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The 2011 season was not the most, well, beastly season in NFC East history. It was the first time in a full, 16-game season that no team in the division won at least 10 games, and for much of the year the talk around the division was that it wasn't what it used to be.

Buncha baloney if you ask me. Even forgetting for a second that an NFC East team won the Super Bowl, this division still does one very important thing better than any other: rush the passer. The NFC East's 181 sacks led all NFL divisions in 2011, and by quite a bit. (The AFC North, which had three playoff teams, was second with 160). The Eagles tied for the league lead with 50. The Giants tied for third with 48. The Cowboys tied for seventh with 42, and the Redskins tied for 10th with 41.

Look deeper, into the film-based, number-crunching stats from Pro Football Focus -- stats that take into account more than just sacks when evaluating the extent to which teams rushed, hassled and affected opposing quarterbacks, and the division still rules. The Eagles rank No. 1 in PFF's 2011 team rankings, the Cowboys No. 3, the Giants No. 6 and the Redskins No. 9. No division prizes this critical aspect of the game more than the NFC East does, and it shows up in the numbers.

So, as we slug our way through a slow news month in the NFC East, I thought it'd be a good idea to check in on the pass rushes of our four teams and see how they're doing -- what they've done to get better or worse, what their 2012 prospects look like from this far out and yes, how they rank against each other. You guys asked for more polls, and I promised I'd listen, so there's one right here for you to vote on. After you finish reading, of course. I'm addressing them in order of how many sacks they got in 2011, in case you're wondering how I decided. Seemed fair.

Philadelphia Eagles

Key contributors: DE Trent Cole, DE Jason Babin, DT Cullen Jenkins. PFF ranked Cole the No. 1 overall 4-3 defensive end in the league last year. Babin ranked 10th overall and third in pass rush, finishing third in the league with 18 sacks. Jenkins ranked as the No. 4 pass-rushing defensive tackle, and Derek Landri was No. 10. Defensive line coach Jim Washburn and defensive coordinator Juan Castillo, each of whom is entering his second season in his current position with the Eagles, believe the front four is responsible for the pass rush. And while they got a lot of publicity for how wide they like to line up their defensive ends, they like to get pressure from the defensive tackles as well.

Newcomer: DT Fletcher Cox. The Eagles traded up in the first round to pick Cox because they believed he could be an impact pass-rusher from one of those interior spots right away. They need to toughen up against the run, and that will have to be part of Cox's game. But what appealed to them was his ability to get to the passer. Rookie linebacker Mychal Kendricks could conceivably factor in here too, but the Eagles don't ask their linebackers to rush very much in the new scheme.

Stock watch: UP. The addition of Cox, as well as the possible return to full health of Mike Patterson and 2010 first-round pick Brandon Graham, give the Eagles incredible depth at a position at which they were already very strong in 2011. It's possible they'll rush the passer even better in 2012.

New York Giants

Key contributors: DE Jason Pierre-Paul, DE Justin Tuck, DE Osi Umenyiora, DE/LB Mathias Kiwanuka. No one's roster goes as deep as the Giants' does in terms of star-caliber defensive ends. Pierre-Paul was fourth in the league with 16.5 sacks in just his second NFL season. Umenyiora had nine in just nine games. Tuck turned it on at the end and in the playoffs, and Kiwanuka is a defensive end playing linebacker. The Giants believe a strong pass rush is their heritage and their key to being an annual contender.

Newcomer: DT Marvin Austin. The Giants didn't really bring in anyone this offseason who looks like a 2012 pass-rush contributor, but their 2011 second-round pick missed all of last season due to injury, so we'll call him a newcomer. The Giants would like to get more help from inside. Linval Joseph was their best pass-rushing defensive tackle in 2011, according to PFF's rankings. A healthy Austin could be a difference-maker.

Stock watch: DOWN. Not by much, but a little, because of the loss of reliable, underrated reserve DE Dave Tollefson. If Tuck and Umenyiora have injury problems again, or if Umenyiora holds out, they could get kind of thin at defensive end pretty quickly without Tollefson there to fill in this time. Now, this is the Giants, and they'll probably figure it out. The addition of linebacker Keith Rivers could allow them to move Kiwanuka back to end in case of injury. But it's worth pointing out that they did lose a somewhat important piece of the pass rush and didn't replace him.

Dallas Cowboys

Key contributors: LB DeMarcus Ware, LB Anthony Spencer, DE Jason Hatcher, NT Jay Ratliff. There's no one like Ware, who rang up another 19.5 sacks in 2011. That's nearly half the team total, and the conventional wisdom says he needs more help. But PFF ranked Spencer its 11th-best 3-4 outside linebacker in the pass rush and Hatcher as its eighth-best 3-4 pass-rushing defensive end. Add in Ratliff, who can generate pressure up the middle, and the Cowboys look better in this area than we tend to think.

Newcomer: DE Tyrone Crawford. Dallas' third-round pick is looked at by many as a project, but as one that can eventually help with the pass rush whether he ends up as a 3-4 end or standing up as an outside linebacker. Whether he can help in 2012 remains a question, but the Cowboys didn't see a first-round or second-round pass-rusher they liked better than Spencer, so they focused on the secondary instead and picked up some down-the-road guys for the pass rush.

Stock watch: EVEN. They're bringing back basically the same group, and while there's a theory that the improvements at defensive back will help the pass rush by giving it extra time to get sacks, we have yet to see that in action. Spencer must play with more aggressiveness if this unit is to take a step forward into the upper tier with the Eagles and Giants.

Washington Redskins

Key contributors: LB Brian Orakpo, LB Ryan Kerrigan, DE Stephen Bowen. The Redskins' pass rush is all about those young outside linebackers, and they are fearsome. But with only 16.5 sacks between them in 2011, their numbers have a ways to go to get into the big-time stratosphere we're talking about in the NFC East. PFF did rank Orakpo fifth and Kerrigan ninth among pass-rushing 3-4 OLBs in 2011, so they do a lot of things well in that area. Bowen had six sacks and DE Adam Carriker came up with 5.5.

Newcomer: DE Jarvis Jenkins. Just as we did with the Giants, we'll go with a 2011 second-round pick who missed his rookie season due to injury. Jenkins may not be a pass-rusher, but adding him to the defensive line rotation could help free up more room for the linebackers and maybe help the other linemen get to the passer more often as well.

Stock watch: EVEN. This is really all about how much and how quickly Orakpo and especially Kerrigan continue to develop as elite pass-rushers. They've both shown flashes of incredible raw ability, and they have to continue to hone their craft so they can play at the level of the other pass-rushers in their division. Ware, Cole, Pierre-Paul and the rest of these guys are setting a high bar, and the Redskins know they have to have their own pass-rush monsters if they want to hang with them year in and year out.

INDIANAPOLIS -- The Cowboys’ decision to move Tyron Smith to left tackle in 2012 is something that was in the plans when they selected him in the first round last year, but it is not the cure-all for the offensive line.

There is no doubt Doug Free struggled last season. He was not as comfortable as he was for whatever the reason: the lockout forced a short camp, the pressures of a $32 million extension, the loss of technique and the loss of confidence.

