NFC South: NFC East
Countdown Live: 2013 NFL draft, Rds. 4-7
April, 27, 2013
Apr 27
10:00
AM ET
By ESPN.com staff | ESPN.com
Join our ESPN.com NFL experts for Rounds 4-7 of the 2013 NFL draft.
Contribute your thoughts and questions beginning at noon ET. See you there.
Contribute your thoughts and questions beginning at noon ET. See you there.
Countdown Live: 2013 NFL draft, Rds. 2-3
April, 26, 2013
Apr 26
4:00
PM ET
By ESPN.com staff | ESPN.com
Join our ESPN.com NFL experts for Rounds 2 and 3 of the 2013 NFL draft.
Contribute your thoughts and questions beginning at 6 p.m. ET. See you there.
Contribute your thoughts and questions beginning at 6 p.m. ET. See you there.
Countdown Live: 2013 NFL draft, Round 1
April, 25, 2013
Apr 25
5:00
PM ET
By ESPN.com staff | ESPN.com
Join our ESPN.com NFL experts for the first round of the 2013 NFL draft.
We'll be analyzing every pick from 1 to 32. We'll get started an hour early at 7 p.m. ET, so submit your questions and comments and we'll see you there.
We'll be analyzing every pick from 1 to 32. We'll get started an hour early at 7 p.m. ET, so submit your questions and comments and we'll see you there.
Join our ESPN.com NFL experts as they play general manager for their divisions and execute a 2013 first-round mock draft.
Contribute your thoughts and questions beginning at noon ET. You can also participate via Twitter using the hashtag #bloggermock. See you there.
Contribute your thoughts and questions beginning at noon ET. You can also participate via Twitter using the hashtag #bloggermock. See you there.
NFL: Week 15 knee-jerk reactions
December, 18, 2012
12/18/12
1:45
PM ET
By ESPN.com staff | ESPN.com
You’ve heard the chatter by the sports pundits and on the talk shows. Heck, you might even have heard it here. So, are the knee-jerk reactions about your team based in reality? Our NFL bloggers weigh in.
NFC Knee-jerk Reactions | AFC Knee-jerk Reactions
WEEK 15
| Team | Knee-jerk reaction | Reality or not? |
|---|---|---|
| NFC EAST by Dan Graziano | ||
 | We're going to win the division! It's going to come down to that Week 17 game in Washington, and with DeMarco Murray back we have what was missing on Thanksgiving. I can't believe it, but this Cowboys team is going to the playoffs!!! | It's not good to assume victory over the Redskins, who are the hottest team in the NFC and should have Robert Griffin III back by then. But in general, yeah. Cowboys fans have lots of reasons to feel happy with their team. They are playing well, and tough, and they're worth being proud of. |
 | We're still going to win the division. The Giants do this all the time -- make things look as bleak as possible before turning it around at just the right time. They're the only team in the division that can make any noise in the playoffs, and those other teams will slip up. The Giants will be fine. | I'm not so sure. Lots of alarm bells in that loss to the Falcons on Sunday. That's the kind of game in which the Giants usually show well, but they didn't show at all. You have to face the possibility that, when they reach down deep for that little extra this time, it might not be there. |
 | What? We have to watch two more games? This is agony. Just end the season already and get rid of Andy Reid. Everybody in the division's tied for first but us. This is like a nightmare. | Yeah, two more weeks. On the bright side, if the Eagles actually wake up and start playing well, they can help decide who wins and loses the division. They get Washington this week and New York the next. Spoilers, baby! |
 | We're going to win the division! It's going to come down to that Week 17 game against the Cowboys, and we crushed them on Thanksgiving. I can't believe it, but this Redskins team is going to the playoffs!!! | It's not safe to assume victory over the Cowboys, who are one of the hottest teams in the NFC and are winning tough games with clutch, late-game play on both sides of the ball. But in general, yeah. Redskins fans have lots of reasons to feel happy with their team. They are playing well, and tough, and they're making December fun again in Washington. |
| NFC WEST by Mike Sando | ||
 | Winning beats losing, but the victory over Detroit will only cost Arizona a shot at landing a franchise quarterback. Draft order is all that's left for this team. | The Cardinals' 4-0 start pretty much removed the team from consideration for the top overall choice. Arizona could wind up picking around the 10th spot, same as where the team found Matt Leinart in 2006. |
 | A sixth Lombardi trophy sure will look nice in the entryway to 49ers headquarters. The only question is where to place it relative to the others in the trophy case. Decisions, decisions. | Now, now. Let's not count our punt returns before they're caught. The 49ers do look like they have championship potential, but there are never any guarantees. Justin Smith's injury is potentially troubling. |
 | Move over, Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III. Russell Wilson is the new favorite for offensive rookie of the year after accounting for four touchdowns during a 50-17 blasting of the Buffalo Bills. | This race isn't finished yet, but Wilson cannot be considered a heavy underdog at this point. He's been better than Luck or Griffin over the last nine weeks. He leads the NFL in Total QBR (85.1) while ranking second to Aaron Rodgers in passer rating over that span. |
 | Same old Rams. Just when you think this team is going to turn a corner, it wrecks the season by getting blown out at home on Fan Appreciation Day. Ridiculous. | Deep breaths, deep breaths. The Rams have already tripled their victory total from last season. The season is a success already. And with two road games remaining, expectations shouldn't run too high. |
| NFC NORTH by Kevin Seifert | ||
 | The end of this Bears nucleus is nigh. | It remains to be seen whether the Bears are headed to an offseason of tweaks or a complete overhaul. They have a reasonable chance to make the playoffs if they win their final two games. But the team that walked off the field Sunday seemed defeated -- literally, physically and emotionally. |
