Foles Gittin R done against the Patriots.

One of my bosses is going strictly by the numbers.

If the Eagles lose Sunday they're statistically, not mathematically eliminated from the playoffs.

Historically 3-7 teams don't get in.

But this is the new age of football. One where you can take those old stats and stick them you-know-where. A lot of those old numbers came when teams ran the ball. When you could tackle without worrying about getting fined. When a concussion was just a ding. When salary caps and free agency were backroom chit-chat.

The  Giants lost five of six games in a mid-season swoon, won their last two and laughed all the way to winning the Super Bowl. Obviously it helped to start 6-2.

Here's the new reality in the NFC East:

• The Giants are 6-4. They've lost two in a row. 
• The Cowboys (4-5) snapped a two-game skid with a win over the Eagles. 
• The Redskins (3-6) have lost three in a row. 
•  The Eagles have lost five in a row. 

The way the NFC East is now, 8-8 or 7-9 might be good enough to win the division. That's never  happened. But the Giants, Cowboys and Eagles made it close last year before the Giants got hot and finished 9-7.

At some point an NFC East team has to get hot. The Eagles, with Nick Foles at quarterback, might not be such a dark-horse after all.

Follow @BobGrotz on Twitter.