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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.

Earlier this offseason Dallas Cowboys defensive end Jason Hatcher raised some eyebrows when he was asked during a radio interview who the leaders in the team's locker room were and he said he didn't know. The obvious question, after the Cowboys collapsed down the stretch last year and finished 8-8 and missed the playoffs, was whether there were enough capable leaders on the roster.

Well, inside linebacker Sean Lee, who was one of the Cowboys' best players in 2011, would like the job. Per Tom Orsborn in San Antonio:

"If there is something that needs to be addressed, I have no problem addressing it," Lee said last week while working out at team headquarters in Irving.

"All my teammates realize I have their back, and I want to see them do their best, and I want to see our team win the Super Bowl and be successful. So I have no problem stepping up and saying something if I see or find something I feel is wrong."

Good for him. At the time of the Hatcher thing, my reaction was that if a guy doesn't think there are enough leaders in the locker room, the right thing to do is become one. Looks as though Lee would like to do just that. He's got the chops for it, having played at a high level early last year before dislocating his wrist and proving his toughness and dedication to the team by coming back and playing in a cast before that wrist was fully healed. If there are players on the Cowboys looking for someone who can step up and be a vocal leader, Lee is the kind of guy to whom they might pay attention.

We'll see. I tend to think this is a lot of hooey. And I have a hunch that, if the Cowboys win 11 games next year, we'll hear a lot about how great their leadership is and, if they win eight again, we'll hear a lot about how they don't have enough. And nobody cares which one's the chicken and which one's the egg if you're in the playoffs.

Dallas Cowboys

DallasCowboys.com's Josh Ellis takes a look at the team's scouts -- who do more than just look over combine results and game film.

Cowboys executive Stephen Jones agrees with Jason Hatcher that the Cowboys could use a vocal and emotional leader, according to Clarence Hill of the Star-Telegram.

New York Giants

It looks like Mario Manningham is quite certain he won't be in a New York Giants jersey next season, Paul Schwartz of the New York Post writes.

Jerry Reese said the team's stance on Osi Umenyiora may be softening and a contract extension that would allow the defensive end to finish his career in New York is possible, according to the New York Post's Bart Hubbuch.

Philadelphia Eagles

Once again the Philadelphia Eagles' biggest defensive need is at linebacker, Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes. And there could be several to choose from in the draft.

Phil Sheridan of the Philadelphia Inquirer: "Don't be too quick to dismiss the significance of the Eagles' meeting with Robert Griffin III."

Washington Redskins

Dan Daly of The Washington Times says desperation may be what drives the 2012 NFL draft.

Rich Campbell discusses Texas A&M quarterback Ryan Tannehill as a possible fit for the Redskins.

Go back a year -- heck, go back three or four months and check out some of the stuff that was being written and asked about New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning. Not fiery enough, it was said. Bad body language. Doesn't look like the kind of guy who gets people energized and focused in the huddle. Needs to be more of a leader.

Well, something about throwing a football into a football-sized hole 38 yards down the sideline in the fourth quarter of the Super Bowl changes the narrative, doesn't it? Giants fans aren't bothered by Eli's dopey-kid-brother demeanor anymore. Now it's all about Even-keeled Eli, who's so great in the clutch because he never gets rattled -- whose teammates would follow him through the gates of hell, so calm and convincing a leader is he.

Guess what? Nothing about Eli Manning changed over the past year except that he won his second Super Bowl. He's the same guy whose leadership style nobody liked when they missed the playoffs in 2009 and 2010. The difference is, this year, it all worked.

Which brings me to the Dallas Cowboys, Jason Hatcher and the question of locker-room leadership. Hatcher is a relatively non-controversial Cowboys defensive end who made some waves last week when he was asked on a radio show who the Cowboys' leaders were and he said he didn't know. Said he wished they had a Ray Lewis-type of leader in their locker room -- somebody to make fiery speeches and get the team pumped up.

Hatcher was surely speaking from the heart and not trying to stir up controversy, but the thing grew instant legs because what he said jives with the popular external opinion of what's wrong with the Cowboys -- that they're missing some key ethereal ingredient that makes winners, that they don't have the same kind of stuff beating in the center of their chest that Manning and his Giants do. The Cowboys underachieve, and should be better than they normally are, so we assume it's about heart or guts or leadership or whatever.

It's entirely possible that Hatcher and the public perception are correct. However, I believe that this is (a) a heavy charge to level against individuals who willingly put their bodies through the physical torture of NFL football on a week-to-week basis and (b) overblown, if not irrelevant. This is stuff that has only come up because the Cowboys lost four of their last five games. If they'd won one or two of those games -- if they'd held on against Arizona or beaten the Giants once in two tries -- the Cowboys would have been NFC East champions and talk radio hosts wouldn't be asking people like Hatcher who the leaders in the locker room were. The talk would be about how Tony Romo played through broken ribs and Sean Lee played with a cast on his hand, and how those guys inspired their teammates to do great things because of all of the heart and toughness they were showing.

In the NFL, it takes only a dropped pass here or a blocked kick there to change the entire narrative. What the Giants accomplished in January and February was stunning and tremendous, and there's certainly no guarantee the Cowboys would have made the same run if they'd been the NFC East champ instead of the Giants. But it goes to show that these storylines are all driven by who wins the games. If you win, you have effective leaders. If you don't, well, there must be something wrong.

