Inside The Nfc East

Sporting News, The, Nov 27, 2000

GAME OF THE WEEK

Philadelphia at Washington, In Week 6. Darrell Green intercepted a pass late in a tie game to help set up the game-winning field goal that lifted Washington to a 17-14 win. The team that protects its quarterback the best should prevail in the rematch, Look for a field goal to decide the outcome again.

MATCHUP TO WATCH

Giants WRs Amani Toomer and Ike Hilliard Vs. Cardinals CBs Aeneas Williams and Tom Knight, Of late, Williams has been playing like his Pro Bowl serf, and Toomer has three 100-yard receiving games in the past four weeks. The Arizona corners must slow Toomer and Hilliard for the Cardinals to have a chance.

ON THE SPOT

Eagles QB Donovan McNabb must avoid throwing an interception against the Redskins' playmaking secondary. This is the biggest game of the season for Philadelphia, and McNabb must show he can come through in a crucial game, That means no picks.

KEEP AN EYE ON

Giants DE Michael Strahan. A banged-up offensive line and no running game should be the perfect situation for him to have a huge game in Arizona, It figures to be a long day for whomever starts at QB for the Cards--the ailing Jake Mummer or ex-Giant Dave Brown.

ROOKIE REPORT

RB Ron Dayne has only 13 carries in the past two weeks because the Giants have fallen behind big early, but that is unlikely to happen against Arizona. Dayne should have a big day against a soft Cardinals run defense and his second 100-yard rushing game of the season.

FEARLESS FORECAST

If the Eagles beat the Redskins, pencil in Philly as the NFC East champs. Although they have a tough game against the Titans in Week 14, the last three weeks of the schedule (at the Browns, an open date and the Bengals at home) looks like two wins and a division crown.

FANTASY SOURCE

The Redskins hope Brad Johnson can return this week, sending Jeff back to the bench. In the Redskins' first game against the Eagles, Johnson was surprisingly effective, and Philly slowed down Stephen Davis. Davis is always a scoring threat, but Johnson is more likely to have a big yardage day.

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Arizona

3-8: 5th

Rookie LBs will have to step up to replace injured Walz

Rookie LBs Raynoch Thompson and Sekou Sanyika stand to get the leftover playing time because of LB Zach Walz's broken leg. Johnny Rutledge, a 1999 second-round pick, has been inactive the last two weeks and has been a bust. He might get activated, but he won't play much. Thompson and Sanyika played early in the season while Walz was rehabbing another injury. Both players' strengths lie in pass rushing and pursuing. Walz is more experienced and better in coverage. The team will benefit a little in the pass rush, but that's not necessarily what the team needs right now.... It's not a good time for the team's receivers. David Boston had a nice game Sunday but overall hasn't been producing. He also is nursing a bad hamstring. Frank Sanders has struggled, even with Boston taking some defensive attention. He was practically invisible against the Eagles. The large void created when Rob Moore went down in the preseason is still a chasm, and it is just that much bigger with Boston not at full strength. One factor working against Boston and Sanders is that defenses can double-cover both in zones because of the Cardinals' less-than-impressive running game.... DE Simeon Rice finally had a breakout game with three sacks. If he can keep his attitude up, the Cards could really use his ability to make the opposing quarterback worry about the rush. Because DE Andre Wadsworth remains ineffective due to his bad knee, Rice's impact is even more important than usual.

SCOUTING REPORT: Mac Cody is a small (5-11) punt returner with the ability to break big plays. He also has the ability to break some hearts. Cody nearly lost his job with one bad fumble a couple of weeks ago in Dave McGinnis' head coaching debut. He can make people miss, but he hasn't shown the consistency he had in 1999, when he led the NFC in punt returning. His size precludes him from ever being a big factor as a receiver, so if Cody doesn't hold on to the ball and get some yards on punts, he won't hang on to his job.

SEE A DIFFERENT GAME: One weakness of the Vince Tobin-led Cardinals was bad tackling. When McGinnis first took over as head coach, the tackling improved. But Sunday brought too many reminders of what once was. CB Justin Lucas, S Pat Tillman, LB Rob Fredrickson, DE Brad Ottis, DT Russell Davis and Walz missed important tackles. The team doesn't have the talent to miss tackles and get away with it. It can't afford to fall back into the habit. --Darren Urban

GRADING OUT vs. Philadelphia

OFFENSE F

It can't move the ball, no matter how many times it says it needs to attack more.

DEFENSE D

It held up OK, but the initial second-half drive killed the Cards yet again.

SPECIAL TEAM C

They could have used a spectacular play. But nobody bothered to make one.

COACHING D

They don't have much to work with, but someone must find a way to get the offense started.