But playing right tackle is no easy thing, especially in the NFC East.

Washington can throw Ryan Kerrigan (7.5 sacks in 2011) and Brian Orakpo (nine sacks) at either tackle. Philadelphia can throw Trent Cole (11 sacks) and Jason Babin (18 sacks) at either tackle. The New York Giants can throw Jason Pierre-Paul (16.5 sacks), Justin Tuck (five sacks) or Osi Umenyiora (nine sacks) at either tackle.

Outside the division, the Cowboys have to contend with Pittsburgh’s James Harrison and LaMarr Woodley. Baltimore moves Terrell Suggs all over the field. Chicago does the same with Julius Peppers.

The adjustment to the right side should not take Free too long. He broke into the lineup there in 2009 after Marc Colombo suffered a broken ankle and showed the Cowboys he can play. The Cowboys felt comfortable enough the next year to let Flozell Adams leave via free agency and slide Free to left tackle. After the lockout ended the Cowboys gave Free the contract.

To me, the switch is more about Smith’s ability than Free’s lack of it but one of the top jobs facing new offensive line coach/offensive coordinator Bill Callahan is rebuilding Free.

With the offseason in full swing, let’s take a look at one major question facing each NFC East team as they begin preparations for the 2012 season:

DALLAS COWBOYS

Do they have too much work to do?

It's possible that we expect too much from the Cowboys. Their skill-position talent on offense makes them an easy team to like going into the season. Few teams are as good as they are at quarterback and wide receiver, and if DeMarco Murray comes back healthy, they look pretty good at running back, too.

But the offseason needs for the Cowboys are myriad. They need guards and a center. They need cornerbacks and safeties. They need a pass-rushing outside linebacker to complement DeMarcus Ware. They could stand to beef up on the defensive line.

That's a lot of needs, and it's fair to wonder whether they'll be able to fill them all adequately and construct a 2012 contender. That they were a contender (heck, a leader) in the NFC East right up until the end of the 2011 season leads one to believe they necessarily should be thought of as one again for 2012. But the division was, for the first time ever, won with only nine wins. And the way the Cowboys played defense and protected Tony Romo during their 1-4 finish was more alarming than the 7-4 record was encouraging.

NEW YORK GIANTS

What to do with Osi Umenyiora?

The Giants have other issues, sure. They need to work on the offensive line. They need to find a tight end. They need to make individual decisions on players like Brandon Jacobs and Mario Manningham. But for a team that believes the pass rush is the cornerstone of good defense, the Osi question is a fair one on which to focus right now.

Last summer, when he had two years left on his contract, Umenyiora was obviously unhappy. He sat out training camp practices. He sought (and received) permission to find a team willing to trade for him. He called GM Jerry Reese a liar in a sworn affidavit as part of one of the lockout lawsuits. The Giants never blinked, and in the end Umenyiora returned and became a major contributor to their Super Bowl run.

Now, he has one year left on the contract he hates, and the Giants must decide what to do. Sign him long term, as he wants? Trade him now, while his value is high coming off the Super Bowl and his postseason performance? Or stand pat again and force him to play out his contract, running the risk that he'll be more resolute in his protests and holdouts this time around?

The emergence of Jason Pierre-Paul at defensive end opposite Justin Tuck gives the Giants leverage, but at the same time, they were much better when all three of those guys were healthy and in the lineup together.

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES

Is a full offseason really what they need?

Last August, after the lockout ended, the Eagles signed a bunch of free agents to play for a revamped coaching staff with a lot of new ideas about how to play defense and offensive line. The party line in Philadelphia now is that this was all too much too soon, and that the Eagles' 3-6 start was due in large part to the inability of all of these new pieces to get on the same page in the absence of an offseason program.

They played well at the end of the season, they point out. Heck, they played well at the beginning of the season, too -- they just couldn't hold a lead. So we'll see whether a real offseason of OTAs and minicamps all spring and summer helps everyone relax and get the most out of a talented roster.

We'll see whether it helps quarterback Michael Vick better handle the new responsibilities he took on in 2011, such as changing the protection at the line of scrimmage. We'll see whether the sting of 2011's disappointment can propel the Eagles to great things in 2012, or if it's all a bunch of hooey and they were never that good in the first place.

WASHINGTON REDSKINS

Who's the quarterback?

Rex Grossman can't come back as anything other than the backup, and John Beck ... well, just ... no.

The Redskins have many needs, but none as big as this one. Picking sixth in the draft, they'll need to trade up (and outbid other teams to do so) if they want Robert Griffin III, who's the best all-around option and a potential franchise quarterback.

But if trading up means dealing away multiple first-round picks and making it difficult for them to address areas such as wide receiver, offensive line and the secondary, it might not be the wisest course of action. That would necessitate a free-agent pursuit of someone like Kyle Orton, Matt Flynn or -- if they can be convinced he's fully healthy -- Peyton Manning.

Redskins fans aren't likely to be happy with an imperfect, short-term solution. But only one team is going to get Griffin, and if the Redskins are not that team, they need to spend their resources on a No. 1 receiver and help for the line.

They have about $47 million in cap room and the ability to fill enough holes that plugging in a healthy Manning could make them a 2012 contender. And if that's the way they go, there's always a Matt Barkley or Landry Jones-type option next year.

SAN FRANCISCO -- Stuck in traffic on a bus headed for rainy Candlestick Park on Sunday afternoon, Devin Thomas had a vision. Thomas is the No. 4 wide receiver for the New York Giants, and as such he doesn't get too many chances to make plays. He's a special teams guy, mainly, and not even a return man anymore after flopping in that role earlier this season. So when Thomas has a vision of himself making a huge play to help win a game, it's a special teams play -- a frantic, full-speed crazy play that no one could have seen coming.

"I knew I was going to do it," Thomas said. "I was just thinking today was one of those crazy days where something crazy's going to turn the game. And I had a vision in my mind that I would be the guy who did it."

Thomas made two such plays Sunday. He recovered two fumbles on punt returns by Kyle Williams, the 49ers' backup return man. The first set the Giants up for a go-ahead fourth-quarter touchdown at a time when they appeared totally incapable of moving the ball against the San Francisco defense. The second came in overtime, and a few minutes later, after Lawrence Tynes kicked the second NFC Championship Game-winning field goal of his career, the Giants had a 20-17 victory and a date with the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI.

"Our guys never quit, never have any doubts," said Giants quarterback Eli Manning, who spent his night being knocked around by fearsome 49ers defenders but never flinched, completing 32 of 58 passes for 316 yards and two touchdowns. "We just keep believing and keep fighting until the very end, no matter what the circumstances are."

These Giants are as improbable a Super Bowl participant as the NFL has seen in some time. Widely predicted (especially here) to miss the playoffs during the preseason, losers of four games in a row in a tough stretch in late November and earlier December, their record stood at 7-7 after a Week 15 loss to the division-rival Redskins. They have not lost a game since. If they had -- if they'd lost even one of the five games they've played since that loss to Washington -- they would not still be playing. The defining aspect of these Giants is their toughness, but out of that over the past five weeks has grown a patience and a discipline that's rooted in intense self-belief and has propelled them to unexpected heights.