"There's so many different styles of leadership," Cowboys coach Jason Garrett told reporters Thursday in Indianapolis at the NFL scouting combine. "There are guys who are more vocal guys, guys that lead by example, guys that pat a guy on the back, guys that ring guys by the neck. That's the way it is and the way it's always been. The best teams I've been on had a variety of styles of leadership from the players."

But one thing I'm sure they all have in common is that, regardless of style, they're genuine. You can't pretend to be a fiery-speech guy if you're not. People will see through it, and people don't respond to phonies. Lewis, for all of his bluster, is no phony. He believes the stuff he's screaming at his teammates before and after games, and they respond to it.

But Manning's teammates respond to his much calmer style, and that apparently works, too. Just because no one's in the Giants' locker room yelling and screaming all the time doesn't mean they lack leadership. And you know what? Just because no one's in the Cowboys' locker room yelling and screaming all the time doesn't mean they lack leadership. If Ray Lewis had been in the Cowboys' locker room on the evening of Jan. 1 and given some fiery speech, would only one Giants fullback have been able to hurdle Terence Newman that night instead of two?

The Cowboys' problem in 2011 was a defense that didn't have enough good players to hold up all season. They're embarking on the process now of trying to fix that. If some of the guys they bring in turn out to be Ray Lewis speechmaking types and they win some playoff games next year, you'll hear a lot about those new, fiery leaders. If the guys they bring in are all quiet types and they win some playoff games next year, you'll hear a lot about those new, cool, quiet leaders.

That's the way things work in this league -- results dictate the narrative, and the narrative must be molded to fit the results. The Cowboys don't need "leadership." They need defensive backs. And a pass rush. And some help on the offensive line. And if they get all of that stuff and it works in 2012, we're going to be told by people inside their locker room that they had plenty of leaders all along.

Up and at 'em on a combine week Wednesday. Not sure which of our division's coaches and GMs will be holding news conferences during the big event in Indy, but I believe ESPNNewYork.com and ESPNDallas.com are both staffing it, which means I'd expect to hear from some Giants and Cowboys folks, at least. Will be keeping you posted best I can, I promise. Meantime, chew on some links.

New York Giants

Brandon Jacobs says he expects to be back with the Giants next season. Seems to be indicating that he has some inside information that leads him to believe this. We will see. Lots of times, Jacobs talks but it doesn't mean much. The roster bonus is only $500,000, but the salary is $4.4 million. He'll need to cut that salary in half on a restructure in order to stay, I'd think. Does he want to do that?

Victor Cruz was hailed as a hero upon his return to his alma mater, the University of Massachusetts. He took in a basketball game at which his name was chanted and he judged a salsa dancing competition at halftime. Victor Cruz is huge.

Philadelphia Eagles

The details on the restructuring of Cullen Jenkins' contract are as follows, according to Andrew Brandt: He still gets his $5 million roster bonus next month, but his 2012 salary drops from $2.75 million to $820,000. Jeff McLane reports that the deal also has been reduced from five years to four years, and that the result of this move is an additional $1.68 million in cap room for the Eagles this year. According to our figures, that means the Eagles are about $16.58 million under the projected cap right now.

Remember Leonard Weaver? Real good guy, real useful player for the Eagles a couple of years back. Les Bowen checks in on Weaver's continued struggle to recover from a gruesome injury that sounds as though it probably ended his career.

Dallas Cowboys

Darren Woodson doesn't agree with Jason Hatcher's opinion that the Cowboys need a Ray Lewis-type leader in their locker room. Woodson was a leader, but he says he "wasn't a rah-rah guy." Which is something everybody says. I guarantee you that Lewis himself has uttered those same words about himself at some point during his career. This is all just talk. The Cowboys have enough leaders. They don't have enough good defensive backs or offensive linemen.

People sometimes ask whether the Cowboys would be looking for a quarterback in this year's draft -- someone to develop for the point down the road at which Tony Romo can't do it anymore. The answer, according to Stephen Jones, is that it's not a high-priority item for them this year, as it should not be.

Washington Redskins

Mike Shanahan believes last year's draft and free agency went very well for the Redskins, and he's looking forward to applying the same plan and principles to this year's offseason.

I believe the Redskins will use their franchise player designation on tight end Fred Davis, unless they somehow get a deal worked out with him before that. I do not believe they will use it on LaRon Landry, regardless of what happens with Davis. John Keim takes a look at some potential franchise candidates with other teams, and the impact those teams' decisions on those players could have on the Redskins' plans.

I link, therefore I am.

New York Giants

Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPNNewYork.com is breaking down his postseason Giants grades and expanding on them position-by-position. His first one is on quarterback, and as you may have guessed, Eli Manning gets an extremely good grade.

Big Blue View is also going position-by-position as it looks ahead to free agency. This edition of "strut 'em or cut 'em" is on wide receivers, specifically Mario Manningham, Domenik Hixon and Devin Thomas.

Philadelphia Eagles

Nick Fierro breaks down the DeSean Jackson situation and presses the point that the Eagles never pay anyone a dollar more than they believe him to be worth. This would seem to indicate that, even if they franchise Jackson, they would look to trade him or (less likely) do a new deal that would allow them to pay him less than the franchise number in 2012.

