After 5 Weeks, Any Team Can Win the NFC East
Like a lot of people, I thought the National Football League's NFC East Division would be a two-team race. On paper, the Philadelphia Eagles and the Dallas Cowboys looked like the class of the league. The New York Giants were a notch below them and the Washington Redskins would bring up the rear. Five weeks into the 2011 regular season, I have no idea which of the four teams will win the division. Here's an early report card on each one with my best playoff guess:
1. WASHINGTON REDSKINS (3-1) Steve's Playoff Chances 35%
2. NEW YORK GIANTS (3-2)Steve's Playoff Chances 40%
Like every team in the NFC East, the Cowboys are an enigma. They have as much talent as anybody in the NFL. Tony Romo, Miles Austin, Dez Bryant, Jason Witten, and Felix Jones is one potent group. However, Austin has been hurt, Bryant inconsistent, and Romo nursing fractured ribs. Add a young and inexperienced offensive line and you have a team that has trouble playing 60 minutes of good offense. When you do get a strong offensive game from the Cowboys, the defense has let them down. New defensive coordinator Rob Ryan was supposed to bring a more aggressive approach to the defense and at times, that has been the case. According to footballoutsiders.com, the Cowboys defense ranks 8th best in the league, including 4th against the run. However, if Romo's offense continues to turn the ball over with big leads, it doesn't matter how well a defense is playing. That's the big reason Dallas is 2-2 and not 4-0. Austin is returning to practice and that will help, but the schedule does not get any easier this week when the Boys travel to Foxborough to play Tom Brady and the Pats. The Rams, Seahawks, Dolphins, and Cardinals could help pad the Cowboys record heading into a tough December stretch of divisional clashes.