"They have grit, now," a beaming head coach Tom Coughlin said of his second Giants Super Bowl team. "We've had five straight single-elimination games. We've played an awful lot of superior football teams this year, and that has certainly helped."

But no one could have seen this coming. Not from 6-6 or 7-7 and certainly not from the preseason, when they were dealing with a major injury per week and everybody was in love with the offseason the Eagles had. Back then, there was no way to know that Jason Pierre-Paul would become one of the best pass rushers in the league or that Victor Cruz would become one of its best wide receivers. The odds against both of those things happening were astronomical.

"I think we knew, here in this locker room," said rookie linebacker Jacquian Williams, who stripped the ball from Kyle Williams so that Thomas could pounce on it in overtime. "You see the talent those guys have on the practice field and you know it's just a matter of when they're going to get their opportunity."

From October, you couldn't have seen Williams coming. But he's become a critical asset in the Giants' coverage units over the past couple of months, and as he showed Sunday, he's capable of making game-changing plays on special teams. He laughed when I asked him how this was matching up to the expectations he'd had for his rookie season.

"Rookies don't usually have an opportunity to play," he said. "Especially when you got picked in the sixth round."

But this has been an all-hands-on-deck kind of season for the Giants, and opportunities have piled up. Brandon Jacobs got an opportunity to be a big part of the running game again when Ahmad Bradshaw got hurt. Bradshaw had the bigger game Sunday, but Jacobs has been a key part of the current streak. Osi Umenyiora came back from a late-season ankle injury and has elevated the pass rush to teetering heights, terrorizing quarterbacks and forcing fumbles during this run and helping Pierre-Paul and Justin Tuck get free to wreak their own havoc.

"I love these guys. They've had my back the whole time," said Umenyiora, who's transformed from cranky contract complainer to peaceful, happy team player in a span of a few months. "So I wasn't going to come back and be selfish. I just wanted to come back and do what they need me to do, whatever that is. That's what I've done and it's had an impact."

This Giants team may have led the league in surprise clutch performances. You may be able to say you thought Cruz would be good, or that Pierre-Paul would come on quickly, or that Umenyiora would put his personal stuff aside for the good of the team. You may be able to say you knew Manning was going to play turnover-free football in the conference title game against a team that forced 43 turnovers in its first 17 games. You may be able to say you knew Mathias Kiwanuka was going to change positions and be a critical part of the defense, or even that you believed Williams and Thomas would be making key plays in the biggest game of the season.

But to say you saw all of that coming? You'd have to be crazy to expect anyone to buy that. These Giants represent the reason we watch sports -- to be surprised and amazed, to see human beings push their own limits and achieve things few expected of them. These Giants are overachievers, a team that has found ways to win all year when it didn't appear they should. And you can't be that without getting big-time contributions from every corner of the roster.

"I think we always believed -- in ourselves, in our coaches, in our plan, in each other," wide receiver Hakeem Nicks said. "And that's the reason why we're here."

There are so many reasons, and they range from the obvious to the obscure. Nobody picked Thomas to make the plays that won the NFC Championship Game, because Thomas is the kind of guy you have to work hard to remember is still on the team. But as the Giants left their locker room late Sunday night, Thomas carried the ball he'd recovered in overtime and got right back on the bus where he'd envisioned himself doing just that. It may have been a surprise to the rest of us, but it wasn't to Thomas, and it wasn't to the Giants. There are many, many people who are surprised to find the Giants still standing. But the Giants are not among them. They may not have known how they were going to do this, but they always believed they would. And it's quite a varied and remarkable collection of players that has found a way.

IRVING, Texas -- In April, ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper gave the Cowboys a B-minus for their draft. Now that the season has ended, Kiper has downgraded it to a C-plus.

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Deion Sanders doesn't hold back when calling out the 2011 Dallas Cowboys and their shortcomings. Listen

You have to be an insider to read all of the grades here, but here’s what he wrote about the Cowboys:

Summary: I said then that I liked the conviction Dallas had to get younger on the offensive line, stay at No. 9 and take Tyron Smith, even though that was no home run in terms of value. Still, that pick turned into a win for the Cowboys. Smith, who started all season as a 20-year-old, played on the right side, but all indications are he could develop into a blindside tackle if they find it necessary to move him there. The grade rises if he can. Right now, a right tackle isn't your goal with a lineman taken at No. 9 overall. Bruce Carter’s NFL script is still unwritten, but DeMarco Murray obviously was a great value in the third before he went down for the year. Murray's injury, incidentally, is why it's hard to ever say a great running back out of the third round is a "steal" -- RBs land in the third because you expect them to get hurt. It's just reality. There isn't much else here so far. Dwayne Harris flashed in the preseason but wasn't a factor. Aside from Smith, the best rookie was kicker Dan Bailey, but alas, he wasn't drafted and thus can't be factored in here.

My take: I would’ve kept it at a B-minus maybe even given it a B because you knew going into the season that Carter was facing a redshirt season because of the knee injury. Murray changed the Cowboys season and he didn’t suffer the type of injury that labels guys as “injury prone.” This was a fractured ankle. He’s largely right about the rest of the draft class, but Bill Nagy was a starter before he got hurt. Now, did he earn the starting spot or was it a case of him being the best of a “meh” lot?

I think too much is put into the left and right tackle breakdown. Look at the six games the Cowboys play against NFC East foes: the left and right tackle have to block some hellacious pass rushers. Washington has Ryan Kerrigan and Brian Orakpo. The Giants have Jason Pierre-Paul, Justin Tuck and Osi Umenyiora. The Eagles have Trent Cole and Jason Babin. You better have top-flight tackles on both sides to exist.

By some accounts, Smith was among the best tackles in the game as a rookie. That seems like pretty good value at the No. 9 pick.

Cowboys OT Doug Free vs. Giants DE Jason Pierre-Paul: This was a matchup in Week 14 that I thought the Cowboys would be okay in, but boy, was I wrong. Free usually plays well against athletes more than power players. I was surprised how much snap that Pierre-Paul had in his upper body and the way he was able to control Free with his hands. Pierre-Paul was a raw rusher technique-wise, but this season he has developed moves and a game. There is more than just explosiveness to his game and Free now understands that.

What Free is going to have to do is get on Pierre-Paul quickly and not allow him to get up the field and in position to get around the corner. On the safety that Free gave up, he wasn’t nearly quick enough getting out of his stance. The problem is when you are on the road, hearing for the offensive linemen is strained. Free will have to look inside and watch Costa to see him snap the ball, taking his eyes off Pierre-Paul and then adjust back to the outside. I believe that the Cowboys are not going to put Free in many one-on-one situations unless they can help it but when you do that, tackles sometimes get messed up in the positioning of the extra blocker and it hurts how they pass set.

