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Underdog · 09-24-2008, 12:18 PM

Power Play
It's Early, But NFC East Looks Elite

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IRVING, Texas - The 59-minute, 23-second fight Philadelphia waged before Tony Romo's final kneel-down, ending the wildest Monday night game in recent memory.

The Washington fans' "We want Dallas!!" chants in the waning moments of Sunday's victory at FedExField, an early glimpse of this week's Cowboys-Redskins rivalry renewed.

The Fox execs crossing their fingers that the Cowboys (3-0) and Giants (3-0) maintain spotless records for the highly-anticipated playoff rematch Nov. 2 at Giants Stadium - a prospect the Cowboys wouldn't even consider pondering this early in the season.

Wade Phillips' team realizes clinching back-to-back NFC East titles for the first time since 1996 won't be easy for those three reasons: The Eagles' pesky challenge nine days ago at Texas Stadium, the Redskins' growing confidence under new coach Jim Zorn and the Giants' Super Bowl shadow looming over the division.

The NFC East returned to prominence last year. Three weeks into this season, the division looks downright nasty.

"I've said that all along," Phillips said on Monday, hours after the Cowboys earned a decisive 27-16 road win over Green Bay. "I think we have the toughest division, the best division - however you want to say it. Our worst team last year was 8-8 and I thought Philadelphia was really coming on at the end of the year last year. It looks the same this year."

That's because if September is any indication, all four teams have improved from last season. The NFC East has a league-best 10-2 combined record, and both losses came within the division - the Giants' Week 1 win over the Redskins (2-1) and the Cowboys' 41-37 thriller against the Eagles. For the first time since 2005, the entire division has started 2-1 or better.

The Giants and Cowboys are two of the NFL's six remaining undefeated teams and the only NFC unbeatens. The Eagles (2-1) pushed Dallas to the limit and outlasted AFC contender Pittsburgh on Sunday, 15-9.

And the Redskins, Sunday's visitor to Texas Stadium (3:15 p.m. CDT), have won two straight behind third-year starting quarterback Jason Campbell, who threw for 193 yards and two touchdowns in Sunday's 24-17 victory over Arizona.

The FedExField faithful began calling out the Cowboys in the fourth quarter after Campbell hit Santana Moss for a 17-yard, game-clinching touchdown.

"I heard it," Campbell said, smiling. "Around here that's a big deal. And it's a big deal to us. It's a division game."

The last time these bitter rivals met, the Redskins sneaked into the playoffs with a regular-season finale victory against the Cowboys' second-teamers (Phillips elected to rest his starters with home-field advantage already clinched for nearly half the game).

Washington's wild-card berth sent three NFC East teams to the playoffs for the second consecutive season, but only the third time since 1981 - a surprising fact considering Arizona also dwelled in the division from 1970-2001. The Cardinals joined the Cowboys and Redskins in the "Super Bowl Tournament" during the strike-shortened 1982 season, but the eight teams from each conference were seeded based on regular-season records, not division standings.

The division reached a powerful pinnacle in the early 1990s, when the Giants, Redskins and Cowboys traded Super Bowl trophies. This year the Cowboys and Giants are widely considered NFC favorites, the Eagles now look like a deep sleeper and the Redskins could challenge for a playoff berth if Campbell continues to grasp Zorn's West Coast offense.

For most of the Cowboys' veterans, this is strongest they've seen the East.

"When I first got in, it was Philly, the Giants and the Redskins," sixth-year inside linebacker Bradie James said. "We were just kind of trying to find our way, but now we're in the mix a little bit. It's pretty good - every week is a battle.

"Look at us last year - we won the division and we didn't even make it to the conference championship game. And a team we beat twice won the Super Bowl. It's just tough. Anytime you're playing guys like that you've just got to be ready."

The Cowboys have a 6-4 division record since Romo became the starting quarterback in the middle of the 2006 season. One of those losses, last December's trip to Washington, has an asterisk beside it.

The Cowboys were 6-2 last year at Texas Stadium, and their eight home games could decide whether they reclaim the top spot amongst such unruly neighbors. Beating Philly was a good start, and their non-division home games include a mixture of struggling teams (0-3 Cincinnati, 1-2 Seattle) and surprises (2-1 San Francisco, 2-0 Baltimore).

"They always say win at home and split on the road," Phillips said. "You want to win every one you can win, no matter where you are. For us, it's the next game. And it's a home game. Those two things are real important for us."

And up next is a familiar foe.

