Could The Cowboys Miss The Postseason? Predicting Every NFC Division Winner

Will the Seattle Seahawks be able to fend off the Los Angeles Rams and win the NFC West again? Who will win the tight battle for the NFC North? With the regular season quickly approaching, Colin Cowherd provided his division predictions and projected playoff field for the NFC on Wednesday's edition of The Herd. Highlighting a mix of returning contenders and rising rosters, Cowherd forecasted three new playoff teams across the conference while breaking down all four divisions. "I've got three new playoff teams in the NFC: the Lions, the Saints, and the Giants," Cowherd said. Here's how Cowherd predicts the placement of all four divisions in the NFC. Starting with the NFC East, Cowherd picked the Philadelphia Eagles to retain the division crown, pointing to roster continuity along the offensive line and past success under Jalen Hurts. "Jalen Hurts, since he became a full-time starter, has the winningest record in the NFL. I'm just going with this very, very well-run organization," Cowherd said. Despite losing A.J. Brown, Philadelphia added Dontayvion Wicks and drafted USC receiver Makai Lemon, returning all five offensive line starters with the seventh-easiest schedule in the league. Behind Philadelphia, Cowherd projected the New York Giants to finish ahead of the Dallas Cowboys for second place, should Jaxson Dart stay healthy. "They were one and seven last year in those one-score games, worst in the league," Cowherd said about the Giants. "And in fact, they blew five games in which they had a fourth-quarter lead. That is going to, even if it evens out, even if it doesn't totally flip, it will even out. If Jackson Dart can stay out of the blue tent, I think it's a playoff team." Following a tough year in close games in 2025, Cowherd thinks the scales will balance out for the Giants in 2026. Cowherd pointed to a trend from last season as the reason why he thinks the Cowboys could hold themselves back. "Here's the other thing, which has become a disturbing trend for the Cowboys. They were the most penalized team in the NFL last year. They did some big things well, like scoring. They did a lot of little things poorly. I have the Cowboys better, but not a playoff team." Washington was placed fourth in the division, pointing to roster turnover at key positions like left tackle and overall roster age as major obstacles for their prospects. "Washington just doesn't have enough talent. They lost Laremy Tunsil, their left tackle, who's a beast. Second-oldest roster in the NFL. I just don't like Washington right now going forward," Cowherd said. Moving to the NFC North, Cowherd went with the Detroit Lions to win the division, citing offensive firepower and draft adjustments. "I think the Lions have a combination of the best roster in the division and the easiest schedule in the entire league this year," Cowherd said. "I would argue quarterback, running back, tight end, wide receivers, they have the best group in the NFL." Cowherd added last year was considered a down year for Detroit and the offense still wound up amongst the league's best. "They were the only team to have a top-five scoring offense in the last four years. Even last year, when they struggled, it was top five." Last year's NFC North champions, the Chicago Bears, were picked to finish second in 2026 by Cowherd. "They were a great fourth quarter team last year. They probably can't quite equal that magic, but when they won the turnover battle, and nobody talks about this one, Chicago, they were 10-1 when they won the turnover battle," Cowherd said. Cowherd also pointed to Bears quarterback Caleb Williams, who does not have a history of turning the ball over. "Caleb Williams doesn't turn the ball over. He didn't in high school. He didn't in college. Even in the Eberflus year, 20 touchdowns, six picks. He is not a turnover quarterback. I have them for second." The Green Bay Packers were picked by Cowherd to finish third in the division, despite the number of key pieces they have slated to return, ahead of the Minnesota Vikings. "Not only do they get Michael Parsons back in October, but they also get Tucker Kraft back, who looks to be a star young tight end in the NFL for years to come. Christian Watson got hurt. Jaden Reed got hurt," Cowherd said. Cowherd also suggested the Packers may have reached their ceiling. "They've not been a great September team, but they've been a wild card team in the last three seasons," Cowherd said. Minnesota landed in fourth place in Cowherd's