I am sure that we will see a tight end to his side to make him rush wider. In the games I studied, defensive coordinator Perry Fewell moved Pierre-Paul around to create matchup problems in the three-man line. The Cowboys cannot allow Pierre-Paul to be a factor in this game like he was in the Giants' victory the last time these two teams met.

Cowboys CBs vs. Giants WRs Victor Cruz and Hakeem Nicks: As dangerous as Pierre-Paul is on the defensive side of the ball, the Giants have two weapons in Cruz and Nicks that can be just as much of a game changer. Cruz and Nicks can make any secondary look bad with their ability to make plays down the field. In my view, Nicks is to the Giants what Bryant is to the Cowboys, a big bodied receiver that can catch the ball all over the field. He is a force in the red zone and you have to deal with him in the open field when trying to get him on the ground. I know that he has had some bad drops this season, but against the Cowboys, I guarantee that will not happen. He has secure hands and is an outstanding route runner.

Victor Cruz is also a special player. Give the Giants scouting department a lot of credit for finding this player because he is fearless in the way he plays. He, like Nicks, can get deep on the vertical routes but he can also punish you with the way he runs routes on third down. Cruz likes to work the middle of the field and is always around the sticks. He lines up on the outside but where he does damage is from the slot.

Where he will challenge the Cowboys safeties is with his vertical speed. There is no doubt in my mind that the Giants will take some shots down the field on Newman and see if Elam or Sensabaugh can cover some ground from the middle of the field. In the last meeting, big plays were the difference in the game. Cruz and Nicks will make plays, but they can’t be the back-breaking ones.

Cowboys run defense vs. Giants RBs Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs: When the media had a chance to visit with Rob Ryan on Friday, he was pressed on the question of what the Giants were able to do last time these two teams met when it came to their ability to run the ball. You could hear it in Ryan’s voice the concern that he had with the situation and not allowing it to happen again. Last week again, Ryan challenged his run defense to play better against the Eagles and LeSean McCoy and they did.

The one common thread that I have noticed when they have played good run defense is the ability to stay square across the line and not get turned or moved off their spot. When Kenyon Coleman, Marcus Spears and Jason Hatcher are playing with their hands and getting off blocks, you can really tell the difference in the running game. Guys like Jay Ratliff and Sean Lissemore have also done a nice job of staying square and making plays at the line. Both these Giants backs are power players. Bradshaw is more physical than Jacobs but it always seems like Jacobs saves his best work for the Cowboys. T

here will be times where offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride will go away from the run and put the ball totally in Manning’s hands which I don’t understand. A physical Giants rushing attack will hurt the Cowboys in that it will slow down the pass rush. If you remember last time when the Giants were able to run the ball, the Cowboys struggled to get bodies home. Ryan and this defense cannot allow the Giants to beat them up and create other opportunities to make life easier for Manning. If the Cowboys are to win this game, they will need to match how physical these Giants running backs are.

As many ups and downs as the Dallas Cowboys have had this season, the goal of an NFC East championship -- and a playoff berth -- remains in reach. That means the possibility of reaching the Super Bowl is still in play, and that's all you can ask for.

Recent playoff history has proven that if you're in, then you have a shot to win it all. Are the Cowboys good enough to make a serious run? With the way that Tony Romo is currently playing, there is that possibility.

But first there's a little thing about beating the New York Giants --a team that has similar and -- at some positions -- better talent than the Cowboys.

Expect a healthy dose of JPP, Tuck from Giants

When I break down these games, I always try to look at the areas where the Cowboys can get an edge but also where they might run into trouble. To me, both teams are going to have matchup problems.

The area that could give the Cowboys the biggest problem is Doug Free against Giants DE Jason Pierre-Paul. If Free was playing at a level like he was in 2010, I'd say this matchup had a great chance of being a wash. Pierre-Paul has gone from a raw rookie pass rusher to a dominant force on the outside and off the edge.

In Week 14, I really believed Free would be able to handle Pierre-Paul because he was more of an athletic pass rusher than a power player. I was mistaken. Pierre-Paul plays with some snap in his upper body and some first step explosiveness, and he was able to get his hands inside Free several times to control him as a blocker. In studying the game in the lab, it appeared that Free was surprised not only how JPP played him, but also the power in which he played him.

With Free there is been technique issues on a weekly basis. But in talking with members of the front office, they'll offer that the lack of a full offseason in the weight room has affected Free as a player. I fully expect Jason Garrett and this offensive staff to give Free help in this game, whether that is making him rush wider with a tight end to that side or chip him with Jones and Morris.

The problem with helping a tackle is that whomever helps -- the back or tight end -- gets in the way of the tackle trying to execute the block. The Cowboys leave their tackles on an island quite a bit so working with extra blockers is something to keep an eye on.

On the other side, Justin Tuck can present problems not only as a pass rusher but also defending the run, where he's been outstanding. Tuck is one of those players that is very smart and crafty, playing well with his hands, and he's able to extend on the blocker and fight down the line of scrimmage. Where Tuck is also dangerous is when he stands up like an inside linebacker and they use him in games or stunts with the other rushers. Where Tyron Smith has to be careful is if you go hard at Tuck, he'll jump around the block and cause you to overextend and miss.

Another matchup to watch is guard Derrick Dockery against defensive tackle Chris Canty. When you study the Giants, Canty is doing a much better job of showing up at key times in making stops. Dockery hasn't seen action since Week 2, but played very well to his credit.

If the Cowboys are going to win, the left side of their offensive line is going to have to do an outstanding job of controlling Canty and JPP to that side.

Cowboys should exploit Giants secondary ...

If the Cowboys have an advantage in this game, it's going to be against the Giants' cornerbacks. There are plays to be made against Corey Webster and Aaron Ross down the field. Webster is the more aggressive of the two.

In the nickel, the Giants will use Prince Amukamara, who hasn’t lived up to his first-round billing. Teams have been able to take advantage of how cautious he has played. Safety Kenny Phillips didn’t play the last time these two teams met, and that will be a boost for the Giants. He is good against the run and pass. His backup, Deon Grant, will make mistakes in coverage. So if Grant does get on the field, look for the Cowboys to try and take advantage.

The Redskins had success against the Giants secondary when they got in bunch formations and ran routes from that. Look to see if the Cowboys use their receivers and Jason Witten in those types of looks to try and confuse them in coverage.

... But look for Giants to do same vs. Cowboys secondary

As the Cowboys can cause problems with their receivers, so can the Giants when they're on offense. In Week 14, the Giants caused plenty of confusion for the Cowboys scheme-wise. Hakeem Nicks is an outstanding receiver, and some of the drops he had against the Redskins and Jets will not happen. He's a Cowboys-killer in the way he plays.

I've said this before about Nicks: He's the Giants version of Dez Bryant. He is a physical body that makes plays all over the field. Despite his drops, I still feel his hands are outstanding and his footwork and body control is even better. Nicks has no fear on where to run routes and he will make defenders pay for having to cover him. He can be a dominant player in the red zone with his body position and his leaping ability.

