The NFC East may not end up as the worst division in NFL history, but the division is set to have its worst champion in its 50 years of existence. There has never been a .500-or-worse champion in the NFC East, which the Washington Football Team sealed with its loss to the Seattle Seahawks in Week 15 (Washington needed to win its final three games to finish over .500).
Every team in the NFC East still has a shot at winning the division with two weeks remaining -- yes even the Dallas Cowboys. Washington controls the fate of half the division's playoff chances in Week 16, needing just a victory to make this a two-horse race for the division title.
If Washington doesn't win in Week 16 is where things would get interesting. The Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys will be playing in a game that may have division title implications pending on how Washington does against the Carolina Panthers. The New York Giants are far from out of the division title chase, especially if they can pull off an upset against the Baltimore Ravens.
With two games left in the season, here's how every team can win the NFC East title:
Washington Football Team (6-8)
Remaining schedule: vs. Panthers, at Eagles
- Win final two games and finish 8-8
- Win one of final two games (which eliminates Eagles and Cowboys) AND Giants lose one of final two games. Washington would still finish a game ahead of the Giants at 7-9 if this result occurs (Giants would finish 6-10).
Dallas Cowboys (5-9)
Remaining schedule: vs. Eagles, at Giants
- Win out to finish 7-9. Eagles and Giants would have a minimum of 10 losses with those results
- Washington loses out. A Washington win in the final two games eliminates Dallas since Washington swept the Cowboys this year (owning the head-to-head tiebreaker). If Washington loses out, the Football Team finishes 6-10 -- so Dallas finishes ahead of them in the division IF they win out to finish 7-9.
New York Giants (5-9)
Remaining schedule: at Ravens, vs. Cowboys
- Win out to finish 7-9, which eliminates the Eagles and Cowboys (Eagles best finish can be 6-9-1) AND Washington loses one of final two games to finish 7-9. Giants hold the head-to-head tiebreaker over Washington by sweeping them this year.
- Lose to the Ravens and beat the Cowboys AND Washington loses final two games (head-to-head tiebreaker comes into effect).
- Win one of the final two games with New York beating Dallas in Week 17 and Dallas beating Philadelphia in Week 16 AND Washington loses final two games -- creating a three-way tie at 6-10 between Dallas, New York, and Washington. The Giants win the division based on a head-to-head tiebreaker, going 3-1 against Washington and Dallas. Washington would be 2-2 against New York and Dallas and the Cowboys would be 1-3 against the Giants and Washington.
Philadelphia Eagles (4-9-1)
Remaining schedule: at Cowboys, vs. Washington
- Win final two games to finish 6-9-1. Eagles finish ahead of the Cowboys with this result (Dallas would have 10 losses)
- Eagles still need the Panthers to beat Washington in Week 16. A Washington win eliminates Philadelphia and the Week 17 matchup won't matter for the Eagles.
- Giants have to lose one of final two games to Ravens or Cowboys. New York would finish 6-10 with that result, so the Eagles' tie would put them ahead of New York.
