The 2020 iteration of the NFC East may be the worst division in the 100-year history of the National Football League.
At the time of publication, the four teams which make up the NFC East have a combined record of 5-18-1, by far the worst cumulative record of any division.
The Dallas Cowboys currently lead the division at 2-4, the Philadelphia Eagles are 1-4-1, and the New York Giants and Washington are both 1-5 through the first six games of the season.
The winner of this division may have a losing record, and by virtue of them being a division winner, will host a playoff game on Wild Card Weekend.
The NFL must adapt and change how they determine which 14 teams make the playoffs. The league can go in two directions given the futility of the NFC East in 2020. One thing the league can do is mandate that no losing team will qualify for the playoffs if they finish the season with a losing record. The divisional winner with a losing record would be replaced by the team with the best record that was unable to qualify for the playoffs initially.
It is not a new phenomenon that a team with a losing record hosts a playoff game, but this season should be the final nail in the coffin for an outdated way of determining playoff teams.
The most well-known example of a below .500 team hosting a playoff game was in 2009 when the Seattle Seahawks, with a 7-9 record, hosted the reigning Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints. Seattle ended up winning the game on their home field.
The time has come for the NFL to do away with guaranteeing each divisional winner a home playoff game. Instead, the top seven teams in each conference would make the playoffs, regardless of division, and the team with the best regular season record would get the opportunity to host the playoff game.
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