Basically,
the story here is simple enough, and broken into three parts of
one question.
Can
Dallas get healthy, and then play well and not as if they haven’t
been on the field together for weeks, before…
…the
Giants learn some consistency…
…the
Eagles sort out their problems?
It’s
not pretty here in the NFC East. The trick is, I’m not sure any
of the three candidates for a playoff slot from this division
will settle down and play decent football for multiple weeks in
a row. Which is important. Because if they all keep stumbling,
scraping their knees, and hovering around even, then only the
division winner goes to the playoffs and the wild cards are coming
from elsewhere. Shame, too, since I think any of these three teams…
healthy and neutral field conditions… could defeat any of the
second place teams from any other division in the NFC.
Seriously.
Amazing as it may seem to think about when you check out the standings…
if the Cowboys, Giants and even the Eagles do figure things out,
any one of them could be a viable threat in the playoffs to win
pretty much any game.
(Now
calm down… I’m not saying anyone in the NFC is ready to defeat
the Packers, especially in a game at Lambeau. Instead… just consider…
Dallas with a healthy offense… New York and the Coughlin/Manning
history in the playoffs, especially when counted out… Philadelphia
righting their ship and getting out of this division, likely meaning
the defense is doing well and the offense is finally clicking.
Now match any of those three teams, with a divisional win earning
a first playoff game at home, playing Atlanta, Carolina, St. Louis,
Seattle, Minnesota, and you get the idea… any of the three could
win a game or two.)
Dallas
(2-2)
Let’s
face it… health… easy enough.
With
so many stars out it isn’t even worth debating where they are,
how they’re playing, or what the rest of the season holds.
One
thing worth noting… they’ll only have Washington as a divisional
opponent after November 8th, and by then they’ll have already
played New England. So, realistically, they could hit the game
on November 15th against Tampa Bay with virtually a full set players
having returned and only Green Bay remaining as a significant
force on their schedule.
New
York (2-2)
For
years, Tom Coughlin led the Giants to a stretch of 6 consecutive
wins at some point during the regular season. Last time that happened?
2008.
And
it’s kind of a shame, because at 2-2… with both losses coming
in games that they could have won… any stretch of 6 victories
this year would probably put every other team in this division
out of sight in the rear view mirror.
They
looked very good on the road against Buffalo this past week. And
with San Francisco coming up, followed by Philly and the likely
still to be limping Dallas, they have the opportunity to win at
least 5 in a row. Again though… inconsistent… and their defense
hasn’t been a shutdown, statement making, hold any lead unit.
Washington
(2-2)
This
is a weird situation. I just don’t believe in Washington. And
for now, here they sit in third.
The
bigger problem? Organizational. They haven’t figured out who they
are. They have no clue where they’re going. It’s an issue from
top to bottom. Watch…
Robert
Griffin III
Are
they holding on to him because they’re afraid of facing him if
he goes to another team this year, improves, and leads that team
to the playoffs?
Are
they holding on to him because they expect to play him at some
point?
Are
they holding on to him because they believe in him for the future,
but not right now?
Whatever…
and there are plenty of other twists on the same theme. They’re
treating him as if they’re scared. Scared of him succeeding elsewhere…
scared of having to pay him if he gets injured… and so on. It’s
indecisive, and it’s a trait you find throughout the organization
on virtually every issue.
The
entire organization needs an overhaul.
Philadelphia
(1-3)
Bradford
isn’t working out well… Kelly is being blasted… and on and on.
Winning
cures a lot though.
Trouble
is… they’re not out of the woods. Nope. Even after playing Atlanta,
Dallas and New York to start the season. Two games against the
Giants… the Patriots… and teams that possibly could have a lot
to play for in December like the Bills and Cardinals.
5
of the last 8 are at home… and they get a very interesting bonus.
They play on Thanksgiving, with the short week involving Tampa
Bay and Detroit. Two winnable games. (Unfortunately after those
games they get about ten days off to prepare for a trip to New
England, but you can’t have it all.)