To me, however, the most dangerous player is Victor Cruz. He has special skills and is a matchup nightmare because he'll line up anywhere in the formation. Like Nicks, Cruz will take his route inside, catch the ball in traffic and take a big hit. When the Giants need to convert on third down, he is usually the man running the route that gets them the first. Manning has a great deal of confidence in him and will do everything in his power to get him the ball on the move. Cruz has the speed and the quickness to get down the field on vertical routes and will make big plays in this way.

In studying the Giants' last two games, they have made more of an effort to attempt more vertical throws. There is no doubt in my mind they'll take shots down the field against Terence Newman and these safeties.

Giants starting offensive line is healthy, intact

The Giants' offensive line was a mess three weeks ago with guard Kevin Boothe playing center and Mitch Petrus taking his spot at guard. After reviewing their win vs. the Cowboys, that group was the reason why the Giants won. Manning wasn't sacked, and they were able to run the ball with Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw.

This time around, the Giants have their starting group in place with David Baas at center and Boothe at guard. LT David Diehl has had many a battle with DeMarcus Ware, and Kareem McKenzie is on the right side.

What helps this line is Manning’s ability to get rid of the ball quickly, which he was able to do last time. Where the Giants have struggled is when teams make them move their feet in pass protection. McKenzie struggles with this more than Diehl.

If you want me to pick a weak spot, it's at center with Baas. In several games, he's not been able to handle the cut off or reach blocks, and he's struggled in the passing game. Boothe was outstanding against Jay Ratliff in the first meeting, which really surprised me.

Ratliff can not have an off game this time around, or that will be a huge problem for the Cowboys. As banged up as he was last week, Ratliff played well against the Eagles, who are much better at center.

If you don't punish Bradshaw, he'll punish you

When the Giants run the ball on offense, it’s usually with Bradshaw. I know that Jacobs had a huge game last time, but Bradshaw is a real difference-maker for this team. He is a physical back that is difficult to get on the ground. He doesn’t have the elusive moves of a LeSean McCoy, but he has a low center of gravity and will try to punish tacklers. If you don't hit him hard, Bradshaw will run over you.

Final keys to the game

This game can go in two different directions for me. If the Cowboys can't block this Giants front, then there will be huge problems. But if they give Romo time, there are plays to be made against this secondary.

Defensively, the Cowboys cannot allow Manning to feel comfortable throwing the ball. The Cowboys' run defense was solid against the Eagles last week, and Rob Ryan needs that to carry over. But they have to pressure Manning. Of the top quarterbacks in the league, Manning struggles with pressure the most.

The Cowboys defense has to take advantage when he makes mistakes, and we all know that he will.

Five-star question: Will Eli Manning or Tony Romo have the higher passer rating on Sunday?

I don't trust the Cowboys' defense. Would you? And I certainly don't trust the Cowboys' offensive line. Do you blame me?

All of that means it's going to be a tough day for Tony Romo.

His defense will put him behind early, which means his offensive line will struggle against the Giants' defensive line, especially with Justin Tuck playing inspired, Osi Umenyiora and Jason Paul-Pierre playing at an All-Pro level.

Have I mentioned Romo's bruised hand?

Romo has had a terrific season -- 29 touchdowns, nine interceptions and a 102.2 passer rating -- and he's displayed toughness most of us didn't know he had playing with a fractured rib for several weeks, while it healed.

But his season seems destined to end in misery.

Romo, despite what some of you think, won't make excuses after the game, if the Cowboys don't get it done. He really understands now that winning - not numbers - is the most important thing.

But if can't grip the ball as tight as he needs, so he can throw it with accuracy and velocity, then Dallas has a problem. The best way for the Cowboys to beat the Giants is in a shootout.

They need Romo in optimal health. Sadly, he's not.

And that's among the reasons why Manning will have a higher passer rating when the game ends.

» NFC Pro Bowl: East | West | North | South » AFC Pro Bowl: East | West | North | South

Perfect sense: You can argue whether he's even the best quarterback in his division (as you'll see below), but the New York Giants' Eli Manning is having a season worthy of a Pro Bowl spot. He is third in the conference in passing yards and has engineered five fourth-quarter comeback wins for a team that has won only seven games. Philadelphia Eagles running back LeSean McCoy might have been the best running back in the league this season, and there's little doubt that his left tackle, Jason Peters, has been the best in the league at his position. People often make the argument for Dallas Cowboys linebacker DeMarcus Ware as the best defensive player in the league, so it's little surprise that he snagged an outside linebacker spot. And a fine recovery for Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul, a worthy pick who made it in spite of not being listed on the fan ballot.

Made it on rep: Eagles defensive end Jason Babin is red-hot and among the league leaders with 18 sacks, but I argue that he's not the best defensive end on his own team, as Trent Cole is the more complete player and Babin likely benefits from the extra attention Cole receives. Cowboys nose tackle Jay Ratliff has flashes of brilliance, but this isn't his most dominant season.

Got robbed: The biggest debate we ever have on the NFC East blog is over Manning and Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo. This season, Romo has the third-best passer rating in the NFC, behind only Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees. Manning is sixth in that category. Romo also has the third-highest completion percentage in the conference. Manning has the eighth highest. Romo has three more touchdown passes and seven fewer interceptions, and, among important categories, trails Manning only in yards. Those who argue Romo in the Romo-Manning debates have reason to be upset. The Washington Redskins have no Pro Bowlers. If they were to have one, a case could be made for inside linebacker London Fletcher, who leads the league in tackles with 163, or rookie outside linebacker Ryan Kerrigan, who has 7.5 sacks and four forced fumbles. Eagles left guard Evan Mathis has been among the best at his position all season. And of course there is Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz, who ranks seventh in the conference in catches with 76 and second in the conference in receiving yards with 1,358. Cruz's case was hurt by his not being listed on the fan ballot.

Click here for the complete 2012 Pro Bowl roster.

» NFC Stock Watch: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

FALLING

1. Cowboys' offensive line. With the exception of brilliant rookie right tackle Tyron Smith, who handled the red-hot Jason Babin well most of the night, the Dallas Cowboys' line was dominated physically by the Eagles' defensive front. And now, with left guard Montrae Holland out with a torn biceps, they're shorthanded for their big division title game against the New York Giants and their fearsome D-linemen. Someone on the Cowboys' line is going to have to step up and play better than they've been playing. And no matter what happens Sunday night, interior offensive line is going to be a need position this offseason.

2. The Philadelphia Eagles' draft position. One more win gets the Eagles to .500 for the season and could slide them further back into the middle of the draft's first round than they already are. (Currently, they'd hold the No. 13 pick). That lessens their chances at an impact player that would hasten their planned 2012 turnaround, but the Eagles have several needs they can address on defense at that point in the draft. They might even be able to get a wide receiver there if they cut ties with DeSean Jackson.

3. Washington Redskins' self-confidence: Flying high two weeks ago after a big victory over the Giants, the Redskins' defense melted down Saturday against Joe Webb, Toby Gerhart and the Minnesota Vikings' bench. The loss deprived the Redskins of a chance to improve on their 2010 record and, as their worst defensive performance of the season, left them scratching their heads a bit as they ponder the future. The thought around Washington has been that this offseason's focus would be on offense. But there may be some tinkering left to do on defense, particularly on the back end.