 | Somebody needs to get fired after a blowout loss to the Arizona Cardinals. | There is no doubt Sunday's game was the low point of Jim Schwartz's tenure with the team. But other than the Matt Millen fiasco, the Lions' history is littered with giving up on coaches and changing course at the first sign of trouble. It sounds good to call for a mass firing, but in some cases patience must rule over emotion. |
 | Place-kicker Mason Crosby could cost the Packers a playoff game. | Crosby hasn't been consistent since the early part of the season. He has missed 12 field goals already this season, and it is only coincidental that they did not cost the Packers a victory. Their patience is laudable, but it is beginning to border on blind faith. |
 | Adrian Peterson is going to break Eric Dickerson's record of 2,105 rushing yards in a season. | Peterson needs 294 yards in two games to do it. That sounds like a lot, but what about Peterson's season so far has been predictable or even reasonable? |
| NFC SOUTH by Pat Yasinskas | ||
 | The Falcons are peaking at the right time and are headed for the Super Bowl. | Sunday's win against the New York Giants was highly encouraging, and it could signal that the Falcons have elevated their game. But let's see them play like that in the postseason before making grand declarations. |
 | Coach Ron Rivera has saved his job. | Back-to-back wins against Atlanta and San Diego certainly have helped Rivera's chances. If the Panthers play well in their final two games, Rivera probably keeps his job. |
 | Sunday's shutout of Tampa Bay was a sign the Saints' defense has been fixed. | It was a nice outing, but let's not get carried away. The Bucs' offense has gone into a horrible slump, and the New Orleans defense still needs some offseason work. |
 | Josh Freeman isn't the long-term answer at quarterback. | Freeman has struggled mightily of late. But the Bucs still have a lot invested in him, and he'll get every benefit of the doubt. Still, Freeman needs to bounce back in the final two games to build some positive momentum for next season. |
Blogger Blitz: Giants-Falcons preview
December, 14, 2012
12/14/12
8:00
AM ET
By
Pat Yasinskas and
Dan Graziano | ESPN.com
NFC East blogger Dan Graziano talks with NFC South blogger Pat Yasinskas about this weekend's game between the Giants and Falcons.
NFL: Week 14 knee-jerk reactions
December, 11, 2012
12/11/12
1:35
PM ET
By ESPN.com staff | ESPN.com
You’ve heard the chatter by the sports pundits and on the talk shows. Heck, you might even have heard it here. So, are the knee-jerk reactions about your team based in reality? Our NFL bloggers weigh in.
NFC Knee-jerk Reactions | AFC Knee-jerk Reactions
WEEK 14
| Team | Knee-jerk reaction | Reality or not? |
|---|---|---|
| NFC EAST by Dan Graziano | ||
| Wait. We've won four out of five? How did that happen with our horrible coach and our horrible quarterback and our horrible owner who's killing the franchise by insisting on being his own GM? I thought I hated this team. What gives? | The Cowboys are playing pretty well, and while the rest of the schedule isn't easy, they have played their way into the hunt for both the division title and the wild-card spot. If you look at this as a building-block season in Dallas (as you should), it's turned encouraging. |
| Chatter all you want, Cowboys and Redskins fans. We're still the champs until you take it from us. We still have a one-game lead and we just dropped 52 on Drew Brees and his gang with our backup running back. | All of that is true, but the Giants' season still comes down to two tough road games the next two weeks in Atlanta and Baltimore and then a home finale against the Eagles, who have won eight of their last nine against them. The Giants remain favorites, but they're far from taking it all home. |
| Nick Foles! Nick Foles! Did you see the way he came back in the fourth quarter! Is it possible we've found our new quarterback? | Sure, it's possible. Foles did look poised and sharp when it mattered most. But he also was doing it against the league's worst pass defense, so let's not assume all of the kinks are worked out just yet. Foles has three more games to audition for next year, and they may not go as well as Sunday's did. |
| Hey, uh... those Robert Griffin III MRI results... he's gonna be OK, right? Right????? | It sounds as though Griffin has dodged a serious knee injury, but it remains possible that he'll have to miss this week's game against the red-hot Browns. Kirk Cousins looked fine in relief, but can he handle a whole game against a good defense like Cleveland's? The season could rest on the answer. |
| NFC WEST by Mike Sando | ||
| The Cardinals' nine-game losing streak and 58-0 defeat at Seattle proves this team needs more than a new quarterback. Arizona needs a total organizational overhaul from the general manager on down. This franchise is in trouble. | The evidence is piling up, no doubt. Arizona has fallen behind its division rivals at quarterback. The other NFC West teams appear to have stronger general managers, too. Coach Ken Whisenhunt talks about having a proven formula, but that formula hasn't worked without Kurt Warner. |
| There's something a little unsettling about the 49ers as they recast their identity with Colin Kaepernick at quarterback. Do they have the same formula for success that served them so well in the recent past? That's tough to say. The team still hasn't won more than two in a row. | We'll find out soon enough. Trips to New England and Seattle over the next two weeks will largely define this regular season for San Francisco. It's tough knowing what to expect. |
| Seattle is hotter than the 49ers at this point and should be able to unseat San Francisco for the NFC West crown with a little help from New England in Week 15. Victories over Buffalo (in Toronto), San Francisco (home) and St. Louis (home) should do it. | If the Seahawks are for real, they'll win the game against Buffalo and then run the table at home. Anything less than that would expose the Seahawks as a young team not quite ready to take the next step. That wouldn't be such a bad thing, either, given where the team has been previously. |
| Don't anoint the 49ers and Seahawks as the only playoff teams from the NFC West just yet. The Rams are 4-0-1 against the division. Their current three-game winning streak makes them the hottest team in the West. This race isn't over yet. | The Rams have a good thing going. It's true that their current winning streak is longer than any for the 49ers or Seahawks this season. St. Louis hasn't been consistent enough offensively to inspire a ton of confidence in running the table, however. |
