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FALLING

1. Hunter Smith, former Washington Redskins punter/holder: This probably qualifies as dog-piling, but we should at least acknowledge Smith's time with the Skins. If the guy was leading the league in net average, maybe you stick with him after he botches the hold on an extra point attempt at the end of regulation. But that wasn't the case. Smith wasn't the only thing wrong with this team, but he still paid the price for his gaffe at the end of regulation.

2. Jon Kitna, Dallas Cowboys quarterback: We've praised him while he has led a resurgence under interim coach Jason Garrett, but he didn't perform well against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday night. Kitna appeared to feel pressure when it wasn't there and he refused to work the ball down the field. Roy Williams and Miles Austin were nonfactors in this game, in part because Kitna was unloading the ball before they even broke out of their routes. He also threw two interceptions in a tight game.

3. Eli Manning, New York Giants quarterback: I know his team won the game, but Manning threw two more interceptions. That's 19 on the season, which leads the league. And yes, I realize that Drew Brees has 18 interceptions, but he's not in our division so we're not breaking down his throws. Coach Tom Coughlin seemed to indicate Manning's second interception was the receiver's fault, but the quarterback still could've thrown the ball away. It's really surprising that he's being this careless with the football. Manning and his brother, Peyton, have combined for 34 interceptions this season. That seems like a large number with three games left on the schedule.

RISING

1. DeSean Jackson, Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver: Someone pay the man. He averaged 52.5 yards on four catches and had a 91-yard touchdown that gave the Eagles a 27-20 lead in the fourth quarter. He may be the most dangerous offensive player in the league. And we'll even look past that backward plunge into the end zone for the purposes of Stock Watch.

2. Brandon Jacobs, New York Giants running back: This looks like the player we remember from 2007. Jacobs is busting through the line of scrimmage and he has been energized by his return to the starting lineup. He and his good pal Ahmad Bradshaw have breathed life into the Giants' running game. And it's a good time of year for that to happen.

3. LeSean McCoy, Philadelphia Eagles running back: When the Cowboys trimmed the deficit to 30-27 with more than four minutes left Sunday night, McCoy simply took over the game. We already know how elusive and quick he can be, but he showed off some power late in the game. Jackson might be the most exciting player on the team, but McCoy's the most efficient offensive player right now. He needs to touch the ball 20 times per game.

Let's take a quick look at what folks around the country are saying about the Cowboys, Eagles and Redskins following Sunday's games:

Cowboys

• Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com talks about why the Cowboys' defense gave up so many big plays in a 30-27 loss to the Eagles.
• Tim Cowlishaw of the Dallas Morning News wonders if Jason Garrett will be held to the same standard as Wade Phillips when it comes to "close-but-no-cigar" moments.
• Randy Galloway of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram says this defense reminded him of the "Bad Wade" days. And he thinks Tashard Choice should be fined $25,000 for getting Michael Vick's autograph following the game.

Eagles

• Eagles rookie defensive end Brandon Graham tore his ACL and will miss the rest of the season.
• Rich Hofmann of the Daily News does a really good job of explaining why Andy Reid may be showing so much emotion these days.
• Phil Sheridan from the Inquirer, an avid Beast enthusiast if there ever was one, says that DeSean Jackson's worth the trouble.
• Jon Tamari, a former political beat writer for the Inquirer, takes a look back at Jackson's brilliant performance.
• Paul Domowitch of the Daily News can always take you beyond the numbers.
• Ashley Fox of the Inquirer thinks the Eagles should do more to protect Michael Vick from his weekly punishment.
• Bob Ford from the Inquirer puts this win in perspective in terms of the playoffs. He wasn't all that impressed by how the Eagles had to win this game.

Redskins

• Mike Wise of the Post says that Hunter the Holder is the latest scapegoat in Redskins lore.
• Tom Boswell uses the botched hold as a launching pad for his weekly prose. He thinks that moment was symbolic of the Dan Snyder era.
• Mike Shanahan said that Skins defensive end Brian Orakpo was "mugged" on the Bucs' game-winning touchdown pass, writes Jason Reid of the Post.
• Ryan O'Halloran of csnwashington.com talked to Graham Gano about what happened on his missed field goals.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- One of the worst things you can do in the NFL is evaluate a team moments after it has played the Washington Redskins. In their current state, the Redskins have made both the Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants look like legitimate Super Bowl contenders.

