THERE’S NO BEAST IN WEAK NFC EAST
Mediocrity reigns in division no team seems to want to win
“You can put the names of all the teams in a hat, reach in and pull one out, and you might be right.” Former NFL player Brian Mitchell, on what team will win the NFC East
Welcome to the NFL’s division of doom: the NFC Least.
It is the place where bad football rules and even worse football still has a chance. Headed to see a typical NFC East game anytime soon? Consider yourself warned, and cover your eyes.
The league would not be out of line by signing the Red Cross as the official sponsor for its worst division race.
“Everybody’s got a problem,” former NFL running back Brian Mitchell told USA TODAY Sports in summing up current events.
Mitchell is an undeniable expert on all things NFC East. A star special teamer, he played all 14 of his seasons in the division, largely with Washington before stints with the Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants.
For all that institutional knowledge, he is as perplexed as anyone in projecting how this mess will settle. Before the season, he expected the Dallas Cowboys to repeat as division champs.
“Right now, who knows?” Mitchell said. “You can put the names of all the teams in a hat, reach in and pull one out, and you might be right. I mean, just look at who’s in first place now.
Three weeks ago, Chip Kelly’s team was such a mess that some adorable critics (ahem) were writing Philadelphia off as dead meat. Now? The Eagles (3-3) would be division champs if the playoffs started today even though Sam Bradford has been an interception machine.
Talk about a fluid situation. The Eagles, with new running back DeMarco Murray finally getting into a groove, have had the best two-week performance of any division team — which goes a long way in the NFC East — by outscoring opponents 66-24.
Yesterday’s doormat is today’s juggernaut. Only in the NFC East.
“Obviously, we are taking things week to week,” Bradford said after Monday’s turnover-infested victory against the Giants.
Good idea. The Cowboys were the team to beat a month ago after opening the season with backto-back division wins. Then the reality of life without quarterback Tony Romo ( broken collarbone) and wide receiver Dez Bryant ( broken foot) set in.
The Giants were the class of the division in Week 3. Washington seemed like a threat after beating Philadelphia in Week 4.
“Last week, I was a Giants guy,” former Washington general man- ager Charley Casserly said. “At one point, every team in the division has had their day in the sun. And we’re not even halfway through the season. This is going to keep changing.”
And just think, if the Eagles can’t upset the unbeaten Carolina Panthers on Sunday, the GiantsCowboys winner at MetLife Stadium will reclaim first place.
Without Romo and Bryant, Dallas is riding a three-game losing streak and banking on journeyman quarterback Matt Cassel to save the season (this week) by injecting life into the offense. Romo probably is at least six weeks from returning, and Bryant is considered day-to-day as his recovery reaches its sixth week. The defense, bolstered by the returns of Greg Hardy and Rolando McClain from suspensions, should get impressive rookie edge rusher Randy Gregory back this week from a high ankle sprain.
“We’ll give you the ammo at the end, to have the credentials to win the thing,” Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said. “The dicey part is while you’re waiting on them to get back you better not get eliminated out of the deal.”
The NFL is always a war of attrition, but that factor is more compelling than usual in this division considering the injured players who might return at yetto-be-determined effectiveness.
The Giants are waiting to see if premier defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul can return from a devastating hand injury suffered in a July 4 fireworks mishap, and wide receiver Victor Cruz (calf ) has yet to play.
The Eagles have been without linebackers Kiko Alonso (knee) and Mychal Kendricks (hamstring), both of whom practiced Wednesday after missing several weeks.
Washington’s woes include lengthy injury setbacks for star wideout DeSean Jackson (hamstring), cornerback DeAngelo Hall (toe) and tight end Jordan Reed (concussion).
Amid so many X factors, one thing seems certain: The NFC East will be up for grabs in December. This is a new NFL reality. Over the last five seasons, four division titles have been won by teams with eight wins or fewer.
“It’s a dogfight,” Cowboys defensive end Jeremy Mincey said. “The beauty in it is that these young guys (playing as fill-ins) have had the opportunity to grow as the season goes along, and we’ll be better for it.”
Maybe so. But it’s clear beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Especially in the NFC East, where so many clichés, like “next man up” and “one game at a time,” form a “make-or-break” reality.