| NFC NORTH by Kevin Seifert | ||
| This team is cooked. | The Bears started 7-1, beating two teams that currently have winning records, and now have lost four of their past five. They currently hold the sixth and final NFC playoff spot but are a team going in the wrong direction at the wrong time. They need to win at least two, if not all, of their three remaining games to qualify for the playoffs. They'll need to do so with a roster full of again and injured veterans. Tough duty. |
| The Lions need to lose Sunday at the Arizona Cardinals to help their draft positioning. | It's once again come down to this for the Lions, who are one of five 4-9 teams in the NFL at the moment. The Cardinals are one of them. Only three teams have worse records, which means the Lions are in contention for a top-5 pick in the draft. You can do the math. |
| The Packers are going to win the NFC North in a runaway. | After starting 2-3, the Packers have won seven of their past eight games to overtake the Bears. They'll have a chance to clinch the division Sunday at Soldier Field against a Bears team that has lost four of five. There is no question who has momentum. |
| Adrian Peterson is going to rush for 2,000 yards this season. | If willpower is the driving force, there is no doubt how this story will end. Peterson's season is one of the all-time comebacks in sports history. |
| NFC SOUTH by Pat Yaskinskas | ||
| The Falcons are poised for another playoff fiasco after Sunday's loss to Carolina exposed numerous flaws. | History could end up repeating itself. But it's also possible this Week 14 loss might be a much-needed wake-up call for Atlanta. |
| The victory against Atlanta will be enough to save Ron Rivera's job. | A single win, although very significant, isn't going to save Rivera's job. But it puts him in a much better position. If the Panthers can play well in their last three games, Rivera has a chance. |
| Drew Brees has lost it after throwing nine interceptions in the last three games. | Relax. Brees is still one of the best quarterbacks in the league. His receivers and offensive line haven't been doing a great job, and that's prompted Brees to force too many throws. |
| Maybe Josh Freeman isn't a franchise quarterback. | There's no doubt Freeman's performance against Philadelphia was bad. But this guy has made a lot of progress this season, and it seems very likely the Bucs will try to sign him to a contract extension after the season. |
Join our ESPN.com NFL experts as they break down the NFC showdown between the New Orleans Saints and the New York Giants.
Contribute your thoughts and questions beginning at 4:30 p.m. ET. See you there.
Contribute your thoughts and questions beginning at 4:30 p.m. ET. See you there.
You’ve heard the chatter by the sports pundits and on the talk shows. Heck, you might even have heard it here. So, are the knee-jerk reactions about your team based in reality? Our NFL bloggers weigh in.
NFC Knee-jerk Reactions | AFC Knee-jerk Reactions
WEEK 13
| Team | Knee-jerk reaction | Reality or not? |
|---|---|---|
| NFC EAST by Dan Graziano | ||
| Am I crazy to think this team has a shot at the playoffs? Only one game out of the last wild-card spot, and not even out of the division race yet. If they could just put two good halves together one of these weeks! | The reality is, 6-6 is in the race (though the head-to-head loss to 7-5 Seattle hurts). But the Cowboys need to play very tough the next two weeks against tough, physical AFC North teams, and tough and physical isn't their game. Still a ways from celebrating. |
| What the heck? We had this, right? Only good team in the division. Should have put it away weeks ago. Now I'm starting to think this is going to be a repeat of 2009 and 2010, not 2011. | The loss to the Redskins brought this possibility back into play. The Giants still hold the division lead, but with games still to go against the Saints, Falcons, Ravens and perennial nemesis Eagles, it won't be easy. |
| Uh ... Let me see if the Sixers are on. | Just waiting for the clock to run out in Philadelphia at this point. No reason to think the Eagles will win any of their last four games, and the only remaining drama is who'll be the next coach and how high (currently fourth) they'll pick in the draft. Yowza. |
| RG3! RG3! RG3! We're a game out in the division, a game out in the wild card, hold all the tiebreakers and ... well ... RG3!!! Redskins to the Super Bowl!!!!! | They look really good, and they just went 3-0 against division teams at a critical time of the year. The defense is held together with chicken wire, but it's working. How much chicken wire do they have? |
| NFC WEST by Mike Sando | ||
| Ken Whisenhunt cannot possibly survive what is now his third consecutive season with a losing streak of at least six games. Ryan Lindley? Really? This cannot end well. | That might not be far from the truth. An eight-game losing streak and no progress at quarterback isn't the way for a coach to state his case for a seventh season on the job. |
| Jim Harbaugh blew it. He messed with a good thing when he benched Alex Smith. Colin Kaepernick showed against the Rams he's not ready for prime time. Way to wreck the season, coach. | Lots of coaches make safe decisions to buffer themselves from potential criticism. Harbaugh made a bold move. He'll take the heat if this QB decision fails to produce a deep playoff run. |
| How many quarterbacks in Seahawks history could lead 97- and 80-yard drives against the Bears' defense to win at Soldier Field? I'll take your answer off the air. | Russell Wilson might be the only one. The early evidence suggests he'll be the first legitimate franchise quarterback the Seahawks have drafted and developed. |
| Beating the 49ers shows the Rams can hang with anyone. They'll beat the Bills this week. They can beat or have beaten every team on their schedule. Playoffs or bust, baby. | The Rams are 4-0-1 inside the division and 1-6 outside it. Their lone remaining division game is at Seattle, where the Seahawks are 5-0. St. Louis lost at home to Mark Sanchez and the Jets, so let's hold off on the parade for now. |