With the NFL scouting combine looming later this week, Jonathan Tamari writes that the Eagles rely much more on a player's college game film than anything they see at the combine. GM Howie Roseman says the most important information the team learns about players in Indy is medical information.

Dallas Cowboys

In light of Jason Hatcher's comments last week about the Cowboys lacking leadership, Calvin Watkins outlines some examples from the past year in which several players on the Cowboys' roster showed plenty of leadership, albeit in ways more quiet than those for which Hatcher's example, Ray Lewis, is known.

The Cowboys had some interest in cornerback Stanford Routt, but not as much as some other teams did, and Routt signed Monday with the Chiefs. What this means, however, is that the Chiefs are likely to let talented 25-year-old cornerback Brandon Carr leave via free agency, and that adds Carr to the mix of available cornerbacks for the Cowboys to target. Carr is better than Routt, but with star wide receiver Dwayne Bowe still to worry about, the Chiefs appear to have decided to go with a cheaper option.

Washington Redskins

Redskins GM Bruce Allen says the team has "a game plan" for what to do about quarterback this offseason, which is good to know. He doesn't say what that game plan is, which is no fun at all, but he clearly indicates that the team is pursuing several different options and is poised to change the plan depending on outside circumstances, what other teams do, etc. This is kind of the point I've been trying to make. For example, say their top choice is to trade up to the No. 2 pick for Robert Griffin III but someone else beats them to it. They need to be exploring options such as Peyton Manning, Kyle Orton, etc. just in case. I know we're all supposed to be dealing in absolutes in sports these days, but intelligent people who run their franchises intelligently can't afford to operate like that.

Mike Jones looks at the decision the Redskins face on whether to franchise tight end Fred Davis or safety LaRon Landry. I don't bet, but if I did, I'd bet heavy on Davis here. Landry's health questions have become too significant to allow the Redskins to invest guaranteed money in him -- even for one more year. The tight end number is low, and they have reason to believe Davis will be on his best behavior in the wake of his drug suspension.

Sometimes, pro athletes say things that make you shake your head. Heck, who am I kidding? This happens every day. Today, though, we're looking at you, Dallas Cowboys defensive end Jason Hatcher.

Hatcher gave a radio interview on ESPN Dallas 103.3 in which he was asked, among other things, who the leaders on his team are:

"Dude. I gotta be honest with you: That's a good question. That's a good question. I really don't know. It's just another thing we really need ... like the Ravens, we don't have that. We've got the talent. We've got everything we need. I think we get like a Ray Lewis-type. Everybody buys into him. When Ray Lewis speaks, everybody listens to him. A guy like that. We really don't got that. I think we definitely need somebody like that."

Dude. I gotta be honest with you: If the position's open and you believe it needs to be filled, why not just fill it? I mean, if Hatcher feels comfortable enough with his role in the Cowboys' locker room to go on the radio and say the team has no leaders, why doesn't he feel comfortable enough to, you know, be a leader? Make a speech. Fire people up. Say whatever it is you think needs to be said but for some reason can only be said by Lewis. There are plenty of other NFL teams that don't have Lewis and they still manage to win games.

This seems to happen with the Cowboys every offseason now. Somebody comes forward and says the locker room has no leaders. I think it's a pile of baloney. Nobody was questioning locker-room leadership when they were 7-4. They lose four out of their last five and now there's some systemic leadership problem? If they'd won the regular-season finale and, hence, the division, would that have meant they had good leadership?

If these guys spent less time looking around the room for leaders and more time actually trying to be leaders, this wouldn't be an issue. You don't have to be Lewis to stand up and say something you feel needs to be said in a time of crisis. All you need is the guts to say it. Doesn't take any to say it in a radio interview.

ARLINGTON, Texas -- The Seattle Seahawks provided the perfect opponent to solve the Dallas Cowboys' woes. Well sort of. Dallas played a nice, but not great game Sunday afternoon on the day they inducted Drew Pearson, Larry Allen and Charles Haley into the Ring of Honor. The Cowboys should have played better, but they have next week to solve their issues. For the record, Dallas 23, Seattle 13.

Here's a recap:

What it means: Not really sure. The Cowboys beat up a Seattle team ranking next to last in total offense and rushing offense. Its defense ranked 13th overall but 18th against the pass. Seattle rushed for over 100 yards for the first time in two weeks and the Seahawks completed numerous big plays in the passing game. But the Cowboys won, and that's all that matters in the NFL sometimes.

DeMarco Murray needs to start: Nothing personal against Felix Jones, but did you see the rookie from Oklahoma on Sunday afternoon? He rushed 22 times for 139 yards. He's now rushed for over 100 yards in two of the last three games. Jones has rushed for over 100 yards just twice in the regular season during his career. It might be time to move on from Jones and give things to Murray.

Defense plays OK: The Cowboys defense pressured Seattle quarterback Tarvaris Jackson numerous times and picked up three interceptions. Terence Newman, Jason Hatcher and Gerald Sensabaugh were the men who did in Jackson. DeMarcus Ware didn't register a sack for the first time in three weeks. It seemed the Cowboys missed inside linebacker Sean Lee, who was out with a dislocated left wrist. Bradie James and Keith Brooking didn't do enough to slow the running game. It's clear the Cowboys need to clean up some things before taking on Buffalo next week. Anthony Spencer picked up his first sack since Week 3 vs. Washington, and now has three on the season.

