Bengals vs. Jets Preview: Five Factors for Cincinnati Against New York

The 2010 NFL playoffs get under way Saturday when the No. 4 Cincinnati Bengals host the No. 5 New York Jets at Paul Brown Stadium . The game is one of three matchups this weekend that consist of teams who met in Week 17.

Saturday’s game will display two of the league’s top defenses, which could make for a low scoring game between the Bengals and Jets. Here are five factors for success for Cincinnati as they look for their first playoff win since 1991.

Forget Last Weekend

This will be a completely different matchup between the Bengals and Jets.

Yes, to say the Bengals were embarrassed by the Jets last weekend would be an understatement. The 37-0 loss was ugly , but shouldn’t be a concern entering Saturday’s game.

The circumstances for the outcome of last weekend’s game were completely different for both teams. While Cincinnati would still be playing at Paul Brown Stadium with a win or loss, New York simply needed a win to play in the postseason. The Bengals had to decide whether or not the No. 3 seed would be worth risking using all of their key players, which is why Cedric Benson, Domata Peko, Chris Crocker, and Robert Geathers got the night off.

This time around, expect a hard-fought matchup between two of the best defenses in football. For two teams who rely heavily on their running game, the winner may be decided by who shows up with the better passing game.

 

How much will the passing game struggle after Ochocinco’s injury?

Before last weekend’s game against the Jets, Bengals wide receiver Chad Ochocinco tweaked his knee during pre-game warm-ups.  That injury has caused a concern considering how important he is to the passing game. After an MRI and treatment from doctors, he is expected to be good to go on Saturday.

Ochocinco ended a streak of 120 straight games with at least one reception after being hassled all game by Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis. This will be one of the key matchups in Saturday’s game and could be the difference maker if the passing game plays a factor in the outcome.

On the season, Ochocinco leads the Bengals with 72 receptions for 1,047 yards and nine touchdowns. He has been the only consistent player in the passing game for Cincinnati, who finished 26th in the NFL, averaging just 180.6 yards per game.

 

Will The Bengals Struggle Again on Defense Without Rey Maualuga?

The Bengals knew they were in trouble when Maualuga fractured his ankle against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 16, considering how much of an impact the rookie has had during his first season. Their biggest fear came true when Cincinnati’s defense struggled against the Jets running attack, allowing 257 yards rushing.

Before Sunday’s game against the Jets, the Bengals contained the No. 2 ranked rushing defense, allowing their opponents to average just 87.7 yards per game on the ground. Their performance against New York dropped them to seventh and it showed how much of an impact Maualuga’s absence had on their defense.

 

Force Mark Sanchez To Throw More

Last season, Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco and Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan helped their teams to the playoffs as rookies—which seemed unheard of until a few years ago. This season, the only rookie quarterback to be starting in the 2010 postseason is Mark Sanchez.

Sanchez is just like most rookie quarterbacks in the NFL—riddled with inconsistency. However, he has the support of the league’s best running game (172.2 yards per game) and the No. 1 overall defense—which can make his job much easier.

The less Sanchez has to throw, the better chance the Jets have of winning. He’s thrown for 12 touchdowns and 20 interceptions in his first season, but is 5-2 in games without an interception.

 

The Passing Game Will Be A Factor For Both Teams

One thing is obvious regarding Saturday’s game between the Bengals and Jets; don’t expect a strong performance in the passing game from either team.

The Bengals and Jets have both relied heavily on their running game and defense throughout the season. While New York is at the top of the league in yards per game on the ground (172.2), Cincinnati isn’t too far behind them in ninth (128.5). Both teams also rank in the top-five when it comes to overall defense.

As good as the Bengals and Jets are in these categories, they both struggle with the one area that is considered important when trailing—the passing game. Both teams have passing games that rank near the bottom of the NFL (the Bengals are averaging 180.6 yards per game through the air, while the Jets are averaging just 148.8).

Then again, most teams don’t need a strong performance from their passing game if they’re already winning. Unfortunately, there’s a good chance one team will be playing from behind on Saturday and will need to rely on their receiving corp.

