NFC East Round Up: Washington, Giants look inept while Cowboys watch in Week 3
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The Dallas Cowboys have been able to sit back and watch some of their division rivals on two of the first three Sundays of the 2021 season. In Week 1, Dallas started the schedule with a Thursday night nail-biting loss to the defending champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They were well rested when the other three division rivals took the field as Washington and New York opened with losses and the Philadelphia Eagles took an early lead in the division with a win.
In Week 2 the Giants and Football Team squared off on Thursday night with Washington winning on a do-over last-second field goal. That Sunday saw the Cowboys and Eagles with opposite results, evening both records at 1-1 for a three way tie atop the division. That set up Week 3, with Washington traveling up north to visit the Buffalo Bills and the Giants returning home to host the also 0-2 Atlanta Falcons. The results were embarrassing.
Buffalo 43, Washington 21
How can a 22-point difference make the loser look better than they actually played? When that loser is the Washington franchise. Prior to the game, fans of the club were already talking about moral victories from keeping the game close. This one got ugly, fast. Prior to the season, Washington was being picked as a potential repeat winner of the NFC East (after a 7-win season that included two victories over a Dak Prescott-less Dallas) on the strength of a defense that was supposed to be elite. They are not that. Josh Allen absolutely slaughtered them in every way imaginable, scoring five touchdowns (four passing, one on the ground) in an MVP-esque performance. It was 21-0 before 25 minutes of game clock had passed and the only reason the score was so close was a fluke long-distance onside kick that gave Washington back-to-back second quarter scores, and a meaningless score that shrunk the margin with five minutes remaining. Washington's defense has given up at least 390 yards in each of their first three contests and looks nothing like last season's menaces as they failed to record a single sack. Next Washington game: @ Atlanta Falcons (1-2) Game Recap Articles
Atlanta 17, New York 14
At least the Washington game had a bunch of scoring, this was a defensive struggle. Not that the defenses were playing well, it's a struggle to defend the product these two teams put out on the field. Neither team had spectacular performances on defense, combing for just five sacks and two forced turnovers. Matt Ryan finished with a 111 passer rating but he was hardly sharp throughout despite his two touchdown throws and Daniel Jones couldn't muster a single score as he turned back into his normal pumpkin form when not facing Washington. The snoozefest was tied at 7 until a scoring barrage in the fourth quarter when the teams scored on three of four possessions including the Falcons game-winning kick as time expired. That's right, the Giants lost for the second week on a row on a last-second field goal. Saquon Barkley scored the only Giants' touchdown on a goal-line plunge where the announcer had the audacity to proclaim the one-yard pile hurdle is the reason a team spent the No. 2 pick in the draft on a running back. Yes, Fox sent out a broadcast team worthy of the matchup. Barkley ended with 51 yards on 16 carries and now has 134 yards on the season.as he comes back from an ACL tear in 2020. Next Giants game: @ New Orleans (2-1) Game Recap Articles
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