prediction, but he said this shouldn't discredit what the Vikings are capable of. "Minnesota is going to be the best fourth-place team in the NFL," Cowherd said. "Christian Darrisaw is back at left tackle. I love the coach and the defensive coordinator. There's not a lot here I don't like, but Kyler Murray's backup is either J.J. McCarthy or Carson Wentz. I don't trust either." Despite an established coaching staff and offensive line talent, backup quarterback depth creates vulnerability behind starter Kyler Murray. Cowherd also pointed out how prone to turnovers and the injury history of all three quarterbacks on the roster. The NFC South featured a surprise pick from Cowherd, with the New Orleans Saints taking first place behind quarterback Tyler Shough, thanks in part to a favorable schedule. "Second easiest schedule in football is the Saints," Cowherd said. "I thought they played very well at the end of last year. Tyler Shough, nobody paid attention, but they won four of their last five games." Cowherd added that the NFC South is usually unpredictable most seasons. "This is a division where you see teams go from last to first on a regular basis." The Carolina Panthers were picked for second place, highlighting leadership under Dave Canales and general manager Dan Morgan alongside offensive line stability for Bryce Young. "I think Carolina has the coach and the general manager for the future. Dave Canales and Dan Morgan are excellent. I think they've given Bryce Young a lot to work with." Cowherd also pointed out the inconsistencies on the offensive line last year. "They had 11 different starting O-line combinations last year, so it was a bit of a mess in front of Bryce Young. I think they'll get that corrected," Cowherd said. Tampa Bay was picked to finish third by Cowherd, who pointed to recent offensive slumps, defensive regressions, and coaching pressure following late-season struggles. "You got a coach on the hot seat. You got a new offensive coordinator, 20th-ranked defense last year. No Mike Evans. Lost seven of the nine games down the stretch," Cowherd said. "So they were a bit of a mess offensively, and they weren't great defensively." Atlanta rounded out the division in fourth place, with Cowherd citing early road schedule challenges and unanswered questions at quarterback. "I like the coach, like the owner. I think the GM is pretty sharp. There's a couple of players like Drake London, a Bijan Robinson I love, but who's the quarterback? We don't know," Cowherd said. "Cross my fingers with Michael Penix, but they start with three of their first four games on the road." In the NFC West, Cowherd selected the Seattle Seahawks to claim the division title over the Los Angeles Rams, praising Seattle's performance in road games and young core talent. "Here's what I love about Seattle: the last two years best road team in the league, and I mean a fantastic road team, 15 and two," Cowherd said. "They're returning all their best players. All of them are in their prime." Cowherd went on to highlight the Seahawks' ability to win away from home and performance against other playoff teams as key factors. Cowherd placed the Rams second as Super Bowl contenders, acknowledging both Seattle and Los Angeles rank among the top teams in the league. "They return all 11 offensive starters. There's no reason to debate this. They could win the Super Bowl. I think these two teams, in my opinion, are the best two teams in the NFL: Seahawks, Rams, one and two in my book," Cowherd said. However, the hype surrounding the Rams is not enough to convince Cowherd. "I'll take Seattle to win over the Rams. Everybody in the world's telling me the Rams are going to win the Super Bowl. The team is hearing that. You know what?" Cowherd said. "They're going to be a really really good team and win 11 games. I think Seattle could win 12." San Francisco was picked to finish third by Cowherd, pointing to an aging roster coming off major surgical recoveries and defensive pass rush struggles. "They were 20th ranked in defense. They struggled to get to the quarterback. They have the oldest roster," Cowherd said. "They are highly reliant at left tackle, running back, edge rusher, linebacker on veteran players who are coming off injuries." Arizona was projected to finish fourth in the division as the team undergoes a rebuild while playing in arguably the toughest division in football. "Arizona, bit of a mess. 0-6 against the division last year," Cowherd said. "They're playing like the Jets for next year's draft. Arizona at fourth place."