How Can NFC East Teams Think 'We're Close' to Cowboys?

“Defensively, we’re close. Offensively, we’re close. As a team we’re close,'' says WFT's Jonathan Allen, who must not be aware of where Dallas is in the standings.

FRISCO - When Washington defensive tackle Jonathan Allen looks at his team, even after Sunday’s 24-10 setback against the Green Bay Packers, he seems something maybe the rest of us do not see.

“Defensively, we’re close. Offensively, we’re close,” Allen said. “As a team we’re close,but the good teams make the plays that we’re not making right now.”

Allen is right about the latter point. But a look at the standings say he's wrong about the "close'' part.

Washington lost and is 2-5.

The Philadelphia Eagles, busy "beefing'' about the Sixers' Ben Simmons, lost and are 2-5.

The New York Giants managed to beat Carolina, causing them to lift to, you guessed it, 2-5.

Meanwhile, the Cowboys rested and rehabbed (in QB Dak Prescott's case, working on getting his right calf strain to allow him to play next Sunday at Minnesota) and meaning no disrespect to upcoming foes, but ...

The Cowboys' schedule has been so accommodating that they could be 9-1 on Thanksgiving having beat only one team with a winning record.

"Easy'' is the wrong word for the Dallas situation.

But "close'' is the wrong word for the situations in Washington, Philly and New York.

Along with their comfortable cushion, the Cowboys have history on their side. They have never started a season 5-1 and missed the playoffs. Meanwhile, teams like Washington are still trying to hang their hats on ... something.

The WFT loss at Green Bay did feature the D-line being able to get to Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers at times, as it ended up registering three sacks and several pressures.

“Get a stop, you make a play,” said Allen, who finished with two sacks. “Batted balls that could be interceptions, sacks that we missed, fumbles that we don’t get. Just little stuff like that.”

Washington is mired in a three-game losing streak and nearing the season’s midway point, but Allen is right about "the little stuff.''

Stuff that Washington, Philly and New York haven't done.

Stuff that Dallas has done in a way that has turned "little'' into "large'' ... and turned the Cowboys' edge in the NFC East to something large, too.

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