Something weird always happens. I say this on TV and they laugh at me, but the NFC East is the zaniest of NFL divisions. It has been 19 years since anyone repeated as its champion, and the events of Week 17 have created a situation that could very well extend that streak to 20.
It makes no sense that the Eagles wouldn't win the NFC East this season. At one point, they were 10-1, with a head-to-head victory over their closest pursuers, the Cowboys. As late as the fourth quarter of their game against the Cardinals on Sunday, they still had control of the situation. Hold that fourth-quarter lead against the then-3-12 Cardinals, then win next week against the 5-11 Giants, and you break the streak to repeat as division champs. This was not a difficult-looking assignment.
But they did not hold the lead. Kyler Murray, James Conner and the Cardinals went right down the field on them in the final minutes to score the winning touchdown. And now all the Cowboys have to do to win the NFC East is beat the 4-12 Commanders next week. It makes no sense, especially when you consider everything that had to happen at the end of Saturday night's Lions-Cowboys game to bring about this situation. But it's the NFC East. It isn't supposed to make sense. It's just supposed to do the opposite of what you expect. That's what makes it so much fun.
Let's start there for this week's overreactions column -- where we judge potential takeaways from Week 17 games -- since there's a lot to unpack.
Jump to:
Cowboys will win the NFC East?
Jackson already won the MVP?
Bears will trade the No. 1 pick?
Chiefs can make a playoff run?
Bucs will lose the NFC South?
