POINT-COUNTERPOINT
Each Friday, columnist Dan Daly and Redskins beat writer Ryan O’Halloran debate an NFL issue. This week’s topic: No team in the NFC East had a losing record last year, so is there a have and a have-not group?
Ryan O’Halloran: Some self-described experts thought the division would be two-tiered — Eagles and Giants up top, and Cowboys and Redskins bringing up the rear. Well, eight weeks into the season, only the Redskins have no hope of making the playoffs. Each of the top three teams has surprised me. Dallas and Philadelphia (both 5-2) have fared better, and the Giants (5-3) are struggling more than I predicted. What this trio has proved so far is how far ahead they are of the Redskins.
Dan Daly: And it’s not like the gap is going to narrow anytime soon. Given management’s feelings toward Jason Campbell, the Redskins are still looking for their quarterback of the future. The Giants and Cowboys, meanwhile, are set with Eli Manning and Tony Romo, and the Eagles have Kevin Kolb ready behind Donovan McNabb. But the main thing is, you’re looking at relative stability in those other places vs. total chaos in Washington. Being good year in and year out, as those teams have been for a while, requires having a sound plan and sticking with it. Dan Snyder’s “plan” changes every time the wind reverses direction.
RO: It’s entirely possible that the other three teams will reach the postseason if they take care of business against non-NFC East teams. I’ll go with 1. Philly, 2. Dallas and 3. Giants. The Eagles have a ton of weapons and can score from anywhere on the field. Something’s missing with New York — maybe it misses safety Kenny Phillips more than everybody thought.
DD: Or maybe the defense misses Steve Spagnuolo, who took the head job in St. Louis. I can’t believe a guy like Phillips makes that much difference. Besides, the key for the Giants is pass rush, not pass coverage. Put it this way: If the Redskins don’t win a division game, and it’s entirely possible they won’t, each of the other three teams can, hypothetically, go 4-2 in the NFC East. That usually gives you a decent chance to make the playoffs. I agree with you: You’ve gotta love the Eagles’ young receivers. DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin are exciting to watch. But you’ve also got to be impressed with how quickly the Giants made the transition from Plaxico Burress, Amani Toomer and Jeremy Shockey to Steve Smith, Mario Manningham and Hakeem Nicks. And speaking of wideouts, I’m stunned at what a game-breaker Miles Austin has turned out to be in Dallas. Maybe the Redskins should get a receiver from Monmouth instead of trolling all the obvious places like Oklahoma, Michigan State and Southern Cal.
WEEKEND PICKS
REDSKINS THIS WEEK
REDSKINS (2-5) at FALCONS (4-3)
Sunday, 1 p.m.
TV: Ch. 5
Line: Falcons by 10
Outlook: The Redskins enter on a 13-day break and Atlanta a six-day week following its Monday night loss at New Orleans. It doesn’t matter. Until it shows otherwise, the Redskins’ offense is incapable of outscoring any team not named Tampa Bay or St. Louis. The Redskins’ 22nd-ranked run defense will have trouble against Michael Turner.
The pick: Falcons 21-17
GAME OF THE WEEK
STEELERS (5-2) at BRONCOS (6-1)
Monday, 8:30 p.m.
TV: ESPN
Line: Steelers by 3
Outlook: The top- (Denver) and eighth-ranked (Pittsburgh) defenses collide, but the Steelers are expected to be without safety Ryan Clark because of a sickle-cell trait that can cause life-threatening health problems in altitude. Pittsburgh’s passing game will be the difference; the Steelers are fourth in yards per completion, so expect a few big plays.
The pick: Steelers 28-24
UPSET WATCH
COWBOYS (5-2) at EAGLES (5-2)
Sunday, 8:20 p.m.
TV: Chs. 4, 11
Line: Eagles by 3
Outlook: First place in the NFC East is on the line. Dallas is on a three-game winning streak, but the victories were at Kansas City in overtime, at home against a decent Atlanta team and at home against an awful Seattle team. Philadelphia rolled over the Giants last week; although the Eagles have a big-play offense, they’re not as consistently good as the Cowboys.
The pick: Cowboys 31-30
INSIDE THE AFC
*Not only do the Colts have a 16-game regular-season winning streak, but quarterback Peyton Manning also is on the verge of another record. He needs 19 passing yards against Houston — a pretty safe bet — to become the first player in NFL history with 40,000 passing yards in one decade. The Colts’ winning streak is the fourth-longest all time behind New England (21 in 2006-08 and 18 in 2003-04) and Chicago (17 in 1933-34).
*The Titans may be 1-6, but there’s nothing wrong with their second-ranked running game. Chris Johnson leads the NFL with 824 rushing yards and a gigantic 6.9-yard average. There hasn’t been a running back with a 7.0-yard average through nine weeks in 39 years.
*After allowing Johnson to rush for 228 yards, Jacksonville was in full pads for practice Wednesday. Coach Jack Del Rio is upset with his team’s tackling, and only concerns about injuries prevented him from conducting a contact practice. Another problem for the Jaguars: They’re last in sacks per pass attempt.
*The Patriots return from their bye with a tough five-game stretch: Miami, at Indianapolis, Jets, at New Orleans, at Miami. But this is Tom Brady’s time of year. He’s 64-14 in the regular season and playoffs in November and December. “We have a pretty good understanding of how we’re going to attack people,” he said. “I think everyone’s excited for what’s ahead.”
INSIDE THE NFC
*A sliver of hope for Redskins fans: Since 1990, when the current 12-team playoff format was introduced, 47 teams (20.6 percent of the 228 playoff clubs) have reached the playoffs despite having a losing record at the halfway point.
*When San Diego visits the Giants, it will be the first meeting between Philip Rivers and Eli Manning, who were traded for each other on draft day in 2004. “There’s a natural rivalry there with Philip and Eli, as it was with Michael Vick and myself from [the 2001] trade,” running back LaDainian Tomlinson said. “Those two are going to be linked for their whole career.”
*New Orleans (7-0) is playing with fire. The Saints defeated Miami and Atlanta despite four giveaways in each game. Barring an upset, they should be 10-0 when they host New England on Nov. 30.
*Former Maryland tight end Vernon Davis is a bright spot on the struggling San Francisco offense (45 total points in three consecutive losses). Davis’ seven touchdown catches lead the league, and his 32 catches for 375 yards pace the 49ers.
*A reason Tampa Bay is 0-7 and a prime candidate to go 0-16: The Buccaneers stink in just about every category. They are 28th in yards, 29th in yards per completion and tied for 28th in points. Defensively, they’re 28th in yards, 32nd in yards per completion and 30th in points.
BY THE NUMBERS
81 Touchdowns this year of longer than 50 yards, the most through eight weeks since 1970.
LIGHTING UP THE SCOREBOARD
The undefeated Saints, with the help of six defensive touchdowns, are tied for the third-most touchdowns through seven games in league history:
Team (Team TDs) Season result
1950 L.A. Rams (40) Lost to Cleveland in title game
2000 St. Louis (37) Lost to Saints in wild-card round
2009 New Orleans (36) ?
1941 Chicago (36) Beat Giants for title
1958 Baltimore (36) Beat Giants for title
1966 Dallas (36) Lost to Green Bay in title game
2007 New England (36) Lost to Giants in Super Bowl
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