Graziano: NFC East race again tightens up

[WoodysGirl]

Dec 410:01AM CT
By Dan Graziano | ESPNDallas.com

LANDOVER, Md. -- Maybe the Washington Redskins are just in the New York Giants' heads, right? Maybe the Giants just can't solve what the Redskins throw at them. They have had a miserable time with Washington of late, going 1-3 against them over the past two seasons, and it's possible they just don't match up well against them. Entirely possible that, just as they did last December, the Giants will rebound from a frustrating loss to their division rivals in D.C. and roll on into (and maybe even through) the playoffs from here on out. No one would be overly surprised.

But if they don't -- if this Giants December ends up a repeat of 2009 or 2010 instead of 2011 -- then, wow, will the Giants have plenty of missed opportunities on which to reflect. Monday Night's flop at FedEx Field. The 0-2 stretch against AFC North opponents in early November. A loss to the Eagles (who haven't won since!) in Philadelphia at the tail end of September. All of these loom in memory as avoidable pitfalls, games in which Super Bowl champions should be able to find a way. Had they won just one of those four games I mentioned, the Giants would have a firm grasp on a fairly weak NFC East and be looking ahead to the playoffs.

"We still feel comfortable where we are," Giants defensive end Justin Tuck insisted. "We still have a one-game lead."

That's important to remember, even as fans of the Cowboys and Redskins begin sizing up schedules and researching tiebreakers. The Giants are the one NFC East team that remains in control of its destiny. If the Giants win all four of their remaining games, they will win the division, regardless of what the Redskins and Cowboys do. Those other teams need help. The Giants do not.

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