And that's why I won't read too much into the Giants' merciful 31-7 win against the Redskins. Unlike Eagles coach Andy Reid, Tom Coughlin embraced the holiday season and took a benevolent approach in the fourth quarter. But it took less than 10 minutes for the Giants to make this a non-competitive situation. It was a first half that featured a dominating rushing attack and pass rush that made former Giants killer Donovan McNabb powerless.

The score would've been 28-0 at halftime if not for another head-scratching interception by Eli Manning, who tossed a ball into triple coverage in the Redskins' end zone for no apparent reason. Playing without their two starting wide receivers and two full-time starters on the offensive line, the Giants annihilated an inferior opponent. They lost interest in the game briefly in the third quarter, but it didn't matter because the Redskins were committing turnovers on nearly every possession.

The Giants (8-4) now head to Minneapolis for a game against a Vikings team that has responded to interim coach Leslie Frazier with consecutive wins. And then the Giants and Eagles (8-4) will square off in an enormous divisional game the following week in New Meadowlands Stadium.

"Well, it's the time," Coughlin said after Sunday's win. "It's December in the National Football League -- it's the time. If you're going to have an opportunity to get into position, it's now. So, we're trying to improve as we play. We've got to continue -- many, many big games coming down the stretch, so getting better each week, playing better in the games, play stronger, being physical -- all those things are important."

Coughlin's decision to bench running back Ahmad Bradshaw because of his fumbling and replace him with the lumbering Brandon Jacobs appears to have galvanized this offense. Jacobs, who was such a huge part of the Giants' Super Bowl run in 2007, began this season as a brooding player who was hazardous to fans because of his helmet-tossing. Bradshaw was clearly the more talented player, and Jacobs lost his cool at least twice when the pesky New York media asked him tough questions such as, "How do you feel today, Brandon?"

But on the second play from scrimmage Sunday, Jacobs bounced a run outside for 39 yards. Never mind that he was running behind offensive linemen who were never supposed to be on the field this season. And after catching his breath, Jacobs ran eight yards for his first of two touchdowns. He finished with eight carries for 103 yards. Jacobs finished off the Redskins for good with a 28-yard touchdown in the third quarter during which he froze safety Reed Doughty with a move in the open field.

When Jacobs was acting erratically early in the season, Giants general manager Jerry Reese told him that "less is more." He encouraged him to keep his emotions in check and then requested that he put the "power" back in the Giants' power running game. Bradshaw's still the feature back in this offense -- he had 25 carries -- but Jacobs helps give the running game an identity.

"He played well, he played powerful," Coughlin said of Jacobs. "He broke some tackles, he established really a sound foundation for us as far as rushing the ball."

The Giants also turned in a dominating performance on defense. They forced six turnovers and had four sacks. In 2007, Justin Tuck emerged as a pass-rushing force to go along with Pro Bowl defensive ends Osi Umenyiora and Michael Strahan. Now rookie Jason Pierre-Paul is beginning to cash in on his freakish talent. He had two sacks Sunday to go along with the two he had against the Jaguars last week. On his first sack against the Redskins, Pierre-Paul found a clear path to McNabb after Tuck blew up the right guard. McNabb managed to avoid most of the damage by falling to the ground.

In 2007, the Giants struggled to grasp new defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo's defense, but they obviously got hot at the right time in the playoffs. This year, the defense didn't immediately adjust to new defensive coordinator Perry Fewell, but they started to find something three weeks ago in a road loss to the Eagles.

"There are a lot of similarities to that team" Tuck told me Sunday. "We kind of hit a lull this season, but we've done a great job of showing resiliency. This reminds me a lot of that run we went on. That team wasn't as talented as we are this year, but we'll see how it works out."

