The Eagles have opened the door for the Cowboys in the NFC East

Back on Election Day, we wrote that the Eagles were running unopposed in the NFC East. As funny (and true) as that may have seemed on Nov. 4, it's a story that's aged like milk.

After getting manhandled by the Chicago Bears 24-15 on Black Friday, the Eagles — losers of two in a row — have dropped to 8-4. 

Meanwhile, the Dallas Cowboys have won three in a row. That includes overcoming a 21-point deficit to upset the Eagles last Sunday, before turning around and beating the three-time defending AFC Champion Kansas City Chiefs 31-28 on Thanksgiving. 

There are still plenty of concerns surrounding Dallas — specifically on the defensive side of the ball — but Dak Prescott is playing at a very high level, with CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens forming one of the best one-two wide receiver punches in the NFL. 

The Eagles do maintain a lead in the NFC East. Even after Sunday's ugly loss, the Eagles are 8-4, a game-and-a-half better than the 6-5-1 Cowboys. 

With that said, it's hard to feel great about the Eagles' chances on Monday Night Football in 10 days against the 7-4 Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium given how the last two weeks have gone. And if the Eagles lose a third straight, nothing can be taken for granted. 

• The Buffalo Bills are an imperfect team, but would you bet on the Eagles to beat Josh Allen and company in the penultimate regular-season game at Highmark Stadium in Week 17 right now? 
• Losing to the Las Vegas Raiders at home in Week 15 would be unthinkable even with how poorly the Eagles looked Sunday, but is Nick Sirianni's squad certain to sweep the division-rival Washington Commanders in Weeks 16 and 18 if Jayden Daniels is back and playing at a high level? 

Perhaps this is all overreacting, as Al Michaels seemed to think Eagles fans booing for large parts of four quarters Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field was. 

But while the Eagles are the defending Super Bowl Champions, a Lombardi Trophy didn't erase Jalen Hurts and much of this core losing five of their final six regular-season games in 2023 to cough up the NFC East to the Cowboys. Right now, the Eagles feel much more like the 2023 team that lost 32-9 in Tampa Bay in the postseason two years ago than the one who curb stomped the Chiefs in the Super Bowl in February. 

Maybe there really is something beyond our understanding at play in the NFC East. Two years ago, the Eagles seemed destined to become the first team to win the NFC East in back-to-back years since Andy Reid's squad did so from 2001-2004. Two weeks ago, it again appeared that the streak TV networks are so fond of talking about in December would be coming to a close. 

Now, the Eagles are losers of two in a row. They split their two matchups with the Cowboys, so the next tiebreaker is divisional record. With the two matchups remaining against the Commanders, the Eagles are 2-2 in the division. The Cowboys are 3-1, set to play on the road in the final two weeks of the season against the Commanders and New York Giants, respectively. 

Perhaps this will prove to be hyperbolic, but who can say with certainty today that the streak of the NFC East not having a repeat winner won't be old enough to go to a bar in five weeks?