Ex-Jets GM Makes Heads Turn by Saying Only the Packers and the Bucs Are Better Than the Commanders in the NFC

Last year, the Philadelphia Eagles showed that they are the kings of the NFL and the NFC. Meanwhile, teams like the Green Bay Packers, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the Washington Commanders were just a level below them. All were solid teams that managed to get double-digit wins en route to playoff spots. But when push came to shove, the Eagles showed they were the toast of the conference.

Despite this, former NFL GM Mike Tannenbaum believes that the Commanders … the very team the Eagles trounced in the NFC Championship … are now better than Philadelphia.

On top of that, Tannenbaum thinks the Packers and Bucs are better than Washington. And he made these claims while practically ignoring not only the Eagles, but also the Detroit Lions as NFC contenders.

“The Packers and the Bucs, barely,” Tanenbaum said on First Take when responding to who he thinks is better than the Washington Commanders going into this season.  

“Whoa, whoa, whoa. You mean, that’s it? The Packers and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers? No Philadelphia?” Stephen A. Smith fired back.

Smith looked shocked too, like the rest of us. He couldn’t believe the former GM simply left out the reigning Super Bowl champions.

That’s why Tannenbaum took the time to explain his reasoning. But it almost made his argument worse. 

“Jayden Daniels is probably the best quarterback outside of Jordan Love in the NFC… Look at all of the defensive players Philadelphia has lost. They’re going to have at least 4 or 5 new starters,” Tannenbaum said.

Now, that is an egregious statement. Jordan Love should feel lucky to even be mentioned as the best quarterback in the NFC. He’s proven to be a solid leader who’s capable of winning playoff games, but there’s just no way he’s shown he’s better than Jalen Hurts.

On top of that, acting like the Eagles will be completely cooked defensively because they lost a few players is a bit silly. They still have several guys who can make an impact, like Jalen Carter, Zack Baun, Quinyon Mitchell, and Cooper DeJean. Likewise, suggesting that the Commanders’ defense is suddenly fixed because of a few new additions feels just as foolish.

No wonder Stephen A. ripped into his co-host hard. 

“So, a middle-of-the-road defense. You’re going to put them above the reigning, defending Super Bowl champions? Who still got Saquon Barkley, I mean, AJ Brown, Devonta Smith, and an elite offensive line, if I remember correctly. You’re still going to look at the Washington Commanders, and you don’t even mention the Philadelphia Eagles?” Stephen A. questioned. 

They were fair questions for the famed analyst to ask. Fan sentiment seemed to agree with his harsh critique of Tannenbaum too. Many are saying the former GM lost his job for a reason and should never be allowed in a front office again.

Maybe that’s going too far. First Take is all about having hot takes that drive up engagement, and Tannenbaum nailed that here. But saying that the Commanders are better than the Eagles is far from the worst thing.

It’s almost as though Stephen A. didn’t process Tannenbaum saying that the Packers and Bucs are better than both the Commanders and Eagles. Really? How can you make that argument with a straight face? The Commanders literally just beat the Bucs in the playoffs last year. And what have the Packers done since 2021 to be considered better than the NFC East rivals? 

All in all, this was a bad take from Tannenbaum. The Commanders are a hype team going into the new season, but let’s not disrespect Hurts and the Eagles in the process. Although fans in the comments were also quick to point out that the former GM has seemingly had an agenda against the Philadelphia quarterback ever since he entered the league. So, this is really nothing new.