John Matthews
WMAL.com
ASHBURN, VA — (WMAL) The Redskins players spent Sunday much the same way many of their fans did – sitting on their couches, watching football, and no doubt enjoying what they were seeing.
What the players saw was two of their division rivals lose in last-minute thrillers. In Dallas, the Cowboys gave up a field goal with less than a minute left to fall to the Seattle Seahawks, 13 – 12 – a game that showcased the offensive ineptitude of both teams.
Earlier, the Skins saw the same outcome in a game that was marked by the exact opposite – a stunning lack of defense – in a record-setting 52 – 49 win by New Orleans over the hapless Giants. Saints quarterback Drew Brees tied an NFL record by throwing 7 touchdown passes, just beating the six tossed by Giants signalcaller Eli Manning. The 13 combined touchdown passes set a new NFL mark. The game was decided by a game-ending 50 yard field goal by former Redskins kicker Kai Forbath.
With Philadelphia enjoying its bye week along with the Redskins, the NFC East could hardly be closer. The Giants, at 4 – 4, hold a half-game lead over the 3 – 4 Redskins and Eagles, while the Cowboys, losers of five straight, are at 2 – 5.
The Redskins should enjoy the tight race while they can. They will travel to New England Sunday, to take on the 7 – 0 defending champion Patriots, which are already being touted as 14-point favorites by Las Vegas oddsmakers.
The good news for Washington is that it could see several players who have been injured return to their lineup, including linebacker Ryan Kerrigan, wide receiver DeSean Jackson, center Kory Lichtensteiger and cornerback Chris Culliver.
While The Redskins face the Patriots, there are no ‘gimmes’ for any of the NFC East teams. The Giants are 2.5 point favorites on the road in Tampa Bay, while the Cowboys and Eagles face each other Sunday night in Dallas. The Cowboys are early 3-point favorites over Philly.
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