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NFC East teams are struggling with inconsistency

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Kevin Hench

An accomplished film and television writer, Kevin Hench's latest screenwriting credit is for The Hammer, which stars Adam Carolla. His podcast, Spider and the Henchman, is available every Friday on iTunes. MORE>>
Updated Nov 6, 2009 11:46 AM ET
     
 
A month ago, the Giants were 5-0, the Beast of the NFC East and the class of the NFL. They had looked so dominant in going undefeated that they had reduced the oft-sputtering Cowboys and Eagles to thinking wild card by mid-October. Turns out a lot can change in a month.
The Cowboys and Eagles, both 5-2, square off Sunday night with sole possession of first place on the line. The Giants (5-3), meanwhile, have allowed 112 points in their three straight losses. Hosting the Chargers Sunday, the G-Men continue a murderous stretch in which 10 of 11 games are against either 2008 playoff teams or teams currently in first place (or both). All three teams have taken turns looking alternately unstoppable and fairly dreadful as they all deal with identity crises. In an uninspired four-game stretch, the Cowboys lost twice — at home to the Giants and at Denver — and were taken to OT by the lowly Chiefs. During this period, the consensus became Tony Romo was the problem and the offense needed to become a ground-and-pound unit that asked less of its QB. So much for that theory. All Romo has done in his past three games is throw 99 times with eight touchdowns, zero picks, a 120-plus passer rating and 101 points produced in three victories. Now, no one is saying Romo should be slinging it less. But the Cowboys have been a model of consistency compared with their Week 9 opponent. The Eagles have five double-digit victories and two of the more embarrassing stink-bomb losses in the NFL this season: a 26-point home loss to the Saints in Week 2 and a 13-9 groaner at Oakland in Week 6. Not surprisingly, the pass-happy Eagles do not have a 100-yard rusher this season as Brian Westbrook battles his annual injury bugaboo and splits carries with LeSean McCoy. Philly does have a QB with two 300-yard passing games, only his name is Kevin Kolb. Donovan McNabb is averaging only 201.6 yards passing but with a hyper-efficient 103.2 rating. Defensively, even with the passing of blitz guru Jim Johnson, the Eagles are still their sack-happy selves, standing second in the league with 23 as an astounding 13 different players have had a hand in a sack. While the Eagles defense has allowed more than 17 points only once all season, the Giants' suddenly fragile D has allowed 17 or more points in two separate quarters the past three weeks. Ever since Antonio Pierce dismissed the Raiders with his "scrimmage" comment after Week 5, the Giants defense has looked like a second unit being picked apart by the first-team offense in a training camp scrimmage. Offensively, Eli Manning's 86.4 rating ranks him 15th overall. Brandon Jacobs is averaging 3.9 yards a carry, 33rd overall, after averaging 5.0 yards per carry in each of the previous two seasons. On any given Sunday, the Cowboys, Eagles and Giants are each capable of looking like the best team in the NFL. They are also capable of long, curious stretches where they look confused and impotent. Only one thing is for sure in the schizophrenic NFC East: The Redskins will finish last.

Hottest Hot Seat

And suddenly there was one. For weeks, Raheem Morris has been putting together a resume to rival the inglorious CV of former Patriots coach Rod Rust (one year, 1-15). But at least Morris and his Buccaneers had company among the winless bottom dwellers of the NFL. Then Todd Haley got off the schneid in Week 7 and both Steve Spagnuolo and Jeff Fisher broke through with their first wins in Week 8. So heading into Week 9, there is a new undisputed Worst Team in the NFL. And that team is coached by Raheem Morris, now seated in the we-made-a-mistake, one-and-done hottest hot seat in the league.

Worst Week of Sleep Leading Up to Kickoff

Jake Delhomme returns home to Louisiana this week for a visit to the Saints' torture chamber. Talk about a perfect storm. The Saints have the most interceptions in the league with 16, five of which they've returned for touchdowns. They have the lowest opposing passer rating at a meager 53.3. Delhomme, meanwhile, has thrown the most interceptions in the league (13) and has the 31st-ranked rating (59.3). With five pick-sixes, the Saints D has scored as many times on pass plays as Delhomme's receivers. Three of Delhomme's turnovers (two picks, one fumble) have been returned for touchdowns this season.

