NFL True or False: Are Cowboys favorites in NFC East and other hot topics

theScore's NFL editors debate the hot topics around the NFL. Grab a cold towel and brace for hot takes.

Ravens will fix offense in time to make playoffs Patrick Smith / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Alessandrini: True

Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens' offense certainly appear out of sync, but let's not forget expectations are extremely high. This is, after all, the team that holds the NFL record for most consecutive regular-season games scoring 20 points or more.

Baltimore's offense took the league by storm in 2019 with the pistol formation, diverse running schemes, and three-tight end formations. But facing key injuries, head coach John Harbaugh has realized it's time for a full-on track meet. Rookies J.K. Dobbins and Devin Duvernay have seen their workloads increase lately, and sprinkling in a bit of Justice Hill can't hurt either. Unfortunately, neither Dobbins nor Mark Ingram will play Sunday against the rival Pittsburgh Steelers, but the first-year tailback's emergence should help moving forward.

The Ravens have matched up against stingy clubs over the last few weeks in the Steelers, Indianapolis Colts, New England Patriots, and Tennessee Titans. Luckily, life gets easier for Baltimore as three of its final five opponents rank near the bottom of the league in total defense. Things were clicking earlier in the year, and Jackson - the reigning MVP - and offensive coordinator Greg Roman can be trusted to right the ship. The duo just needs to make a few tweaks.

Browne: False

Despite a two-game losing streak, the Ravens' playoff odds according to FiveThirtyEight are still better than those of the three teams Baltimore will likely be fighting for wild-card spots - the Cleveland Browns (69%), Las Vegas Raiders (67%), and Miami Dolphins (33%). But the Ravens shouldn't believe they're a few small changes away from recapturing last season's offensive form.

One of Baltimore's biggest issues is its offensive line. It was an elite unit in 2019, but it's feeling the effects of losing left tackle Ronnie Stanley for the season and guard Marshal Yanda's retirement. The line has held up well considering its losses, but a vertical, speed-based offense can't operate effectively without consistently clean pockets. Maybe the Ravens can magic up some better pass protection for Jackson, but it's hard to see a dramatic improvement on the horizon.

Furthermore, while the Ravens have still managed to produce the league's top rushing attack amid their issues on the offensive line, the passing game has taken a big step back. Drives have stalled all season long as a direct result of this regression. Baltimore led the league with 2.95 points per drive in 2019, according to Football Outsiders, but it's fallen to 18th with 2.21 per drive this season. Jackson, meanwhile, has already matched his interception total from a year ago with six.

The Ravens' passing struggles are mostly due to a lack of reliable receiving options beyond tight end Mark Andrews. They also rank 22nd with a 58.8% red-zone touchdown percentage after finishing third in 2019, according to Team Rankings. That number has slumped to a dismal 50% over their last three games. Baltimore's soft schedule does afford it some opportunities to get back on track, but I'm going against the odds and predicting the decline will continue and leave the Ravens outside the playoff picture.

Steelers will go 16-0 Michael Reaves / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Alessandrini: True

Pittsburgh is simply too talented on both sides of the ball. Ben Roethlisberger appears fully healthy, completing 66% of his pass attempts for 1,088 yards, 11 touchdowns, and one interception over his last four games. He also has one of the NFL's deepest skill position groups at his disposal. Opponents can't limit every weapon, leading to separate games in which JuJu Smith-Schuster catches nine passes, Diontae Johnson goes over 100 yards (as he's done in each of the last two weeks), or rookie sensation Chase Claypool scores multiple touchdowns. James Conner, Eric Ebron, and James Washington are all capable of pitching in, too.

Then there's the defense. Not only is it the No. 1 scoring unit in the league, but there's a superstar at every turn. T.J. Watt is elite against the pass and run, Stephon Tuitt is second to only Aaron Donald in total pressures and sacks among interior defenders, and Minkah Fitzpatrick is continuing his opportunistic ways with five turnovers in 2020. This group has already shut down Jackson, Derrick Henry, Ezekiel Elliott, and Deshaun Watson, among many others.

