NFL standings, Week 16: Breaking down the NFC East heading toward Week 17

The Dallas Cowboys are your 2021 NFC East champions, returning to the top of the divisional mountain for the first time since 2018. Dallas clinched before they hit the field in Week 16, securing the strength of victory tiebreaker over the Eagles after the Raiders beat the Broncos. It’s a lengthy explanation, but long story short, they clinched the division title early Sunday evening before Sunday Night Football kicked off.

The Cowboys and Washington are actually in the third quarter of SNF as this article publishes, but I’m comfortable calling it for Dallas. They are up 49-7 midway through the quarter and Washington is not coming back. Dallas will come out of Week 16 in second place overall in the NFC standings, a game back of the No. 1 seed Packers. Dallas is 11-4 and holds the tiebreaker edge over the Rams and Buccaneers.

Meanwhile, Washington’s playoff hopes are all but dead. At 6-9, it would take a miracle for them to claim a wild card berth at this point.

The Eagles won their game over the Giants Sunday afternoon and moved into seventh place and the final wild card berth thanks to the Vikings losing to the Rams. Philly controls their own destiny to some extent now thank to tiebreakers.

NFC East

1. Dallas Cowboys, 11-4
2. Philadelphia Eagles, 8-7
3. Washington Football Team, 6-9
4. New York Giants, 4-10