Cowboys Need Work In Turnover Battle

It's one of the oldest clichés in coachspeak: Whoever wins the turnover battle will win the game.

Through 47 games this season, that has been the case in all but eight contests. Most teams aren't good enough to overcome giveaways, and enough takeaways can help even marginal teams win games.

Of those eight games in which the fewest takeaways prevailed, the Cowboys have won three of them. They lost in turnover ratio 1-0 in Cleveland, 2-1 against Philadelphia, and 2-1 Sunday in Green Bay. So how is a team with a 5-2 turnover differential still undefeated through three weeks?

Part of it has to be the strength of their offense, which is averaging a league-best 440 yards per game and scoring 32 points per contest, third best in the NFL.

Only the Broncos and Chargers are averaging more points each week.

The time and place of some of the Cowboys turnovers have had a hand in overcoming the numbers as well. Three of the Cowboys turnovers have come in the red zone as they were driving to score, meaning the other team probably had a long field to drive, except for Sunday's interception and 61 yard return by Nick Collins.

Additionally the Cowboys have capitalized whenever their defense got the ball back for them, driving for the game-winning score against the Eagles and kicking a field goal to get an early lead after Adam "Pacman" Jones picked up a fumble Sunday.

Of the teams with a negative turnover margin, only the Cowboys, Patriots and Buccaneers have a winning record, and the Cowboys are the only unbeaten team. The season is just three weeks old, but teams with more takeaways than giveaways are 22-16.

The Cowboys realize despite their high-scoring offense, they won't get away with giving up the ball more than they take it away for long, particularly those interceptions and fumbles in the red zone.

Redskins Missing Jason Taylor

When the Washington Redskins traded for former Dolphins pass rusher Jason Taylor, they figured they were getting a guy who could pressure the division's quarterbacks - if Tony Romo, Donovan McNabb and Eli Manning have all day to throw, those guys will beat you.

At the very least, Washington thought they were getting a durable player. As it turns out, Taylor hasn't been either, thus far. He had just one sack through three games, and is now out for what would have been his first Redskins/Cowboys game after undergoing a short surgery on his calf Monday. At some point during

Washington's win against Arizona Sunday, Taylor was kicked in the leg. After the game he lost feeling in his ankle when blood began to pool.

Taylor did not register a sack when the Cowboys visited Miami last season, working mainly against left tackle Flozell Adams.

Taylor was acquired after Washington lost their top pass rusher, Phillip Daniels, in the preseason. Former Cowboy Demetric Evans is expected to get the starting nod in Taylor's absence, with ex-Viking Erasmus James and second-year end Chris Wilson, an undrafted free agent, splitting snaps at the other end of the line.

Felix A Nominee Again

After taking both the Diet Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week award and the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors for his Week Two kickoff-return touchdown, Felix Jones is again in the running for the top rookie honors.

He finished Sunday's game in Green Bay with 76 rushing yards on six carries, including a 60-yard touchdown to give the Cowboys a 10-6 lead with 6:15 to go in the second quarter. He is the first Cowboys rookie to score a touchdown in each of his first three games, breaking Bob Hayes' mark of two, set in 1965.

Also nominated for the honors are Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco, Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan, Dolphins defensive end Phillip Merling and Texans running back Steve Slaton. Vote for the Diet Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week at nfl.com.

Playing the Rating Game

Sunday's Cowboys vs. Packers game was the second-highest rated episode of Sunday Night Football in the NBC show's history. Only the 2007 opener, the Colts-Giants Manning Bowl had a higher rating, and technically it was played on a Thursday.

Sunday's game was watched by 22.2 million people around the country, just 400,000 short of the record set by Colts-Giants. The Manning Bowl probably didn't have the competition Sunday's game did however, as Cowboys-Packers was aired at the same time as the Emmy Awards and the Yankee Stadium finale.

Some of the game's potential viewers were drawn away by those shows, but the Cowboys game easily won the time slot. The Cowboys-Saints game from Dec. 10, 2006 drew 19.9 million viewers, fifth best in the history of Sunday Night Football.

Short Shots

Felix Jones played 13 snaps on offense Sunday, only two at the same time as starter Marion Barber. The two were actually in the backfield together just once, flanking Tony Romo in the shotgun formation . . . Packers cornerback Al Harris may be out for the season after rupturing his spleen during Sunday night's game . . . The Cowboys are 56-38-2 all-time against Washington, though they have split the last four meetings . . . A win Sunday would give the Cowboys their 11th 4-0 start in franchise history.

