NFC East – Week 11: The Race to the Top

Jon Lee takes a look at how the NFC East is shaping up so far this season.

This past weekend, the NFC East teams confirmed our suspicions. The Redskins are officially done. The Eagles are hanging on by a thread. The Cowboys are on the upswing, and the Giants are going to be in every game until the end. It’s not what anyone predicted, and it’s definitely not what Washington and Philly had in mind when they kicked off back in week one, but nonetheless, for the first time in 2011, the NFC East is finally starting to take shape.

Let’s start with the Giants, who are continuing to recover from a slew of injuries. New York lost to San Francisco 27-20 in one of the more enjoyable games of the weekend. The Giants were again without RB Ahmad Bradshaw and CB Prince Amukamara, and they lost CB Aaron Ross and LB Michael Boley in the first half, yet, they battled the one-loss 49ers to very end, and I have a feeling we’ll see this matchup again in January. That is, if the Giants can improve on their mediocre second half record under Tom Coughlin.

For the Cowboys, the game vs. Buffalo on Sunday was just what the doctor ordered. This game had it all – outstanding defense, a terrific rushing attack, and a nearly perfect Tony Romo. Someone needs to make sure this game is not forgotten, because if this is the Dallas Cowboys team that takes the field every Sunday, there’s going to be some shockwaves throughout the league…

Oh Philadelphia, what has happened? The Arizona Cardinals? There simply isn’t an excuse for this one. Actually, this game was doomed from the start. DeSean Jackson was declared inactive for missing a team meeting, and while I am by no means implying that he was the difference, it just goes to show the depth of the state of disarray that has settled in around the Philadelphia Eagles. With Michael Vick continuing to struggle, and the Eagles’ defense giving up an excessive amount of big plays, this team must pull off a win vs. the Giants this Sunday night to salvage their season.

I know I’m forgetting somebody… ah, right – the Washington Redskins. Shanahan, look, it’s been a valiant effort, and you’ve tried just about everything, but it’s over. At this point, you’d be better off holding open tryouts for the starting QB position. Heck, there’s always Vinny Testaverde.

Power Rankings – Week 11:

1. New York Giants (6-3)
Tough loss in San Francisco, but those are the losses that teams grow from. Unfortunately, the road doesn’t get easier. The G-Men are going to have to pull off some big wins against Philly and New Orleans before returning home to take on the machine that is the Green Bay Packers.

2. Dallas Cowboys (5-4)
I’d like to say the Cowboys are peaking, but it’s going to take a few more all-around solid performances in order for me to say “The Boys are Back.” But hey, there’s no better time to do it with games against Washington and Arizona in the next three weeks. Oh, and don’t forget this season’s Thanksgiving Turkey – the Miami Dolphins. One of these years we’ll get to see a good game…

3. Philadelphia Eagles (3-6)
I don’t even have much to say anymore. If there’s another game on the Eagles schedule that I’d favor them in, it’s this week against the Giants. For Philadelphia, it couldn’t come at a better time. The theme for the rest of the season has to be “Revenge” – starting Sunday in New York.

4. Washington Redskins (3-6)
Well, the pressure is officially off. It’s time to start playing the role of spoiler, and it’s a great weekend to start. The Redskins already have one loss to Dallas this season, and it’s easy to catch the Boys off guard, coming off of a 44-7 victory over Buffalo. For Washington, their best bet may be running the wildcat for the duration of the season.