Dan Parzych is the Cincinnati Bengals Examiner for Examiner.com

He is also the founder of WhoDeyBengals.com

Questions? Comments? staff@whodeybengals.com

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Giants and Broncos Show It’s Not How You Start, But How You Finish a Season

For all of the NFL followers upset with their team falling short of the playoffs, no fan bases may be more frustrated than those of the New York Giants and Denver Broncos.

The Giants and Broncos are perfect examples of how nothing in the NFL is guaranteed, no matter what the situation seems like. Both teams appeared to be on their way to at least a Wild Card berth after the first month and a half of the regular season.

After all the talk surrounding the Giants in the offseason about how they would struggle without a top wide receiver since Plaxico Burress was serving his sentence in prison. Instead, their young receiving core consisting of Steve Smith and Mario Manningham made life easier for Eli Manning as New York jumped out to a 5-0 start. They seemed to be on their way to a second-straight NFC East title and one of the top teams in the conference.

Instead, the Giants fell harder than a school-yard kid playing tag without his shoe laces tied. Since their 5-0 start, New York suffered a four-game losing skid on their way to finishing the season 8-8. Not only did they lose their final two games of the season to the Carolina Panthers and Minnesota Vikings, but they were blown-out by a combined score of 85-16.

The Denver Broncos found themselves in a similar situation to the Giants as they started off the 2009 season 6-0. Four of the their first six wins came against teams playing in the postseason (Bengals, Cowboys, Patriots, and Chargers).

Since then, they went 2-8 over their next 10 games and fell just short of the playoffs for the second straight year, including a 44-24 loss in their final regular season game at home to the 4-12 Kansas City Chiefs. According to ESPN’s Ed Werder, Broncos head coach Josh McDaniels made the decision to bench wide receiver Brandon Marshall after he was late to a therapy session for a hamstring injury. 

Both the Giants and Broncos suffered collapses that will be fresh in their minds throughout the offseason. The fact they were able to begin the season with such impressive starts only makes their situation even more painful.

Unfortunately, none of that matters now since they can’t change the regular season has come to an end with the playoff seedings already set. All the Giants and Broncos can do now is learn from their mistakes and use this season as motivation to come back even stronger in 2010.

Dan Parzych is the founder of the new NFCEastFootball.com

 

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Chance for the No. 2 Seed Seemed to Good to Be True for the Philadelphia Eagles

This was the last situation the Philadelphia Eagles wanted to experience at the end of the season: A loss to the Dallas Cowboys in Week 17 to lose the NFC East title.

Not to mention their missed opportunity to get the No. 2 seed in the NFC and a first-round bye in the playoffs.

There’s no doubt how much the loss to the Cowboys hurts for not only the Eagles, but their fans that seem to ride this same roller coaster each season.

Philadelphia gets hot towards the end of the season and seems to be one of the favorites in the NFC entering postseason play. Once they get to that point where it seems like they are finally going to go the distance, the Eagles fail and let everyone down.

After two straight losses to the Dallas Cowboys and San Diego Chargers, the Eagles appeared to be slowly slipping away as contenders in the NFC with a 5-4 record. After their loss to the Chargers, they went on a six-game winning streak and set themselves up with a chance at the No. 2 seed in the NFC—which seemed nearly impossible a few weeks ago, considering the Minnesota Vikings seemed to be a sure lock for it.

Of the four teams who had a shot at the No. 2 seed entering Week 17, the Eagles had the best chance out of anyone, considering they just needed to win against the Cowboys. There was no scenario where they needed to win and receive help from other teams like last season.

All they had to do was win.

Instead, the Eagles enter the playoffs as the No. 6 seed in the NFC and will open the postseason against the same Dallas team that has already beat them twice this season.

Sure, it would have been nice for the Eagles to enjoy an extra week of rest. However, the end of Philadelphia’s win streak may be a blessing in disguise.

Over their six-game winning streak, there were at least four games the Eagles could have easily let slip away yet still managed to come through.

Their fourth quarter comebacks against the Chicago Bears and Washington Redskins.

A 45-38 win over the New York Giants in a game which no team seemed to know how to play defense.

And, of course, there was the 30-27 win over the Denver Broncos where the Eagles blew a 17-point second half lead.

