Could all four NFC East teams actually make the playoffs in 2022?
As it stands Sunday evening, the Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants and Washington Commanders hold four of the NFC’s seven playoff spots. And before you say there is a long time to go, and this will not hold up, here we are 12 weeks into the season, and all four teams have a winning record.
Yes, all four teams may fail to make the playoffs. At this point, the Eagles are a lock, while the Cowboys are close to a lock. With the Giants and Commanders, they play one another twice in the next three weeks, and even if the teams split the series, both would mostly control their own destiny.
How did Washington arrive at this point?
Winners of six of their last seven games, the Commanders defeated the Atlanta Falcons Sunday to improve to 7-5. Later Sunday evening, the Las Vegas Raiders helped Washington by walking off the Seattle Seahawks in Seattle with a 40-34 overtime win.
With 4:32 remaining in overtime, Raiders running back Josh Jacobs took the handoff 86 yards to the house to give Las Vegas a big road win. Jacobs would finish the game with 229 rushing yards and two touchdowns. He also added 74 receiving yards.
The Seahawks fell to 6-5 with the loss.
No division has ever sent four teams to the playoffs. Yes, we caution, there is a long way to go, but the Commanders have set themselves to play some meaningful December football, which hasn’t often been the case.
