All season we’ve been told by various media outlets and football analysts that the NFC East is hands down the best division in the NFL.  This weekend may have changed all that, with 3 of the 4 teams getting handed embarrassing losses.

 

We’ll start in D.C., where despite out-gaining the Rams by nearly 200 yards, the Redskins still managed to lose to a previously winless St. Louis Rams team 19-17.  The key stat was the three turnovers by the ‘Skins, one of which was a fumble returned 85 yards by Rams DB Osi Atogwe.  Sure, Clinton Portis had another big game, and Jason Campbell played efficient enough, but it wasn’t enough to fend off a late Rams drive that allowed Josh Brown to nail a 49 yard field goal to win it.  The Redskins came into the game tops in the NFC East, coming off two straight impressive road wins against Dallas and Philly.  Washington plays host to the Cleveland Browns next week.

 

Speaking of the Browns, how do they show to everyone they’re not really as bad as the way they’ve been playing thus far?  How about pick off Eli Manning three times, control the clock, and rack up over 450 yards of offense on one of the league’s stingiest defenses?  Manning managed just 196 yards and one TD, struggling constantly with various defensive looks from Crennel’s Browns.  Kudos go out to whichever trainer found the smelling salts to put under the noses of Derek Anderson and Braylon Edwards who connected 5 different times for 154 yards and a touchdown.  Anderson finished 18-29, 310 yards, and 2 touchdowns.  People all year have talked about the Giants being a good team, but also would mention the fact that they haven’t really played many stellar opponents.  They’ve battled the Redskins, Rams, Bengals, and Seahawks before tonight.  All wins, but not really a schedule to write home about.  Include the Browns in that list, and those 5 opponents combined are 8-19. 

 

Down in Glendale, Arizona, games featuring the Cowboys typically have fans split down the middle between the home team and “America’s Team”.  The Cardinals are getting a little more love from the locals, and that’s sure to continue after their thrilling 30-24 OT win over the ‘Boys on Sunday.  Looking at the stats, there’s no way Dallas should’ve lost this game.  They gained 100 more total yards than the Cards.  They had the ball 5:30 more.  They had 2 less turnovers, and had a great performance from Tony Romo.  Yet still, despite a big 4^th quarter comeback, even the Cowboys know how to refuse the Heimlich Maneuver and choke a game away.  Fine if you lose in OT by a field goal.  But you just don’t get a blocked punt returned for a TD in OT.  That kind of stuff only happens in college.  Oh, and let’s not forget Kurt Warner continuing his impressive year, and Steve Breaston coming up huge, catching 8 passes for 102 yards and a touchdown in place of injured Anquan Boldin.  More bad news for Cowboys’ fans: Romo is out the next month, Marion Barber is out 2-4 weeks, and yes, even your punter is out with a fractured foot.  Guess which play THAT injury happened on?

 

And then there are the Eagles.  Yes, I know Philly won Sunday, but their ugly exposure came the two weeks prior, losing back-to-back to Chicago and Washington in games they frankly had no business losing.  And while the Eagles were obviously the best NFC East team this week, they don’t get to play San Fran every week from here on out.  The good news is they’ve got a bye coming up, so perhaps Brian Westbrook can get semi-back to his dominant self.  It would be crazy to think Donovan McNabb can carry this team on his own.  And DeSean Jackson might try to, but he’d spike it before he got into the end zone anyway.