As impressive as each win seemed, it was only a matter of time before the Eagles luck ran out and they came up on the losing side. All good things must come to an end at some point, and Philadelphia’s luck seemed to run out last weekend in Dallas.

The Eagles and their fans should be glad the winning streak came to an end last weekend instead of in the divisional round of the playoffs. The only win streak that matters in the NFL now is which of the remaining 12 teams is still streaking after February 7.

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Top Five Most Memorable Cincinnati Bengals Games from the Decade

As 2010 begins, the Cincinnati Bengals will be starting the new decade off just right by entering the playoffs as a No. 3 or No. 4 seed and at least one home game at Paul Brown Stadium.

Over the last 10 years, the Bengals have seen just two winning seasons. In 2005, they finished the season with an 11-5 record and made the playoffs for the first time since 1990.

Cincinnati and their fans have seen some memorable games over the last decade and hope to continue this trend over the next 10 years. As a treat to ring in the new decade and celebrate New Year’s Day, here are the top five most memorable games for the Bengals from the last decade.

Honorable Mention Sept. 16, 2007: Cincinnati Bengals 45 , Cleveland Browns 51

This game would have meant more to Cincinnati and their fans if the Bengals had actually won the game. On the positive note, at least the game was still exciting to watch.

In the second week of the 2007 regular season, the Bengals and Browns went back and fourth in scoring in what ended up being the eighth highest-scoring game in NFL history.

Carson Palmer arguably had one of the best performances of his career, finishing 33-of-50 for 401 yards and a franchise record six touchdowns. Unfortunately, Browns quarterback Derek Anderson almost performed just as well, completing 20-of-38 passes for 328 yards and five touchdowns.

5. December 18, 2005: Cincinnati Bengals 41, Detroit Lions 17

2005 was the first time in 15 years the Bengals reached the postseason. In a 41-17 win over Detroit in Week 15, Cincinnati clinched the AFC North. They would finish the year with an 11-5 record (they won over the 11-5 Pittsburgh Steelers due to a better record against divisional opponents).

They would go on lose to the Steelers in the first round of the playoffs after Palmer suffered a knee injury on the second offensive play of the game, but it was still a memorable season for the Bengals.

For so long, the fan base in Cincinnati had been waiting for a winning season and a trip to the playoffs. The win over the Lions secured both for the Bengals, which is a game that will always be remembered by fans.

4. November 16, 2008: Cincinnati Bengals 13, Philadelphia Eagles 13

Prior to the game, the 5-4 Eagles came in as heavy favorites over the 1-8 Bengals. With Palmer out most of the season due to an elbow injury, Ryan Fitzpatrick led the offense but was nowhere near as effective.

Even with all of their struggles that season, Cincinnati still managed to compete with a very talented Philadelphia squad as wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh tied a career high with 12 receptions for 149 yards and one touchdown. The defense picked off Donovan McNabb three times and forced him to fumble once in what ended up being the first tie in the NFL since 2002 between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Atlanta Falcons.

While the game ended in a tie, the Bengals had a chance to seal the win after kicker Shayne Graham missed a 47-yard field goal as time expired in overtime. For once, both set of fans were frustrated with the outcome of the game.

3. October 30, 2005: Cincinnati Bengals 21, Green Bay Packers 14

The Bengals improved to 6-2 after their win over the Packers during Week Eight of the 2005 regular season thanks to a strong performance by their defense against one of the all-time greatest quarterbacks.

Not only did the defense sack Packers quarterback Brett Favre twice, but they intercepted him five times in one of the worst games of his career. Odell Thurman and Deltha O’Neal each had two interceptions while Tory James recorded one.

The rest of the season is history as Cincinnati went on to win the AFC North title and make their first playoff appearance since 1990.

2. September 27, 2009: Cincinnati Bengals 23, Pittsburgh Steelers 20

Entering the 2009 season, Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger started off his NFL career 11-0 against teams in the state of Ohio. On top of that, Pittsburgh had won their last eight games played in Cincinnati. It wasn’t just the fact that both streaks came to an end in Week Three this season, but how it was done.

