WASHINGTON — Here’s a phrase we thought impossible just two weeks ago: The NFC East is the Washington Redskins’ to win.
(pause to allow the laughter to die down)
No, seriously. And I’m not alone in this assessment.
Hard to imagine when this day began that the Washington Redskins would be as well positioned as they now are to challenge in the NFC East.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 21, 2015
Wait, are the Redskins NFC East title contenders? http://t.co/ZzsGpOlw9f pic.twitter.com/nN6AHO4mAx — Ben Standig (@BenStandig) September 21, 2015
NFC East uncertainty could lead to opportunity for Redskins http://t.co/mCDavzkHbU
— John Keim (@john_keim) September 21, 2015
This isn’t some fanboy overreaction. Before the season, I picked the Redskins to be a mediocre, last place team. On this very website, we mulled over the possibility of an epic awful 2015 in Washington. So this isn’t wishful thinking from some misguided soul that only views life through Burgundy and Gold glasses. Sunday’s events just threw the door wide open in a division largely thought to belong to either Philadelphia or Dallas. Those two teams met at Lincoln Financial Field and two very interesting things happened: The Eagles surprisingly fell to 0-2 and Tony Romo fractured his clavicle — the same one he broke in 2010.
At a bare minimum, this changes the way we view the NFC East. The first place Cowboys have perhaps the most deflating 2-0 record outside of Denver. Dallas already lost Dez Bryant for God knows how long and now they’ll be without Romo for at least two months. That means a steady dose of Brandon Weeden at quarterback. Yes, the guy with 8 straight losses as a starter and 5-16 career record. It also means the Cowboys won’t have any of their top three players in 2014 back before the holidays.
Which leads me to ex-Cowboy DeMarco Murray. If he left meat on the bone in Dallas, he hasn’t even bothered to slaughter the chicken in Philly. He’s got just 11 rushing yards through two games. Eleven. He rushed for 88 yards or better in 12 of his 16 games in 2014, yet he’s on pace to have 88 yards in all of 2015.
The Eagle defense hasn’t fared much better. Prized free agent cornerback Byron Maxwell left Seattle for greener pastures (green, as in jersey color and money … he signed a 6-year, $64 million deal to come to Philly), yet has been successfully picked on by opposing quarterbacks (thrown at 19 times in two games — and given up 15 catches for 240 yards and 2 touchdowns, allowing for a perfect 158.3 rating).
Meanwhile, the Giants are choking at a historic rate. New York is the first team in NFL history to lose their first two games of a season despite leading by 10 or more points in the 4th quarter of each game. Against the Falcons on Sunday, Big Blue inexplicably didn’t get the ball to all-world wideout Odell Beckham Jr. in the 2nd half after he racked up 7 catches for 146 yards and a long touchdown in the first half. Oh, and their top defensive player is still out because his hand looks like Chubbs Peterson’s.
Enter the Redskins.
They exacted revenge against a Rams team that shut them out less than a year ago and have had their number for four years and in five of their previous seven meetings. More importantly, they are what new GM Scot McCloughan promised they would be: a tough, physical team committed to smashmouth football. Throw in some competent QB play and a tough defense (surprisingly ranked first in total defense through two weeks) and the recipe for sustained success is starting to take shape.
(Plus, winning with “Natitude” helped produce some of the good mojo that comes from a little crosstown, inter-sport love.)
Look, I’m not saying the Redskins should start selling playoff tickets. They’re still a few weeks from getting top playmaker DeSean Jackson back, special teams remains a huge concern, and Kirk Cousins hasn’t yet proven he’s past his tendency to toss a bad interception (or four).
But this is the NFL. At least one worst-to-first story per season is basically the rule rather than the exception, so the temperature is just right for a Redskin renaissance in a new regime. Obviously, it’s still very early, but the next month could make or break their season.
Consider this: A win Thursday night in New York would put the Skins at 2-1 in a decimated division, with a long break to prepare for a desperate Eagles team to come to town on Oct. 4. If the ‘Skins can get to 3-1 with back to back division wins, and a somewhat favorable schedule through October (at Falcons, at Jets, Tampa), we should know by Halloween if a second division title in four years is likely or just as
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