Week 9 Search for Respect

What do you make of the 2009 Miami Dolphins? The ungenerous view is that they have the 23rd-ranked offense and 17th-ranked defense with the 3-4 record to prove it. But this is no ordinary 3-4 team. They have already swept the Jets and blown out the intermittently competitive Bills, 38-10. The Dolphins have been almost as impressive in some of their losses. In Week 2, they held the ball for 45 minutes against the Colts before bowing, 27-23. In Week 3, they held the Chargers to three points for the first 43 minutes in San Diego. And in Week 7, they led the Saints 24-3 before imploding in a 46-34 shootout. Miami coach Tony Sparano wants to believe the road to the AFC East crown leads through his defending division champ Dolphins. If he can pull off his second straight victory in Foxborough, his team will be 4-0 in the division and the Pats will be 1-2.

The Week in Favre

Indians fans watching CC Sabathia and Cliff Lee shine in the World Series. Red Sox fans watching Johnny Damon celebrate a championship with the Yankees. That's nothing compared to what Packers fans have endured this year. Think Dwight Eisenhower joining the Politburo in 1961 and then leading the Soviet Union to a successful occupation of the U.S. and you get a sense of what has happened in Green Bay this season. In two wins over his former team, Brett Favre has led the Vikings to 68 points with seven touchdowns, no picks and a 132.3 rating. I think someone is going to enjoy his bye week.

Raiders Melodrama of the Week

I'll say this for Jim Zorn: He doesn't have sordid allegations of physical violence being brought against him on a regular basis. Not only is Tom Cable's team awful (2-6, 9.8 points per game), but the accusations about his violent temper and how it manifests itself also are becoming more than a distraction in Oakland. The week after the Napa County District Attorney decided not to pursue charges against Cable after something happened in a meeting with former assistant Randy Hanson that resulted in Hanson's jaw being broken, Cable's first wife and a recent girlfriend have alleged he struck them. Cable has admitted slapping his first wife but denies he has struck a woman since. Cable met with Al Davis this week to discuss the latest allegations. Davis apparently did not suffer any injuries in the meeting. Meanwhile, miraculously, JaMarcus Russell is not the most embarrassing Raider.

Distraction of the Week

As if GM Scott Pioli and head coach Todd Haley didn't have enough to worry about in turning around the Chiefs' moribund franchise, Now comes an online petition from K.C. fans demanding that Larry Johnson not be allowed to break Priest Holmes' career rushing record. Johnson needs 75 yards to become the team's all-time rushing leader. Considering that L.J. is averaging 2.7 yards per carry on 132 attempts, it would be a win-win for the Chiefs to go ahead and make Jamaal Charles (5.0 yards per carry on 23 attempts) the featured back. They'd be better on the field and win the PR battle, too.

Fantasy Headache of the Week

The two-headed running back platoon has been a killer for fantasy owners. But Houston coach Gary Kubiak is taking it to a new level — level 3. Steve Slaton has been demoted ... sort of. Ryan Moats has been promoted ... sort of. Chris Brown, who has failed spectacularly in two crucial goal-line situations, is still in the mix. Terrific. Kubiak's committee approach makes all three essentially worthless this week.

L.A. Awaits, Franchise Relocation Watch

Billionaire Ed Roski wants a team in L.A. Jacksonville fans, who this week have failed to lift the blackout for the fourth time this season, don't much want the one they have. Surely a deal can be worked out. If Roger Goodell can broker a deal (where Roski no doubt overpays for the Jags), he'd kill two birds with one stone: bringing a team to the second-largest market in the country while removing one from the 47th-largest Designated Market Area.
Tagged: Titans, Brett Favre, Antonio Pierce, Colts, Tony Romo, Raiders, Chiefs, Larry Johnson, Chargers, Chris Brown, Dolphins, Texans, Vikings, Patriots, LeSean McCoy, Kevin Kolb, Donovan McNabb, JaMarcus Russell, Saints, Brian Westbrook, Giants, Jets, Eagles, Buccaneers, Cowboys, Redskins, Brandon Jacobs, Eli Manning, Ryan Moats, Jamaal Charles

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