With the Bengals trailing 20-9 at the beginning of the fourth quarter, Palmer rallied his team to score 14 points to make a statement that the defending Super Bowl Champions and the Baltimore Ravens were not the only contenders in the AFC North.

After running back Cedric Benson found the end zone on a 23-yard run, Palmer capped off the rally with a four-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Andre Caldwell with 14 seconds left on 2nd-and-goal. Two plays prior, Palmer found running back Brian Leonard on 4th-and-10 from the Pittsburgh 15 to gain a first down thanks to a miraculous second effort.

It doesn’t take rocket science to figure out how much the fans of Cincinnati love to beat Pittsburgh. Without a doubt, this was the sweetest win for the Bengals over their division rivals.

1. November 16, 2003: Cincinnati Bengals 24, Kansas City Chiefs 19

Throughout his nine-year career, Bengals wide receiver Chad Ochocinco has built a reputation as a player who enjoys having fun by running his mouth against not only players, but teams. In 2003, he made one of the biggest—and craziest—predictions of his career.

In Week 11 of the 2003 regular season, Ochocinco made a prediction that the 5-4 Bengals would upset the 9-0 Chiefs at Paul Brown Stadium. As crazy as it sounded at the time, Ochocinco—who went by Johnson back then—and the Bengals came through in the 24-19 upset.

Ochocinco finished the day with seven receptions for 74 yards while Peter Warrick led the team with six receptions for 114 yards and one touchdown. Rudi Johnson also carried the team on the ground, rushing for 165 yards on just 22 carries.

Of course, Cincinnati would have come through without the impressive performance of their defense, who shut down Chiefs running back Priest Holmes. While he finished the regular season with 1,420 yards rushing and 27 touchdowns, Holmes was kept out of the end zone by a Bengals defense who held him to just 62 yards on 16 carries.

Even though the Bengals just missed the playoffs that season with an 8-8 record, their win over the previously undefeated Chiefs was one of the best games of the decade. For the first time in a while, the fans of Cincinnati felt confident of what their future held with new head coach Marvin Lewis.

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Eagles-Broncos: The Highly Anticipated Return of Brian Dawkins to Philly

Ever since Brian Dawkins signed with the Denver Broncos in March, Philadelphia Eagles fans immediately circled their calendars for Dec. 27, his return to the City of Brotherly Love.

The city of Philadelphia has seen their fair-share of former fan favorites welcomed with open arms after returning to play with different teams. However, no player’s return with a new team may ever be as meaningful as Dawkins will be on Sunday when the Broncos take on the Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field as they look to make their case for a Wild Card spot in the AFC playoffs.

For those that have followed him throughout his career, most fans that follow the NFL are aware of the type of player Dawkins is—both physically and emotionally. While players and fans fear the hard-hitting safety on the field, who is known by some as Weapon X, they still respect him for the emotion he shows for his love of the game–both on and off the field.

One of the most memorable moments in his career as an Eagles came in an interview with Fox correspondent Terry Bradshaw in 2005 after the Eagles defeated the Atlanta Falcons in the NFC Championship to reach Super Bowl.

“First off, HALLELUJAH!”

“And then, I tell you what. I’ma give all the credit to Michael Vick. We give him the most respect but nobody respected as a defense….GIVE ME SOME RESPECT RIGHT NOW!”

The roar from the crowd sent chills through the bodies of those listening to the interview. The tone of his voice expressed how passionate he was about the game and how he was not afraid to let his emotions show to those around him. Even when he was asked about his individual performance, the response by Dawkins was enough evidence to show the type of leader he was and how it wasn’t about him–but the team.

“I tell you what; I wanted to set a tone. WE wanted to set a tone as a “D”. It’s not just me. It’s the defense. It’s my line. It’s Burgess. It’s Kearse. All them boys. Trot, we came and we brought it. Every doggone play.”

So what should Dawkins and Philadelphia fans expect once Sunday afternoon rolls around? For starters, expect the same type of intensity and heart on the field from Dawkins that he provided with the Eagles for 13 years—the only difference is he’ll be doing it to keep the Broncos’ playoff hopes alive.

