As the 2021 NFL season is coming down to the stretch run, it may surprise some younger fans to know that NFC East holds a dominating lead in the most Super Bowl titles.
The playoffs are just around the corner, with Week 14 already underway following the Vikings win on Thursday Night Football. Contenders try to position themselves for the upcoming postseason.
This means that we’ll crown a new Super Bowl champion in fewer than two months.
In total, NFC East teams produced 13 Super Bowl victories thorough the history of the big game.
Of course, although they can’t legally bet on their team in the state, deep in their hearts, folks around Texas know the team behind a lot of those wins.
Inside the Dallas Cowboys Super Bowl Dynasty
The Dallas Cowboys own five Super Bowl titles, which places them among the most successful franchises of all time. They’re tied with the San Francisco 49ers at five, while they trail both Pittsburgh and New England with six.
While Dallas won two of its Super Bowls titles in the 1970s, fans remember it best for its dynasty from the 1990s.
As many recall, the triplets led that team, consisting of quarterback Troy Aikman, running back Emmitt Smith, and receiver Michael Irvin. All three players are now in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
The Cowboys took part in one of the biggest blowouts in Super Bowl history when it toppled the Bills in 1992. They won by a final of 52-17.
The following season was slightly closer but ended with the same result. Dallas took down Buffalo again, this time by 17 points.
A tiff between owner Jerry Jones and then-coach Jimmy Johnson led to a change, and Cowboys fans will tell you things were never the same. They wound up losing in the NFC Championship to San Francisco to conclude the 1994 season.
New coach Barry Switzer and his extremely talented roster made it back in 1995, though, getting another win over Pittsburgh. This contest was much tighter than the prior two for Dallas, but it still ended in a 10-point triumph.
The following year, Dallas lost in the Divisional Playoffs before going 6-10, with Switzer resigning in 1997.
The Cowboys last title occurred in 1995, to the dismay of many. They’ve been mostly mediocre over the last two decades, however, they won three rings in four years during the 1990s.
Before Dallas claimed its first during that span, the Washington Football Team won its latest. Washington beat the Buffalo Bills in 1991 to add to its two titles from the 1980s.
Although Dallas isn’t the favorite to bring home another this season, it isn’t far off. DraftKings Sportsbook shows it with the eighth-best odds in the NFL, available at +1300.
While awaiting the next dynasty, Dallas still posts high fan loyalty, currently leading all teams in current Pro Bowl fan voting.
How the divisions stack up in Super Bowl wins
Besides the Cowboys ranking among teams with the most championships, the NFC East leads this category in part because all four teams have contributed.
This sweep means that the NFC East is the only current division where all four members have a title.
Only three others out of the total of eight divisions can brag of having three teams with a Super Bowl win. These are the NFC West, along with the AFC West and East.
The NFC East’s most recent title was the missing fourth team in the Philadelphia Eagles. They took the title in 2017 over the Patriots in a dramatic fashion.
The division has seen two other rings won somewhat recently, with the New York Giants’ titles in 2007 and 2011. They also defeated New England in both of these games.
Many will remember the first one more thoroughly, as it prevented the Patriots from completing their perfect season. They entered the Super Bowl with an 18-0 record but failed to seal the deal against Eli Manning and the stout Giants defensive front.
This leaves the 1972 Miami Dolphins as the only squad to win the Super Bowl with an undefeated record.
Imagine how many trophies Tom Brady would have if he didn’t face the NFC East in these games.
Dallas leads the group with the five overall, the Giants at four, Washington with three, and Philadelphia’s one.
The Brady factor raised the AFC East placement
The AFC East holds second place in this battle for divisional Super Bowls. It has nine titles overall, thanks mainly to the recent Patriots run with Brady.
New England owns six championships, with the first coming in 2001 and the latest in 2018.
The Miami Dolphins account for two rings, while the New York Jets got their first and only behind Joe Namath in 1969.
Buffalo was close to getting back to the big game a year ago but fell short in the AFC Championship to Kansas City. The Bills lost their four consecutive appearances in the Super Bowl in the early 90s.
One would have expected the Patriots to fall off for a bit with Brady now in Tampa, but they’re looking solid this year. Coach Bill Belichick’s team is 9-4 and currently in first place overall in the AFC.
With rookie quarterback Mac Jones, the Pats are listed with the third-best odds to win the Super Bowl this year. DraftKings has them with odds of +700.
Both the AFC North and West are right behind the East’s mark of nine. They each have eight Super Bowls apiece.
The only other division close to double digits is the NFC West at seven.
The bottom three divisions round out with the NFC North at five, NFC South with three, and the AFC South in last at two.