Anthony DiBona
Week eight is in the rear view mirror for the Philadelphia Eagles and the rest of their division rivals in the NFC East. So where does each team currently stand in the division and what should you look for this upcoming week? I’ve got you covered in this week’s NFC East Report for the ninth week of the regular season!
Standings
Well last week certainly went well for the Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Redskins. Despite not playing a game, they both took a step forward in the division standings due to losses by the New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys. But their losses couldn’t have been anymore different. The Giants lost to the New Orleans Saints in an insane shootout that resembled a college football game, as the Giants lost 52-49. While the Cowboys lost at home to the Seattle Seahawks in a defensive battle that saw just one touchdown scored, Dallas lost 13-12.
New York Giants (4-4)
I honestly never thought I’d see the day when an NFL team would put up 49 points and lose, that’s just unheard of. But due to their banged up defense, the Giants just couldn’t stop Drew Brees at all. Brees threw for 505 passing yards and seven touchdowns, making it look relatively easy…am I wrong for saying it was a breeze? Man, that was an awful joke. In all seriousness though, the Giants have a dangerous offense but their defense is just really, really bad. They’ll have a surprisingly tough test this week when they take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who are coming off an impressive road win against the Atlanta Falcons.
Next Game: @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Sunday, November 8th, 4:05 PM EST
Washington Redskins (3-4)
While the Redskins are riding high right now, they may come crashing back down to reality this week. They’re set to travel to Gillette Stadium and take on one of the hottest teams in the NFL, the undefeated New England Patriots. But this week the Redskins are getting a valuable player back from injury, wide receiver DeSean Jackson appears ready to return from his hamstring injury that has kept him out for most of the season. Yet it’s unlikely that Jackson’s return will be enough to even give the Redskins a chance in Sunday’s game against the Patriots.
Next Game: @ New England Patriots, Sunday, November 8th, 1:00 PM EST
Philadelphia Eagles (3-4)
It’s revenge time for the Eagles as they’re set to take on the Cowboys for the second time this season. After an embarrassing performance against them in week two of the season, the team is ready to make a statement. Eagles starting right tackle Lane Johnson was asked to reevaluate the team’s performance in their first game against the Cowboys this season, his answer was spot on:
Lane Johnson on 1st game w/Dallas: "That was really a complete shit-show. And it lasted all game. It didn’t really get any better." #Eagles
— Martin Frank (@Mfranknfl) November 4, 2015
This time around the Cowboys will start the game with Matt Cassel at quarterback instead of Tony Romo. But they’ll also have Dez Bryant and Greg Hardy on the field this Sunday, which could obviously cause problems for the Eagles. Bryant is still working his way back from a foot injury but we all remember what he did against the Eagles last season. Hardy is an awful human being but he’s a damn good football player and sadly that’s all that matters during the game. It’ll be interesting to see how the Eagles handle both Bryant and Hardy on Sunday Night Football.
Next Game: @ Dallas Cowboys, Sunday, November 8th, 8:30 PM EST
Dallas Cowboys (2-5)
0-5. That’s the Cowboys record this season without Tony Romo. So will they be able to get their first win without Romo against the Eagles this Sunday? I wouldn’t completely rule it out. Their defense is playing at a high level and the Eagles’ offense is obviously struggling. It’s also worth noting that Philadelphia could be without starting left tackle Jason Peters, who is obviously tasked with protecting Sam Bradford’s blind side. Greg Hardy could be in for a big game if he’s facing off with a back-up right tackle or Lane Johnson playing left tackle for the first time in a long time. But we’ll discuss more about this game on Friday in my full game preview!
Next Game: vs. Philadelphia Eagles, Sunday, November 8th, 8:30 PM EST
That’s all for my NFC East report for Week 9, be sure to check back here at PhillyInfluencer.com for all of the latest news regarding your beloved Birds and everything else happening in Philadelphia!