5 NFC groups reached double figures in victories final 12 months, with three successful division titles and the opposite two incomes wild-card berths. No disrespect to the Los Angeles Rams, who posted 10 wins in 2023, however massive issues are anticipated of the 12-win San Francisco 49ers, Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys — in addition to the 11-win Philadelphia Eagles — within the 2024 NFL season.
All 4 of these golf equipment had optimistic begins, opening the marketing campaign with victories. Nonetheless, all 4 have been defeated in Week 2, and the response in a couple of of the groups’ dwelling cities was as if the sky was falling.
Starting within the NFC East, Dallas and Philadelphia misplaced in very alternative ways final weekend. The Cowboys have been manhandled by New Orleans, shedding 44-19 at dwelling whereas permitting the Saints to file a landing on every of their first six possessions, whereas the Eagles permitted the visiting Atlanta Falcons to orchestrate a six-play, 70-yard drive with lower than two minutes remaining within the fourth quarter and put up a 22-21 victory.
Dallas entered its contest as a 6.5-point favourite however produced only one TD versus New Orleans. The Cowboys by no means led and have been outscored 23-6 after drawing inside one rating halfway by means of the second quarter. The disappointing efficiency by the protection adopted a Week 1 effort towards the Cleveland Browns wherein it made life depressing for Deshaun Watson, sacking him six occasions and intercepting him twice.
Within the first half of the season-opening win, the Cowboys outgained the Browns 216-54 and restricted them to 1 first down whereas constructing a 20-3 lead. Every week later, Dallas gave up two scoring passes of greater than 54 yards within the first 20 ½ minutes and trailed 35-16 at halftime.
In the future later within the Metropolis of Brotherly Love, the Eagles have been behind 15-10 after three quarters however moved forward with 6:47 to play and added a area aim with 1:39 left after operating again Saquon Barkley dropped a brief cross on third-and-3. That put Philadelphia — which was a 5.5-point favourite — up 21-15, nevertheless it allowed the Falcons to march down the sector and reclaim the lead earlier than Jalen Hurts threw an interception on the Atlanta 32 to finish the comeback hopes.
The Cowboys need to change into the primary group to repeat as NFC East champion because the Eagles received 4 consecutive division titles from 2001-04. In line with the SportsLine Projection Mannequin, they’d a 57% likelihood to complete first after their Week 1 win over the Browns.
Following the membership’s embarrassing setback towards the Saints, the mannequin – which simulates each NFL sport 10,000 occasions and is up nicely over $7,000 for $100 gamers on top-rated NFL picks since its inception – listed Dallas’ division title probabilities at 41%. However due to Philadelphia’s late implosion on Monday Evening Soccer, the mannequin tasks the Cowboys win the East 52% of the time and has the Eagles’ probabilities at 46%.
Detroit received its first division title since 1993 final season and was one half away from making the primary Super Bowl look in group historical past, however allowed a 24-7 halftime lead at San Francisco slip away. The membership is predicted to complete atop the NFC North as soon as once more, however issues have not precisely gone as deliberate to this point.
The Lions squandered a 14-point, second-half lead towards the Rams of their season opener earlier than arising with a game-tying area aim with 17 seconds left within the fourth quarter and a TD in time beyond regulation. They then yielded a game-winning landing by the visiting Tampa Bay Buccaneers with 34 seconds remaining in Week 2 after taking their first lead of the sport lower than three minutes earlier.
Detroit, which was a 7.5-point favourite towards the Buccaneers, noticed its probabilities to make its Tremendous Bowl debut drop from 8.3% to 7% with the 20-16 loss, in keeping with the mannequin. Its simulations additionally say the Lions now win the Vince Lombardi Trophy 3.3% of the time after projecting their probabilities at 3.9% previous to the defeat.
The 49ers have reached the postseason 4 of the final 5 years and made their second Tremendous Bowl look throughout that span in 2023, once they have been defeated by the Kansas City Chiefs 25-22 in time beyond regulation. They’ve received back-to-back NFC West titles and obtained their quest for a 3rd straight off to an excellent begin with a convincing 32-19 dwelling conquer the New York Jets, however they stumbled in Week 2, dropping a 23-17 choice to the Vikings in Minnesota as 4-point favorites.
Accidents to key weapons on offense might put a wrinkle in San Francisco’s plans for a three-peat within the NFC West. Reigning NFL Offensive Participant of the Yr Christian McCaffrey has but to make his season debut attributable to calf and Achilles accidents and can miss at the least the group’s subsequent three video games after being positioned on injured reserve previous to Week 2.
In the meantime, wideout Deebo Samuel strained his calf late within the loss to Minnesota after making eight catches for 110 yards and is predicted to overlook “a pair weeks,” in keeping with head coach Kyle Shanahan. McCaffrey and Samuel each play massive roles in San Francisco’s passing and speeding assaults, though Jordan Mason has run for at the least 100 yards and a landing in every of the group’s first two video games whereas filling in for McCaffrey.
Being with out their two greatest skill-position gamers might lead to extra losses and severely harm the 49ers’ path to the postseason. The SportsLine Projection Mannequin has their probabilities of reaching the playoffs at 82% heading into their Week 3 matchup towards the division-rival Los Angeles Rams, however they might drop to 70% with a defeat at SoFi Stadium.
The mannequin’s projections for San Francisco successful the Tremendous Bowl additionally would proceed to fade with a setback on Sunday. It had the 49ers capturing their sixth Vince Lombardi Trophy 17% of the time after their victory towards the Jets, however that dropped to 11.6% following the loss at Minnesota. Ought to they fall to the Rams, their probabilities dip to eight.6%.
Despite the fact that Los Angeles can be lacking its high two receivers (Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua) attributable to accidents, the mannequin is looking for a one-score choice between the Rams and 49ers in Week 3. It is also predicting tight affairs within the Eagles-Saints, Cowboys-Ravens and Lions-Cardinals matchups. Nonetheless, none of these contests are the 2 with A-grade picks based mostly on mannequin simulations for the third week of the season. You possibly can find those top-tier Week 3 NFL picks at SportsLine.
