It’s long been assumed that the N.F.C. West should be renamed to the N.F.C. Worst, but on Sunday the N.F.C. East staked it’s claim to be called the N.F.C. Least with two brutal losses in the only games they played on Sunday (both Dallas and Washington had a bye). In a division that has been one of the best divisions in football in the past decade (every team has been to the playoffs at least once), people were expecting a lot from the N.F.C. East heading into this season, but so far through the first five weeks the N.F.C. East really looks down. Rex Grossman’s “absurd” prediction that the Washington Redskins will win the division looks better every week.
The “Dream Team” was clearly the team to beat in the N.F.C. East on paper. But early, they have been the divisions worst team starting the season 1-4. They won their first game of the season when they traveled out to St. Louis and beat down the hapless Rams. The next week they went out to Atlanta and lost a close came to the Falcons (who now hold a 2-3 record). After that they lost at home to the New York Giants in a division game that is hard to fault them for. The 49ers who are considered the best of the worst in their division came from behind to beat the Eagles. Sunday in a desperate position many assumed the Eagles could take care of their business agains the Bills, but they gave up 31 points and turned the ball over like they were the 2010 New York Giants.
Speaking of the New York Giants, what can you say about them? This is a talented veteran team…how are they so inconsistent? They nearly lost to the Cardinals in Arizona last week and followed that up by laying an egg at home vs the Seattle Seahawks. Even worse, they had a lead in the fourth quarter with Charlie Whitehurst in at quarterback (after Tavaris Jackson got hurt) and they LOST! They gave up a lead to Charlie Whitehurst. There’s nothing more to say about how embarassing a lost that is for the New York Giants.
The Cowboys can’t get out of their own way. They are talented, but until they can be consistently dominant and stop giving away games (like they did against the Jets), they can’t be considered serious contenders.
And then there is the Redskins. The Redskins who are benefiting from from the collapse occurring within their own division. Despite being quarterbacked by Rex Grossman, who has more turnovers than touchdowns this year already, the Redskins are winning behind a pretty good defense and a solid running game. The Redskins diverged from their path of signing all the big free agents (they did give Barry Coefield a pretty hefty contract…but he’s considered a good locker room presence and wasn’t the high prized free agent) this past off-season. Instead they focused on the novel concept of building a team made up of “character guys” and role players…and it’s working. The Redskins have their best looking team they’ve had in awhile, even if they have been more talented at positions individually in the recent past. With 3 wins already the Redskins are posied for their first playoff run in years. The Redskins have five division games remaining, and games vs the Panthers, Dolphins, Seahawks, Jets, Patriots, and Vikings. That is not an extremely “difficult” schedule.
What happened to this once very feared division? Maybe it’s just bad coaching and personnel decisions. Perhaps, it’s just the ebb and flow of the National Football League. Regardless of the reason, this much has been made clear: The N.F.C. East is down this year, and may soon be known as the N.F.C. Least.
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