| NFC NORTH by Kevin Seifert | ||
| The Bears' defense is old. | It sure looked that way in the fourth quarter and overtime against the Seattle Seahawks and rookie quarterback Russell Wilson. Middle linebacker Brian Urlacher (hamstring), outside linebacker Lance Briggs (ankle) and cornerback Charles Tillman (foot) are all nursing injuries. Defensive end Julius Peppers isn't on the injury report but has taken veteran rest days during the practice week to ensure he is fresh for game day. |
| The Lions are a lot further away than they appeared at the end of last season. | The Lions have talent, but perhaps not as much as they thought. They have a strong nucleus, but it probably isn't as deep as they hoped. When you follow up 10-6 with 4-8, you have to question which one is the mirage. |
| The Green Bay Packers will never be healthy this season. | It doesn't appear to be their year to maintain a consistent lineup. Receiver Greg Jennings finally returned after nearly two months away, but in the same game receiver Jordy Nelson reinjured his hamstring. That's the way it's gone this season for the Packers. |
| The Christian Ponder era is a failure. | It's too early to say that. But Ponder is close to putting the Vikings in a really tough spot this offseason. If he can't finish the season strong, the Vikings will have to take a big leap of faith to give him an unquestioned third year as their starter. |
| NFC SOUTH by Pat Yasinskas | ||
| Atlanta's defense is coming together at the right time. | It sure seems like coordinator Mike Nolan's system is taking hold. In their last two games, the Falcons have shut down running back Doug Martin and produced five interceptions from Drew Brees. That's the type of defensive play we haven't seen from the Falcons in recent years. |
| The Panthers have the worst defense in the division. | The numbers say New Orleans and Tampa Bay are far worse, but sometimes numbers don't tell the whole story. The defense was responsible for the loss at Kansas City because it couldn't keep the Chiefs' offense off the field. |
| After throwing a career-high five interceptions against Atlanta, it seems even Drew Brees is having a bad season. | There's no question Brees had a horrible game, and putting him against the Giants' pass rush this week is a bit scary. But Brees is just as capable of throwing five touchdowns as he is five interceptions. |
| Sunday's loss to Denver pretty much ends Tampa Bay's playoff hopes. | The loss certainly didn't help, but the Bucs remain very much in the playoff picture. At 6-6, they're only one win off the pace for the final wild-card spot. But they may have to run the table to get into the postseason. |
NFL: Week 12 knee-jerk reactions
November, 27, 2012
11/27/12
1:30
PM ET
By ESPN.com staff | ESPN.com
You’ve heard the chatter by the sports pundits and on the talk shows. Heck, you might even have heard it here. So, are the knee-jerk reactions about your team based in reality? Our NFL bloggers weigh in.
NFC Knee-jerk Reactions | AFC Knee-jerk Reactions
WEEK 12
| Team | Knee-jerk reaction | Reality or not? |
|---|---|---|
| NFC EAST by Dan Graziano | ||
| There's no hope as long as Jerry Jones owns the team. Losing to the Redskins on Thanksgiving? Why does this team keep finding new lows? | It's a roller-coaster season in Dallas, where the Cowboys aren't good enough or bad enough to sustain long streaks of either kind. Cowboys fans are likely to be feeling hopeful again this time next week. |
| The real Giants are back! Did you see the way they manhandled the Packers? It's just like we've been saying all along -- when the Giants are on, they can beat any team in the league. | They can, yeah. But this whole idea that New York can flip a switch on or off when it wants is a scary one. Sometimes it works out, as it did in 2011. Sometimes it doesn't, as in 2009 and 2010. |
| Well, at this point they really should just lose the rest of their games and try to get that No. 1 draft pick. Maybe we can find our franchise quarterback? | There's no Andrew Luck or Robert Griffin III in this year's draft, and this isn't an Eagles team that has quit. They could lose all the rest of their games for the simple reason that they stink. But they're not going to do it on purpose. |
| This is amazing. All of the tiebreakers favor us. We beat the Saints, Vikings, Buccaneers and Cowboys, and we have the tiebreaker over Seattle, too. Only one game out with five to play -- we're going to the playoffs! | You have to be tied to use a tiebreaker, so although things look a lot better for the Redskins than they did a couple of weeks ago, they still need to keep winning and have the teams in front of them keep losing if they're going to sneak in. |
| NFC WEST by Mike Sando | ||
| Seven straight losses after a 4-0 start and no viable quarterback plan? That's it. Gotta fire the head coach. Ken Whisenhunt is out of excuses. | The schedule makes 4-12 seem more likely than 6-10. One key question is whether mounting injuries will give the organization reason to grant a mulligan. |
| Coach Jim Harbaugh has screwed up the quarterback situation in a big way. How can Alex Smith or any veteran take him at his word after Harbaugh turned on Smith so quickly? | Colin Kaepernick has been much better than anticipated. He's the one responsible for creating the problem. And since when is it a problem to have two legitimately good QBs? |
| Good teams don't go 1-5 on the road. The Seahawks are a fraud. They'll never make a dent in the playoffs as a wild-card team at this rate. | What did you expect, a 12-4 season? Seattle is building around one of the most impressive rookie QBs in the NFL. Simply reaching the playoffs should be enough. |
| The Rams have allowed one touchdown pass while picking off seven passes and collecting 18 sacks against the NFC West. That's great, but something's wrong when a team can go 3-0-1 in its own division and 1-6 outside of it. | Take the victories any way you can get them, Rams fans. Those divisional stats are about as good as they're likely to look, anyway. The Rams get the 49ers on Sunday. They still have to visit Seattle, where Russell Wilson has 11 TDs and 0 INTs. |
| NFC NORTH by Kevin Seifert | ||