The final indignity for the Redskins was seeing their former second-round pick, Devin Thomas, star for the Giants on special teams. Thomas downed a Matt Dodge punt deep inside Redskins territory, he made a big hit on electrifying return specialist Brandon Banks and then he partially blocked a Hunter Smith punt that traveled 8 yards. After the game, Thomas didn't even realize that Kareem Moore had been flagged for holding him on the play.

After facing the Vikings and Eagles, the Giants will finish with road games against the Packers and Redskins. As wide-open as the NFC is, the Giants have as good a shot as anyone to put together a late run.

"We feel like we're a mismatch for every team right now," Tuck said. "And that gives you a lot of confidence."

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Some quick thoughts on the New York Giants' dominating win over the Washington Redskins. This one was over by halftime.

What it means: The Giants did what you have to do against an inferior opponent: break their spirit early. Giants offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride talked last week about how he likes to get a feel for what defenses are doing on the first drive of the game. But against the Redskins, the Giants were determined to set the tone early. They scored a touchdown on their first possession for the first time this season on the strength of running back Brandon Jacobs. He had a 39-yard gain on the second play from scrimmage and then finished off the drive with an 8-yard run. The Redskins were playing without their highly paid defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth, who is battling an undisclosed illness. But I don't think it would've mattered. Between Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw, the Giants rolled up 139 rushing yards in the first half.

Devin Thomas' revenge: Let me start this by saying that the Redskins had plenty of reasons to finally release their former second-round draft pick this season. But it looks like the Giants picked up the wide receiver at the right time. He downed a punt deep in Redskins territory, had a big hit on Brandon Banks on a kickoff return and then he tipped a Hunter Smith punt that traveled 4 yards. And that's why I have to call it a "tip" instead of a "block." It wouldn't surprise me if Giants coach Tom Coughlin gave Thomas a game ball.

A fast start: Safety Antrel Rolle was upset about his team being booed by Giants fans at halftime last week against the Jacksonville Jaguars. But there wasn't much to boo about a 21-0 halftime lead that should've been 28-0 if not for a ridiculous interception by quarterback Eli Manning. But about the fast start, the Giants scored touchdowns on their first two possessions and ended any hopes of a competitive game. Even against the lowly Redskins defense, it was impressive to see this offensive line take over the game.

Poor Donovan McNabb: I know the man received a lucrative contract extension a few weeks ago, but you still had to feel for him as he watched his teammates drop all those passes. Chris Cooley and fullback Mike Sellers dropped perfect passes in the first half, and tight end Fred Davis got involved later in the game. McNabb did throw one awful interception in the end zone after the Skins had trimmed the lead to 28-7. Terrell Thomas had the easiest interception of his career when McNabb forced a ball into heavy coverage for no apparent reason. I lost count at one point, but I believe the Redskins had six turnovers in the game.

What's next? The Giants travel to Minneapolis next Sunday to play a Vikings team that has won two consecutive games under interim coach Leslie Frazier. If the Giants can win that one, they'll be 9-4 when the Eagles come to town. The Eagles will have to get past the Dallas Cowboys to have an identical record. But with Steve Smith and Hakeem Nicks returning to the lineup soon, the Giants are poised to get on a roll. The Redskins don't have any hope of making the playoffs after today's loss. Breaking news, there.

FALLING

1. Andy Reid, head coach, Philadelphia Eagles: No matter how you slice it, that was an embarrassing display at the end of the first half. Reid's always had trouble with clock management, but he's apparently too stubborn to do anything about it. If ever a man needed a clock specialist, it's this man. I understand that the officials blew his mind by moving the ball back from the one-foot line, but you still need to have a quicker reaction. It was a clueless moment that contributed to a 17-12 loss to the Washington Redskins.

2. Jason Peters, left tackle, Philadelphia Eagles: If this man makes the Pro Bowl again, I'm going to boycott the event, which is basically my annual plan anyway. I know Brian Orakpo's fast and powerful, but Peters was supposed to be among the best left tackles in the game. Peters was called for two holding penalties -- and there could've been more. Kevin Kolb's going to need some help against the 49ers, and I'm not sure Peters is up to the task. I was wrong about this guy big time.

