NFC East: Examining Over/Under Win Totals for the 2022 Season

There is definitely some intrigue in this division as the Dallas Cowboys try to hold off several contenders in an effort to defend their crown. Mike McCarthy's team has already suffered a big blow with the injury to offensive tackle Tyron Smith. That alone could close the gap. The Philadelphia Eagles made some shrewd moves in the offseason to try and get back to the playoffs while the Washington Commanders have handed the reigns of their offense over to Carson Wentz. The New York Giants also could be an intriguing team with new leadership and expecting big contributions from this year's draft class. Let's take a look at the win totals and see if there are any value plays.

NFL Win Totals for 2022: AFC East I AFC North I AFC South I AFC West I NFC East I NFC North I NFC South I NFC West

(Lines provided by DraftKings Sportsbook)

Dallas Cowboys (Over 10 -110...Under 10 -110)

Division Champion Odds: +150

Offense: Dak Prescott is coming off a 37-touchdown, 10-interception season for the Cowboys, and approaching those numbers again could be difficult with the changes in the wide receiver room. Gone are Amari Cooper (Cleveland) and Cedrick Wilson Jr. (Miami). Former Steeler James Washington signed in free agency, but he got hurt in training camp and Michael Gallup is still recovering from a torn ACL. CeeDee Lamb will be asked to carry a heavy load early along with rookie Jalen Tolbert and unproven Noah Brown. Plenty of eyes will be on Ezekiel Elliott to see how much he has left in the tank, although he is coming off another 1,000-yard campaign. Expect Tony Pollard to get even more involved in the offense. The line also isn't as strong as it has been in the past and that was before Tyron Smith got hurt. First-round pick Tyler Smith will be called on right away to help make up for Tyron Smith's absence.

Defense: This side of the ball is pretty much intact besides Randy Gregory (Denver) and Keanu Neal (Tampa Bay) signing elsewhere. Dante Fowler Jr. was brought in as Gregory's replacement and could put up similar numbers as a pass rusher. The heartbeat of the defense is Micah Parsons, the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year and first-team All-Pro, who recorded 13 sacks. Coordinator Dan Quinn moved him around the formation quite a bit, which made him tough to block. Trevon Diggs is back after a very interesting All-Pro season in which he had 11 interceptions but also allowed the most passing yards in the league. We'll see which of those stats changes the most and that'll determine his 2022 performance.

Schedule Note: Dallas doesn't ease into the season with home games against Tampa Bay and Cincinnati in the first two weeks. The Cowboys then have three of their next four on the road, including back-to-back trips to face the Rams and Eagles. Dallas also closes out the regular season with three of four away from home, but this stretch includes Jacksonville and Washington.

Prediction: Pretty solid number, as 10 is what I came up with.

Related: Dallas Cowboys Depth Chart

New York Giants (Over 7 -110...Under 7 -110)

Division Champion Odds: 8/1

Offense: The hire of Brian Daboll as head coach means there's finally someone who knows offense in the organization. This is the last season for quarterback Daniel Jones to prove he belongs after accounting for only 12 touchdowns last year. The team signed Tyrod Taylor, a reliable backup who could be the answer if Jones falters. Saquon Barkley had a miserable 2021 campaign with just 593 rushing yards and four total touchdowns. They addressed the offensive line in the offseason, but we'll see if there's any improvement there. The other key for the offense is health, as we saw Kadarius Toney and Sterling Shepard, among others, miss games with an injury at points last season. Kenny Golladay also has to get back to the wide receiver he was in Detroit.

Defense: New York addressed the defense early in the draft by taking Oregon's Kayvon Thibodeaux in the first round. He got hurt in the preseason and will likely miss several games. The Giants had only 34 sacks last season (22nd in the NFL) and also didn't force enough turnovers. They released cornerback James Bradberry, so that's a spot that bears watching. New defensive coordinator Don Martindale has his work cut out for hi if they want to succeed, especially with such a young linebacking corps. Blake Martinez also needs to stay healthy, provide leadership and produce.

Schedule Notes: The Giants have just three true road games in the first eight weeks of the season and also will be making a trip in Week 5 to play Green Bay in London. After the Week 9 bye, New York has four of seven on the road, including all of its NFC East contests.

Prediction: Slight lean to the over, but that's also because I think Taylor steps in at QB and is an upgrade.

