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Week 2 NFC East recap: Sweeping aside the competition

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We’re just two weeks into the season and one thing is clear. The NFC East is picking up where it left off last year.

For the second-straight week, the Dallas Cowboys routed a team from New York. They’re already halfway to an Empire State sweep.

The defending division – and NFC – champion Eagles have managed to hold on for back-to-back, one-score wins.

The Commanders are off to a 2-0 start for the first time in that franchise’s history since 2011. Back when they were the Redskins.

They’ve beaten the Cardinals and Broncos, so lets hold off on the Super Bowl talk. But still, 2-0 is good news to that fanbase’s ears.

The Giants, who took over 91 minutes of game action to finally get on the scoreboard, pulled off a historic rally to get their first win.

Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys (2-0) snapped a three-game losing streak to the Jets with a 30-10 win on Sunday.

It’s the sixth-straight year that Dallas has won its second game of the season. It was also the ninth-straight home win for the Cowboys.

Dallas moved to 8-5 all-time against the Jets and are now 32-23 all time against the AFC East’s four teams. That includes a 3-0 record in Super Bowls.

Monday Morning Quarterback: Cowboys jet past New York again 2
Micah Parsons celebrates a fumble recovery during Sunday’s 30-10 win over the Jets. (Getty Images)

So far this season the Cowboys have outscored their opponents 70-10. They have never trailed for a single-second and have a 7-0 advantage in turnovers.

Right now, Dallas’ offense isn’t making any mistakes and putting the defense in jeopardy. The defense isn’t letting their opponents get anywhere near into a rhythm.

That formula is why Dallas is the cream of the NFC East crop right now.

The Cowboys will look to snap another losing streak next week. They play at Arizona and have lost their last two games against the Cardinals.

Washington Commanders

About midway through Sunday’s game against the Broncos, the Commanders looked dead.

Down 21-3 it seemed like the Cowboys and Eagles would be alone on top of the division by the end of the day.

Then Washington somehow flipped the switch and rallied to take a 35-24 lead with seven minutes left. Then they nearly blew it.

How can the Cowboys end the season finale with a win?
BALTIMORE, MD – AUGUST 27: Sam Howell #14 of the Washington Commanders attempts a pass against the Baltimore Ravens during the first half of a preseason game at M&T Bank Stadium on August 27, 2022 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)

After a patented Russell Wilson “Hail Mary” pulled Denver to within two as time expired, the Broncos went for the game-tying two point try.

The pass fell incomplete – and the Redskins got away with pass interference – and the Commanders held on to go to 2-0.

Washington draws Buffalo, who looked a whole lot better in dismantling the Las Vegas Raiders 38-10 after falling to the Jets in the season opener.

Don’t be surprised to see the Cowboys and Eagles – and maybe just Dallas – alone at the top of the NFC East by Sunday night.

Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles are 2-0 thanks to a 34-28 win over the Vikings on Thursday night. But Philadelphia can’t be too charged up.

Their two wins could have easily been losses. Minnesota had four turnovers and still nearly pulled off the win.

The Eagles head for Florida to play Tampa Bay on Sunday, a team that looks to be more of a challenge than Philadelphia has faced so far.

The Eagles’ defense has yielded 48 points in two games. So far the offense has been able to put up enough points on weaker defenses.

What happens when the Eagles run into a strong defense that shuts down their offense? Nothing good if you’re an Eagles fan.

New York Giants

The Giants (1-1) went into their locker room at halftime down 20-0 to the Cardinals. They hadn’t scored a single point in six quarters.

Whatever their coach said at the break needs to be bottled and sold. The Giants rallied back to win 31-28.

Cowboys defense looking Doomsday-ish on Sunday night
Trailing 40-0 to the Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones (8) runs with he ball during a downpour in the fourth quarter on Sunday, September 10, 2023 in East Rutherford, N.J.

It was the Giants biggest come-from-behind win since they rallied to beat Chicago, 41-38, in 1949.

That’s the Chicago Cardinals, not the Bears. The Giants are now 81-46-2 against the Cardinals all-time.

It is the third time — 1945 and 1947 being the others — that the Giants have erased a 21-point deficit for a victory.

But New York doesn’t have long to celebrate. They play the 2-0 San Francisco 49ers on the road on Thursday night.

The 49ers are a much better team. 2-1 is not likely in the Giants immediate future.

Especially as Saquon Barkley was injured late in Sunday’s game and is expected to miss a few weeks with another ankle injury.

Richard Paolinelli

Staff Writer

Richard Paolinelli is a sports journalist and author. In addition to his work at InsideTheStar.com, he has a Substack -- Dispatches From A SciFi Scribe – where he discusses numerous topics, including sports in general. He started his newspaper career in 1991 with the Gallup (NM) Independent before going to the Modesto (CA) Bee, Gustine (CA) Press-Standard, and Turlock (CA) Journal -- where he won the 2001 Best Sports Story, in the annual California Newspaper Publishers Association’s Better Newspapers Contest. He then moved to the Merced (CA) Sun-Star, Tracy (CA) Press, Patch and finished his career in 2011 with the San Francisco (CA) Examiner. He has written two Non-Fiction sports books, 11 novels, and has over 30 published short stories.

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