Staff Writer
Only
two weeks remain in the NFL season and one of the biggest mysteries yet to be
unraveled is the log jam atop the NFC East. The New York Giants, Washington
Redskins, and Dallas Cowboys are all currently tied for first place in the
division, each possessing a record of 8-6. All three squads have made headlines
this season as the race for the division crown is as heated as ever.
New
York could be the first Super Bowl champ to miss out on the playoffs since the
Pittsburgh Steelers did so in 2006 and 2009. The Giants are a rare team who,
when having a good day, can defeat any other team in the league. Yet, they seem
to invariably provide head-scratching performances, losing quite often to
lesser opposition. It’s as though they have a secret switch in their locker
room making them borderline invincible but they only choose to press it before
the big games. New York travels to Baltimore in Week 16 and then hosts the
Philadelphia Eagles in their season finale.
Washington
has been riding the momentum behind their rookie phenom Robert Griffin III for
most of the season. Now winners of five straight games, the Redskins control
their own destiny in the division and have put the bleak 3-6 days behind them. They
hope to have the currently injured RGIII back for their final two games, but
for now, backup quarterback Kirk Cousins has done a fine job filling in. ‘Skins
fans haven’t had too much to cheer for in recent years, but the future is
surely bright with Griffin III at the helm. Washington plays Philadelphia next
and ends with a key clash against Dallas.
Could
this season finally be the one for Dallas? It seems that the Cowboys have made
failure and underachievement an art form in the Tony-Romo era. For now though,
America’s team is moving in the right direction and are coming off a crucial win
over the Pittsburgh Steelers. They have multiple weapons on offense, like Dez
Bryant, and several playmakers on defense as well, like Demarcus Ware. Dallas
finishes their 2012 campaign by hosting the New Orleans Saints this week and
traveling to the nation’s capital for a Week 17 duel with the Redskins.
The
division title is certainly up for grabs for any of the three teams; however,
Washington has the best chance of claiming it. They have been the most
consistent as of late and have been nearly unstoppable since the implementation
of the seldom-seen pistol offense. Whatever the results, the next two weeks
will be a hectic time for the contenders of the NFC East.
