The NFC East is the biggest surprise of the 2022 season, having three teams with four-plus wins through the first five weeks. The Philadelphia Eagles are the lone unbeaten team in the league at 5-0, while the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants — yes the New York Giants — are 4-1. The division has a combined record of 14-6 — as the .700 win percentage is the best in the league.
Just two years ago, the NFC East was the worst division in football as all four teams finished with an under .500 record. Washington was a laughable division champion at 7-9, while New York and the prior coaching staff complained about Philadelphia costing their franchise a chance at the division title — even though the Giants had a 6-10 record. The 2020 version of the NFC East finished 23-40-1, as the .367 win percentage was the fourth worst in NFL history. Certainly an all-time low for the division.
This season, the NFC East can stake the claim as the best division in football through the first five weeks of the year. The NFC East is the fourth division since realignment in 2002 with three teams having four-plus wins through the first five weeks (2002 AFC West, 2008 NFC East, 2020 AFC North). Of the six best records in football, three of them come from the NFC East.
How did the NFC East get to this point so quickly? There are a few factors that played a role in getting the division back to its championship form instead of it being the laughing stock of the league.
Philadelphia Eagles
The emergence of Jalen Hurts: Hurts went from the questions of whether he can be the Eagles’ franchise quarterback to MVP candidate in the first five weeks. He’s fifth in the league in completion percentage (67.9%), seventh in passing yards (1,359), second in yards per attempt (8.5), and eighth in passer rating. He also has 68 carries for 266 yards and six rushing touchdowns, second amongst quarterbacks in rushing yards and first in rushing touchdowns.
Hurts only trails Josh Allen in total yards (has 1,625 on the year), while ranking fourth in on-target throws (80.4%) and fourth in throwing in zone coverage (100.4). One of the most dangerous players in football, Hurts’ rapid growth has a talented Eagles team with the best record in football.
The A.J. Brown impact: Brown has transformed the Eagles passing game as Philadelphia is seventh in the league in passing yards (259.8 per game) and first in net yards…
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