Yes, he will be emotional, but he won’t be the only one. This will be an emotional game for not only Dawkins, but the 68,000+ plus on hand at Lincoln Financial Field who cheered him on the 13 years he wore green on Sundays.

It would be no surprise if over 80 percent of the stadium showed their support for Dawkins on Sunday by wearing the beloved No. 20 jersey. Expect a handful of Eagles fans to even show their support for him by wearing No. 20 in the new blue and orange he had to adjust to this season.

Dawkins meant—and still means—a lot to the Eagles’ organization and their fans. As painful as it’s going to be for them to see him in a Broncos uniform Sunday, they should be somewhat thankful for the situation.

After last week’s win over the San Francisco 49ers, the Eagles are guaranteed at least a playoff spot once postseason gets under way. With the upcoming game falling under Week 16, how heartbreaking would it have been if Dawkins and the Broncos ruined the team’s chances of making the playoffs?

While the Eagles are still looking to clinch the NFC East, it’s obvious that the winner of the division will have to be decided during the final week of the regular season when the Eagles travel to Dallas to take on the Cowboys. The only way the Eagles could clinch this weekend is if they win against Denver and Dallas manages to lose in Washington.

Dawkins return to Philadelphia has been one of the most highly anticipated games of the 2009 season. While it may seem weird to hear his name announced as a member of the Broncos instead of the Eagles, expect one of the biggest standing ovations ever witnessed at a Philadelphia sporting event.

He may be with a different team, but the city of Philadelphia will always show their love for Dawkins, no matter what.

Dan Parzych Is the Eagles Fan Voice for NFLTouchdown.com

He is also the founder of the new NFCEastFootball.com

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For One Weekend, We’re All Cheering for the Cincinnai Bengals and No. 15

As the 9-4 Cincinnati Bengals take on the San Diego Chargers this weekend, the recent passing of Chris Henry will be fresh on the minds of the players, coaches, and fans, for not only the Bengals, but for the rest of the league as well.

Over the last couple of days, Henry’s death has been the main story in the media throughout the country.

Each day seems to shed light on a new development regarding what really happened on the day of Dec. 16 and how something could have happened to a player like Henry.

Despite everything heard in the media, the numerous rumors as to why it happened should be disregarded for at least one day to celebrate the life of a player who was on the right path to turning his life around.

Henry entered training camp as a player looking for a fresh start in his career, after a troubled past that built a negative reputation around his name.

He showed up with a new work ethic that was noticed by not only the Bengals’ coaching staff, but the players as well—especially quarterback Carson Palmer.

As the leader for the Bengals, Palmer has never been afraid to speak anything that may be on his mind.

When he described Henry’s work ethic during training camp, it was obvious this was a different player from the past.

“He’s had an offseason like no other; he’s worked here every single day,” Palmer said back in May. “He has a great attitude. I’m just really proud of the guy. I’m happy for him. He’s at a good place in his life, a good place for his family. He’s showed up to work here and he will all year long. There’s not a doubt about that.”

Henry had finally realized how blessed he was to given such great talent and was ready to put the necessary work into helping the Bengals succeed in 2009.

He may be gone, but his presence will be on the field with Cincinnati for not only this weekend, but the remainder of the season.

Death is never easy for anyone to deal with.

The passing away of Henry has not only affected members of the Bengals’ organization, but members and players from around the league as well.

The same thing happened when the Washington Redskins had to deal with the death of safety Sean Taylor two years ago.

No matter what team fans and players were part of, deep down they were all rooting for the Redskins to succeed.

All week, former teammates and current players have been paying their respects to Henry by sharing what it was like to play with or against him.

While teammates shared how great it was to have his presence in the locker room, some opponents described how difficult it was at times to defend a player like Henry, who was considered one of the most dangerous deep threats in football.

When the Bengals walk on to that field against the Chargers, wearing a decal with the No. 15 on their helmets, they will do whatever it takes to clinch their first AFC North title since 2005, but to win in honor of Henry.

No matter who fans root for on a weekly basis, everyone will be cheering for the Bengals on Sunday.