RISING

1. Justin Tuck, Giants defensive end. And, with him, the Giants' defensive line. After last week's pep talks by coach Tom Coughlin and GM Jerry Reese, Tuck was able to exert a little bit of mind over matter for the first time this season, sweep aside the aches and pains that have been bugging him and play his best game so far this year. Tuck admitted after the game he hasn't been mentally right this year, and he has let his injury problems bother him more than they should have. If he's back in the right frame of mind to stay, and the Giants can come after Tony Romo from his side and Jason Pierre-Paul's on Sunday night, you have to like their chances.

2. Cowboys fans' blood pressure. Because this should have been taken care of weeks ago. If the Cowboys lose to the Giants and miss the playoffs, the laments will be numerous and woeful. They should have held their late leads against the Jets, Lions, Patriots, Cardinals and Giants. Win two of those five games -- all of which they surely could have won — and they'd have rendered the season finale meaningless. But their inability to finish games has put them in a position to have to finish the season with a tough win on the road. And their fans will spend this entire week fretting over whether Romo, Jason Garrett and the crew have what it takes to do that.

3. Victor Cruz, Giants wide receiver. His 99-yard touchdown catch flipped the game in favor of the Giants right before halftime and may have been the play of the Giants' season. Cruz also set a new Giants team record for receiving yards in a single season, running his 2011 total to 1,358 and breaking Amani Toomer's team record. He's not likely to be announced as a Pro Bowler tonight, because he wasn't on the fan ballot and the fan vote counts for one-third of the total. But his breakout season is a big reason the Giants have a chance to make the playoffs.

IRVING, Texas -- Cowboys left tackle Doug Free has faced some difficult times of late.

Free is credited with allowing six sacks and three quarterback hits this season, according to Pro Football Focus, which grades the snaps of every NFL player.

"You can always play better," Free said after Thursday's practice. "If there's ever a point you don't think you can play any better, I don't think it's not the way. I can always play better."

The last three weeks, Free has taken on Miami's Randy Starks, Arizona's Calais Campbell and the New York Giants Jason Pierre-Paul.

Pierre-Paul had eight tackles, two sacks, two tackles for loss, two quarterback hurries, a forced fumble and a blocked field goal on Sunday night.

Not all on Free, of course. But he was very busy.

"Just got to figure out what your game is going to be against him and stuff," Free said of Pierre-Paul. "Nothing personal against him. Everybody plays a little different and that's kind of his playing style. It's something you got to get in your head and kinda get ready for."

On Saturday night, Free will be facing Bucs rookie Adrian Clayborn, who leads the team with 6.5 sacks and 24 quarterback pressures. The Eagles' Trent Cole (nine sacks) is next and a rematch, and a rematch vs. Pierre-Paul looms in the regular-season finale on New Year's Day.

The next three weeks are not only big for Free, but the Cowboys as a whole.

"It's huge," Free said of the next three weeks. "We got a lot of tough teams to play and two division games, and it's going to be a tough couple weeks and we have to get it locked down and get it going."

I hereby present this week's edition of the NFC East All-Division Team, which includes nine Cowboys, six Giants, six Eagles and six Redskins. Yes, I am aware that the Giants won the game. But that brings me to the disclaimer that no one will read:

This All-Division team reflects performance for the entire year to date. It is not -- repeat, NOT -- simply a list of awards for Week 14 performance. That's why Felix Jones isn't on it.

I'll explain some of the more difficult decisions at the end. First, the roster:

Quarterback: Eli Manning, Giants (Last week: Manning)

Running back: LeSean McCoy, Eagles (McCoy)

Wide receiver: Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz, Giants (Nicks, Cruz)

Tight end: Jason Witten, Cowboys (Witten)

Fullback: Tony Fiammetta, Cowboys (Darrel Young)

Left tackle: Jason Peters, Eagles (Peters)

Left guard: Evan Mathis, Eagles (Mathis)

Center: Will Montgomery, Redskins (Montgomery)

Right guard: Kyle Kosier, Cowboys (Kosier)

Right tackle: Tyron Smith, Cowboys (Smith)

Defensive end: Jason Pierre-Paul, Giants; Trent Cole, Eagles (Pierre-Paul, Cole)

Defensive tackle: Jay Ratliff, Cowboys; Cullen Jenkins, Eagles (Ratliff, Jenkins)

Outside linebacker: DeMarcus Ware, Cowboys; Brian Orakpo, Redskins (Ware, Ryan Kerrigan)

Inside linebacker: London Fletcher, Redskins; Sean Lee, Cowboys (Fletcher, Lee)

Cornerback: Asante Samuel, Eagles; Josh Wilson, Redskins (Samuel, Corey Webster)

Safety: Kenny Phillips, Giants; Gerald Sensabaugh, Cowboys (Phillips, Sensabaugh)

Kicker: Dan Bailey, Cowboys (Bailey)

Punter: Steve Weatherford, Giants (Weatherford)

Kick returner: Brandon Banks, Redskins (Banks)

Punt returner: Brandon Banks, Redskins (Banks)

I continue to view the quarterback race between Manning and the Cowboys' Tony Romo as something very close to a tie. But I'm not going to do ties on the All-Division Team. I'm going to make a pick every week, even if that's very difficult. To do that, I will use tiebreakers. This week's is simple. Manning's team is 1-0 against Romo's. Yes, that means if the Cowboys had held the lead, the spot could have gone back to Romo. We'll never know.

Cornerback! The most confounding of the weekly choices. I'm keeping Samuel in his spot because he had a good game and because Pro Football Focus ranks him as the No. 6 cornerback in the league this year. Yeah, the whole league. So go yell at them. And I took Webster out because (a) Wilson's been knocking on this door anyway and (b) I couldn't in good conscience put in a cornerback who played in that Cowboys-Giants game Sunday night. And yeah, I put in a safety who did, but this is an all-year exercise, and that safety's body of work justifies it. Truth be told, I don't think there's a single cornerback in the division who can legitimately be angry about not making this team, because I don't think anyone in the division has played the position very well this year.

Flopped Orakpo and Kerrigan again in that OLB spot. Orakpo's playing like he wants to stay there (not that Kerrigan isn't). Redskins fans are going to love watching these guys for the next however many years.

And I changed fullbacks, because as great and undervalued a player as Young is, it's impossible to ignore how much better the Cowboys' running game is with Fiammetta in there. I just think what he's done in the time he's been on the field this year is above-and-beyond kind of stuff, and it's not a slight against Young, who I think is a fine player.

So let me know. What'd I get wrong?

In a contest that could have gone either way, the New York Giants-Dallas Cowboys game played out like I believed it would.

There was no doubt in my mind that a missed opportunity on offense or a blown coverage on defense would steer the momentum of the game one way or another. The more I studied, the more it became apparent to me that these teams were similar in the manner in which they played. Both teams had struggled on the offensive line, both teams had problems covering receivers in the secondary, and both had shown the ability to run the ball and make big plays in the passing game on the outside. Where the Giants were a little better than the Cowboys in this game was their ability to get pressure on the quarterback without having to commit extra defenders to the rush. I figured Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul was going to be a handful for Doug Free, and he was, but that was only one of many matchups that shaped this game.