The Steelers can and should beat anyone, as they effectively match up with elite offenses and defenses any given week. Tough opponents remain on Pittsburgh's schedule, and history isn't on its side. But the Steelers should have little issue disposing of any team that gets in their way before the playoffs.

Browne: False

The Steelers do have a strong case as the league's top team, even beyond their spotless record. Their plus-124 point differential is the best in the league, with only the Kansas City Chiefs (plus-107) anywhere close. They also sit third in Football Outsiders' DVOA metric and PFF's team grades.

Pittsburgh is a well-rounded and well-coached team. But it's not a historically dominant one akin to the squads that previously reached or approached perfection. Sixteen other teams have started 10-0 in the Super Bowl era. Just two of them - the 2007 Patriots and 1972 Dolphins - finished the regular season undefeated, and only three ended the campaign with one loss. In short, it's really hard to be perfect in the NFL. The odds are stacked against Pittsburgh.

The Steelers will play four teams with winning records in their final six games after playing three over their first 10. They have road tilts with the 7-3 Buffalo Bills and 7-3 Browns and will host the 7-3 Colts and 6-4 Ravens. The AFC North leaders are certainly capable of winning all four games; they did destroy Cleveland 38-7 in Week 6. But Pittsburgh's two wins against winning teams so far (the Ravens and Titans) came by a combined seven points.

As Big Ben said, Pittsburgh is "chasing Lombardis" instead of a perfect regular season - and rightfully so.

Cowboys are favorites to win the NFC East Tom Pennington / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Browne: True

Someone has to emerge as the least awful team in the NFC East, and it's right to say the Dallas Cowboys have the best chance of earning that honor.

Dallas looked flawed in its 31-28 win over the Minnesota Vikings last Sunday, but the game provided a blueprint for future success: ride Elliott early and often, get the ball of Andy Dalton's hand quickly so a stacked receiver group can do the heavy lifting, and avoid total disaster on defense.

The Cowboys own the league's second-easiest remaining strength of schedule, with the Ravens their only opponent left with a winning record. The division-leading Philadelphia Eagles, meanwhile, have the NFL's fifth-hardest schedule featuring four playoff-caliber opponents in the New Orleans Saints, Green Bay Packers, Seattle Seahawks, and Arizona Cardinals. The Washington Football Team and New York Giants both face tough slates to end the season, too, with the 15th- and 11th-hardest remaining schedules, respectively.

Dallas' three divisional games played so far are also the fewest in the NFC East, so its fate remained firmly in its hands. If the Cowboys can beat Washington on Thursday and the Joe Burrow-less Cincinnati Bengals in Week 14, they will cement themselves as the clear favorites.

Alessandrini: False

Let's hold off on crowning the Cowboys with six games to go, shall we? This is a team that ranks 21st in scoring offense, 32nd in scoring defense, and last in the NFC with a minus-83 point differential.

Yes, Dalton's return to the lineup gives Dallas as realistic a shot at winning the division as possible without Dak Prescott, but the Cowboys still have plenty of issues to sort through. The offensive line is a shell of what observers are accustomed to seeing, due in large part to injuries, and that's impacted Elliott's level of play. Then there's the secondary, which has allowed a league-high 24 passing touchdowns this season and shown little-to-no signs of improvement in recent weeks.

The NFC East may be the laughingstock of the NFL, but any of its other three squads could easily sneak into the postseason instead of Dallas. In fact, there's an argument that Washington - fielding the division's best defense - or New York - the group's hottest team - should be viewed as the favorite. The Cowboys already lost to the Eagles and Washington, too.

Dallas may have a cakewalk schedule remaining, but the Cowboys have yet to display any confidence-instilling consistency in 2020. This is Jerry Jones' team, after all - it always seems to mess something up.

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