Related: New York Giants Depth Chart

Philadelphia Eagles (Over 9.5 -160...Under 9.5 +130)

Division Champion Odds: +150

Offense: It's a huge season for Jalen Hurts, who is a year away from a potential payday or finding another team. The Eagles upgraded his weapons by trading with Tennessee on the first night of the draft for Hurts' good friend A.J. Brown. Pairing him with speedster DeVonta Smith and solid slot receiver Zach Pascal means there will be plenty of options. And don't forget about tight end Dallas Goedert. When the team does run the ball it'll be with Hurts, Miles Sanders, Kenneth Gainwell, and Boston Scott, and it'll be behind the best offensive line in the league. There's no excuse for this team not to score points consistently.

Defense: The Eagles finally have a ton of talent at linebacker, a position the team has neglected in the past. Free-agent signings Kyzir White (Chargers) and Haason Reddick (Panthers) immediately boost this position group and the latter gives the pass rush a jolt. The defensive line gets a rejuvenated Brandon Graham, who is looking to bounce back after an injury-plagued 2021, and rookie Jordan Davis will clog up the middle and make plays behind the line of scrimmage. The biggest hole on this side is at safety. There's no reliable playmaker on the roster right now, although the team did acquire former Saint Chauncey Gardner-Johnson on final cuts day. Cornerback is in great shape with James Bradberry joining Darius Slay as the starters and Avonte Maddox serving as one of the top slot corners in the league.

Schedule Notes: The Eagles appear to have caught a break in terms of the quarterbacks they will face this season. Aaron Rodgers, Dak  Prescott (twice), and Kyler Murray will all offer stiff challenges, but Philadelphia also draws Carson Wentz and Daniel Jones twice each, along with Jared Goff (Detroit), Mitchell Trubisky (Pittsburgh), and Davis Mills (Houston), presumably. In mid-December, the Eagles have three straight road games — Giants, Bears, Cowboys.

Prediction: This one was bet up from an 8.5 opener, but there's no reason they shouldn't win 10 or more. I'm not recommending -160, though, so shop around.

Related: Philadelphia Eagles Depth Chart

Washington Commanders (Over 8 EVEN...Under 8 -120)

Division Champion Odds: 5/1

Offense: The Commanders hope that Carson Wentz returns to his early form, or else he'll join the long line of underachieving quarterbacks to suit up for Washington. Last season, he seemingly went to an ideal spot in Indianapolis and underperformed tremendously. Now he's getting a third chance at being a starter. Wentz does inherit wide receiver Terry McLaurin, who got paid this offseason, so that combination should click. There's also a solid group of tight ends to aid him and first-round pick Jahan Dotson, who has looked good in training camp. And don't forget about Curtis Samuel, who is looking to put last season's disastrous, injury-plagued debut in a Washington uniform behind him. The backfield was shaping up to be an interesting decision with third-round pick Brian Robinson Jr. reportedly surpassing Antonio Gibson as the early-down option, but that was before the rookie from Alabama was shot twice in the lower body during an alleged robbery attempt in Washington, D.C., on Sunday. Robinson is expected to make a full recovery and hasn't been ruled out for the season, but this probably means Gibson's workhorse role is safe, for now. J.D. McKissic was originally planning on signing with Buffalo this offseason before changing his mind. He'll resume his role as the primary pass-catching back. This offense could surprise if Wentz locks in, cuts down on the self-inflicted mistakes, and resists the temptation to do too much himself.

Defense: When you look at the depth chart, you feel like this defense should be a lot better than it was last season. Giving up points early in the game and not getting off the field on third down have been this unit's biggest issues. That puts more pressure on coordinator Jack Del Rio to fix these tendencies. He will not have Chase Young for the first four games at least as he continues his recovery from a torn ACL. That doesn't mean the defensive line will be bad because Jonathan Allen, Montez Sweat, and Daron Payne are still up front. The linebackers could be poised to take a step forward and the secondary could too, especially if this group can clear up its communication. William Jackson III got better as the year went on, and Kendall Fuller is solid at the other starting cornerback spot. The pieces are there for this defense to return to its 2020 form when the unit finished second overall in yards allowed per game.

Schedule Notes: The Commanders have a very late bye, so they'll play 13 straight weeks before some time off. They alternate home and road contests a lot of that stretch with the away games being manageable outside of tests at Dallas, Indianapolis, and Philadelphia. The payoff comes late when Washington has three of its final four at home, including the Giants, Browns, and Cowboys.

Prediction: Eight is a solid number with a chance to go over if the right Wentz shows up.

Related: Washington Commanders Depth Chart

— Written by Matt Josephs, who is a part of the Athlon Sports Contributor Network. Follow him on Twitter @MidMajorMatt.