Each time Ochocinco hauls in a reception from Palmer, they will hold their breath in hopes of him finding the end zone for that tribute to Henry we’ve expected from him all week.

The Bengals will have their hands full against a Chargers’ team who has seen nothing but success in the month of December the last couple of seasons, winners of 16 straight.

Win or lose, Cincinnati deserves credit for all the emotions going through that locker room the last couple of days.

In honor of Henry, we’re all Bengals fans at heart this weekend and will be thinking about him during this Sunday of Week 15.

May he rest in peace and continue to live on in Cincinnati as they make a strong run for the playoffs in these last three weeks of the regular season.

 

Dan Parzych is the Cincinnati Bengals Examiner for Examiner.com

He is also the founder of WhoDeyBengals.com

Questions? Comments? staff@whodeybengals.com

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Cincinnati Bengals Receive Early Christmas Gift from Cleveland Browns

The Cincinnati Bengals received some extra help from the Cleveland Browns Thursday night, as Cleveland defeated the defending Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers 13-6 on national television.

The loss drops Pittsburgh to 6-7 on the season and officially eliminates them from defending their AFC North title and puts them behind five other teams in the wild card standings.

In a game that seemed to be the perfect matchup for Pittsburgh to end its four-game losing streak, the Cleveland defense sacked quarterback Ben Roethlisberger eight times.

After wide receiver Santonio Holmes was tackled by linebacker Arnold Harrison on the final play of the game, the fans at Cleveland Stadium reacted as if their team had just won the Super Bowl.

Even though the Bengals’ magic number was already at one heading into Sunday’s game against the Minnesota Vikings, Cincinnati is relieved after the outcome of the Browns-Steelers game from Thursday.

With Thursday’s loss, the Steelers can no longer pull the inevitable to win the division—finish 10-6 while the Bengals finish 9-7.

While the scenario seems unimaginable, last season’s collapse by the Denver Broncos—in which they lost a four-game lead in the AFC West in the final four weeks—is enough evidence that anything is possible in the NFL.

Now, the only way the Bengals can fall short of an AFC North title is if the 6-6 Baltimore Ravens pull what the San Diego Chargers did last season.

All the Bengals need to do to clinch the AFC North and a trip to the playoffs is win at least once in their remaining four games. From there, they can focus the rest of their attention on clinching a first-round bye and a home divisional round matchup at Paul Brown Stadium.

Dan Parzych is the Cincinnati Bengals Examiner for Examiner.com

He is also the founder of WhoDeyBengals.com

Questions? Comments? staff@whodeybengals.com

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Dallas Cowboys Look to End December Woes Against San Diego Chargers

It may have been just one week, but the Dallas Cowboys 31-24 loss to the New York Giants last week is already causing the media to write them off for another December collapse.

Unfortunately, the December collapse talk will haunt the Cowboys until they finally make it past the first round of the playoffs and find a way to win the big games in December.

With an 8-4 record heading into Week 14, the Cowboys host the 9-3 San Diego Chargers as they look to end the negative December talk and maintain first place in the NFC East. Holding a one-game lead in the AFC West, San Diego travels to Dallas on a seven-game winning streak.

Despite their loss in the Meadowlands last weekend, Dallas has developed a win streak of its own, winning the last five games at Cowboys Stadium. While one team’s streak will come to an end, the Cowboys are concerned with a streak that has developed over the last three years for the Chargers.

Even though the Cowboys have won their last five games at home, San Diego is the last team Dallas wants to face in this type of situation because of the Chargers success in the month of December.

While the Cowboys have struggled during the Tony Romo era in December (5-9), the Chargers have flourished in the final month of the regular season under head coach Norv Turner. Last week’s win over the Cleveland Browns improved his record to 10-0 in the month of December since taking over as head coach for San Diego in 2007.

The Chargers are the last team in the NFL the Cowboys want to face in this type of situation. With two teams looking to stay at the top of their division down the stretch of the season, it should be a tough matchup between Dallas and San Diego on Sunday.

If the Cowboys win, the media may give them the credit they deserve for winning against a playoff caliber team in the Chargers during the month of December.

If they lose, expect another week of the media talking about how the Cowboys are on their way to another December collapse and a shot of missing the playoffs.