| The Bears are going to have trouble protecting Jay Cutler with a patchwork offensive line caused by injuries. | That's not necessarily the case. As we learned Sunday, protecting Cutler is just as much about play calling as pass protection. |
| The Lions haven't grown at all since last season. | That's the unfortunate reality of a team going 4-7 a year after finishing 10-6 and going to the playoffs. The Lions thought their nucleus would continue to develop and brought it back almost intact, but that rarely works in the NFL. You must always keep moving forward. |
| A 28-point loss to the New York Giants should be a warning sign. | I'm not sure about that. It's true the Packers haven't lost a game that badly in nearly four years. But in the end, it might have been the most daunting game remaining on their schedule. |
| The Vikings aren't good enough to play with the big boys. | That sure appeared to be the case in their 28-10 loss to the Bears, and it won't get any easier over the next few weeks. They'll play at the Packers, host the Bears again, then travel to the Houston Texans two weeks after that. |
| NFC SOUTH by Pat Yaskinskas | ||
| The Falcons have solved their run-defense problems after holding back Tampa Bay's Doug Martin. | That was definitely a step in the right direction, and the return of linebacker Sean Weatherspoon from injury made the entire defense better. But this wasn't a team that was bottling up the run even before Weatherspoon's injury. |
| Everything is fine with Cam Newton now. | At least for one night, Newton was pretty close to perfect. He ran for two touchdowns, passed for two touchdowns, and was poised and efficient. But not every opponent is as bad as the Eagles. |
| It was a nice run, but the season is over for the Saints after Sunday's loss to the 49ers. | Not quite. The Saints have six losses and no room for more. The Saints pretty much have to run the table to have any shot at the playoffs, but you can bet they'll try to play the spoiler Thursday night in Atlanta. |
| Sunday's loss to Atlanta really hurt the Buccaneers' playoff chances. | In the long run, that might be true. But at the moment, the 6-5 Bucs have the same record as Seattle and Minnesota, and the Seahawks would get the No. 6 based on tiebreakers. But there still is a lot of football to be played. |
NFL: Week 11 knee-jerk reactions
November, 20, 2012
11/20/12
1:30
PM ET
By ESPN.com staff | ESPN.com
You’ve heard the chatter by the sports pundits and on the talk shows. Heck, you may have even heard it here. So are the knee-jerk reactions about your team based in reality? Our NFL bloggers weigh in.
NFC Knee-jerk Reactions | AFC Knee-jerk Reactions
WEEK 11
| Team | Knee-jerk reaction | Reality or not? |
|---|---|---|
| NFC EAST by Dan Graziano | ||
| We're going to win this division. No, seriously. After we beat the Redskins on Thursday and the Giants lose to the Packers on Sunday, we'll be tied for first and have the much easier schedule. You heard it here first. | Dallas needed overtime to beat the Browns. The offensive line is getting more banged up by the week. The Cowboys could contend if the Giants don't run away, but nothing's going to come easy. |
| Enough with that "November swoon" stuff. We're back from the bye and ready to take care of business. We know we're the best team in the division, and history says we'll pull it out in the end. | Very recent history does, indeed, say that. But the schedule looks daunting, and it's not as though the Tom Coughlin Giants have ALWAYS finished strong. They really could use a win Sunday night to ease minds. |
| Why do I even bother? Why was I cursed to be a Philadelphia sports fan? Just when things seem as though they can't get worse, they do. Maybe I should pick another team to root for. | A 25-point loss to the Redskins has to be rock bottom, right? The Eagles aren't doing anything well right now, but it's hard to believe they won't win another game all year. At some point, they'll have to look like a real NFL team again. Right? Right??? |
| The Cowboys are going down on Thanksgiving, and we're the team that's going to be right behind the Giants in the standings. All things are possible with RG3. | Robert Griffin III is certainly the kind of guy who makes football fans dream big dreams. But Dallas is a much tougher defensive team than the team the Redskins beat Sunday, and Washington's defense doesn't play that well every week. |
| NFC WEST by Mike Sando | ||
| Ken Whisenhunt has officially lost it. He's up 13-3 on the road against the Falcons and he benches his starting quarterback for Ryan Freaking Lindley? Time to start updating that resume, coach. | There's some merit in such a reaction. Problem is, John Skelton was Whisenhunt's starting quarterback, and Whisenhunt had spent two weeks talking about how he was going to hold everyone accountable. Everyone included Skelton. And let's face it, Lindley might not have been worse. |
| Colin Kaepernick is the next Steve Young! Bench Alex Smith. Reserve those Super Bowl tickets. This revitalized 49ers offense cannot be stopped. Just ask the Bears. | Smith's tenure as the starter could very well continue. Perhaps the team can use his concussion to give Kaepernick another week. Either way, I would expect the 49ers to feature their ground game in a big way at New Orleans. |
| How bad did the Dolphins and Bears look? Seattle should defeat both of them on the road the next two weeks. The only other road game on the schedule is against the Bills in Toronto. This team can run the table. | The 49ers have only two defeats through 10 games. Even if the Seahawks did run the table, there's no guarantee it would be enough to win the division. Remember, too, that Seattle is 1-4 on the road this season. |
| Same old Rams. Just when you think they've turned a corner, they re-enact 2009. Sam Bradford played like a bust. The defense couldn't stop Mark Sanchez. This team might not win another game all season if it can't beat the Jets at home. | The NFL is often a week-to-week proposition. This is the NFL's youngest team. There will be peaks and valleys. The Rams have to like their chances at Arizona. A victory there would keep St. Louis unbeaten in NFC West play. That's not so bad. |
| NFC NORTH by Kevin Seifert | ||