Cowboys have communication troubles in the secondary

The game started poorly for the Cowboys. On their second defensive series, with the Giants facing a third-and-7, defensive coordinator Rob Ryan put his nickel package on the field against the Giants' three-receiver set, and Terence Newman was not included. I didn't see Newman have any equipment issues or physical problems following the previous play that would have taken him off the field. Yet Alan Ball lined up at left cornerback. Before the snap, Orlando Scandrick was trying to sort out the coverage responsibilities with Ball, Abram Elam and Frank Walker. At the snap, Ball used an outside technique to cover Hakeem Nicks as the receiver shot up the field, and it appeared Ball thought he would get help from the inside from Elam. Scandrick was in position to get a slight jam on Nicks and alter his route, but he didn't. Meanwhile, the vertical route by Victor Cruz holds Elam in the middle of the field as Nicks streaks by Ball, who is now in chase mode, trailing the route. Ryan sent Anthony Spencer and Sean Lee on the blitz, but neither rusher makes it to the quarterback, leaving Eli Manning with enough time to launch a beautiful pass down the middle of the field to a wide open Nicks, who catches the ball in stride and takes it down to the Cowboys' 5-yard line. The gain of 64 yards set up a Lawrence Tynes field goal to put the Giants up 5-0.

Another example of poor communication and a breakdown in the secondary happened with 5:02 left in the third quarter with the Cowboys clinging to a 20-15 lead. The down and distance is again third-and-7, this time from the Cowboys' 47-yard line. The Cowboys get caught with 12 players on the field as the Giants line up with four receivers. Nose tackle Sean Lissemore sprints off the field as Manning brings his squad to the line. Newman and Scandrick roll to their left to cover Nicks and Cruz. Mario Manningham is in the slot to the Giants' left, with fellow receiver Ramses Barden outside of him. Elam lines up in the slot over Manningham, just outside of DeMarcus Ware. Barry Church and Gerald Sensabaugh are the safeties in the middle of the field.

Manning brings Barden in short motion to the inside. At the snap, Church starts forward from his deep position as Elam, still lined up over Manningham in the slot, also blitzes. Alan Ball, the corner to that side, is left in no man's land trying to split the difference between the two Giants receivers. On the left side, Sensabaugh, Newman and Scandrick are covering Nicks and Cruz, so you have three defenders on two on that side of the field and only one defender on the opposite side. Linebacker Sean Lee drops to the middle of the field. Barden runs an out route, which Ball carries to the outside. That leaves no defenders on Manningham, who heads straight up the field because of the blitzing Elam and Church. Ryan's pressure package is Bruce Carter, Ware, Jason Hatcher and Spencer, along with Elam and Church. Once again, no rusher gets home, and Manning is easily able to get the ball to the wide open Manningham for the go-ahead touchdown. If I had to blame someone in the secondary for this, it would have to be Church, who should have picked up Manningham instead of coming on the safety blitz from where he did.

Newman's struggles with "off" coverage

The final defensive play I want to break down for you happened in the fourth quarter, when Giants coach Tom Coughlin decided to go for it on fourth-and-3. On the left side, Newman is playing eight yards off the ball, covering Mario Manningham. At the snap, Manningham takes off, closing the cushion on Newman, who is playing a technique in which he is turned inside in an attempt to keep Manningham from going that direction on him. Manningham hits the brakes and turns inside to square his shoulders to Manning. Newman tries to come to a halt as well but has trouble gathering his feet to drive on the ball. In the pocket, Spencer takes an inside charge and gets washed out. Manning takes the opportunity to move to the outside, sliding to his right to buy more time. Meanwhile, Manningham is squared up to Manning with Newman still trying to gather his feet. The result: an easy throw and catch for the first down.

The reason I wanted to break down this play was to explain what I'm seeing in Newman. I regularly talk about him not being able to drive on the ball when playing off coverage. Where Newman has been much better this season has been in press coverage; he has struggled in off coverage. We did see him earlier in the game drive on the ball from off coverage, but he couldn't complete the possible pick-six play. If I were Dave Campo and Rob Ryan, I would encourage Newman to play more press coverage like Mike Jenkins, who has been outstanding the past two games. To give Manningham that much space on a fourth-down play is a mistake.

The Jason Pierre-Paul debacle

Offensively, I believed the Cowboys would be able to move the ball on this Giants defense. There were going to be plays in which Free would have to deal with Jason Pierre-Paul off the edge, and while he gave up two sacks, one of those sacks came when he set too wide on the rush and Pierre-Paul got inside on him. Montrae Holland should have been able to help on that play, but he just wasn't quick enough. If Holland were able to move better, then Tony Romo would have been able to move in the pocket better, but the coverage downfield did not allow that.

On the safety early in the game, it was clearly Free's mistake. The Cowboys went empty backfield, and at the snap Pierre-Paul exploded into Free's chest, getting the O-lineman back on his heels. Free tried to adjust as Pierre-Paul worked to his outside shoulder, but Free was already overextended and in poor position. Pierre-Paul slipped past him and around the corner. Jason Witten was open to the left of Romo in the middle of the field, but it looks like he wanted to go to John Phillips on his right. By the time Romo looked back to his left, it was too late; Pierre-Paul was right on top of him. Romo got hit but tried to spin away to his left, but he lost his balance in the end zone, resulting in the safety and an early lead for the Giants.

Dez gets it done

I realize Dez Bryant's numbers don't suggest he had a good game, but for the second straight week, he once again looked comfortable running routes and at least getting into position for Romo to get him the ball. Bryant had to fight through some press coverage and safety help situations, but he was able to do that; he often was open, but Romo went elsewhere with the ball. On Bryant's touchdown catch in the fourth quarter, it really was a nice read and adjustment on his part to make the play work. Bryant was lined up wide right, with Witten and Miles Austin lined up wide to the left. Romo, in the shotgun, sent Phillips in motion to the outside wide left, joining Witten and Austin. At the snap, Bryant started upfield on an outside release by cornerback Corey Webster and quickly approached safety Antrel Rolle. From the left side of the formation, Witten crossed the path of Rolle, who dropped coverage on Bryant to jump the Witten route. It was the second time a Giants safety jumped a route in the game to give up a big play; Deon Grant had done it earlier. In the pocket, Romo, who had time to throw, faked a throw to the three-receiver side on his left before coming back to a wide open Bryant on the right. What made the play successful was Bryant's ability to get off the press, which he has improved at as the season has worn on. Romo was able to lay the ball perfectly to the wide-open Bryant for the touchdown.

