Coming into Week 10 of the NFL season, it looked like the New York Giants had a stranglehold on the NFC East. At 6-2, they were one game ahead of the Philadelphia Eagles and two games ahead of the Washington Redskins. A home game against the 1-7 Dallas Cowboys wasn't supposed to offer much resistance.
Except, it did. The Cowboys stunned the Giants 33-20 on Sunday, and suddenly, the NFC East is up for grabs tonight when the Redskins take on the Eagles. Here are the scenarios at play tonight:
If the Philadelphia Eagles Win ... here are the standings:
- Philadelphia Eagles: 6-3
- New York Giants: 6-3
- Washington Redskins: 4-5
- Dallas Cowboys: 2-7
The Eagles will be in first place by virtue of having a better record against "common opponents." Both teams will be 6-3, and both teams will be 1-1 in the division. The two teams have shared three opponents thus far this season: the Detroit Lions, the Tennessee Titans and the Indianapolis Colts. The Eagles are 2-1 against those teams, with wins over Detroit and Indianapolis, while the Giants are 1-2, with only a win over Detroit. The Redskins will be two games back, though they would still have a better division record (2-1) than both the Eagles and the Giants.
If the Washington Redskins Win ... here are the standings:
- New York Giants: 6-3
- Washington Redskins: 5-4
- Philadelphia Eagles: 5-4
- Dallas Cowboys: 2-7
The Giants will remain in first place, but the Redskins will be in second by virtue of a head-to-head sweep over the Eagles. If the two teams finished tied at the end of the season, the Redskins would own the tiebreaker.
Clearly, there is a lot on the line tonight for both teams. The Eagles could end the night in first place, or they could end it in third. The Redskins could end the night two games back of the Giants, or they could be in second place with the tiebreaker over the Eagles.