Only 6 out of 29 NFL.com analysts think the Cowboys will win the NFC East

Gil Brandt believes the Dallas Cowboys can win the Super Bowl this season.

The Cowboys are The Sporting News’ pick to win Super Bowl 54 (31-27 over the Chiefs).

And Jerry Jones, head cheerleader for the Dallas Cowboys, thinks the team has the best depth since, well, since he’s been in football, apparently.

“I think that we have had as much depth as long as I’ve been here. [...] I think we are going to have a team who has a great front line and I think we have the best depth that we’ve ever had since I’ve been in football.”

All of that positivity about the Cowboys may have left you feeling a bit worried that too many people were pushing the Cowboys as NFC East favorites.

Well, worry no more, because the staff at NFL.com have taken it upon themselves to remedy that in one fell swoop.

Earlier this week, NFL.com published the playoff predictions of 29 NFL.com writers, commentators, and personalities, all 29 of which NFL.com calls “analysts.” Those predictions range from the ridiculous to the sublime and 23 of them have the Cowboys missing out on the division title.

The Eagles were picked for the Division title 23 times, which just goes to show that the East Coast-bias is immune to learning from the past: in the same NFL.com exercise last year, the Eagles got 19 out of 21 possible votes for the division title, but then needed their starting QB to get injured to even reach the playoffs.

The Giants, who will start the season with a guy impersonating an NFL-quality quarterback throwing to a bunch of guys impersonating an NFL wide receiving corps, didn’t get a nod for the division crown, but did get one vote as a potential wildcard team. And that vote came courtesy of Shaun O’Hara.

The Redskins weren’t picked a single time, certainly not for the division title, and didn’t even get an O’Hara-style pity vote for a Wildcard berth. How quickly we forget that the Redskins were leading the NFC East with a 6-3 record after Week 10 last season, while the Eagles and Cowboys were both sitting on disastrous 4-5 starts. The Redskins would lose Alex Smith to a gruesome injury the next week and lose six of their remaining seven games, but with moderately competent QB play, they might be the team to watch out for in the NFC East this year.

Cowboys fans may find some comfort in the fact that 13 of the NFL.com folks are picking the Cowboys to at least secure a wildcard berth, but that still leaves 10 analysts who don’t think the Cowboys will make the playoffs at all this year.

Of course, there’s an easy way to fix all that.

Win the first three games and then never give up the division lead all the way to the division title.

In the meantime, we’re taking names.