3. Matt Dodge, punter, New York Giants: Tom Coughlin has shown extreme patience with the rookie, but it's probably time to move on. Jeff Feagles spoiled this organization for a lot of years. Right now, Dodge has no clue where the ball's going. The team worked out Hunter Smith on Tuesday. I think the Giants should make the change now.

RISING

1. Albert Haynesworth, defensive lineman, Washington Redskins: I've been highly critical of Haynesworth since the offseason because of his attitude and overall approach. But he made a big contribution to that win Sunday by drawing holding penalties and making plays against the run. I think he's starting to buy into Jim Haslett's defense, and that's a scary thing for opposing offensive coordinators. He still seemed disgruntled about his playing time after the game, but Mike Shanahan won't care as long as his defensive tackle continues to play like this.

2. Ryan Torain, running back, Washington Redskins: Clinton Portis might have a difficult time getting his job back when he returns from a groin injury. Torain received the bulk of the carries Sunday against the Eagles and produced 70 yards and a game-changing touchdown. That 12-yard TD on which he ran over Quintin Mikell set the tone for an upset win.

1. Donovan McNabb, quarterback, Washington Redskins: I know he was lousy in the second half, but he still got the job done in a 17-12 win against his former team. You have to admire the way McNabb put aside all the emotion and made big plays in the first half. The deep ball to Anthony Armstrong was enormous and the touchdown throw to Chris Cooley staked the Skins to an early 14-0 lead. McNabb's 18-yard scramble helped milk the clock late in the game. Something tells me he'll remember to stay in bounds next time he gets that opportunity.

» AFC Free Agency: East | West | North | South » NFC: East | West | North | South

An early look at the free-agent situation in the NFC East.

Note: These projected lists reflect notable unrestricted free agents for each team. The NFL will not issue an official list of free agents until the signing period begins March 5.

Dallas Cowboys

Unrestricted free agents: G Montrae Holland

Key figures: The Cowboys don't have a huge interest in retaining Holland, a man who's never really challenged for playing time. But Dallas has a long list of restricted free agents because of the likely scenario of an uncapped 2010 season. Wide receiver Miles Austin is obviously the biggest name on the list. The Cowboys would like to get a long-term contract done, but Austin's going to be asking for big money after his breakout season. For now, the Cowboys will likely sign Austin to the highest tender, which would pay him roughly $3 million in 2010. There's also a chance Dallas will try to work something out with restricted free agent Marcus Spears. Owner Jerry Jones has been very complimentary of Spears' work in '09, so we'll see if he receives an extension. It will also be interesting to see whether the Cowboys reward safety Gerald Sensabaugh for a fine '09 season. He's seeking a multiyear extension. But with the potential of a lockout in 2011, negotiations are up in the air.

New York Giants

Unrestricted free agents: QB David Carr, LB Danny Clark, P Jeff Feagles, DT Fred Robbins

Key figures: The Giants would like an upgrade at the backup quarterback position, but it's not like there are a bunch of reliable candidates floating around. It will be interesting to see how much progress Rhett Bomar makes this offseason. Coach Tom Coughlin loves what Clark brings to the locker room, but the player looked slow in coverage and he's a progress stopper at this point in his career. It's time to let him move on. Feagles can punt until he's 50 -- and he might give it a try. Robbins was benched late in the season, so the writing's on the wall with him. His production has tailed off the past two seasons because he's been asked to stay on the field too much.

Philadelphia Eagles

Unrestricted free agents: DE Jason Babin, S Sean Jones

Key figures: The man who's missing a major payday (for a fullback) is Leonard Weaver. He was an All-Pro for the Eagles and he would be an unrestricted free agent if not for the uncapped season in 2010. The Eagles now hold the hammer in negotiations -- and they've been known to use it at times. Babin is a decent pass-rush specialist, but he sort of faded down the stretch. Jones is a capable backup, but he should not be in the starting mix. Philadelphia would be wise to work something out with restricted free-agent guard/center Nick Cole. He's a versatile player who bailed out Andy Reid when the Stacy Andrews experiment didn't pan out in '09. And no matter his status as a restricted free agent, it's time to get something done with Jason Avant. He's quietly carved out a very important niche in this offense.

