After yet another mediocre week of NFC East action, the four teams in the East continue their stay in gridlock. For the Giants and that Washington Football team, par for the course remains the standard, as both fell in their prime-time exhibitions. The Dallas Cowboys were able to overcome injuries to both star running back DeMarco Murray and premier defensive end Demarcus Ware.
For the Philadelphia Eagles, Nick Foles made his first mark on Chip Kelly's resume, and the Eagles won their second straight against the hapless Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Eagles and Cowboys are tied for first for at least one more week. With the Giants and Redskins firmly in their rear-view mirrors, Philadelphia and Dallas will meet Sunday in the city of brotherly love for first place in the NFC East.
Chicago Bears(4-2) 27 New York Giants(0-6) 21
Thursday night's treck to the Windy City did not go as planned for Big Blue. Despite a strong start from Brandon Jacobs, yes you read that right, and the Giants' offense, the Bears were able to overpower their opponents in the second half utilizing their tremendous rushing attack, and the Giants have fallen out of relevancy. Even though the Bears couldn't figure out how to tackle Jacobs unit halfway through the second quarter, Eli Manning continued his atrocious campaign and added three interceptions to an already inflated total. In 2012 the youngest Manning threw 15 interceptions all season, in 2013 he has matched that total in just six games. Limiting turnovers has been an issues throughout Manning's career, with 233 turnovers and just 220 touchdowns in 10 NFL seasons, Manning his writing a legacy that will stand as a stark opposite to his father, Archie Manning, and older brother Peyton Manning.
Even after acquiring linebacker Jon Beason from the Panthers, the Giants' woe begotten defense did not look much improved in a disappointing performance in Chicago. Ranked 20th against the pass and 26th against the run in terms of yardage surrendered, this unit could cost defensive coordinator Perry Fewell his job. New York employs a 4-3 defense, a style that is only successful if the four down-linemen get pressure on the quarterback. Through six games, the Giants have just five sacks, and 20 tackles for a loss. If the Giants' linemen cannot improve their pressure on opposing quarterbacks, they will continue to leave New York's abysmal secondary out to dry.
Regardless of the team's current struggles, Tom Coughlin has the keys to the city in New York, and will continue to coach there as long as he deems himself worthy of the position. After delivering two Super Bowls to the big apple, Coughlin's recent struggles do little to dull the shine of the two Lombardi Trophies in the Meadowlands' trophy room. Even still, the Giants are just three games out of first place in the NFC East, so consider this team down but not out.
Philadelphia Eagles(3-3) 31 @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers(0-5) 20
Greg Schiano is a control freak, but the vocal figurehead at the forefront of Tampa Bay's front-office staff lost control of his team on Sunday. The Buccaneers hadn't surrendered more than 23 points to a team all season, and boast one of the best rush defenses in the league. Sunday was a different story for the Buccaneers, who gave up 31 points to the Eagles' backup quarterback, and the team lost their fifth consecutive game of 2013. On the bright side, rookie quarterback Mike Glennon appeared to find his rhythm with star receiver Vincent Jackson, who finished the game with nine receptions for 114 yards and two touchdowns, far and away his most productive game of the season.
An area the Buccaneers struggled both on Sunday and all season long is the running game. Sophomore stumbler Doug Martin carried the ball just 16 times for 67 yards for an average of 4.2 yards per carry. In 2012, Martin was a major focal point of Tampa Bay's offense, as he rushed for 1,454 yards and 11 touchdowns. Thus far into 2013, it is a tale of two seasons for a team struggling to find hope without a win buried deep in the NFC South cellar.
Philadelphia is averaging three offensive touchdowns per game, second only to the Denver Broncos, but how would it fare without its leader? Eagles quarterback Nick Foles picked up right where the usual starter Michael Vick left off, and threw for 296 yards and three touchdowns. Get ready for some controversy Eagles fans, as Foles will be waiting in the wings should Vick struggle for the remainder of the season. Coach Kelly reiterated that Vick is the guy if he is healthy, but should Vick’s injury persist, Foles appears to be a more than capable replacement for the veteran quarterback. With two division matchups next on their slate, the Eagles picked the perfect moment to start a winning streak with consecutive wins over the winless Giants and Buccaneers.
Dallas Cowboys(3-3) 31 Washington Redskins(1-4) 16
This may be the straw that broke Mike Shanahan’s back. With his team coming off a bye, and the division-leading Cowboys on the schedule, this was Washington’s chance to get back to relevancy. The Redskins more than doubled the Cowboys yardage (433-213), had a better third down conversion rate (50% to 41.7%) and ran more plays (75-50) than their Southern-rivals, yet still managed to lose in embarrassing fashion. In a game many will dub a defining win for Dallas, it seems as if the Cowboys got lucky against a team that cannot seem to get out of its own way.
Tony Romo ‘s performance Sunday night was a far cry from his record setting outing against the Broncos in Week 5. Romo completed just 18 of his 30 passing attempts for a pedestrian 170 yards and one touchdown with one interception. Going up against perhaps the worst secondary in the league, many expected more out of the Cowboys’ franchise quarterback. This was yet another “classic Romo” type performance. The quarterback struggled, was bailed out by his defense, and the Cowboys won a game by 15 points they should have won by 50.
Notorious for playing at the level of their opponents, the 2013 Dallas Cowboys appear to be a rejuvenated version of their mediocre selves. With costly injuries to Murray and Ware, Dallas should consider itself lucky to be in the position it is in. Next up is a meeting with the Eagles for first place in the NFC East. Should the Cowboys repeat this lackluster performance next Sunday, major questions will have to be asked in the lone-star state, and I’m not talking about Matt Schaub.