The Philadelphia Eagles are out in front, but the Washington Redskins are right in the thick of things in the NFC East.
Remember how the Dallas Cowboys and the New York Giants were supposed to win the NFC East in 2017? The season is still early, but it’s the Philadelphia Eagles (4-1) and the Washington Redskins (2-2) who currently sit atop the division through the first quarter of the season.
Philadelphia is taking advantage of a less than difficult schedule to begin the season. After opening the season against the Redskins and undefeated Kansas City, the Eagles have feasted on the Giants, Cardinals and Chargers. Those three opponents have a combined 3-12 record. Dallas and Washington, meanwhile, have faced far tougher schedules. The Giants, well, they’re done.
Entering the season, we all should’ve known someone new would step up and shine in 2017. After all, the NFC East hasn’t had a repeat division champion since the Eagles all the way back in 2004. The Eagles, with second-year quarterback Carson Wentz, have a terrific defense and one of the better offensive lines in the NFL. They’re going to be a threat all year long. And a win over the Redskins in Week 1 got them off to a good start.
More from NFL Spin Zone
- Dallas Cowboys made the trade everyone else should have made
- Pittsburgh Steelers rookie sleeper everyone should be talking about
- Anthony Richardson putting jaw-dropping talent on display immediately
- Denver Broncos’ stud wide receiver might be out for a while
- Washington Commanders: Three takeaways from win over Ravens
Washington started off the season with the ugly home loss to the Eagles. Not only did quarterback Kirk Cousins struggle, the entire team looked like it was still in the preseason. Gradually, though, the Redskins have gotten better each week. A Week 2 victory over the Rams in Los Angeles, is an impressive win in hindsight. Washington’s domination over the Raiders in Week 3 was as one-sided of a game as the league has seen this season.
Then, the Redskins went into Kansas City on a Monday night — a place they’d never won — and almost pulled off an improbable win. Washington showed the entire league it belonged. And after numerous starters were dinged up in the last-second heartbreaking loss to the Chiefs, the Redskins had a perfectly timed bye week.
The biggest question facing the Redskins is will they still have the same momentum entering Week 6? Fortunately, they get the winless San Francisco 49ers at home. In Week 7, a rematch with the Eagles looms. If Philly wins that one, it will be tough for the Redskins to win the division. However, if Washington wins, this division race becomes one of the better in the entire league.
After a daunting first four weeks, the schedule lightens up a bit for the Redskins. Can they take advantage? In past years, Washington was notorious for playing down to its competition. The Redskins struggled to handle success. Something about this team feels different.
Next: NFL 2017: 20 Bold predictions for Week 6
We are about to learn how different this team is. The next few weeks are critical for Washington and Philadelphia. While Dallas is still in the thick of things, too, this looks like a battle that could come down to the I-95 foes.