Miles Austin is out: Wide receiver Miles Austin injured his right hamstring in the first half and didn't return. It's the second time this season that Austin has battled hamstring injuries. He finished the game with two catches for 53 yards. But it was OK because Laurent Robinson, once again, is looking like a man who knows what he's doing on the field. Robinson had five catches for 32 yards with one touchdown. Dez Bryant also had a nice game, though he had zero catches in the second half, with four receptions for 76 yards. Defenses are jamming Bryant at the line of scrimmage and he continues to struggle to get off the line.

Red zone problems: The Cowboys went 1-3 in the red zone Sunday. For the season, the Cowboys have 26 possessions inside the red zone with just 10 touchdowns and 12 field goals on the season. This has been a problem area for the Cowboys in 2011 and moving forward things have to get fixed.

What's next: The Cowboys host Buffalo on Sunday afternoon. It's Chan Gailey's chance to beat the man who fired him, Jerry Jones. Jones said firing Gailey was one of his biggest mistakes.

PHILADELPHIA -- Eagles running back Dion Lewis was a surprise inactive for Sunday night's game against the Dallas Cowboys. The Eagles say it's because Lewis was in a car accident this morning and, while he is fine, they wanted to give him the night off because he was shaken up.

Lewis is the Eagles' primary kick returner and backup to starting running back LeSean McCoy. It appears Ronnie Brown will replace him in both roles Sunday night. The Eagles say Brown will handle kick returns -- something he has never done in his NFL career. Interesting turn of events for Brown, who was traded to Detroit fro Jerome Harrison a couple of weeks ago only to be returned to the Eagles when the trade was voided after a physical exam diagnosed Harrison with a brain tumor.

Cowboys defensive end Jason Hatcher, who missed the previous three games with a calf injury, is active and will start.

The complete list of inactive players for Sunday night's game:

EAGLES

RB Dion Lewis

CB Curtis Marsh

S Jarrad Page

LB Keenan Clayton

OL Julian Vandervelde

OT Winston Justice

DE Philip Hunt

COWBOYS

QB Stephen McGee

RB Felix Jones

OL Kevin Kowalski

G David Arkin

G Daniel Loper

NT Josh Brent

DE Clifton Geathers

Good Thursday morning to you. The eggs will be a few more minutes. Meantime, you can get started on the links.

Washington Redskins

Rex Grossman says he and the Redskins' offense will play better. Grossman likes predictions. Remember, he said during training camp that the Redskins would win the division. And they are leading it, which is of course why their links are first. So you never know.

Punter link! Sav Rocca says the idea of punting against his former team -- and against Philadelphia's great punt returner, DeSean Jackson -- does not faze him. He also has some stuff to say about the Eagles and why they might be off to a slow start. There is wisdom in this punter, and he's pinning it inside the 20-yard lines of our minds.

New York Giants

One of the last things Aaron Curry did as a Seattle Seahawk was wreck Henry Hynoski's shoulder pads. Hynoski also suffered a "burner" on the hit he took from Curry on Sunday, and it's possible he'll have to miss this week's game against the Bills. There's no word here, however, on whether being named to the latest edition of the NFC East All-Division Team is making Hynoski feel any better about any of this stuff.

Tom Coughlin always preaches to his Giants the importance of being careful with the ball. They don't always heed him. But this week, against a Bills team that loves to take the ball away and is extremely good at it, the Giants know it's even more important than usual to protect the ball and not commit turnovers. Maybe they'll try running.

Dallas Cowboys

Rob Ryan has experience, last year as defensive coordinator of the Browns, beating Tom Brady and the Patriots. Now the defensive coordinator of the Cowboys, Ryan is planning to bring "the kitchen sink" Sunday when Dallas travels to New England. Doesn't sound as though that will include Jason Hatcher, though.

Tony Romo says the key for the Cowboys is to eliminate the fourth-quarter turnovers. You know the scene in the elevator near the end of "Tommy Boy" when Dan Aykroyd tells Chris Farley, "Went a little heavy on the pine tree perfume," and Farley says, "It's a taxicab air freshener," and Aykroyd says, "Good. You've pinpointed the problem. Step two is wiping it out?" That's what the Romo thing made me think of when I read it.

Philadelphia Eagles

Jeff McLane writes that part of what the Eagles' players talked about in their players-only meeting Wednesday was the criticism that coach Andy Reid is taking as a result of their horrendous performance. "We're going to fight for him every minute," Michael Vick said. I'm guessing Andy would settle for a tackle here and there. Or maybe seeing Mike throw the ball out of bounds when no one's open. But fighting's good too.

Sheil Kapadia has a thorough breakdown of Vick's performance this year that begins with the basic question of whether or not Vick is regressing, since his passer rating Sunday was the worst of his Eagles career. Sheil seems to conclude that the major difference between last year's Vick and this year's Vick is the turnovers, which could certainly be reined in.

I talked on the phone yesterday with Brian Orakpo about how upset the Redskins' defense still is about last year's embarrassing "Monday Night Football" loss to Vick and the Eagles, so look for that later today, along with a few other Thursday goodies.

Yeah, I know the game's not over yet. And I want to see DeMarco Murray as much as the next guy does. But I'm in New Jersey and I'm not sure how much longer the power will stay on. So I thought it made some sense to get something down now, rather than later, about the Dallas Cowboys' preseason game Saturday night in Minnesota.