| The Bears are 0-2 since hitting the meat of their schedule. | It's a legitimate concern. The only winning team the Bears have defeated this season is the Indianapolis Colts, and that victory came in Week 1. The Bears are no longer the unquestioned NFC North leaders and have a short holiday week to prepare for the 6-4 Minnesota Vikings. |
| The Lions are likely to miss the playoffs after going 10-6 and making them last year. Someone needs to get fired. | Perhaps it is time for some kind of change, but the target is less clear. Fans' favorite target is offensive coordinator Scott Linehan, but Linehan has had a dramatic impact on Matthew Stafford's development. Replacing Linehan could set back Stafford. |
| It's time to cut Mason Crosby. | Yes, Crosby has missed seven of his past 13 attempts and has put the team in a really tough spot. But Crosby has pulled himself out of slumps before, and there are no easy answers if you want to replace your kicker in late November. |
| After watching the Bears get trounced Monday night by a team Minnesota has defeated, the Vikings feel more confident than ever that they are a playoff team. | The Vikings have two games left against the Bears, including Sunday at Soldier Field. The Bears will be on a short holiday week. The Vikings are coming off their bye. Hmmm. |
| NFC SOUTH by Pat Yaskinskas | ||
| The ugly victory against Arizona showed the Falcons have way more problems than a 9-1 team should, and those problems will cost them in the postseason. | Maybe so, but I think what happened against Arizona was due in part to the hangover from a loss to New Orleans that drained the Falcons emotionally and physically. With a division game against the second-place Buccaneers coming up, followed by a rematch with the Saints, we're about to find out if the Falcons are Super Bowl contenders or pretenders. |
| The Panthers hit rock bottom by squandering an 11-point lead in the fourth quarter and losing to Tampa Bay in overtime. | No, this team can go even lower. The Panthers have a Monday night game at Philadelphia ahead. If they get embarrassed on national television by a team that might have even more problems, then the Panthers officially will hit rock bottom. |
| The New Orleans defense suddenly is showing improvement. That will continue and the Saints will make the playoffs. | No doubt the defense did some good things Sunday, but let's remember that the Raiders were the opponent. We're about to find out about this defense and New Orleans' playoff chances. The Saints are getting ready to face the 49ers, Falcons and Giants, and that stretch will determine a lot. |
| The red-hot Buccaneers will make the playoffs. | It's certainly a possibility, but we don't really know how good this team is, mainly because the Bucs have faced a soft schedule so far. We'll start to find out if they're for real Sunday when they host the division-leading Atlanta Falcons. |
NFL: Week 10 knee-jerk reactions
November, 13, 2012
11/13/12
1:30
PM ET
By ESPN.com staff | ESPN.com
You’ve heard the chatter by the sports pundits and on the talk shows. Heck, you may have even heard it here. So are the knee-jerk reactions about your team based in reality? Our NFL bloggers weigh in.
NFC Knee-jerk Reactions | AFC Knee-jerk Reactions
WEEK 10
| Team | Knee-jerk reaction | Reality or not? |
|---|---|---|
| NFC EAST by Dan Graziano | ||
| We're still in this thing! The Giants are coming back to the pack as usual, Tony Romo's stopped throwing interceptions and the schedule is in our favor. We can win the division! | Can? Sure. Will? Eh. Sunday's victory over the Eagles certainly wasn't flawless, and the Cowboys remain a team capable of losing games they should win. Don't assume they take advantage of that soft schedule. |
| What in the world is going on here? Eli Manning can't complete a pass, the defense can't cover anyone, the run game has disappeared ... is this the same team that went into San Francisco and won? | The Giants look like a tired bunch and probably need the bye week to regroup. They're healthier than they were when they hit their four-game losing streak this time last year and should be able to recover. |
| It's all over. Let's play Nick Foles at quarterback the rest of the season and at least see what we've got for next year. We know Michael Vick's not the answer. | Vick's concussion may make this a moot point, and Foles looks likely to start at least next week's game. But until the Eagles are eliminated, a healthy Vick still gives them the best chance to win games. |
| Mike Shanahan has seven games to show something, or Dan Snyder needs to make a change at the end of this year. I'm sick of the same 5-11 garbage year after year. | Snyder has done as promised and stayed in the background since hiring Shanahan. And there's no way he's firing Robert Griffin III's coach after Griffin's rookie season. Shanahan is safe for 2013. |
| NFC WEST by Mike Sando | ||
| Great, the Cardinals' next opponent, Atlanta, is going to be steamed after losing in New Orleans. Looks like the Falcons found their homecoming opponent. This one could get ugly in a hurry. | Yeah, it's looking grim, no doubt. Sure, the Rams proved against the 49ers that the unexpected can happen. Of course, the last time the Cardinals went to Atlanta, in 2010, they lost by 34 points. |
| Colin Kaepernick didn't get the win Sunday, but he rallied the 49ers with scrambles and downfield throws Alex Smith simply wouldn't make. Quarterback controversy, here we come! | Kaepernick will start against Chicago only if Smith's concussion prevents a quick return. Niners fans hoping Kaepernick gets the call should be careful what they wish for. The Bears' defense can make any QB look bad. |
| The Seattle defense is back! What a dominant performance against Mark Sanchez and the Jets! Elite! Elite! Elite! | Wait, you mean the Seahawks were better against Sanchez than they were against Adrian Peterson, Frank Gore and Matthew Stafford? Who changed more, the Seahawks or their opponents? |
| The Rams could be the best team in this division. They've gone 2-0-1 against Seattle, Arizona and San Francisco. With the Jets and Cardinals up next, Jeff Fisher will have this team back to .500 and on its way. | Problem is, the Rams follow those two games with one against the 49ers. They then play three of their final four on the road, including the last two on opposite coasts against ascending teams (Tampa Bay, Seattle). |
