We had been waiting all day for Sunday night, only to be disappointed by one of the sloppiest games of football in the history of the NFL. If Sunday afternoon’s Steelers Titans matchup wasn’t enough for those looking for the best of the worst in league action, Sunday night’s NFC East opener surely satisfied. Six turnovers and 67 points later, Dallas was 1-0, and the New York Giants were alone in the NFC East’s cellar. If we learned nothing else from the debacle in the house that Jerry Jones built, it was that the East still belongs to the Redskins, if only for the present.
As the day’s NFL action was capped off by the offensive showcase the 49ers put on at Candlestick, all eyes turned to Sunday night’s prime time showdown between two of the NFL’s most successful franchises. Things looked bleak for the G-men early as New York turned the ball over on their first three possessions, including a Demarcus Ware interception on Eli Manning ‘s first pass attempt.
Luckily for the Giants’, the Cowboys were equally ineffective on offense early in the game, and had a meager 3-0 lead after the horrendous early showing by New York. By halftime, it was clear that neither team was in regular season form as struggles continued throughout the night for both franchises. Tony Romo was briefly knocked out of the game by a hit at the end of the first half, and Dallas began to worry with only a three-point lead entering halftime.
It was the best of times, it was the worst of time for the Dallas Cowboys, as Sunday night’s division showdown turned into a tale of two halves. After recording three turnovers in the first half, Barry Church returned one of David Wilson ‘s two fumbles to the house, giving Dallas an inflated lead. Sure enough, Tom Caughlin’s face turned that perfect shade of rose and mauve, and Wilson was seldom seen for the remainder of the contest.
After Dallas continued to score bringing their total to 30 prior to the fourth quarter, Peyton’s younger brother lead a scoring drive capped off by Victor Cruz ‘s third salsa of the evening. After the Cowboys were forced to punt after a Dez Bryant injury, the younger Manning returned to the field in position to put his Giants’ well-within striking distance. Enter Brandon Carr, who picked off Manning’s pass and sealed the win for Dallas. While the Giants would cap off another scoring drive in the fourth quarter to tight end Brandon Myers , it was too little too late from New York, and slop-fest 2013 ended with a Dallas victory.
While this game lived up to the hype in the end, four quarters of apparent preseason football were not what the doctor ordered for two of the NFC East’s contenders. The Redskins must be salivating over their status after such a debacle in Dallas, if not for their embarrassing performance on Monday night football. For the Cowboys, problems on the offensive line may be alleviated by the return of Brian Waters in week two.
In order to fix problems regarding lack of versatility in their rushing attack, the Giants are expected to visit with veteran running backs Willis McGahee and Brandon Jacobs in the coming week, if only to put pressure on their starter, Wilson. With Andre Brown likely to miss upwards of eight weeks, the Giants’ offense is in turmoil after an embarrassing defeat on Sunday night football.
Regarding the other prime time matchup in the NFC East, Philadelphia battled Washington in our nation’s capital. In a surprising turn of events, and this article was composed by an Eagles fan, the favorite sons of America’s first city prevailed in their first game with new head coach Chip Kelly. Robert Griffin III struggled mightily under a relentless Philadelphia pass rush, and the Redskins fell to their division rival, 33-27. Running back LeSean McCoy stole the show for Philadelphi8a, rushing for 184 yards and a touchdown in the Eagles’ victory.
Chip Kelly’s Philadelphia Eagles are no joke. By taking down the division champion Washington Redskins, the Eagles have put their hat in the ring as a division contender. Based on the sloppy play from all three of Philadelphia’s dvisi0on-mates, the Eagles have shown their true colors as a contender in the NFC East. Chip Kelly has rejuvenated talented but misled franchise, and the rest of the NFC should prepare for the onslaught of Coach Kelly’s high-powered offensive attack. While the division is far from decided, Philadelphia took a major step toward contention with their road-victory in week one.