NFC East Breakdown: Two-Horse Race?
Dallas and Washington may be falling from grace
by: Bob Bonett
It became clear this past week that two teams in the East – the Giants and Eagles – are Super Bowl contenders, while the other two – the 'Skins and 'Boys – will be in a desperate fight to stay in playoff contention. The latter two have Bye Weeks coming up, leaving New York and Philadelphia to battle for supremacy in the East.
Let's break down the NFC East:
1) New York Giants (7-1)
That Dallas game was a thriller, wasn't it? Just over a month ago, the Nov. 2 contest between Big D and Big Blue was looked at as the battle for NFC laurels; it turned into a showcase for Justin Tuck and the Giants defense, and an embarrassment of epic proportions for Wade Phillips and the 'Boys.
Eli Manning and Plaxico Burress clearly still have a long way to go on the chemistry page. And as deadly as Brandon Jacobs, Derrick Ward and Ahmad Bradshaw may be out of the backfield, if the opposition packs the box, offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride will be forced to order up the pass. New York won the Super Bowl last year on the backs of heroic performances by the QB-to-WR combo. No doubt the G-Men are looking to rekindle that hookup.
New York heads to Philly this weekend. Don't be overconfident, Giants fans. D-Mac and B-West look poised to pull off an upset.
2) Washington Redskins (6-3)
Yes, head coach Jim Zorn has been great, but has he been riding the coattails of Clinton Portis a little too much? After Monday Night, that looks to be the case. As good as Jason Campbell has looked as Portis' sidekick, he still can't carry the team on his own in the crunch. What's this mean? Top defenses like the Steelers will put seven men up front, and force the Washington offense to the air – a strategy that equaled all of six points in last week's drubbing.
Washington has a week off to mull things over before taking on the Cowboys and, probably, Tony Romo. If they win convincingly, Washington is right back in the thick of things. But loss No. 3 in five games? Time for owner Daniel Snyder to hit the panic button.
3) Philadelphia Eagles (5-3)
Philly has turned it around. Donovan McNabb has a chip on his shoulder, fueling him to let loose on the 'Niners, Falcons and 'Hawks the past three games.
Even better for McNabb and the offense? Brian Westbrook is operating at 100 percent heading into his game against the Giants – a team he has averaged almost 150 all-purpose yards in their last three meetings.
The odds makers will have the Iggles as underdogs for Sunday night's game. But at Lincoln Financial Field? No way; I'm picking Philly.
4) Dallas Cowboys (5-4)
At this point, all you can do if you are Dallas is get out the Men in Black memory eraser and zap the entire state of Texas. As much as Tony Romo has gotten heat over his career for being overrated, Brad Johnson and Brooks Bollinger managed to move the Cowboys from No. 1 contender to NFC East punching bag.
A Bye Week will surely bring another seven days of whining from owner Jerry Jones, but it will also allow Romo and the team to watch some film and, more importantly, heal.
Washington will be next up on the schedule for Dallas; a must-win game for the Cowboys. It may take an 11-5 record to take home a Wild Card berth in the NFC, and I doubt the 'Boys will want to face the Steelers, Giants and Eagles in elimination games down the road.
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