Views From the NFC East

Dallas Cowboys (Lost to Giants 33-31; now 1-1), from Bloggin' the Boys:

Our defense has taken a step backwards instead of forwards from last year. Not only are we still failing to get turnovers -- and just imagine how just one turnover by our defense could've turned last night's game -- but they are no longer getting to the QB. DeMarcus Ware and company have gone silent in that department. And our secondary can't cover, can't tackle, can't...let's just leave it at they can't. [...]

Resting objective analysis on such a soft foundation like -- If only Romo would take care of the ball, Dallas would be a force this year -- is risky business. We've been saying that about Romo for years. Still, if you still hold any faith in #9, and believe that he can control his turnover demons, this team is formidable. We just put up 31 points on the Giants defense, supposedly one of the better in the league, and we did that while turning the ball over four times.

New York Giants (Won against Cowboys 33-31; now 2-0), from Big Blue View:

Manning was a brilliant 25-for-38 for 330 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. Considering Tony Romo's brutal 13-for-29 with three picks on a day the Giants' pass rush rarely got near him, how can anyone argue right now that they would rather have Romo as their quarterback? [...]

What can you say about [Steve Smith]? You might argue that Wes Welker is just as good, but there is not a better slot receiver in the game. Smith had 10 catches, totaling 134 yards. Short, long, third down, around the end zone, he did it all. The move Smith made to get open on his 22-yard touchdown reception was as good as you will ever see. [...]

The Giants were absolutely abused by the Cowboys running game. Thank God Romo was doing his Brad Johnson/Brooks Bollinger impression every time he threw the ball. Every time the Cowboys ran it I was holding my breath hoping it wouldn't go for a touchdown. The Cowboys ran for 251 yards on 29 carries (an astonding 8.7 yards per play). I don't know what is going on with the run defense, but the Giants have been gashed for big plays two weeks in a row. They have to do better than that to be the dominant unit they are supposed to be.

Philadelphia Eagles (Lost to Saints 48-22; now 1-1), from Bleeding Green Nation:

The Saints offense did pretty much whatever they wanted all day and the Eagles special teams was absolutely terrible. The offense certainly wasn't great, but is much lower on the list of reasons this game got out of hand.

The defense, which was stifling and so active against the Panthers, did a complete 180 [Sunday]. Rarely got pressure, was beat short, long, in the red zone, out of the red zone... just altogether terrible. It's hard to even point out a guy or a unit that was more at fault than the others. [...]

One thing I can say without a shadow of a doubt is that the loss of McNabb isn't what lost this game for the Eagles. If you blame that or blame Kolb, I have to wonder whether you're trying to convince yourself that the defense can't be this bad.

Washington Redskins (Won against Rams 9-7; now 1-1), from Hogs Haven:

Another one of those games where a win feels like a loss. Redskins Nation seems to be split into two camps: "a win is a win" and "this team can't blow out the Rams...time to call Shanahan." I'm in the middle. I do think it is time to strip Zorn of his play-calling. Third and 5 in the red zone and you have Clinton Portis throwing the ball? [...]

The Redskins offense is not going to blow any teams out, and we need to come to grips with that. The players took offense to the post-game booing, but what they need to realize is that false expectations have been set. All the interviews out of training camp were that the red shirts were going to step up this year, yet for a second straight game, they were playing hide and seek.