# All Things NFC East 2005 **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 17, 2005, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-things-nfc-east-2005/326566 "2005-10-17T06:01:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![soulmurk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b782af/32.png) [@soulmurk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/soulmurk)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2005, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-things-nfc-east-2005/326566/161 "2005-11-09T07:07:35Z")
> [@neuroman](#): > > BTW, what accounts for the Redskins defense playing solid for 90% of the game, and then choking at the end of each half? After the fumble Philly just whooshed into field goal position with a couple quick passes, and in their final drive they moved 70 yards in under a minute. I don’t get it. I see this phenomenon a lot in closing seconds drives-- why does it seem that offenses get more successful when they’re desperate? Or am I just employing selective memory? I’ve noticed it as well, especially with the Skins. My thinking is that it the reasons are twofold: 1. the offense becomes a little more willing to take chances with their backs up against the clock, knowing that there’s little time for their opponent to capitalize on a mistake (though it happens all the time) 2. offenses go into a “hurry up” offense that limits the defense’s ability to change personnel effectively, coupled with the defense often playing very loose… that is, letting the underneath stuff and playing almost solely to prevent a “big” play. If you’ll notice, a lot of the times an offense will charge down the field, but the defense will hold firm(er, anyway) once they get into the red zone. Ultimately, what’s the difference between 1 big play getting them there and several short to medium plays? Perhaps a few seconds off the clock. Perhaps a statistical increase in a chance at a fumble or an interception, but historically the offense shoots down the field and gets into FG range pretty handily. I don’t quite get the reasoning behind the strategy, but that’s my take on why it happens so regularly. ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2005, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-things-nfc-east-2005/326566/162 "2005-11-11T23:50:55Z")
Ok, I’m on an unbeaten streak in NFC East picks stretching back to Week 6 (took the Giants over Dallas…stupid coin flip). Time to stretch the record! Giants over Vikings Bucs over Redskins Dallas over Philly Leaving the divsion looking like so: Giants: 7-2 Cowboys: 6-3 Redskins: 5-4 Eagles: 4-5 I’d be fine with an Eagles win, though…Big Blue at 7-2, all others two games back…yeah, I can live with that. ---
**Author:** ![MysteryFellow63427](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e4f/32.png) [@MysteryFellow63427](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MysteryFellow63427)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2005, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-things-nfc-east-2005/326566/163 "2005-11-14T01:00:37Z")
[I have a few thoughts](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=344651) on the way the Bucs/'Skins game ended. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2005, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-things-nfc-east-2005/326566/164 "2005-11-14T01:02:01Z")
Vikes. ---
**Author:** ![kidchameleon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/898d66/32.png) [@kidchameleon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kidchameleon)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2005, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-things-nfc-east-2005/326566/165 "2005-11-14T03:14:20Z")
What a weird weekend. Dallas has a chance to take back control of the division. ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2005, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-things-nfc-east-2005/326566/166 "2005-11-14T07:24:31Z")
> [@kidchameleon](#): > > What a weird weekend. Dallas has a chance to take back control of the division. Yer dern tootin’ they do! Things worked out better than I had expected with the Giants (6-3) losing to the Vikes in New York. YAY! I expected The Bucs to beat the Skins (5-4). Now, Dallas (5-3) can take the lead in the East with a win over Philly (4-4), since Dallas has already beaten the Giants. This is sweeeeeet! ---