| NFC NORTH by Kevin Seifert | ||
| The Bears can't win if Jay Cutler isn't their starting quarterback. | Going back to Week 7 of last season, the Bears are 12-1 in the games Cutler has started and finished. They are 1-6 in the games he has missed or left early. Jason Campbell was signed to be a credible backup, but the Bears might be a different team without Cutler. |
| The Lions will get themselves straightened out with three consecutive home games. | Those games will come against the 6-3 Green Bay Packers, the 8-1 Houston Texans and the 6-3 Indianapolis Colts. The Lions probably need to win all three to get back in playoff contention. That would appear to be a tough task. |
| The Packers had a bye week to shorten their long injury list. | Nevertheless, in the past week they have bid farewell to first-round draft pick Nick Perry (wrist) and right tackle Bryan Bulaga (hip). Linebacker Clay Matthews, receiver Greg Jennings and cornerback Charles Woodson might not be ready to return Sunday against the Lions. |
| Adrian Peterson is the NFL's Comeback Player of the Week. | With 1,128 yards -- the most in his career after 10 games -- how about Peterson for MVP? He doesn't play quarterback, but his production so soon after major knee surgery is incredible. His production against consistent eight- and nine-man fronts is almost unbelievable. |
| NFC SOUTH by Pat Yaskinskas | ||
| The Falcons lost for the first time and had all sorts of issues exposed. Will it all just crumble from here? | Relax, at least for now. This still is one of the most talented teams in the NFL. If the Falcons use the loss to the Saints as a wake-up call and fix some problems, they can be a Super Bowl contender. |
| The firing of special teams coordinator Brian Murphy is going to solve the problems the Panthers have had everywhere? | Murphy is just a scapegoat. The Panthers have issues everywhere. Murphy's just getting a little more time to look for a new job because it appears all of Carolina's coaches will be in the unemployment line after the season. |
| After winning four of their past five, the Saints are back in contention for a playoff berth. | The Saints suddenly have gotten hot, and that makes them scary for any opponent. But the 0-4 start put the Saints in a hole they might not be able to get out of. The defense has been better recently, but it still is not good. |
| At 5-4, the Buccaneers are very much in the playoff race. | Tampa Bay is definitely in the hunt for the playoffs. The Bucs have played very well in their past five games and should only continue to improve. |
You’ve heard the chatter by the sports pundits and on the talk shows. Heck, you may have even heard it here. So are the knee-jerk reactions about your team based in reality? Our NFL bloggers weigh in.
NFC Knee-jerk Reactions | AFC Knee-jerk Reactions
WEEK 9
| Team | Knee-jerk reaction | Reality or not? |
|---|---|---|
| NFC EAST by Dan Graziano | ||
| Sean Payton's going to be available? Fire Jason Garrett now! The problem with this team isn't talent, it's obviously coaching. | Garrett's no Vince Lombardi, but the Cowboys aren't as "talented" across the roster as many people assume. If they're in the middle of rebuilding, changing course now doesn't make a lot of sense. |
| Uh-oh. Where'd the passing game go all of a sudden? Is this the start of another second-half slide? Why can't the Giants ever make anything easy? | Eli Manning's in a slump, but you have to trust him to pull out of it. And everyone else in the division lost. The Giants' lead is comfortable enough to allow them to work out their issues. |
| I'm just depressed now. This team looks dead. Andy Reid's got to be fired at the end of the year, and whoever replaces him is going to have to find a new quarterback to replace Michael Vick. Just tear the whole thing down and start over. | Pretty much, yeah. |
| How can Mike Shanahan say what he said about giving up on the season? There are seven games left, five against division teams! It's obvious Shanahan's not right for this team. He should be on the hot seat if Washington doesn't finish strong. | He shouldn't have said what he said after Sunday's game, but Shanahan's not going anywhere. You don't fire the coach who drafted the franchise quarterback after the franchise quarterback's first season. |
| NFC WEST by Mike Sando | ||
| From 4-0 to 4-5? Are you kidding me? This team will be lucky to win another game all season. | Injuries are a big part of this, but Green Bay was beat up, too. Arizona does have the third-toughest closing schedule. Buckle up. |
| The coaching staff should just admit it. Its decision to force Colin Kaepernick into the lineup nearly derailed starter Alex Smith. Good thing the staff realized it in time. | Coach Jim Harbaugh admitted weeks ago that throwing off Smith's rhythm was a concern. The staff recognized when enough was enough and adjusted accordingly. That is what good coaches do. |
| So much for that elite D. Everyone shuts down Christian Ponder. The fact is, Seattle has allowed 502 yards rushing the past three weeks, second-most in the NFL. | Frank Gore and Adrian Peterson give lots of teams trouble, but both had season-high totals against the Seahawks (by wide margins, too). That is concerning. The pieces are in place to play strong run defense, however. |
| Alex Smith and Russell Wilson both look a lot better than Sam Bradford has looked at just about any point during Bradford's career. Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin III and Ryan Tannehill look better, too. | It's tough to argue those points, frankly. Bradford has played quite well at times this season, but he rarely seems to play a memorable or truly outstanding game. That needs to change. |
| NFC NORTH by Kevin Seifert | ||
| It's about to get real for the Bears. We'll find out soon what they're made of. | To be sure, the Bears' schedule is about to get tougher. They'll host the 7-1 Houston Texans and travel to the 6-2 San Francisco 49ers in consecutive prime-time games the next two weeks. |
