Obviously the Super Bowl champion carries weight, but the resume looks better when beating a divisional opponent deep in the playoffs. Take a look at the Philadelphia Eagles, who defeated the Washington Commanders in the NFC Championship -- a conference title game featuring two teams from the same division.

Brian Schottenheimer's first year as coach of the Dallas Cowboys won't be easy, especially with the recent ranking of the NFC East among the rest of the league.

The Cowboys finished the 2024 season with a 7-10 record and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2020. Dallas is anticipating the return of key players such as Dak Prescott, Trevon Diggs, and DeMarvion Overshown from injury this season, with Prescott expected to be ready to go for Week 1.