By playing meaningful December games, Redskins avoiding a ‘dark’ locker room

The NFL is known for its parity. But just the threat is enough to get the attention of the opposing special teams unit. Once one of the game’s most dynamic return men, Jackson is too valuable as a wide receiver to risk at that position often. Luke Kuechly and Kurt Coleman returned two of Romo’s three interceptions for touchdowns, and Newton ran for the Panthers’ only offensive score as they pushed their NFL-best winning streak to 15 regular-season games Thursday. It’s a division that likely won’t be determined until the final week of the year, but one team in particular seems ready to emerge from the pack.

This really whittles things down to a two-team race, though no team is really out of it just yet.

Games: at Redskins (5-6), at Packers (7-4), Jets (6-5), at Bills (5-6), Redskins (5-6). “They wanted it more badly, and they won”.

The Redskins’ quarterback situation was supposed to be the weak link on their roster, with Robert Griffin III benched prior to the start of the season.

Cooley is particularly impressed with Cousins’ pass, which exceeds 50 yards in the air and explains how this play only works with someone like Jackson, who has incredible speed and can rely on outracing the coverage against him. The Steelers are averaging an obscene 7.4 yards per play over their last three games – a half-yard better than any other National Football League team. “They got up and they jammed them and they played one-on-one pretty much the whole game”. That gives him 23 touchdowns of 50 yards or more in his career, which moves him past Joey Galloway for fifth all time since the 1970 merger. Not bad for a guy that was supposed to back up RG III.

Both Washington, who have finished last in the NFC East in six of the past seven seasons, and the Giants are 5-6 with five games remaining. A pair of tough road games, this week at Minnesota and at Arizona in Week 17, won’t make it easy.

They are great at home, winning five straight since a Week 1 defeat to the Dolphins, but fail to find the win column away from the friendly confines. The Redskins have won three of their past five games, with all three victories occurring at home during their playoff push. Dallas (3-8) is coming off a crippling loss to the Panthers, while Washington (5-6) got themselves right back in the divisional picture with a win over the Giants in Week 12.

Who’s going to stop them?

So next for the raging Redskins is a date with the woeful Dallas Cowboys (3-8) on Monday Night Football next week. The Eagles are dealing with injuries to Sam Bradford and others, as well as their complete and utter failure to live up to expectations. The defense was impressive, holding the Giants to only 14 points and forcing three turnovers. For a prime example of the lack of awareness this team has, you just have to look at a play Dwayne Harris made on Sunday by catching that late punt in the end zone with precious seconds left in the game. They may tank for the rest of the year and focus on building a contending squad for next season. Manning had no problem targeting Odell Beckham Jr. They could easily have seven or eight wins this season, yet they are under. The one-time, much anticipated rematch against the Packers is the best team the Cowboys have left to face (at least based on record), but Green Bay has lost four of their last five games. With every other team in the NFC East floundering, it’s beginning to look like the Redskins might take the division.