A blowout at the Beau, a tough road loss, baby brother’s foil, and a disappointing first home showing are the prevailing storylines from Week 2 in the NFC East, leaving fans with more questions than answers heading into Week 3. Considering the two-way tie atop the division standings, and no team left unmarred by loss, the East remains wide open to all of its combatants. The greatest lesson learned from Sunday’s games is a sour one for fans of the division’s four teams: the 2013 NFC East is just not that good.
San Diego Chargers (1-1) 33 Philadelphia Eagles (1-1) 30
Sunday was supposed to be a triumphant return home for the Philadelphia Eagles after a dominating display on Monday night football. While the offense kept its form from the team’s date with the Redskins, the defense floundered against a below-average opponent. Billy Davis’s unit never got out of the gate Sunday, and surrendered over 500 yards on the ground to a hodge-podge of Chargers receivers, and running backs: Danny Woodhead and Ryan Mathews. The Eagles defensive line failed to get pressure on quarterback Philip Rivers and the birds fell to their visitors from the west coast.
While the offense thrived throughout the contest, Michael Vick even set a personal record with 428 passing yards and two touchdowns, the Eagles failed to convert on multiple drives late in the game, and kicker Alex Henery missed what would have been a game-tying field goal. All is not lost in the city of brotherly love, but with a Thursday night date with Andy Reid’s Kansas City Chiefs on the horizon, the Eagles must refocus and find some answers on defense, or risk falling behind in the race for the NFC East Crown.
Green Bay Packers (1-1) 38 Washington Redskins (0-2) 20
Time may be running out for Mike Shanahan’s crew to right the ship. The Redskins’ savior returned for his second game of 2013, and once again, struggled early. Robert Griffin III made headlines during the preseason claiming that he didn’t need any snaps prior to the season opener; with his team now in an 0-2 hole, Griffin III must shoulder some of the blame and attempt to right a sinking ship. Griffin III struggled with his mechanics early, but did lead part of a comeback in the second half. Facing a 24-0 hold at halftime, the Redskins rallied back to 20 points, only to watch their defense get shredded by one of the best the game has to offer, Aaron Rodgers.
The Redskins’ secondary was one of the worst in the league in 2012, but rookie additions Bacarri Rambo and David Amerson were expected to make a major impact in a struggling unit. Unfortunately for Washington, the Redskins made Vick look like Tom Brady in their week one meeting, and Rodgers almost broke the scoreboard while throwing for 480 yards and 4 touchdowns in week 2. If Washington cannot garner pass rush out of its front seven, and continues to get blasted while defending both the pass and the run, RGIII’s part in this story may be irrelevant, due to a defense that wouldn’t be relevant in the SEC. Washington looks far removed from the team that won a division title one calendar year ago, and now dug deep in an 0-2 hole, Shanahan could be facing impeachment in our nation’s capital.
Kansas City Chiefs (2-0) 17 Dallas Cowboys (1-1) 16
After dominating the rival Giants on Sunday night football in week 1, the Cowboys took their first road trip of 2013 to our nation’s heartland. Arrowhead Stadium was the site of Sunday’s inter-conference battle, and the Chiefs’ faithful were able to will their team to a tough win, and continue an undefeated season. For the Cowboys, the sting of defeat is especially sharp this week as Dallas should have found a way to win against a tough Chiefs’ team. In the offseason, Head Coach Jason Garrett was removed from play calling due to a fracture within the offensive communication. In week 2, the Cowboys’ offense looked stagnant and unimpressive on its’ way to a sub-par 16-point effort.
Offensive coordinator Bill Callahan was supposed to be the saving grace of this offensive unit, much like Garrett before him. Sunday was not the audition tape Callahan should place on his resume. The offense struggled throughout the game, accruing less than 350 yards of total offense in a disappointing showing. Dallas called multiple screen-passes on the goal line instead of using Tony Romo to find Dez Bryant or Jason Witten in the red zone, an area of the field they both excel. The offense amassed just 37 yards of rushing yards, leaving DeMarco Murray ‘s status as an elite rusher firmly in question, and giving Cowboys’ fans ulcers due to their horrendous offensive line play. While Dallas was far from appearing like a championship contender in week 1, their week 2 showing made the Kansas City Chiefs look like the 2001 Patriots. Dallas is far from out of the running for the NFC East title, but should their shoddy play continue, Romo and company will be watching from home yet again when the playoffs roll around.
Denver Broncos (2-0) 41 New York Giants (0-2) 23
Dubbed the Manning-bowl by numerous experts, Sunday’s showdown at the Meadowlands was anything but a slugfest between Archie Manning’s sons. A more apt title for this clash of brothers would have been the Peyton-bowl, as the younger brother failed to show up, much like his team’s defense. Standing in the shadow of Peyton Manning who threw for 307 and two touchdowns in his team’s victory, Eli Manning coughed up four interceptions with one lone score on 362 yards passing. With seven interceptions in only two games, Eli is turning the ball over at record pace. Even more surprising from this beat-down in the big apple was the lack of playing time by preseason projected-starter: David Wilson. The sophomore rusher appears to be firmly entrenched in Tom Coughlin‘s doghouse.
After fumbling twice in the Giants’ season opener, Wilson was benched. Sunday afternoon was supposed to be the young running back’s redemption song, but he was never given a chance. Wilson rushed for 17 yards on just seven carries, and was targeted just once in the passing attack. While Coughlin is trying to send a message to the youthful ball-carrier, Wilson’s psyche may have been damaged by the length of his stay outside of his coach’s good graces. From top to bottom the Giants must improve if they hope to contend: a Swiss-cheese offensive line, an incompetent defense, and a turnover-prone offense is no threat to a division crown, so for now expect the Giants’ to remain alongside the Redskins in the NFC East cellar.
Synopsis
While the NFC East’s teams failed to impress in week 2, fans of the division did learn something about their favorite franchises. The New York Giants have a long way to go to return to relevancy after two consecutive forgettable showings. Dallas must find a way to fix their woes on offense, and support a defense with potential for greatness. In Philadelphia, the Eagles are still forming a new identity, but if their defense does not improve soon, Chip Kelly’s far-fetched playoff dreams may become nightmares. Finally, last season’s division champion Washington Redskins must regroup an ailing defense in week 3, or face an uphill climb back into relevancy. One thing that can be known for certain after an embarrassing Week 2 showing from all four division teams, the NFC East is no longer the class of the NFC.