As you probably know, the NFC East all played a game this week and went winless, which is impressive because the Giants and Commanders played each other. There hasn’t been a loss-loss-tie trifecta among the Commanders, Cowboys, Eagles, and Giants since 1962.
Everyone had a rough week and everyone is to blame. It starts at the top.
New York Giants 3-1-1 (1-0-1)
With 11:05 left in the game, the Commanders converted a two point attempt to take a 14 point lead over the Giants. The Giants rallied to bring the game to 27-26 with 1:43
left in the game.
They kicked the PAT. Cowards.
John Harbaugh, Super Bowl Winner, Leader of Men™, Culture Changer™, Former Ravens Employer, he wasn’t brought in for feel good ties. He’s not here for moral victories. You don’t change the culture and instill a winning attitude by playing it safe. Aggressive teams and coaches know that down 14 they should go for 2 when they score their first TD. Harbaugh balked twice.
While the situations aren’t exactly the same, look at Kentucky Wildcats head coach Will Stein. Both this week and last Kentucky scored in the bottom of the 1st OT inning to bring the game to 34-33. Rather than take his chances in the second OT, he went for two to win the game right then and there. He won both times, getting a big upset of LSU in this weekend of sickos football. Fortune favors the bold.
With their second string QB the Giants had a chance to take the lead late on the road against a divisional opponent. John Harbaugh didn’t take it. The Commanders didn’t score in the rest of regulation, and in OT Harbaugh’s kicker missed a FG and his supposed star RB, who has more TV commercials than TDs this season, fumbled the ball. Karma police, arrest this man.
Philadelphia Eagles 2-3 (1-0)
Much has been made of Nick Sirianni’s decision to kick off short to the Jaguars. There is little (no pun intended) need to revisit that fresh wound except to say that with a roster depleted from injury before the game started and then whittled away during the game through injury and ejection, your kickoff coverage team was already a risk.
But the drive leading up to the FG to take the lead was just as brain dead as the decision to kick short. Why do you come out of the Jaguars second time out throwing the ball? Run the ball and force the Jaguars to use their final timeout. Why are you calling a one read play that has the receiver going out of bounds? The last thing you want to do is stop the clock. It should have been Jake Elliott, not Cam Little, kicking with 1 second left in the game.
This team is a lethal combination of bad and dumb.
Dallas Cowboys 2-3 (1-1)
Brian Schottenheimer had no play, possession, or late game sequence in this week that was full of gutlessness or stupidity. But he’s got a whole season of it.
The Cowboys have The Greatest Offense There Is. They also have the worst defense there is. Brian Schottenheimer does not seem to know this.
On Thursday Tampa dominated time of possession 39:21 to 20:39. The Cowboys had a 21 to 9 pass to run ratio in the first half, and 8-3 in the 3rd quarter. Dak Prescott had 42 pass attempts.
The Cowboys are 30th in time of possession, Schottenheimer is gassing his already terrible defense. The Cowboys defense is giving up the worst passer rating in the second half and the 5th most yards per rushing attempt. Only the Bears are giving up more yards per play than the Cowboys in the second half, only the Dolphins have fewer second half sacks.
Brian Schottenheimer is a nepo baby, but he’s about the furthest thing from his dad.
Washington Football Commanders 1-3-1 (0-2-1)
If I owned the Washington Commanders and watched the end of that game I would bring Dan Quinn to my private jet just so I could tarmac him.
After getting clobbered by the 49ers next week the Commanders have their bye. Start cleaning out your office Dan.
