The Big Picture: Best Team In The NFC East?

Usually the NFC East is one of, if not the best division in professional football. This season has been somewhat of a rarity as the teams battling for the top position are doing just enough to stay above 500. With that being said, I believe that the best team in this division is the Dallas Cowboys.

Currently sitting at 7-3, the Cowboys have been one of the most inconsistent teams in the NFL. Their most recent victory over the Washington Redskins has brought Dallas under the microscope, as if they hadn’t been already after losing to Green Bay the previous week. Let’s not forget that the Eagles lost to the Raiders and the Giants lost to the Cardinals earlier this year. Many critics believe that only beating their division rival 7-6 is a sign that the Cowboys are simply pretenders. I for one believe that judging them based on this victory is ridiculous, as any game against a division rival can go either way at any given time. Whether you beat the 3-7 Redskins by one or the wild card hopeful Atlanta Falcons by sixteen, a win is a win and margin of victory counts for nothing.

At the beginning of the season the New York Giants appeared to be the easy team to be recognized as the best in the division. They have since gone on to lose 4 games in a row before barely beating Atlanta this past Sunday. Now they sit in a tie for second with Philadelphia. The Eagles are the other team in the NFC East who are considered by many to be the best in the division. When comparing the Cowboys to the Eagles and Giants, I believe it is Dallas’ offense that separates them from the pack. With a running game featuring Marion Barber, Felix Jones, and Tashard Choice; Dallas has the ability to grind out any teams defense with both “smash” and “dash.” If Tony Romo can find a way to get the ball to his weapons on the outside (Williams, Austin, Witten), the Cowboys offense will become more balanced which is desperately needed. The Cowboys defense has become their strong point in recent seasons led by all-pro DeMarcus Ware. With their defense they hold the two necessary assets to winning consistently and into the playoffs.

No matter who ends up being the best team in this division at the end of the year, I have no doubt that it will come down to week 17. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Dallas, New York, and Philadelphia make the playoffs.