Five NFC teams reached double figures in victories last year, with three winning division titles and the other two earning wild-card berths. No disrespect to the Los Angeles Rams, who posted 10 wins in 2023, but big things are expected of the 12-win San Francisco 49ers, Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys — as well as the 11-win Philadelphia Eagles — in the 2024 NFL season.
All four of those clubs had positive starts, opening the campaign with victories. However, all four were defeated in Week 2, and the reaction in a few of the teams’ home cities was as if the sky was falling.
Beginning in the NFC East, Dallas and Philadelphia lost in very different ways last weekend. The Cowboys were manhandled by New Orleans, losing 44-19 at home while allowing the Saints to record a touchdown on each of their first six possessions, while the Eagles permitted the visiting Atlanta Falcons to orchestrate a six-play, 70-yard drive with less than two minutes remaining in the fourth quarter and post a 22-21 victory.
Dallas entered its contest as a 6.5-point favorite but produced just one TD versus New Orleans. The Cowboys never led and were outscored 23-6 after drawing within one score midway through the second quarter. The disappointing performance by the defense followed a Week 1 effort against the Cleveland Browns in which it made life miserable for Deshaun Watson, sacking him six times and intercepting him twice.
In the first half of the season-opening win, the Cowboys outgained the Browns 216-54 and limited them to one first down while building a 20-3 lead. A week later, Dallas gave up two scoring passes of more than 54 yards in the first 20 ½ minutes and trailed 35-16 at halftime.
One day later in the City of Brotherly Love, the Eagles were behind 15-10 after three quarters but moved ahead with 6:47 to play and added a field goal with 1:39 left after running back Saquon Barkley dropped a short…
Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/2024-nfl-futures-nfc-powers-fall-according-to-the-sportsline-projection-model/
Author : Scott Erskine
Publish date : 2024-09-19 16:28:21
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