If you've followed the NFL for more than a minute, you know the "NFC East Curse" is the stuff of legend. For over two decades, no team could manage to win the division two years in a row. It was like some weird, unspoken law of the universe.
Well, the 2025 season just tore up that script.
The Philadelphia Eagles didn't just survive the gauntlet; they actually managed to repeat as champions, something we haven't seen since the Bush administration. Honestly, looking at the final standings for the NFC East, it’s a bit of a "tale of two cities" situation—or rather, one city soaring and three others kinda just bumping into the furniture.
The Final Numbers: Standings for the NFC East
The regular season is officially in the rearview mirror as we hit mid-January 2026. If you're looking for the cold, hard data, here is how the division shook out after the Week 18 dust settled:
The Philadelphia Eagles finished on top with an 11-6 record. They clinched the title back in December after beating Washington, making them the first repeat winners in 21 years.
Coming in second, the Dallas Cowboys ended at 7-9-1. That tie against Green Bay in Week 4 really sticks out now, doesn't it? They were technically in the hunt late, but a brutal December slide killed the vibe.
The Washington Commanders landed in third at 5-12. After a decent 3-2 start that had fans dreaming of a Jayden Daniels-led miracle, the wheels just fell off. An eight-game losing streak is a tough pill to swallow.
Finally, the New York Giants propped up the basement at 4-13. It was a rough year in East Rutherford, leading to Brian Daboll getting the axe in November and Mike Kafka taking over the interim reins.
Why the Eagles Are Still the Team to Beat
Nick Sirianni and Jalen Hurts have a weird relationship with the Philly media, but you can’t argue with the results. They’ve now made the playoffs five years straight. This year wasn't even their "best" on paper—they actually had a three-game skid in the middle of the season—but they found their identity when it mattered.
The defense, led by Vic Fangio, ended the year ranked 5th in points allowed. That’s the secret sauce. While everyone talks about Saquon Barkley (who had a monster year, by the way) or Hurts’ rushing TDs, the defense kept them in games when the offense felt out of sync.
They did hit a massive speed bump in the Wild Card round, losing a heartbreaker to the 49ers 23-19. It’s a bummer for the Philly faithful, especially since it snapped a five-game home playoff win streak, but they’re still the clear class of this division.
Dallas and the "Almost" Problem
The Cowboys are the most confusing team in sports. Period.
They finished 7-9-1, but get this: they only won one game all year against a team that actually made the playoffs. That came in Week 12 against the Eagles. Beyond that? They basically beat up on the bottom-feeders and crumbled whenever they saw a winning record across the sidelines.
Dak Prescott’s stats actually look pretty good, but the "clutch" factor just wasn't there. When you drop four of your last five games with a playoff spot on the line, people are going to start asking questions about the coaching staff. Brian Schottenheimer has his work cut out for him this offseason because "almost" doesn't get you a banner.
Washington and New York: The Long Road Back
Washington is a "what if" story. What if Jayden Daniels hadn't gotten banged up? What if the defense didn't allow 21+ points in four straight blowouts? Dan Quinn’s first year didn't result in a winning record, but there’s a feeling that the culture is at least shifting.
Then there’s the Giants. Man, where do we even start?
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They fired Brian Daboll after a Week 10 loss to the Bears. They were the first team eliminated from playoff contention this year. Seven of their 13 losses were by a single possession. If they win those close ones, they’re 11-6. But they didn't. They blew double-digit leads in five different games.
What’s Next for the NFC East?
Now that the standings for the NFC East are locked in, the focus shifts to the 2026 NFL Draft and free agency.
- The Giants are sitting on a high draft pick (again) and need to decide if they’re going all-in on a new franchise QB or building around the pieces they have.
- The Commanders need to fix a defense that was essentially a sieve for most of October and November.
- The Cowboys have to figure out how to win against "real" teams. Their 1-6 record against playoff contenders is a glaring red flag that won't go away with just a few roster tweaks.
- The Eagles are likely going to look at their aging core and figure out how to keep this window open. Jalen Hurts is the guy, but the supporting cast is getting expensive.
If you’re a fan of any of these teams, the takeaway is simple: the gap between Philly and the rest of the East is wider than the record suggests. The Eagles have stability; the others are still searching for it.
Keep an eye on the coaching carousel this month. With the Giants already looking for a permanent replacement and rumors swirling in Dallas, the 2026 version of this division could look very different from the one we just watched.