First off, everybody's going to want to talk about the defense, which gave up 216 yards to Adrian Peterson, Donovan McNabb and the Vikings in the first half. Peterson looked unstoppable, which he often does against many teams. The Vikings' offensive line beat up the Dallas defensive line in the run game, and Peterson cashed in for 69 yards on 11 carries. Safeties Gerald Sensabaugh and Abram Elam got burned on a long touchdown pass to Bernard Berrian, and it's very easy to come out of that first half saying the Dallas defense looks like more of the same from last season, when only the Broncos gave up more points.

But I'm not sure Cowboys fans should be so quick to get so down about this, and for a number of reasons.

First, and most importantly, it's only preseason. I'm constantly preaching here that you can't make sweeping predictions or evaluations about team performance in preseason, because you don't know what you're watching. Some teams game plan, others don't, and sometimes plays get called for the express purpose of identifying how a certain player will do in a certain matchup. To say the Cowboys' defense is in trouble because it gave up a bunch of yards in the first half Saturday night is a classic overreaction.

Secondly, the Cowboys did do some good individual things. Cornerback Orlando Scandrick had a couple of nice pass breakups in big spots against Berrian. Jason Hatcher got his hand on a McNabb pass and Sensabaugh made a nice diving interception before the ball hit the ground. I thought Anthony Spencer was very active and busy around the ball, whether it was pressuring McNabb (he sacked him once) or making a play or a tackle in coverage. Overall, the tackling (which was a major issue for the Cowboys last season) was fine. Peterson had a couple of chances to break long gainers and didn't. So while the Cowboys didn't do a good job containing him at the point of attack, they did manage to keep him from destroying them.

Finally, the Cowboys are not at full strength on defense. They're still missing starting cornerbacks Mike Jenkins and Terence Newman, and starting defensive end Marcus Spears. And those who are playing have had only a month's worth of practices in new defensive coordinator Rob Ryan's system. It's perfectly understandable if frustration from last season's defensive performance leaks into this season. But it's unfair to assume based on preseason games that it won't be better. It's a work in progress, getting healthier and more comfortable. And considering how strong the Cowboys' offense should be, remember: The defense doesn't have to be one of the best in the league to make the team a contender. It only has to improve from the back of the pack to somewhere near the middle.

As for that offense, there were quite a number of highlights, which I'll hit on as I mention some other things I saw:

1. Tony Romo looks great. He was pressured early up the middle (remember, Dallas started a third-string center) but held up fine and threw with impeccable accuracy and confidence all night. He was 15-for-20 for 141 yards in the first half, and even some of his misses were well thrown. The near-touchdown on which Kevin Ogletree couldn't get his second foot in bounds was a perfect throw. The throw just out of Dez Bryant's reach at the goal line shortly before Felix Jones' touchdown run was in a place where Bryant was the only one who would have even had a chance to catch it. Romo's accuracy is his greatest strength, and it was on display Saturday.

2. Bryant is a physical beast. He can overpower defensive backs to make a catch. When he makes a catch, he's hard to bring down. He's 6-foot-2, 225 pounds with great hands and great instincts. Once defenses have Miles Austin to worry about as well as Bryant, Romo is only going to look better.

3. Felix Jones continues to impress. But while Jerry Jones is out there saying Tashard Choice needs to play better on special teams to make the roster, Choice looked good on a couple of runs while spelling Felix. Murray was also set to play at some point Saturday (and I'll update with stuff on him if the storm allows), and as great as Jones has been this preseason, it's good for the Cowboys to see what their other options are for giving him a break and helping to keep him healthy.

4. Jesse Holley is working hard to make the team. Made a couple of very nice third-down catches, missed a tackle on a kick return ... mixed bag kind of a first half for Holley, but if Romo's comfortable throwing to him and he's making the catches when he does, that's got to help his case.

5. The offensive line got better as the game went along. As mentioned, there were some issues early with the Vikings getting pressure up the middle. Rookie Bill Nagy still looks like he needs to add strength, and Tyron Smith looked as though he was struggling with his footwork again on the first offensive series. But things tightened up as the first half moved along, and the Cowboys were able to keep Romo clean and allow him to make his plays. On the sack, left tackle Doug Free got beaten by Jared Allen, who forced Romo up in the pocket where Christian Ballard got off a Nagy block to bring Romo down. I wonder if Nagy is supposed to hold that block longer, or if I'm watching the rookie too closely.

6. Shayne Graham should be the kicker. Dan Bailey and Graham each hit mid-range field goals (37 and 38 yards, respectively) at this writing, but given Graham's track record I have to think he gets the job as long as he doesn't miss kicks in the preseason. He didn't look great on kickoffs, but the new rules make that less important this season.

Again, more later if I'm still online. But that's what I have for now.

ARLINGTON, Texas -- The Dallas Cowboys' coaches don't just announce drills during training camp practices, hollering out "9-on-7s!" as the horn blows and players shift from one field to the other. They're calling out situations. Two minutes to go, one timeout left, second-and-6 on your own 35. The players either huddle or hustle between plays, depending on what the called-out situation calls for. While these are drills only, they're intended to simulate game conditions as closely as they possibly can.

