What many saw as the best division in all of football prior to the season has been just slightly above average through the first half of the season. I thought the Eagles and Giants would finish 1-2 with the Cowboys finishing a close third, and while I may have gotten the teams right at the midway point, my ordering was out of whack.
Dallas Cowboys 6-2
Tony Romo is flourishing with Miles Austin's emergence
– Pre season expectations were dampened a bit after the team folded at the end of last season. For the Cowboys to be a full game ahead of Philadelphia and in sole possession of first place in the NFC East is the biggest surprise for this team.
Good news - The emergence of Miles Austin as the best receiver on the team is primarily due to Austin being the best route runner on the team. It’s amazing how much of a better quarterback one becomes when his receivers are where they’re supposed to be when the ball is thrown. So, as Austin emerged as a reliable receiver, quarterback Tony Romo’s decision making suddenly improved as well.
Bad news – Roy Williams’ inconsistency and poor workout habits have been a distraction. He leads the team in dropped passes and media coverage, not a good combination, just ask Terrell Owens. The Cowboys recent history suggests they fall apart in the second half of the season.
DeSean jackson is one of the young weapons McNabb has in his arsenal
Big surprise – How little of an impact, both on the field and off, that Michael Vick has had in Philadelphia.
Good news – Young offensive weapons DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin and LeSean McCoy have progressed nicely, giving McNabb some talent around him. Even with the loss of their Defensive Coordinator prior to the season, the defense is just as physical and tough to score on as last year. The 20 points put on the board by the Cowboys this week was only the second time a team has scored more than 17 points on the Eagles all season.
Bad news – The eagles have only beaten one team with a winning record, that coming against the Giants, a team in the midst of a four game losing streak. They also have an unexplainable loss to the Oakland Raiders, good teams should not lose to the Oakland Raiders of 2009. The remaining schedule which includes road games against San Diego, Chicago, Atlanta, NY Giants and Dallas, and home versus the Broncos, is brutal.
New York Giants 5-4
The Giants defense has failed them in the first half of 2009
– The Giants find themselves on a four game losing streak and just a half game ahead of the Atlanta Falcons for what would be the final playoff spot.
Good news – The Giants finally get their bye week and have two weeks to prepare for the Falcons at Giants stadium. At times, the offense has gotten on a roll but they’re inconsistent at best.
Bad news – In the four game losing streak the defense is giving up an average of 33 points per game and the once vaunted pass defense has given up 11 TDs in the last four games, including three to Phillip Rivers this past Sunday. Like the Eagles, the Giants have beaten only one team with a winning record and the schedule gets much tougher in the second half.
Redskins GM Vinny Cerrato can't even pick out nice pants to wear.
– Fans, current players and former players alike, all publicly pointing to the front office and ownership as the reason for the Redskins 2-6 record.
Good news – Defense has kept the Redskins in every game this year. Atlanta’s 14-point victory against the Redskins on Sunday was the first game the Redskins have lost by more than 10 points this season.
Bad news – Whether it’s been Head Coach Jim Zorn or newly appointed Offensive Coordinator Sherm Lewis calling the plays, the offense has failed to score more than 17 points in a single game this season.
Yet, looking ahead, the really bad news is that Redskins Owner Dan Snyder seems unwilling to do anything about General Manager Vinny Cerrato. Under Cerrato’s stewardship, the Skins are approaching levels of futility not seen since Matt Millen left the Detroit Lions for the broadcast booth.
