NFC Least: Will Eagles or Cowboys join this list of worst NFL division winners since 2002?

The 2020 NFC East has a chance to end up in some questionable company.

If things continue as they have, the winner of this year’s NFC East — be it the Cowboys, Eagles, Giants or Washington Football Team — could go down as one of the worst division winners since the NFL’s divisional realignment in 2002. Right now, the worst divisional winners by record since then are the only two division winners to finish sub-.500, the 2010 Seahawks and the 2014 Panthers. With the way this season is going, nobody would be shocked if the best team in the NFC East failed to win even half their games.

Four teams in NFL history have won their division while finishing with a .500 or worse record. We took a look at each of those four teams and what stood out from some oddly memorable seasons — including the fact that all four of these teams won their opening-round playoff game (so yes, we’re telling the NFC East division winner that “there’s a chance”).

MORE: Why the 2020 Eagles are more dangerous than their record suggests

2010 Seattle Seahawks

Record: 7-9

Playoff outcome: Won against New Orleans Saints in Wild Card round, 41-36; lost to Chicago Bears in Divisional Round, 35-24

Season summary: This was Pete Carroll’s first year in Seattle, so there must have been some extra beginner’s luck floating in the air. Matt Hasselback started 14 regular-season games at quarterback but threw only 12 touchdowns with 17 interceptions. Marshawn Lynch was the main running back but battled injuries and ran for just 573 yards for the season. Former Detroit Lions’ first-round pick Mike Williams was the squad’s leading receiver. They ranked 23rd in the NFL in points for and 25th in points against.

A tiebreaker with the St. Louis Rams got the Seahawks into the playoffs ahead of the 6-10 49ers and 5-11 Cardinals. Two 10-6 teams in the NFC missed the playoffs in 2010: Josh Freeman’s Buccaneers and Eli Manning’s Giants. 

2014 Carolina Panthers

Record: 7-8-1

Playoff outcome: Beat Arizona Cardinals in Wild Card round, 27-16; lost in Divisional Round to Seattle Seahawks, 31-17

Season summary: This was Cam Newton’s first season in the NFL, and he went 5-8-1 in his 14 starts. Only thanks to two wins in two starts by Derek Anderson did the Panthers make it to the postseason. The Panthers had gone 12-4 the year before, but the departure of WR Steve Smith to Baltimore hurt the Carolina offense, as did injuries to both DeAngelo Williams (played six games) and Jonathan Stewart (played 13 games). Kelvin Benjamin and Greg Olsen led Carolina in receiving.

It was the Panthers’ Week 6 tie with the Bengals that made the difference in the NFC South over the 7-9 Saints. The 10-6 Eagles, led by a combination of Nick Foles and Mark Sanchez, were the big losers as the Panthers made the playoffs instead of them.

(Getty Images) https://images.daznservices.com/di/library/sporting_news/3c/70/tim-tebow-102920-getty-ftrr_1k3aknf2cbjw21a5t0ninzku07.jpg?t=1980411837&w=500&quality=80 2011 Denver Broncos

Record: 8-8

Playoff outcome: Beat the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Wild Card round, 29-23; lost to the New England Patriots in the Divisional Round, 45-10

Season summary: Tim Tebow. That’s really all you need to know. He took over as starter in Week 7 and went 7-4, just enough to push Denver to the postseason. Then in the first round against the Steelers, it was his touchdown pass to Demaryius Thomas that walked the game off in overtime and sent Denver on.

Denver’s offense had solid players in 2011, including Willis McGahee, Thomas and Eric Decker. But Tebow’s inaccuracies led to a lot of help from a strong defense being needed to push this team into the playoffs.

2008 San Diego Chargers

Record: 8-8

Playoff outcome: Beat Indianapolis Colts in Wild Card Round, 23-17; lost to Pittsburgh Steelers in Divisional Round, 35-24

Season summary: The Chargers could score in 2008, finishing second in the NFL in points for. They also weren’t bad defensively, finishing 15th in points against. Their Football Reference “Expected W-L” was 10.2-5.8, so luck went against the Chargers some in 2008 (although not against them in winning the division).

Philip Rivers threw 34 touchdowns, LaDainian Tomlinson ran for 11, Antonio Gates caught eight and Vincent Jackson hauled in seven in a high-powered offensive attack that was supplemented by Darren Sproles, Chris Chambers and Malcolm Floyd. The Chargers put up 30 or more points seven times, finishing in the 40s twice and with a 52-spot in Week 17 against the Broncos to squeak into the postseason. That 52-21 blowout of Denver gave San Diego the tiebreaker as the Broncos also finished at 8-8.