Dan Parzych is the founder of the new NFCEastFootball.com

 

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How Strength of Remaining Schedule Could Determine the NFC East Champion

With four weeks remaining in the regular season, the NFC East is still up for grabs between the Dallas Cowboys (8-4), Philadelphia Eagles (8-4), and New York Giants (7-5). Each of the three teams has as good of a chance of hosting a home play-off game as the other, and this division may not be determined until the final week of the regular season.

While each team seems to beat up on each other in this fierce division, the strength of remaining schedule for could have a major impact on who is crowned NFC East Champions in 2009.

 

Dallas Cowboys

Out of the three teams, the Cowboys may have the most difficult remaining schedule of all. As of now, they have the most control considering their head-to-head win over the Eagles from Week Nine.

Three of their remaining four games are against teams that would be in the play-offs if the season ended today and have a combined 29-7 record. With the AFC West leading San Diego Chargers coming to town this weekend, they finish out the season with a home matchup against the Eagles—which could end up determining which teams is crowned NFC East Champion.

Along with two difficult home games, the Cowboys must travel to New Orleans to take on the Saints, who are flirting with a perfect record, and FedEx Field to take on the Washington Redskins.

While the Redskins sit at 3-9 and are officially eliminated from winning the NFC East, they have played better than their record indicates the last three weeks. They have lost three games in a row by a combined 10 points, including a 7-6 loss against the Cowboys in Week 11.

 

Philadelphia Eagles

With the success in the month of December during the Andy Reid era, there is every reason to believe the Eagles will make another strong run to claim their first NFC East title since 2006.

Not only have the Eagles won 12 of their last 15 December games, but they are 29-13 in that month since Reid’s second season as head coach.

However, just because they have recent success doesn’t mean the Eagles will fly through the month of December—especially with the type of schedule that lays ahead of them.

The Eagles travel to the Meadowlands Sunday to take on a Giants squad, looking for revenge after being embarrassed 40-17 in Philadelphia earlier this season, before two home games against the San Francisco 49ers and Denver Broncos. They end the season on the road in a crucial game at Cowboys Stadium that could end up determining their play-off fate.

Back in Week 11, the Eagles recorded their first win on Sunday Night Football after losing their first seven games since NBC took over broadcasting rights in 2006. With the upcoming Week 14 matchup against the Giants on NBC, it should be interesting to see whether or not Philadelphia can increase their record to 2-7 on Sunday Night Football.

 

New York Giants

After a 5-0 start, the Giants appeared to be on their way to a second-straight NFC East title. Since then, they have lost five of seven and are back in the division hunt after a 31-24 win over the Cowboys last weekend.

Out of the three teams fighting for the NFC East title, the Giants may have the best advantage when it comes to their remaining schedule. Other than this week’s matchup against the Eagles, the Minnesota Vikings are the only team on their remaining schedule with a record above .500.

After a matchup against the Redskins on Monday Night Football in Week 15, the Giants welcome the 5-7 Carolina Panthers to the Meadowlands for their final regular season game at Giants Stadium. While their remaining schedule may be more favorable, New York still has the disadvantage being one-game back of Dallas and Philadelphia in the NFC East standings.

However, a win over Philadelphia Sunday night would at least move New York up in the Wild Card standings. The Giants have made late-season runs before and they could easily do it again in the final stretch of the 2009 regular season.

Dan Parzych is the founder of the new NFCEastFootball.com

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Washington Redskins Release Shaun Suisham, Sign Graham Gano

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Washington Redskins have released kicker Shaun Suisham, two days after he missed a 23-yard field goal that most likely would have sealed a victory over the undefeated New Orleans Saints.

Two weeks ago, Suisham missed two field goals—39 yards and 50 yards—in a 7-6 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. After starting the season a perfect 12-for-12 on field goals, he has missed three of his last nine attempts.

As his replacement, the Redskins have signed former Florida State standout Graham Gano, who was considered one of the top prospects in this year’s draft. He signed with the Baltimore Ravens as a free agent before being waived back in September.

Dan Parzych is the founder of the new NFCEastFootball.com

 

 

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