09-24-2008, 12:18 PM	#216
Underdog Moderator Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: 41.21.1 Posts: 36,143	Power Play It's Early, But NFC East Looks Elite link IRVING, Texas - The 59-minute, 23-second fight Philadelphia waged before Tony Romo's final kneel-down, ending the wildest Monday night game in recent memory. The Washington fans' "We want Dallas!!" chants in the waning moments of Sunday's victory at FedExField, an early glimpse of this week's Cowboys-Redskins rivalry renewed. The Fox execs crossing their fingers that the Cowboys (3-0) and Giants (3-0) maintain spotless records for the highly-anticipated playoff rematch Nov. 2 at Giants Stadium - a prospect the Cowboys wouldn't even consider pondering this early in the season. Wade Phillips' team realizes clinching back-to-back NFC East titles for the first time since 1996 won't be easy for those three reasons: The Eagles' pesky challenge nine days ago at Texas Stadium, the Redskins' growing confidence under new coach Jim Zorn and the Giants' Super Bowl shadow looming over the division. The NFC East returned to prominence last year. Three weeks into this season, the division looks downright nasty. "I've said that all along," Phillips said on Monday, hours after the Cowboys earned a decisive 27-16 road win over Green Bay. "I think we have the toughest division, the best division - however you want to say it. Our worst team last year was 8-8 and I thought Philadelphia was really coming on at the end of the year last year. It looks the same this year." That's because if September is any indication, all four teams have improved from last season. The NFC East has a league-best 10-2 combined record, and both losses came within the division - the Giants' Week 1 win over the Redskins (2-1) and the Cowboys' 41-37 thriller against the Eagles. For the first time since 2005, the entire division has started 2-1 or better. The Giants and Cowboys are two of the NFL's six remaining undefeated teams and the only NFC unbeatens. The Eagles (2-1) pushed Dallas to the limit and outlasted AFC contender Pittsburgh on Sunday, 15-9. And the Redskins, Sunday's visitor to Texas Stadium (3:15 p.m. CDT), have won two straight behind third-year starting quarterback Jason Campbell, who threw for 193 yards and two touchdowns in Sunday's 24-17 victory over Arizona. The FedExField faithful began calling out the Cowboys in the fourth quarter after Campbell hit Santana Moss for a 17-yard, game-clinching touchdown. "I heard it," Campbell said, smiling. "Around here that's a big deal. And it's a big deal to us. It's a division game." The last time these bitter rivals met, the Redskins sneaked into the playoffs with a regular-season finale victory against the Cowboys' second-teamers (Phillips elected to rest his starters with home-field advantage already clinched for nearly half the game). Washington's wild-card berth sent three NFC East teams to the playoffs for the second consecutive season, but only the third time since 1981 - a surprising fact considering Arizona also dwelled in the division from 1970-2001. The Cardinals joined the Cowboys and Redskins in the "Super Bowl Tournament" during the strike-shortened 1982 season, but the eight teams from each conference were seeded based on regular-season records, not division standings. The division reached a powerful pinnacle in the early 1990s, when the Giants, Redskins and Cowboys traded Super Bowl trophies. This year the Cowboys and Giants are widely considered NFC favorites, the Eagles now look like a deep sleeper and the Redskins could challenge for a playoff berth if Campbell continues to grasp Zorn's West Coast offense. For most of the Cowboys' veterans, this is strongest they've seen the East. "When I first got in, it was Philly, the Giants and the Redskins," sixth-year inside linebacker Bradie James said. "We were just kind of trying to find our way, but now we're in the mix a little bit. It's pretty good - every week is a battle. "Look at us last year - we won the division and we didn't even make it to the conference championship game. And a team we beat twice won the Super Bowl. It's just tough. Anytime you're playing guys like that you've just got to be ready." The Cowboys have a 6-4 division record since Romo became the starting quarterback in the middle of the 2006 season. One of those losses, last December's trip to Washington, has an asterisk beside it. The Cowboys were 6-2 last year at Texas Stadium, and their eight home games could decide whether they reclaim the top spot amongst such unruly neighbors. Beating Philly was a good start, and their non-division home games include a mixture of struggling teams (0-3 Cincinnati, 1-2 Seattle) and surprises (2-1 San Francisco, 2-0 Baltimore). "They always say win at home and split on the road," Phillips said. "You want to win every one you can win, no matter where you are. For us, it's the next game. And it's a home game. Those two things are real important for us." And up next is a familiar foe. Cowboys Need Work In Turnover Battle It's one of the oldest clichés in coachspeak: Whoever wins the turnover battle will win the game. Through 47 games this season, that has been the case in all but eight