| The Lions are ready to make their move. | After a 1-3 start, the Lions reached .500 at the midpoint of their season. Now 4-4 and with four division games remaining, the Lions have a chance to make a run at the playoffs. |
| The Packers are 6-3 but they just have too many injuries to be serious championship contenders. | The injury list is pretty long. There's no doubt about that. But they are also learning how to grind out victories in ways they haven't needed to in recent years. |
| The Vikings have no chance to beat the Lions on Sunday if receiver Percy Harvin (ankle) doesn't play. | No team with Adrian Peterson can ever be counted out completely, but it's going to be awfully tough for the Vikings without their leading receiver. |
| NFC SOUTH by Pat Yaskinskas | ||
| The undefeated Falcons still aren't getting any respect. Even after Sunday night's victory, most of the media focused on the Cowboys' woes. | There's some truth in that, but I think Falcons fans are getting a little carried away with the respect card week after week. Atlanta is the only unbeaten team in the NFL, and that's the only thing that matters. |
| With a victory at Washington, coach Ron Rivera might have saved his job. | Let's wait a bit on that one. Sunday's game was a nice victory for a team that desperately needed one, but Rivera needs a few more wins and signs of improvement before he's safe. |
| With coach Sean Payton's contract reportedly void, there's widespread speculation he won't be back with the Saints, and he'll end up coaching the Dallas Cowboys. | We'll see if the NFL decides if Payton's contract for 2012 rolls over to 2013. If it doesn't, I think it's a safe bet Dallas owner Jerry Jones will come after Payton with everything he's got. I'm not ruling out any scenario. |
| At 4-4, the Buccaneers are back in the playoff race. | They're not in the driver's seat by any means, but they're in the picture. Just being there at midseason is a wonderful sign for a young team with a rookie head coach and a fan base that hasn't overloaded Raymond James Stadium in recent seasons. |
Rapid Reaction: Saints 28, Eagles 13
November, 5, 2012
11/05/12
11:48
PM ET
By
Ashley Fox | ESPN.com
NEW ORLEANS -- Some quick thoughts on New Orleans Saints' 28-13 win over the Philadelphia Eagles on "Monday Night Football."
What it means: After starting 0-4, the Saints have won three of their past four games and sit at 3-5 and in third place in the NFC South, well behind the 8-0 Atlanta Falcons. The season isn’t over for New Orleans, but with the way its defense is playing, it will be hard-pressed to go on a run.
For the reeling Eagles, this was their fourth straight loss and fifth in their past six games after starting the season 2-0. They now sit at 3-5, tied with the Dallas Cowboys for second place in the NFC East behind the 6-3 New York Giants. This certainly isn’t what Philadelphia owner Jeffrey Lurie had in mind. He said before the season started that a second consecutive 8-8 finish would be grounds to fire Andy Reid after his 14th season. The Eagles will have to finish at worst 6-2 to avoid a .500 record, and even that might not be good enough.
So what becomes of Reid? NFL owners don’t like to get embarrassed on national television, and that’s what happened to the Eagles, who got behind early -- again -- and couldn’t keep up with a Saints offense that can put points on the board. The Eagles trailed 21-3 at halftime. They showed signs of life in the third quarter with a strip sack that led to a 77-yard touchdown pass from Michael Vick to DeSean Jackson followed by a forced fumble on the ensuing kickoff.
But one of the Eagles' chronic problems continued. They couldn’t score touchdowns in the red zone. Five appearances led to two field goals. Vick also threw a pick-six when a pass bounced off Brent Celek's fingertips and was returned 98 yards by Patrick Robinson for a touchdown that gave New Orleans a 7-0 lead.
As ugly as it’s going to be in Philadelphia this week, where acute apathy has set in, I’d be shocked -- shocked -- if Lurie fired Reid midseason under any circumstances. That’s not how Lurie operates. But it certainly seems like Lurie will be looking for a new coach in January.
Saints defense holds: The Saints had been historically bad coming into the game this season. They had given up consecutive 500-yard games and had allowed at least 400 yards of offense in all seven games. They ranked 30th in scoring, 32nd in total yards allowed, 30th in passing yards allowed and 31st in rushing yards allowed.
While New Orleans allowed LeSean McCoy to gain 119 yards, 101 of those yards came on 13 first-half carries. They held the Eagles to 13 points even though they entered the game giving up 30.9 per game. They sacked Vick seven times and forced three turnovers.
Yes, they ended up giving up 400 yards in garbage time, meaningless yards that only padded losing statistics. The Saints have plenty of work to do on defense, but they made headway on Monday.
Eagles lose another lineman: The Philadelphia offensive line has taken a beating this season, and against New Orleans the Eagles were forced to play the majority of the game without right tackle Todd Herremans, who injured his right ankle/foot late in the first quarter.
Herremans is the fourth starter on the offensive line to miss time with an injury, which is one of the major reasons the Eagles have struggled this season.
Saints' streaks continue: New Orleans has not lost a November game since falling to Tampa Bay on Nov. 30, 2008, a streak of 12 straight games. They’ve now won 14 of their past 15 games in November. They’ve also won eight straight games on Monday night.
What’s next: The Eagles return home to an environment in Philadelphia that will be toxic, and they will host the Cowboys on Sunday. The Saints host the undefeated Falcons.
Join our ESPN.com NFL experts as they break down "Monday Night Football" between the Philadelphia Eagles and the New Orleans Saints.
Contribute your thoughts and questions beginning at 8:30 p.m. ET. See you there.
Contribute your thoughts and questions beginning at 8:30 p.m. ET. See you there.
NFC SOUTH SCOREBOARD
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Pat Yasinskas
Yasinskas joined ESPN.com in January 2008 after covering the Carolina Panthers for The Charlotte Observer for nine seasons. He began his journalism career with The Tampa Tribune in 1990.
