AI Image
NFL nightmare: How a six-win NFC East team could end up making the playoffs if Commanders beat the Giants
CBS Sports • • general
Key Points:
- The NFL's second half begins with the New York Giants hosting the Washington Commanders in an NFC East matchup, where Washington (2-5-1) could disrupt the division race by closing the gap to just two games behind the Giants (5-2-1) with a win.
- A scenario is outlined where the NFC East division winner could emerge with only six wins, a historic first in the NFL, if the Commanders, Giants, and Cowboys finish with similar records and the Commanders hold a tiebreaker advantage.
- The Commanders' potential path includes key wins against the Giants, Cardinals, Titans, and Cowboys, while the Giants and Cowboys face challenging stretches with multiple expected losses.
- If the Commanders win the division with a 6-10-1 record, they would host a wild-card playoff game despite having one of the worst records among playoff teams, highlighting potential flaws in the current playoff seeding format.
- This possibility may prompt the NFL to reconsider its playoff seeding rules, which were proposed to be based on overall records rather than division standing, to avoid low-win teams hosting playoff games in future seasons.
