NFL Playoff Picture: Week 9

NFC East

1. New York Giants (5-4)
2. Philadelphia Eagles (4-4)
3. Washington Redskins (3-5)
4. Dallas Cowboys (2-6)

Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

The Giants are the only team over .500 in this pitiful division that for some reason keeps getting primetime games week after week. For a league that calls itself the “Not For Long” one, the NFC East sure lives purely from past glory nowadays.

The Giants defeated the Buccaneers, 32-18, but the game wasn’t nearly as lopsided as the score suggests.

Eli Manning threw two interceptions along with his two touchdowns, and the defense had no sacks for the second straight game even with the vaunted return of Jason Pierre-Paul, who had two tackles in his first game back since his fourth of July fireworks bonanza. In fact, they have just one sack in their past three games.

The Giants won the Super Bowl in 2007 and 2011 because they had a quarterback that caught fire in the postseason and, most importantly, they had a menacing pass rush.

They face Tom Brady and the Patriots next week before their bye. One would think that Brady will make them suffer just like Drew Brees did in New Orleans two weeks ago, but the Giants become a different team when facing the Pats. So who knows?

The Eagles are just a half-game back of the Giants after beating the Cowboys 33-27 in overtime. Don’t sleep on Philly, they have a soft three-game stretch coming up against the Dolphins and Bucs at home before playing the Lions on the road. Those three teams have a combined 7-17 record.

They could be heading to New England with a 7-4 mark and a four-game winning streak propelling them in firm control of the NFC East by Week 12 if they play like a contender.

There is not much for me to say about the Redskins after seeing their offense lay down against the Pats like scared puppies during their 27-10 loss, dropping passes and letting its defense down time and time again. Why is Kirk Cousins still the starter?

Washington hosts New Orleans and goes to Carolina to play a red-hot Panthers team before seeing the Giants at home in Week 12. Odds are that they will be 3-7 by the end of that stretch, but then again the Saints just lost to Tennessee at home so…

Oh, and the Cowboys! 2-0 with Tony Romo as starting quarterback, 0-6 without him. They are not going to win against the Bucs in Tampa next week, because they don’t know how to without Romo. Those who think that Dallas will creep back up in the division race are just deluding themselves.

Next: AFC East