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The NFC East is one of the premier divisions in the NFL, regardless of whether the teams in it are Super Bowl contenders. The Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, and Washington Commanders always spark debate and controversy due to the history of their rivalries.
Robert Griffin III offered a spicy take on one NFC East team during Friday's episode of NFL Live. Griffin believes that can happen if Carson Wentz plays like his 2017 self, who almost won the MVP award. Griffin said:
“The Washington Commanders have surprise Super Bowl contender written all over them. The reason they went and got Carson Wentz is because if he plays like he did last year, they will at least be in playoff contention because it was better than the quarterback play they had last year. But if he can turn the clock back to 2017 where he was an MVP candidate? He can help lead the Washington Commanders on a deep playoff push."
Griffin's love for his former NFC East team furthered beyond Wentz. The former Heisman Trophy winner went through the impressive roster the Commanders have stockpiled.
The ESPN analyst acknowledged that all the pieces of the puzzle have to come together for his bold prediction to come true. Griffin said:
"They're loaded at wide receiver. Scary Terry, they got a healthy Curtis Samuel, and Jahan Dotson that they just drafted from Penn State. And that defensive line, Chase Young, Montez Sweat, Day’Ron Payne, Jonathan Allen. The defensive line has to show up now. That defense underperformed last year and because of that, they struggled collectively as a team. But if they can get all those ifs, and it's a lot of ifs, to go together? Their roster is stacked and it's the best roster Washington has had in at least the last 10 years.”
Griffin isn't alone in believing the Commanders can win the NFC East and beyond. Chase Young spoke on the Rich Eisen Show, and his confidence level is extremely high.
Can the Commanders win the NFC East, let alone the Super Bowl?
Before the Commanders can become Super Bowl contenders, they need to solidify themselves as NFC East contenders. The Commander's 7-10 season in 2021 left a foul taste in the mouths of fans and analysts.
Their grandest acquisition of the offseason outside of Wentz was drafting Jahan Dotson in the first round. They're banking on returning players getting healthy and improving, while teams like the Eagles have overhauled their roster entirely.
The quarterback is the most pressurized position in sports. Wentz's play will be the deciding outcome in who wins the NFC East.
With fierce competition from Dak Prescott and Jalen Hurts, Wentz will have to play mistake-free, clean football.
The Commanders are entering their third season under head coach Ron Rivera. They've won just seven games each season. Before they can become NFC East contenders, Rivera will have to prove he's the right man for the job.
A boulder of responsibility will fall on the players' shoulders to prove they can stay healthy for an entire 17-game season.
