NFC EAST MIDSEASON REVISISTED

DALLAS COWBOYS

The Dallas Cowboys finished the first half of the season with a 3-5 record. Here's a look at how they have fared and what's ahead:

First-half rewind: Expectations were much higher than this for the Cowboys, and the focus is -- as it always is in these situations -- on the quarterback and the coach. Dak Prescott has played well at times, but he has lost four fumbles and been intercepted four times. He needs to get back to being that turnover-free quarterback of his rookie season, when he had just eight giveaways all year. Owner Jerry Jones said he would not make an in-season change with Jason Garrett, but that does not mean he should breathe easy. He has a lot riding on the final eight games of the season if he wants to guarantee he will be coaching this team in 2019. The Cowboys might be staring at their fourth 8-8 finish under Garrett, and this time a playoff-less season could lead Jones to make dramatic changes. He made one dramatic change already, trading a first-round pick to the Oakland Raiders for Amari Cooper. The receiver scored a touchdown in his first game with the Cowboys, but it came during a loss.

 Grade:  D.

Here's how I see the rest of Dallas Cowboys season playing out.

DATE	OPPONENT	W-L
Nov. 11	at Philadelphia	L
Nov. 18	at Atlanta	L
Nov. 22	vs. Washington	W
Nov. 29	vs. New Orleans	L
Dec. 9	vs. Philadelphia	L
Dec. 16	at Indianapolis	W
Dec. 23	at Tampa Bay	W
Dec. 30	at N.Y. Giants	W

FINAL SEASON RFECORD 7-9

What needs the most improvement? The personnel isn’t changing, aside from minor tweaks. Jones said the head coach isn’t changing, but he did not completely rule out other changes on the staff. Effort has not been an issue for the Cowboys. Execution has, and sometimes they need help from the coaching staff to put them in position to execute better. When it comes to creativity, the Cowboys do not have what would be considered a forward-thinking offense, say, like the Los Angeles Rams or Kansas City Chiefs. The game plans will not change dramatically in the final eight games, but there has to be some imagination involved so every play is not such a knock-down, drag-out fight to gain a yard.

MVP: The Cowboys wanted to see DeMarcus Lawrence prove his 14.5-sack season of 2017 wasn't a fluke. He has 6.5 sacks and has been the best player on a defense that has been the strength of the team. With quarterbacks such as Carson Wentz, Matt Ryan, Drew Brees and Andrew Luck remaining on the Cowboys' schedule, Lawrence has to be a dominant force. If he is, then the Cowboys will have to make him one of the highest-paid defensive players in the NFL in 2019 with a huge, multiyear deal.

Biggest surprise: Byron Jones' move back to cornerback after starting the 2016-17 seasons at free safety has gone better than anybody could have predicted. He has been a perfect fit for what passing-game coordinator Kris Richard has wanted. He has the length to affect receivers at the line with press coverage. He is athletic and fast enough to stick with them all over the field. The only thing he needs to do is take the ball away, but opposing offenses are not challenging him very often.

Hurdle to overcome: Entering the season, the supposed strength of the team was supposed to be the offensive line, but it has not had Pro Bowl center Travis Frederick as he deals with the effects of Guillain-Barre Syndrome. His replacement, Joe Looney, has not played poorly, but the rest of the line has not played as well as expected. Right guard Zack Martin has come close to his Pro Bowl form, but tackles Tyron Smith and La'el Collins have been inconsistent and left guard Connor Williams has had too many rookie moments. There's a reason why the Cowboys made a midseason switch at line coach, with Paul Alexander out in favor of Marc Colombo.

NEW YORK GIANTS

The New York Giants finished the first half of the season with a 1-7 record. Here's a look at how they have fared and what's ahead:

Here's how I see the rest of New York Giants season playing out.

DATE	OPPONENT	W-L
Nov. 11	at 49ers	W
Nov. 18	vs. Bucs	L
Nov. 25	at Eagles	L
Dec. 2	vs. Bears	L
Dec. 9	at Redskins	L
Dec. 16	vs. Titans	W
Dec. 23	at Colts	L
Dec. 30	vs. Cowboys	W

FINAL SEASON RECORD 4-12

First-half rewind: Anything that can go wrong did go wrong. The Giants' offense has been worse than even the wildest expectations. They can't score points in a league when points are being scored at a record pace. The Giants have failed to top 20 points in five of eight games even with weapons such as Odell Beckham Jr., Saquon Barkley and Sterling Shepard. The offensive line hasn't been able to protect (31 sacks allowed is tied for second in the NFL), and Eli Manning looks older and more beaten down by the week. He hasn't played well. Special teams hasn't either. The defense has been average. No wonder they are tied for the worst record in football. 