"Will we ever be able to completely recreate a game situation? No," Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said. "But we're going to try our best in practice, and I think all these situational periods had been really good for us. Not only have we created initial situations, but stuff comes up that isn't scripted, and I think our team has handled those well also."

What strikes you when you spend a few days in Cowboys camp is how normal things seem, how businesslike. Sure, they were in San Antonio for a while and now are splitting practice time between the steamy outdoor fields at Valley Ranch and the air-conditioned luxury of Cowboys Stadium. But it's nothing like last year, when they spent August bouncing between those places as well as Canton and California, brimming with the highest possible expectations, proclaiming with confidence the goal of being the first team to play a Super Bowl in its home stadium.

A 6-10 record and a new coach can humble you, for sure, after a summer like that, and there's no doubt these Cowboys are humbled by the way things went in 2010. But if the end result is the atmosphere Garrett has created in his first training camp as head coach, there are worse things.

"We certainly want an atmosphere where guys like to coach and play football, but we absolutely want to be organized and prepared," Garrett said after Friday morning's workout at the stadium. "We want it to be businesslike when we're out there doing our work, out there on the field and also in the meeting rooms. We want to create a nice, professional atmosphere where we feel like we can function the best."

Garrett exudes both confidence and competence. He has waited his whole life for this chance, but he doesn't seem over-eager or phony about the way he's putting his long-held ideas about how to be a head coach into practice. He is smart, knowledgeable and self-assured, and it's emanating throughout the building. Around a team that often, throughout its history, has been known for something of a circus atmosphere, the mentality this August is straight lunch pail.

"Everybody here knows, whatever we get, we're going to have to work for it," right guard Kyle Kosier said. "Whether it's your spot on the roster or in the starting lineup or a Week 1 win or a playoff spot, it's about putting in this time right here and working. And that's all that's on anybody's mind right now."

THREE HOT ISSUES

1. Can the defense learn Rob Ryan's scheme in time? The Cowboys brought in Ryan to be their new defensive coordinator. And while they signed free-agent safety Abram Elam and free-agent defensive end Kenyon Coleman -- both played under Ryan in Cleveland the past two seasons -- the group they're bringing back on defense is otherwise the same as the one that allowed the second-most points in the league last season. Ryan is charged with fixing that, but of course the lockout denied him the opportunity to use spring minicamps and organized team activities as part of his installation process. The defense is trying to cram a whole offseason's worth of learning into one month, and there's a lot to learn. Ryan's defense is based on multiple and ever-changing looks, and a complexity designed to make things as confusing as possible for opposing offenses. But Garrett said he has faith in the quality of his defensive personnel and the ability of his flamboyant new coordinator to teach.

"It's difficult. There are a lot of looks," Garrett admitted. "But the other part to that, too, is that I think he grew up in a very fundamentally sound system in the NFL -- linebacker coach for New England for four years during their Super Bowl era in the early 2000s. So he has a very good feel for base defensive football, and then he has an ability to evolve in different situations and make it more difficult for opposing offenses. So we feel excited about that, and we're excited to see our players play within this system."

2. Can they put together an offensive line? There are some new and inexperienced pieces here. Rookie Tyron Smith, the ninth overall pick in this past draft, will start at right tackle. Every day Smith gets an extra tutoring session with offensive line coach Hudson Houck and a series of rotating instructors that has included Kosier, linebacker DeMarcus Ware, left tackle Doug Free and others. Smith is ultra-talented but needs work on his footwork and learning the schemes. And as with the players learning the new defense, he has to cram. The Cowboys moved Kosier from left guard to right so he could work more closely with the rookie, but now they need a left guard. And while that still has a good chance to be Montrae Holland or Phil Costa, later-round rookies David Arkin and Bill Nagy have been getting first-team reps lately and one of them could end up starting Week 1.

3. Who is the No. 3 wide receiver? One of the first things the Cowboys did when the lockout ended and free agency began was cut receiver Roy Williams to help create cap room. That also created a vacancy at the No. 3 wide receiver spot behind Miles Austin and Dez Bryant. Kevin Ogletree appears first in line to grab the opportunity, though Raymond Radway and Dwayne Harris have shown flashes. Some have suggested the Cowboys need to go out and get a veteran to fill the spot, but with tight end Jason Witten a near-lock for 90-plus catches, running backs Felix Jones and DeMarco Murray potential factors in the passing game and depth at both of those positions, the Cowboys feel as though the No. 3 wide receiver might be the No. 5 target for Tony Romo for most of the season.

THE BUTLER CAN DO IT

Third-year linebacker Victor Butler has been an eye-opener in camp, and some have suggested he might be a threat to Anthony Spencer's starting spot on the side opposite Ware. More likely, he's a guy to add to the pass-rush mix and give them depth and the ability to vary those looks even more. If anything, the camp Butler is having could serve to motivate Spencer to return to his 2009 form after a disappointing 2010.

"You can never have too many pass-rushers on one team," Ware said. "When the Giants won against the Patriots, they had several really great pass-rushers. Pressure is what gets things going. So to be able to develop another third-down guy will really help us out a lot."

TURNING UP A CORNER

The Cowboys did not sign free-agent cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha, though they tried, and they'll go with Mike Jenkins and Terence Newman as starting cornerbacks again. The problem is, injuries have kept both Jenkins and Newman sidelined so far in camp, and Newman is out until at least the regular-season opener. This is a spot where the Cowboys struggled mightily in 2010, and they're not going to have their defense the way they want it until they get Jenkins and Newman back on the field. The one positive to come out of this is that backup corner Orlando Scandrick has looked very good in a starter's role so far in camp, so maybe they have some quality depth there that they didn't know they had.