The best play that wasn't

For the second consecutive week, I thought there was a play that was well-designed and thought out by the offensive staff that deserved a better result. Against the Cardinals, it was the "swing arrow." This past week, the pass to Miles Austin with 2:25 left in the fourth quarter that could have sealed the game went incomplete. On the play, Austin was lined up in the slot to the right and Laurent Robinson was outside right, with Witten on the line to the right. Bryant was lined up far left. Romo was in the gun with Felix Jones to his left. The Giants show they are going to rush eight men, and they do. It's total man coverage across the board. At the snap of the ball, Austin sprinted right past cornerback Aaron Ross like he is standing still, and Robinson drives hard from the outside to the inside, all while Romo sees what is developing. In the pocket, the line did their job, and Jones picked up an inside blitzer, leaving Romo with a clean pocket. Austin has four yards on Ross as he is closer to the sideline than the middle of the field. Romo throws the ball inside instead of to the path that Austin is taking wide. Austin looks up to find the ball that is floating more to the inside. He tried to adjust to make the catch, but it's just out of his reach. On the play, it looked like Austin really didn't burst to the ball. I have seen him kick it into gear to get balls, but in this case I didn't see it. I think it would have been really close if he would have dived for that ball. Instead it hits the ground, and the Cowboys have to punt. Once again, the Cowboys had a well-designed play that was called just at the right time, but Romo and Austin were unable to make it work, and it cost the 'Boys a chance to essentially end the game.

ARLINGTON, Texas -- The first blocked kick of the season came at the wrong moment for the Cowboys.

Dan Bailey's 47-yarder in the closing seconds was blocked up the middle, preserving a 37-34 victory for New York Giants on Sunday night.

The kick was blocked by Jason Pierre-Paul, who said he took a different route to the ball on Bailey's second attempt following a Giants timeout.

When Bailey kicked the ball the first time, Pierre-Paul said he tried to get past the guard but had no luck. But the Giants had called timeout just before the kick.

On the second attempt, Pierre-Paul waited for deep snapper L.P. Ladouceur to put his head up after snapping the ball and then went over him to block the kick.

"I felt like I hit the first one good," said Bailey, who made two kicks from 49 yards out Sunday night. "And I thought I was hitting the ball well today. It's one of those things and [you] look at it on tape and see what went wrong and move on."

It's been a difficult stretch for Bailey, who made 26 consecutive kicks -- tying for the second-longest streak in franchise history -- until missing a 53-yarder at Arizona. But Bailey made kicks from 50 and 37 yards in that game. And his 49-yarder at the end of regulation that would have won the game for the Cowboys was wide left.

Now he's missed his last two potential game-winning or game-tying kicks.

"My thoughts were 'Let's go win the game.' That’s all I can do is go out there and put it through," Bailey said. "I'm not really sure what happened. I was never thinking, 'Oh no.' That's what I'm here for, to make field goals. It's never a negative thought. It's always positive."

Bailey said he felt like he hit the ball solid but didn't have a clear understanding as to what happened on the miss.

"I'm not happy with it," he said. "I didn’t make it."

Cowboys CBs Terence Newman and Mike Jenkins vs. Giants WRs Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz: I really do believe that both of these teams' defensive backs will be under attack.

The Cowboys' receivers can cause just as much damage to the Giants as the Giants can against the Cowboys. The Cowboys have done a nice job of defending the run after two weeks where they were not as good. I believe that other than protecting Tony Romo in this game, how they play against the Giants' receivers will determine whether they win or lose.

The Cowboys cannot allow Nicks and Cruz to dominate this game. I said in my preview of this game that I wouldn’t worry about Mike Jenkins as much in this game after what I saw him do against Larry Fitzgerald last week. His confidence level and technique were both high, and his level of play reflected that.

The Cowboys can get in trouble if Newman doesn’t play aggressively enough against Nicks or Cruz. Newman has had his struggles driving on the ball from off coverage.

Both Nicks and Cruz are outstanding route runners and do a nice job of selling routes. Eli Manning has done a nice job in the games that I studied of getting the ball in spots where they can make plays. Nicks is a physical receiver, and Cruz is slippery.

Orlando Scandrick is also going to be called in to have to deal with these two receivers, as well. If the Cowboys are going to have success on defense, it will be the pass rush, but more importantly the coverage downfield, that makes the difference. The Giants will make their share of plays, but it's the number of big plays that the Cowboys must be worried about.

If Rob Ryan’s defense gets off the field more than Perry Fewell’s, it will because Newman and Jenkins play outstanding.

Cowboys LT Doug Free vs. Giants DE Jason Pierre-Paul: In the history of this series, the Giants have always had a defensive end that the Cowboys have had to deal with. When I was growing up going to games, it was George Martin. Later it was Michael Strahan, Justin Tuck and Osi Umenyiora. The Giants have once again hit on a second-year player that has those similar traits that the great ones before him have possessed.

Pierre-Paul is an explosive player that can be a nightmare for offensive tackles because of the way that he is able to get up the field before the tackle has the ability to adjust. Pierre-Paul is to the Giants what DeMarcus Ware is to the Cowboys' defense. They like to line him up at different positions. Defensive coordinator Perry Fewell will play Pierre-Paul as a nose in a three-man rush, trying to take advantage of the mismatches inside with the slower guards and centers. Fewell will stand him up like he does Tuck and rush him in a combination game with the line and linebackers, trying to attack the blocking scheme that way.

The one advantage that Free and right tackle Tyron Smith will have is that Pierre-Paul is not one of those overpowering types of players that tend to give them problems.

The Cowboys can take advantage of Pierre-Paul in the running game because he wants to get up the field quickly. Jason Garrett can attack running the ball inside of him. Look for the Cowboys to either block down on him or try to kick him outside and run the ball inside.

Free’s plan will be to try to get his hands on Pierre-Paul as quickly as possible before he has a chance to get going. If Free is able to stop or slow his rush, it will buy him a chance to get in position to finish the block because Pierre-Paul isn’t strong enough to counter that.

Cowboys NT Jay Ratliff vs. Giants C Kevin Boothe: I love this matchup for the Cowboys. The opportunity is there to get pressure in the face of Manning through the middle of the pocket.

The one area that Manning has always struggled with in his career is when you can get more pressure on him, the more likely he will make a poor throw off his back foot. Manning is not one of those quarterbacks that will stand in the pocket and make a tough throw. The cleaner the pocket, the more success he has.

In the Saints and San Francisco games, he made poor throws that were intercepted off pressure. The pick-six against the Packers was caused because he was late with the ball to the outside.

Boothe is a guard that is having to play center because of starter David Baas’ neck problems. I look for Ratliff to take advantage of Boothe attacking him up the field. When I watch Boothe play, I don’t see a guy that will fire his hands inside and control the rushers. Boothe likes to place his hands on the rusher and try to control him with his upper body. Ratliff has too much quickness and power for Boothe to handle. Boothe couldn’t move his feet quick enough to have to cut off Ratliff in the running game.

I expect both Ratliff and Sean Lissemore to be able to control the middle of the Giants' offense in the running game but also cause problems in the passing game with pressure inside. If Ratliff is able to do this, it will cause the Giants to have to use their guards to help, which opens up the likelihood of single blocks by the Giants' tackles against the Cowboys' pass rushers. That’s a matchup the Cowboys can also win.