Grade:  F

What is the Giants' biggest hole to fill? Franchise quarterback. There is no denying it at this point that the Giants have reached the end of the road with Manning. He's going to be 38 years old before this season's Super Bowl and hasn't played well in years while the team keeps losing at a record pace. Manning has eight touchdown passes in eight games. The Giants need to find their quarterback of the future after passing on Sam Darnold and others in this year's draft. They will have to find one in next year's draft or elsewhere. It's not going to be easy, and could take time, leaving GM Dave Gettleman exactly where he was hoping to avoid -- quarterback hell.

MVP: This was a tough choice between Beckham and Barkley. They're still producing at impressive levels. But Barkley has had slightly more impact in part because Beckham can't throw the ball to himself. Barkley is on pace for 1,038 yards rushing, an NFL running back-record 116 catches and 14 total touchdowns as a rookie. And there is little reason to believe he will slow down against lesser competition in the second half of the season.

Biggest surprise: The extent of left tackle Nate Solder's struggles were not expected. He was an above-average tackle with the New England Patriots. He has the third-lowest pass block win rate among offensive tackles through eight weeks, according to ESPN Stats & Information. That's not what the Giants or anyone expected when he signed a deal that was, at the time, a record for an offensive tackle. They need Solder to play better.

Hurdle to overcome: The Giants have to find a way to transition away from Manning. The locker room doesn't believe in him at this point. They need something to give them hope. Will it come in the second half of the season? Rookie Kyle Lauletta put a wrench in the situation with his arrest last week. We saw how hard it was last year for the organization to move on from Manning. Let's see if they can do it at some point in the second half of this season.

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES

The Philadelphia Eagles finished the first half of the season with a 4-4 record. Here’s a look at how they have fared and what’s ahead:

Here's how I see the rest of the Philadelphia Eagles season playing out.

DATE	OPPONENT	W-L
Nov. 11	vs. Cowboys	W
Nov. 18	at Saints	L
Nov. 25	vs. Giants	W
Dec. 3	vs. Redskins	W
Dec. 9	at Cowboys	L
Dec. 16	at Rams	W
Dec. 23	vs. Texans	W
Dec. 30	at Redskins	W.

FINAL SEASON RECORD 10-6

First-half rewind: If 2017 was like gliding on ice, the first half of this season was more like trudging through mud. The offense, which in Week 3 welcomed quarterback Carson Wentz back from offseason knee surgery, exceeded the 24-point mark once after doing it a league-high 12 times in 2017. That put extra pressure on the defense. Sometimes Jim Schwartz's group was up for it, like when it came up with a goal-line stand in the opener against the Atlanta Falcons, and sometimes it wasn't, as evidenced in second-half meltdowns against Tennessee and Carolina. There were plenty of injuries and hair-graying moments, but also some positive signs -- mainly emanating from the trio of Wentz, Alshon Jeffery and Zach Ertz -- that offered promise of things to come.

Grade:  B

What has to happen for the Eagles to make the playoffs? The trade-deadline addition of receiver Golden Tate should help the offense turn it up a notch, as will the expected return of running back Darren Sproles (hamstring). The key for the Eagles will be to avoid serious injury down the stretch. They currently have eight players on injured reserve -- including four starters -- and plenty of others who are ailing. If they have better health in the second half, they should remain right in the thick of the NFC East race, with a good chance of finishing on top.

MVP: Wentz. His completion percentage (70.7) has jumped more than 10 points from last season, the biggest increase in the league, and he's on pace to throw 30 touchdowns to five interceptions. Did we mention he's 10 months removed from a serious knee injury? Wentz should only get better over the second half.

Biggest surprise: Running back Wendell Smallwood. He was viewed as a player on the fringe this summer after two inconsistent seasons to start his career. Injuries to Jay Ajayi and Sproles provided opportunity, and Smallwood has made the most of it. He leads the team in rushing (257 yards) and has found the end zone three times -- once on the ground and twice through the air, including a key 36-yard catch-and-run to open the second-half scoring against the Jaguars in Week 8.