**Author:** ![Exgineer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a88e4f/32.png) [@Exgineer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exgineer)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2005, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-things-nfc-east-2005/326566/167 "2005-11-14T14:05:32Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > Vikes. I hated that game. The Vikings didn’t win so much as the Giants handed the game to them. The Giants’ defense was solid and the Vikings shouldn’t have scored more than a couple of field goals. Even with two collossal special teams screwups and Eli looking like he’d never taken a snap in his life the Giants still had a chance to pull out a win. A home loss to a team as lousy as the Vikings is inexcusable. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2005, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-things-nfc-east-2005/326566/168 "2005-11-14T15:58:15Z")
**Exgineer** , that was an understatement. That had to be one of the fugliest games I’ve ever seen, and I saw Pisarcek hand off to Csonka _(sorry for the potential misspelling_. Two special teams touchdowns and a defensive touchdown. What more can the defense do - three consecutive games, no touchdowns, 9 points. No way this should have been anywhere close. Eli really looked like the rookie, and it didn’t help that when the ball got to the receivers, they were so surprised that they dropped it. Tiki was the only bright spot…again. Should have given him another dozen handoffs. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2005, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-things-nfc-east-2005/326566/169 "2005-11-14T16:02:34Z")
The Giant’s game was so bad, I cannot put words to screen. Arggghh!!! Jim ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2005, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-things-nfc-east-2005/326566/170 "2005-11-14T16:18:10Z")
Eli’s greenery got exposed a little bit yesterday. The Vikings were disguising a lot of coverages in their defensive secondary and suckering him into throwing into double coverage or confusing him into holding the ball too long. Look for other teams to do the same from now on. With the Giants turning over the ball as many times as they did yesterday (twice inside their own 20 yard line) they should have been blown out. The only reason they were in the game at all was because the Vikings offense was dead in the water all day (except for the final drive when they needed it). Only the Vikings would come away with zero points off those first two turnovers in the redzone. The decision to trade Moss is looking worse all the time. ---
**Author:** ![GrizzRich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7ba0ec/32.png) [@GrizzRich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrizzRich)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2005, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-things-nfc-east-2005/326566/171 "2005-11-14T18:25:32Z")
The Redskins win was certainly stolen from them in Tampa. I just…\…oh, I just wanna…\ Never mind. It’s in the books now. Can’t do nothin’ 'bout it no how. ---
**Author:** ![Crandolph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7cd45c/32.png) [@Crandolph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crandolph)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2005, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-things-nfc-east-2005/326566/172 "2005-11-14T20:21:18Z")
Birds win tonight, back in the hunt, one game back of NYG & haven’t played them yet… not bad. All that disaster this year & we’re still not dead. Just a heads up, I leave on vacation for 2 weeks in a couple of days, so if I’m not gloating or eating crow after the next 2 Sundays I’m not ducking you folks, just not logging in… ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2005, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-things-nfc-east-2005/326566/173 "2005-11-15T00:49:21Z")
I’m not worried about Big Blue. David Tyree is the reason our special teams were #1 in the league, and with him out yesterday we all got a painful reminder of how our special teams played the last few seasons. I was unhappy with Hufnagel’s play selection to start the game. The first few passing plays were to Jamaar Taylor, Visanthe Shiancoe, and Tim Carter. Drop. Drop. Drop. If anyone reading those names is asking themselves “Who the fuck is that?”, that’s my point exactly. Doubling Plax and Shock should result in passes to Toomer and checkdowns to Tiki, not the ever-fragile JV receivers. The most annoying moment of the game was Feely choking a chip shot. WTF?! The best moment, of course, was Tiki running for the two point conversion, _after_ running for the touchdown, _after_ running for that same touchdown only to have it called back for holding. Anyone who thinks Tiki is over the hill needs to have their head examined. One good thing about this game is that it is excellent ammo for the overtime debate. The last Vikings drive was exactly like the first Dallas drive in overtime a couple weeks back. In Dallas it was unfair, but now against the Vikes it’s perfectly fair? Speaking of that final drive, when the ensuing kickoff went out of bounds, how many Giants fans flashed back to the MNF Dallas game in 2003? During that stupid-ass hook & ladder play, I just shook my head sadly. Obviously, only the Giants can lose a game with 11 seconds left by kicking the ball out of bounds. Stupid Cowboys. ---
