of success for a second consecutive season.
Whether due to injury, a tougher schedule, or just plain parity across the NFC East, no one team has been able to stage a 2000’s Eagles or 1990’s Cowboys type run of division titles in quite some time.
Still, the Cowboys and the Eagles have been atop the division alternating years all but one season since 2013. They have clearly been the class of the division, competing in playoff games and (in the Eagles case) winning a Super Bowl.
Heading into 2019 the NFC East is once again believed to be a two-team race. Given that the Giants seem to be rebuilding and the Redskins will likely start a rookie quarterback from week one, it’s tough to see either of those teams having a real shot to take the Cowboys or Eagles out.
But of course, in this division, you never know what will happen.
If the Cowboys are going to repeat as NFC East champs for the first time in well over a decade, they will need to maximize their advantages over their division foes. And while their defense is immensely talented, their offensive line is as good as unit as you may find in this league, and their offense is now filled with formidable skill players like Amari Cooper and Ezekiel Elliott, the team’s biggest advantage may come from the quarterback position.
When you look around the NFC East you now see an aging veteran who’s best years are far behind him, two brand new unproven rookies, and a former MVP candidate who has struggled with injuries each of his first three NFL seasons.
Of course I’m talking about Eli Manning, Daniel Jones, Dwayne Haskins, and Carson Wentz. The only one of this bunch who even has an argument to be put over Dak Prescott right now is Wentz, and even that can be debated by the Pro-Prescott side.
The Cowboys have *at worst* the second best player in the division at the most important position in football. And when Dak Prescott plays up to his standards, the gap between he and Wentz is either very minimal or completely non-existent.
Dallas can repeat as NFC East champions this season, if for no other reason than half their division is entering brand new territory at the league’s most vital position, while they have had their guy for the last three seasons.