Hurdle to overcome: Both offensive tackles are banged up. Johnson suffered a Grade 2 MCL sprain and a high-ankle sprain but has been known to play through injury. He was already dealing with a high ankle sprain. Jason Peters, meanwhile, is playing through a torn biceps and a quadriceps injury. No one argues the importance of consistency along the front -- especially when your QB is in his first season back from serious injury. The depth of this group will be tested.

WASHINGTON REDSKINS

The Washington Redskins finished the first half of the season with a 5-3 record. Here’s a look at how they have fared and what’s ahead:

First-half rewind: The Redskins lead the NFC East because they figured out that with a strong defense, running game and fewer turnovers, teams can control games and win. That’s been their formula. They have a top-five rusher in Adrian Peterson and a top-five defense, led by a line with three excellent young players in Matt Ioannidis, Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne. They've allowed linebackers and defensive backs to succeed behind them. Peterson has provided a jolt with his presence after signing in mid-August. The line, and design of the run game, have helped. The Redskins consistently win field-position battles because they don’t turn it over and because punter Way has had a good season. 

Grade:  A

Here's how I see the rest of the Washington Redskins reporter season playing out.

DATE	OPPONENT	W-L
Nov. 11	at Tampa Bay	L
Nov. 18	Houston	L
Nov. 22	at Dallas	W
Dec. 3	at Philadelphia	L
Dec. 9	N.Y. Giants	W
Dec. 16	at Jacksonville	W
Dec. 22	at Tennessee	L
Dec. 30	Philadelphia	L

FINAL SEASON RECORD 9-7

What has to happen for the Redskins to make the playoffs? Improved health. The outlook for Washington changed after Week 9 thanks to placing three starters on injured reserve. Their offensive line lost two starters in guards Brandon Scherff -- who was playing at a Pro Bowl level -- and Shawn Lauvao. Left tackle Trent Williams will miss another game -- or three. They need players such as receiver Jamison Crowder and running back Chris Thompson, who missed a combined seven games in the first half, to produce. The schedule includes only one team that currently has a winning record (Houston), so there's a chance to make noise. But with eight games left, there will be more injuries to other players and health will separate evenly-matched teams. They did well to finish the first half 5-3 and in first place; before Atlanta, they were solidly in the above-average category.

MVP: Washington's offense would have been lost if not for the arrival of Peterson. He rushed for 604 yards in the first seven games, topping 90 yards in each of the Redskins' victories. In their three losses, he gained a combined 43 yards. Everyone wonders if Peterson can maintain this pace and stay healthy at age 33, but he’s showed no signs of slowing down. He has played hurt, like most running backs in the NFL. But the big question moving forward: Can he be as effective behind a patchwork line? The Redskins will have to continue being creative with formations to put him in better spots. It will be tough. They play five more games against teams ranked in the top 12 in rushing yards allowed.

Biggest surprise: The play of the defense. There are still questions about them after failures vs. New Orleans and Atlanta. Still, it's a better group than in 2017. There was going to be natural improvement because they're healthier here, something they weren’t for most of last season. But they’ve exceeded expectations and have played well against the run. They held running backs Christian McCaffrey, Ezekiel Elliott and Saquon Barkley to a combined 91 yards in a three-week span. They rank fifth against the run, 10th in total yards and ninth in points. The line play has been excellent most of the season, and players on the back end, such as safety D.J. Swearinger, have come through as well. The defense isn't perfect; Atlanta and New Orleans had their way. But the foundation is sound.

Hurdle to overcome: The passing game, without a doubt. The makeshift line can be thrown in here, too. Quarterback Alex Smith has been ordinary at best. The Redskins have the No. 24 passing attack and the No. 22 offense in the red zone. Smith has stuck too long with some targets and been too impatient with others, costing them opportunities. Some of that is a natural byproduct of playing in a new offense and with a receivers group that has turned over because of injuries. The receivers haven’t always helped, with sloppy routes or inattention to detail. It adds up to a passing attack that, for the first time under coach Jay Gruden, produced three consecutive sub-200-yard games. Smith takes care of the ball and that’s been a major plus; he rarely puts the defense in a bad spot. He’s on pace to throw 18 touchdowns, six interceptions and for 3,734 yards. That’s a fairly typical season for him, and if the Redskins had stayed healthy, that might be enough to earn a playoff spot. But now, the Redskins will need more.