OBSERVATION DECK

• The Cowboys might have more at defensive end than we thought immediately post-free agency. Coleman looks as if he's poised to steal Igor Olshansky's starting spot from him, and Jason Hatcher has looked rejuvenated and been an asset in the pass rush. Letting Stephen Bowen go to the Redskins felt like a loss at first, but re-signing Marcus Spears and Hatcher and bringing in Coleman might have made them deeper than they'd have been if they'd stayed pat.
• The kicking competition looks miserable, with neither David Buehler nor Dan Bailey having seized the opportunity and Kai Forbath unable to get on the field because of injury. Don't rule out the possibility that the kicker the Cowboys go with this season isn't on the roster yet.
• Jones and Romo aren't new or exciting names around here, but they look as good as anyone in camp on offense. When I watched them practice against the Chargers on Thursday, the Cowboys were using Jones around end a lot, and he looks like he has great burst. The offensive linemen I spoke with all hope he gets a chance at full-time carries, because they believe he and Bryant can be "spark plug" guys.
• Elam was a critical signing, as he'll be responsible for the secondary calls and has been vitally important in helping the holdover players understand the language Ryan is speaking. I'm interested to see if the secondary looks more organized Sunday night having had an additional week-plus practicing with Elam.
• The Cowboys are serious about Nagy, who was a seventh-round pick after not playing much in his senior season at Wisconsin. He was seriously hurt in a moped accident as a junior and then was passed on the depth chart by a few other guys, so much of the action he got as a senior was actually at tight end. But the Cowboys love his athleticism and maturity. They could start him at guard early in the season, and there are some who think he could eventually start at center for them down the road.

We were promised Jeremy Maclin news Tuesday and didn't get it. As of this morning, neither Maclin nor the Philadelphia Eagles have issued any kind of statement on the mysterious medical condition that has kept the star wide receiver from practicing in training camp. You won't get speculation here, and if I had any real information on it I'd tell you. But the longer this goes, the more it puts Maclin in jeopardy of missing the start of the season. And while his status as a football player obviously isn't as important as his personal health, we don't know anything about the latter except that it's not good enough to allow him to play. So that's all we can write about right now.

More Eagles

Rich Hoffman says protecting Michael Vick's blind side is the key to the Eagles' season. Right tackle Winston Justice is still hurt. Ryan Harris, his apparent replacement, is hurt. King Dunlap, one of the largest human beings I've ever seen, is slated to start there in Thursday night's preseason game. And they have a rookie, first-round draft pick Danny Watkins, in line to start at right guard. Hoffman's right. These are questions they need to answer.

Hall of Fame Eagles receiver Pete Pihos died Tuesday at the age of 87 after a long bout with Alzheimer's disease. The story of Pihos' final years is an achingly familiar one we've read before about the later lives of former NFL players. Dementia. Swindled out of a bunch of money. These guys get old and forgotten and suffer for having played NFL football. It's why retired players groups were working so hard to make sure they were taken care of in the recent labor negotiations.

Dallas Cowboys

Jerry Jones says that if Felix Jones has a good year, so will the Cowboys. With those other backs hurt, and based on a creeping suspicion, I was already sliding ol' Felix up my fantasy draft board a bit. Hope Jerry didn't let the secret out. What's that? He says this every year? Oh, right.

Igor Olshansky says he doesn't care whether he starts or not, which could be a good thing, since it looks as though he might not. The Cowboys believe they have a lot of defensive end depth now with Kenyon Coleman having joined the mix and Jason Hatcher freed from his elevator prison.

New York Giants

The Giants signed Rhys Lloyd, who's a kicker who only kicks off and never kicks field goals. My first thought was that they only did this because Lawrence Tynes has that thigh injury and they need someone who can kick off in their preseason game Monday night. Then I read that they tried to sign Lloyd last year, so I thought maybe there was more to it. Then I remembered that nobody's going to need a kickoff-only kicker anymore because every kicker in the league is going to be able to drill the ball through the back of the end zone now that kickoffs have been moved up to the 35-yard line. So I'm back to thinking it's that first thing I said.

Mike Vaccaro says the return of Osi Umenyiora isn't the only reason to feel good about the Giants' defense going into this year. Man, the narrative on the Giants has shifted in just one week, hasn't it?

Washington Redskins

Kevin Barnes is a guy who could play a big role in the Redskins' secondary this year. With Phillip Buchanon suspended for the first four games, Barnes will get a lot of chances to play, even if it's only as the nickel corner with DeAngelo Hall and Josh Wilson as the starters. Stephen Whyno takes a look at Barnes and what he's up to as he prepares for the season.

Roy Helu tells Brian Tinsman that he learned a lot in his first NFL preseason game and is looking forward to putting those lessons into practice in the next one. He also says Tim Hightower has been great working with the younger backs on the roster, which I found kind of funny because Hightower is only 25 years old. I mean, it's great he's working with the less experienced guys and all, but a veteran at 25? Gives you an idea why they were fired up to be able to get him.