**Author:** ![kidchameleon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/898d66/32.png) [@kidchameleon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kidchameleon)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2005, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-things-nfc-east-2005/326566/174 "2005-11-15T05:22:09Z")
Like I said, what a weird weekend. But I’m not complaining. Football pool winnings, here I come! ---
**Author:** ![Monstre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@Monstre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monstre)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2005, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-things-nfc-east-2005/326566/175 "2005-11-15T05:53:37Z")
Woohoo! Boy, did the Cowboys ever pull that one out of their asses! They just did to the Eagles what Washington did to them earlier in the season. I hope they get their running game going better against Detroit next week. But a sweep of the Eagles, for the first time in ages… [Cartman] Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet. [/Cartman] ---
**Author:** ![Chanteuse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9de053/32.png) [@Chanteuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chanteuse)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2005, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-things-nfc-east-2005/326566/176 "2005-11-15T06:15:25Z")
We don’t call 'em the Cardiac Cowboys for nothing! Oh, man, I’m still quivery–I can’t believe we pulled that one out! I don’t know if I’m going to be able to get to sleep, I’m still :eek: ! ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2005, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-things-nfc-east-2005/326566/177 "2005-11-15T06:34:10Z")
Damn Dallas looked like crap. I’ll gladly take the win, though. What a draining game. Parcells must be completely burned out. ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2005, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-things-nfc-east-2005/326566/178 "2005-11-15T07:07:42Z")
**DIVISION CHAMPS** 1. Sea 7-2 (Conf. record over Car) 2. Car 7-2 3. Chi 6-3 (Conf. record over Dallas) 4. **DALLAS 6-3** (Beat NYG) **WILDCARDS** 1. **NYG 6-3** (Conf. record over Atl & TB) 2. Atl 6-3 (Div. record over TB) **LOSERS** 1. TB 6-3 2. **Wash 5-4** 3. Min 4-5 (Beat Det; Conf. record over Phil & StL) 4. Det 4-5 (Conf. record over Phil & StL) 5. StL 4-5 (Conf. record over Phil) 6. **Phil 4-5** 7. GB 2-7 (Conf. record over NO, Arz, SF) 8. NO 2-7 (Conf. record over Arz & SF) 9. Arz 2-7 (Beat SF) 10. SF 2-7 Sea took home field advantage Car took South Crown Chi took #3 seed Dal took East Crown NYG knocked down to wildcard spot Wash got knocked out of wildcard spot ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2005, 7:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-things-nfc-east-2005/326566/179 "2005-11-15T07:20:58Z")
Next week’s early picks in bold: Det @ **Dallas** Phil @ **NYG** Oak @ **Wash** - although, I smell an upset here for some reason Oh… and Dallas now has as many wins this season as ithey had all last season! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2005, 8:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-things-nfc-east-2005/326566/180 "2005-11-15T08:31:34Z")
DALLAS (9-7, 4-2 Div.) Nov 20 Detroit -w Nov 24 Denver Dec 4 @N.Y. Giants Dec 11 Kansas City Dec 18 @Washington -w Dec 24 @Carolina Jan 1 St. Louis -w NYG (9-7, 3-3 Div.) Nov 20 Philadelphia -w Nov 27 @Seattle Dec 4 Dallas -w Dec 11 @Philadelphia Dec 17 Kansas City Dec 24 @Washington Dec 31 @Oakland -w WASH (8-8, 3-3 Div.) Nov 20 Oakland -w Nov 27 San Diego Dec 4 @St. Louis Dec 11 @Arizona -w Dec 18 Dallas Dec 24 N.Y. Giants -w Jan 1 @Philadelphia PHIL (8-8, 2-4 Div.) Nov 20 @N.Y. Giants Nov 27 Green Bay -w Dec 5 Seattle Dec 11 N.Y. Giants -w Dec 18 @St. Louis Dec 24 @Arizona -w Jan 1 Washington -w The way things are going, this whole thing will likely be proven wrong as soon as next week [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-things-nfc-east-2005/326566.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-things-nfc-east-2005/326566.md?page=10)