The first order of business every season for any NFL team is to win their division. It’s an automatic trip to the playoffs and assures at least one home playoff game. The Dallas Cowboys have done the best job of achieving this goal in the NFC East in recent years, with three division crowns in the last five seasons.
This current run of dominance within the division began in 2017. The Cowboys won each of their first two division games of the season handily against the New York Giants and Washington Redskins, mainly behind the legs of All-Pro Ezekiel Elliott who ran for over 100 yards in both. Week 11, however, saw the Philadelphia Eagles come to AT&T Stadium and lay a 37-9 smackdown on the Cowboys. They would finish strong, though, winning their final three division games in convincing fashion, which included a shutout win over the Eagles in the season finale as Elliott had his third 100-yard performance within the division for the season.
2018 was another successful season for the Cowboys within the division. After splitting the first two games in division play with the Giants and Redskins, the Cowboys put to rest any doubts about who wore the pants in the NFC East. They won their remaining four division games behind the outstanding play of Elliott and Amari Cooper. Elliott went over the century mark in three straight division showdowns (151, 121, 113) before setting out the season finale to rest up for the playoffs. Cooper caught eight passes for 180 yards and two touchdowns in a 31-23 victory over the Redskins in Week 12. Two weeks later, he exploded for 217 yards and three touchdowns in a 29-23 win over the Eagles. The Cowboys finished 5-1 in division play for the second consecutive season.
The 2019 season has been yet another display of superiority by the Cowboys led by their top three offensive players. Elliott has rushed for over 100 yards in two of the three division games played so far this season, giving him eight games of the sort in the last 11 he’s played in vs the NFC East since 2017. Cooper has two 100-yard games himself (106 in both) and two touchdowns, improving his record to 7-0 against the division since arriving in Dallas in 2018. Dak Prescott has been excellent within the division as well, continuing a theme that’s existed since he came into the NFL. He set an all-time opening game franchise record with 405 passing yards against the Giants in Week 1, had a perfect passer rating a week later vs the Redskins, and has thrown eight touchdowns in division play. The Cowboys are currently 3-0 against the NFC East this season.
When the Cowboys take the field Monday night at Metlife Stadium they’ll be looking for their eighth consecutive division win. Dating by to the start of the 2017 season, the Cowboys are 13-2 against their division rivals. They’re the standard within the NFC East currently and will look to remain undefeated in division play in 2019 in a potential trap game against the Giants.