Washington Redskins

Unrestricted free agents: LS Ethan Albright, OT Levi Jones, DE Phillip Daniels, C Casey Rabach, P Hunter Smith, G Mike Williams, DE Renaldo Wynn, P Todd Yoder

Key figures: Cornerback Carlos Rogers is a restricted free agent, but he's looking for a new destination. It will be interesting to see what Mike Shanahan and Jim Haslett choose to do with Rogers. Will they try to get him back on the right path or see if they can deal him for a mid-round draft pick? This unrestricted list doesn't have a lot of juice. Rabach could certainly help a team at center, but he didn't set the league on fire in '09. It's probably time to move on without aging players such as Wynn and Daniels. I enjoyed the Williams weight loss story, but it's hard to imagine him being part of the rebuilding process at Redskins Park.

This we'll be the dullest free-agency period in years, but we'll be here to cover all the non-action.

ARLINGTON, Va. -- As we continue to sit on a tarmac in northern Virginia, my thoughts have drifted once again to the Redskins' fake field goal attempt at the end of the first half that's certain to be added to NFL blooper reels. I've long been fascinated with the swinging gate on extra point attempts, but Skins special teams coach Danny Smith has taken his trickery to another level.

First, the Redskins showed the Giants exactly what they planned to do on the fake. And when the Giants called timeout, Smith and head coach Jim Zorn cooperated by staying in the same formation.

When seven Redskins players sprinted over the left side, chuckles were heard throughout the press box. Next, holder Hunter Smith, the point man in Smith's magic show, took the snap and desperately fired the ball into what appeared to be quintuple coverage.

The ball was intercepted and the Skins were booed lustily as the home team departed the field. In a season full of indignities, the botched fake has to rank in the top five. I thought for a moment that owner Dan Snyder might fire Zorn at halftime. At least one Giants player I talked to was quite amused that the Redskins stuck with the same play. He happened to be among the three Giants who converged upon Smith just before his heave.

Here's how Zorn described the play: “It was good defense. That’s what hurt that play. I contemplated going back, after [Tom Coughlin] called timeout, and kicking the field goal. The play was unique enough to where I didn’t think they saw what we were really trying to do and when they smelled it out pretty quickly, we didn’t really have a chance to get it started.”

I would've much preferred an explanation from Zorn such as: "We were simply trying to entertain the viewers at home."

For whatever reason, the Redskins simply don't match up well against the Giants, which is to say they don't belong on the same field with them.

After five weeks of watching the Skins push some good teams to the brink, maybe this is the reminder fans needed of how much needs to be done. It's hard to imagine any members of the current coaching staff returning -- and that's probably the most hopeful message I can leave you with this morning.

OK, I've been asked to turn off my electronic device. I'll check in from Dallas later this afternoon.

LANDOVER, Md. -- The final play of the first half pretty much summed up the Redskins' season. Trailing 24-0, Washington attempted one of the most ill-conceived fake field goals of the modern era. Holder Hunter Smith was forced to throw the ball up for grabs and Giants cornerback Bruce Johnson had an easy interception.

Until Monday evening, the Redskins had been praised for not folding their collective tent. But this team was thoroughly dominated from the opening snap in a 45-12 Giants victory. The Giants looked a lot like the team that raced to a 5-0 start. Quarterback Eli Manning picked the Redskins' secondary apart, throwing for 268 yards and three touchdowns.

It was also a good sign that Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs combined to rush for 113 yards. Bradshaw had two touchdown runs, his first coming on third-and-goal from the Redskins' 3-yard line when the game was briefly in doubt. With the win, the Giants (8-6) remain one game behind the Cowboys (9-5) and two behind the Eagles (10-4). They need to win out and root for either the Redskins or Eagles to beat the Cowboys over the final two games of the season. If the Giants end up tied with the Cowboys in the standings, they would win the tiebreaker by virtue of their sweep.