Enjoy the day, folks. I'll have a few things up before my flight to Dallas. And who knows? Maybe we get that Maclin news ...

Up and at 'em, folks. It's a Tuesday, which means a chat and a variety of other fun stuff here in the NFC East. We begin, of course, with the links.

Dallas Cowboys

Newly signed defensive end Kenyon Coleman got first-team reps in practice Monday. Everybody says don't read anything into it, but what's the fun in that? Coleman played for Rob Ryan in Cleveland the past two years and is therefore one of those players, like Abe Elam on the back end, who can help other players understand what the new defensive coordinator is talking about. And this development, along with the encouraging early performance of Jason Hatcher, doesn't make things look real good for Igor Olshansky and his chances to remain a starting defensive end for long. Coaches are saying it's a rotation with those three and Marcus Spears, and that may be. For now, we'll try not to read too much into it.

Speaking of Hatcher, he got stuck in an elevator at some point Monday. Why is this significant? Only because Hatcher is listed at 6-foot-6 and 305 pounds, which means he barely fit in the elevator to begin with. If you're a normal-sized person, imagine being stuck in a really tiny elevator. There. Now you know how scared Hatcher must have been.

New York Giants

Dave D'Alessandro writes that Osi Umenyiora could still muck things up for the Giants because he hates his contract so much. I don't agree with Dave. I think Umenyiora's pushed this thing as far as it'll go this particular season and we won't hear about this again until next offseason. But Dave has a quote from Cornel West in there, and nothing else I'll link to this morning can make that claim.

Domenik Hixon was thrilled to be on the field again Saturday night, a year after wrecking his knee in a Giants practice. They're bringing him along slowly, but if he shows he's healthy, I make Hixon the favorite for that No. 3 receiver spot and to regain his place, as he says he intends to, on special teams.

Philadelphia Eagles

In this notebook, Tim McManus reports that DeSean Jackson will play Thursday night against the Steelers. I, for one, have my popcorn ready. Perhaps even more significantly, it sounds as though we will have news on Jeremy Maclin at some point today.

Paul Domowitch takes a look at the way the Eagles are employing a "wide nine" alignment of their defensive ends under new defensive line coach Jim Washburn. Click and learn about the "truth line."

Washington Redskins

Tight ends Fred Davis and Logan Paulsen earned high marks for their blocking efforts in Friday's preseason opener with Chris Cooley sidelined by injury, Rich Campbell writes. Tight end is one position on the roster at which the Redskins look very strong, and that has led some to wonder if they're planning to deploy multiple-tight end sets to take advantage of the receiving skills of both Cooley and Davis. But everything I've heard and read (including this) indicates that they plan to use their tight ends to block. Consider that free advice if you haven't had your fantasy draft yet.

Another position at which the Redskins are strong is safety, assuming starters LaRon Landry and O.J. Atogwe get healthy. Which it appears they are.

As I mentioned, we will chat at noon ET, as we do every Tuesday. So be there. Meanwhile, lots more to come today, including the Maclin stuff, some thoughts on Eli Manning interceptions and everything you ever wanted to know about John Beck and just what the Redskins coaches see in him.

The Dallas Cowboys, much like the New York Giants, have been mentioned as a team that didn't do much in free agency. In fact they did sign a large number of free agents. It's just that, due to cap concerns and the fact that they were already set at most of the attention-grabbing positions, the Cowboys' free-agency exploits paled (as did most everyone's) to those of the Philadelphia Eagles.

But the Cowboys did sign Doug Free, Kyle Kosier, Marcus Spears, Gerald Sensabaugh, Abram Elam and Jason Hatcher. Five of those six guys are starters, and Hatcher showed up a lot Thursday night in sub packages and with the second-team defense. The performance he delivered in the preseason opener could lead him to an expanded role. Per DallasCowboys.com:

On the opening drive, he hurried Broncos quarterback Kyle Orton into an incompletion that forced Denver to kick a field goal. Later, his pressure led to an Alan Ball interception on Tim Tebow (the play was nullified by pass interference).

Hatcher, who re-signed for three years and $6 million a week into training camp, has 7.5 sacks in five seasons with the Cowboys. He worked hard to stay in shape during the lockout, knowing he could fit into Ryan's rotation.

"I'm playing more right side this year versus left side last year," Hatcher said. "I'm getting more comfortable as practice goes along.

"It allows me to use my athletic ability -- not read blocks, just get off the ball and make plays."

Hatcher seems to like the new Ryan scheme, and more importantly he seems to be grasping it very quickly. Players who do that are likely to have a greater chance to see the field early on that players who don't. The Cowboys aren't the kind of team that's going to want to ease into the season while everybody learns the new defense. They would like to win and compete for a championship this season. If Hatcher understands the defense, is slimmed down and quicker and can be a factor in helping the Cowboys generate a pass rush, you're going to see him a lot. They need help from up front rushing the passer, and Hatcher and Spears both had plays early in Thursday's game that indicated they might get some. I also thought Victor Butler showed a lot from the outside linebacker spot, and there have been plenty of reports from San Antonio that Butler is picking up the defense quickly too.

It's early in this process, and the Cowboys' defense looked it Thursday. But as August rolls along, Ryan is going to be looking for people who can grasp what he's teaching and put it into practice. If Hatcher is going to be such a person, his re-signing, while not very exciting at the time, could turn out to have been a very shrewd one.