Are the Dallas Cowboys the best team in the NFC East?

The NFC East has not had a back to back division champion since 2004. Are the Dallas Cowboys strong enough to break this trend in 2019?

The Dallas Cowboys are in a great position to win the NFC East and enter the playoffs. The battle for the division is basically just a two horse race with the Cowboys and the Philadelphia Eagles.

The Washington Redskins have too many questions at quarterback. If they choose to start the season with quarterback Alex Smith, the team might present a decent threat. But, the Redskins don’t really have the overall talent to pair with Smith to win many games.

This offseason Washington added talent to their defensive line and in the secondary, but most importantly drafted quarterback Dwayne Haskins– many thought Haskins to be the best pure passer in the 2019 NFL draft. If Haskins starts, it is hard to gauge how well he would play. For rookie quarterbacks, though many have succeeded as of late, it is usually difficult for the team to win.

The Redskins certainly got better in the offseason, the same statement might not be appropriate to use for the New York Giants. The Giants got rid of one of the best wide receivers in the entire league (Odell Beckham), simultaneously turning the Cleveland Browns into a Super Bowl contender.

The Giants finally addressed their quarterback needs, but from everything coming out of New York, it seems as though they will stick with quarterback Eli Manning this year. According to Peter King with NBC Sports:

"“By my count, nine of the 11 starters on defense on opening day (if they open in a nickel package) could be new to the team over the last 15 months: defensive linemen B.J. Hill and Dexter Lawrence, linebackers Alec Ogletree, Oshane Ximines and Lorenzo Carter, and defensive backs Sam Beal, Deandre Baker, Antoine Bethea and Jabrill Peppers.”"

That is a tough task for any defensive coordinator. The beginning of the year might be very rough for New York. On offense they have a dominant running back in Saquon Barkley, but without a serious passing game threat, he will most likely face tough defensive fronts.

So it comes down to just the Eagles and the Cowboys. Who is better? Let’s start by first compare the defenses of the two squads.

Last year, the Eagles were 30th in passing yards allowed per game (269.2 yards/game), per NFL.com. Many of these yards came because of an injury bug that spread throughout their defensive backfield. Philadelphia ranked 12th in points allowed per game (21.8).

Defensively, the Eagles did not add much talent, but they already have a good defense if the players can remain healthy. Dallas, however, traded for defensive end Robert Quinn who will play opposite of a healthy DeMarcus Lawrence.

The Cowboys were top six in scoring defense, 13th in passing yards allowed per game, and fifth in rushing yards allowed per game. This strong unit has only gotten stronger. Linebacker Leighton Vander Esch already has a year under his belt, and mike linebacker Jaylon Smith will be starting the season healthy for only the second time (knock on wood).

Offensively, the Cowboys offensive line will be the strongest it has been in a while. Travis Frederick will most likely be back in the starting center spot and will show how having a dominant center changes life for the rest of the unit.

The Eagles offensive line will be good once again. Most notably by re-signing offensive tackle Jason Peters to a one year deal, and drafting Andre Dillard with the 22nd overall pick in the NFL draft.

The Cowboys also have the best receiver in the division with Amari Cooper, best running back in league with Ezekiel Elliott. So now you have to look at the quarterbacks.

One could argue both ways for who is better. If the Eagles’ quarterback Carson Wentz can return to 2017 form then Philadelphia would be the front runners. The same could be said of Cowboys’ quarterback Dak Prescott.

If Prescott plays at the same level he did late last season, Dallas will be tough to beat. Here are Prescott’s stats compared to Wentz’s via TheAthleticDFW’s Marcus Mosher:

The Cowboys are 13-5 against NFC East opponents since 2016. The race for the division crown will be a close one, it always is. But, if you compare all the teams, the Dallas Cowboys should be the favorites.

Who do you think is the best team in the NFC East? Will the Cowboys repeat as division champions? Feel free to share your thoughts and ideas in the comment section below!