Giants wide receiver Hakeem Nicks only finished with two catches, but one of them went for 45 yards to set up score in the first half. For whatever reason, the Redskins don't match up well with the Giants. And on this night, they didn't even belong on the same field.

LANDOVER, Md. -- Just when you thought the Redskins could not embarrass themselves any more than they already had, special teams coach Danny Smith dialed up one of the most ill-conceived fake field goals in recent memory. Punter/holder Hunter Smith took a direct snap after kicker Graham Gano went in motion and then launched a pass to no one. Giants cornerback Bruce Johnson intercepted the pass and returned it 49 yards to end the half.

I guess it was an appropriate ending to a lackluster half of football from Washington. The Giants can call this final score. Redskins quarterback Jason Campbell is out with a shoulder injury and the fans at FedEx booed the team off the field.

Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley

Redskins safety Chris Horton injured his knee Thursday and had to leave practice, but coach Jim Zorn said he probably wouldn't have an MRI test. The other injury news is that punter Hunter Smith aggravated his groin injury and will be inactive for Sunday's game against the Falcons. The Skins are expected to sign Sam Paulescu to fill in for Smith, so they'll have to make another roster move.

"I don't want to put down Hunter because he's healing," Zorn told reporters Thursday. "I don't want to put him down right now."

Of Horton's injury, Zorn said: "I don't know the extent of it, but he couldn't finish practice. I hope he'll be fine. I hope he'll practice tomorrow."

The Redskins will face a Falcons team that has lost two straight games for the first time in the Mike Smith era.

Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley

As some of you know, my trip to Redskins Park was cut short because of some events that took place in Philly. But not to fret. I have phone interviews lined up with several top Redskins players and officials over the next three days. I'll also be visiting with Eli Manning via phone at some point this week. OK, let's do some Skins headlines: 

Redskins

• Washington Post columnist Mike Wise has an excellent story on Redskins defensive end Phillip Daniels.
  

• Bill Oram has a touching story about how Rock Cartwright has moved on after the loss of his mother four years ago. 

• Jason Reid of the Post reports that Mike Williams has lost 111 pounds!

• I've never seen a man spend so much time trying to establish that a head coach is being honest about something.

• Jeremy Bridges tells David Elfin that his "knucklehead" days are behind him. 

• Are the Redskins already wearing out Hunter Smith? 

• Several skirmishes broke out in this morning's practice. 

• It's 97 degrees at Redskins Park right now. Looks like "lightweight" Mike Williams and Chris Samuels are sitting this one out. Same goes for Cornelius Griffin, Albert Haynesworth and Phillip Daniels. 

Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley

Cowboys

• Barry Horn reports that "The Fan" is the new flagship station for the Cowboys.
• Randy Galloway is happy he will finally get some truth tomorrow.
• Re-signing Miles Austin means higher expectations for the wide receiver.
• Todd Archer wonders if Jerry Jones will find his way into the first round.
• At least Jerry is happy with the progress of Roy Williams.
• And the stadium name is still a secret.

Eagles

• Larry O'Rourke has the scoop on Hank Baskett being signed to a one-year deal.
• Paul Domowitch says Knowshon Moreno belongs in Philly.
• And Moreno wouldn't mind being an Eagle.
• Steve Patton says tomorrow is a world of options for the Eagles.

Giants

• Ralph Vacchiano says the Giants have their eyes on Maryland receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey.
• Ahmad Bradshaw likes the fact that he is taking on a bigger role next season.
• Tom Rock says the focus in New York has changed from Braylon Edwards to the draft.
• Rookie wide receivers are not always the best way to go.
• Ralphy is excited for draft weekend!

Redskins

• Michael Wilbon is interested to see what Washington will do this weekend.
• The Jasons report that the Redskins have reached a deal with punter Hunter Smith.
• The Jasons also got the scoop on another Jason: Campbell doesn't want to stick in Washington if his team drafts Mark Sanchez.
• And the Jets are interested in Campbell.