contests. Most teams aren't good enough to overcome giveaways, and enough takeaways can help even marginal teams win games. Of those eight games in which the fewest takeaways prevailed, the Cowboys have won three of them. They lost in turnover ratio 1-0 in Cleveland, 2-1 against Philadelphia, and 2-1 Sunday in Green Bay. So how is a team with a 5-2 turnover differential still undefeated through three weeks? Part of it has to be the strength of their offense, which is averaging a league-best 440 yards per game and scoring 32 points per contest, third best in the NFL. Only the Broncos and Chargers are averaging more points each week. The time and place of some of the Cowboys turnovers have had a hand in overcoming the numbers as well. Three of the Cowboys turnovers have come in the red zone as they were driving to score, meaning the other team probably had a long field to drive, except for Sunday's interception and 61 yard return by Nick Collins. Additionally the Cowboys have capitalized whenever their defense got the ball back for them, driving for the game-winning score against the Eagles and kicking a field goal to get an early lead after Adam "Pacman" Jones picked up a fumble Sunday. Of the teams with a negative turnover margin, only the Cowboys, Patriots and Buccaneers have a winning record, and the Cowboys are the only unbeaten team. The season is just three weeks old, but teams with more takeaways than giveaways are 22-16. The Cowboys realize despite their high-scoring offense, they won't get away with giving up the ball more than they take it away for long, particularly those interceptions and fumbles in the red zone. Redskins Missing Jason Taylor When the Washington Redskins traded for former Dolphins pass rusher Jason Taylor, they figured they were getting a guy who could pressure the division's quarterbacks - if Tony Romo, Donovan McNabb and Eli Manning have all day to throw, those guys will beat you. At the very least, Washington thought they were getting a durable player. As it turns out, Taylor hasn't been either, thus far. He had just one sack through three games, and is now out for what would have been his first Redskins/Cowboys game after undergoing a short surgery on his calf Monday. At some point during Washington's win against Arizona Sunday, Taylor was kicked in the leg. After the game he lost feeling in his ankle when blood began to pool. Taylor did not register a sack when the Cowboys visited Miami last season, working mainly against left tackle Flozell Adams. Taylor was acquired after Washington lost their top pass rusher, Phillip Daniels, in the preseason. Former Cowboy Demetric Evans is expected to get the starting nod in Taylor's absence, with ex-Viking Erasmus James and second-year end Chris Wilson, an undrafted free agent, splitting snaps at the other end of the line. Felix A Nominee Again After taking both the Diet Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week award and the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors for his Week Two kickoff-return touchdown, Felix Jones is again in the running for the top rookie honors. He finished Sunday's game in Green Bay with 76 rushing yards on six carries, including a 60-yard touchdown to give the Cowboys a 10-6 lead with 6:15 to go in the second quarter. He is the first Cowboys rookie to score a touchdown in each of his first three games, breaking Bob Hayes' mark of two, set in 1965. Also nominated for the honors are Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco, Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan, Dolphins defensive end Phillip Merling and Texans running back Steve Slaton. Vote for the Diet Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week at nfl.com. Playing the Rating Game Sunday's Cowboys vs. Packers game was the second-highest rated episode of Sunday Night Football in the NBC show's history. Only the 2007 opener, the Colts-Giants Manning Bowl had a higher rating, and technically it was played on a Thursday. Sunday's game was watched by 22.2 million people around the country, just 400,000 short of the record set by Colts-Giants. The Manning Bowl probably didn't have the competition Sunday's game did however, as Cowboys-Packers was aired at the same time as the Emmy Awards and the Yankee Stadium finale. Some of the game's potential viewers were drawn away by those shows, but the Cowboys game easily won the time slot. The Cowboys-Saints game from Dec. 10, 2006 drew 19.9 million viewers, fifth best in the history of Sunday Night Football. Short Shots Felix Jones played 13 snaps on offense Sunday, only two at the same time as starter Marion Barber. The two were actually in the backfield together just once, flanking Tony Romo in the shotgun formation . . . Packers cornerback Al Harris may be out for the season after rupturing his spleen during Sunday night's game . . . The Cowboys are 56-38-2 all-time against Washington, though they have split the last four meetings . . . A win Sunday would give the Cowboys their 11th 4-0 start in franchise history. __________________ These days being a fan is a competition to see who can be the most upset when your team loses. That proves you love winning more. That's how it works.