The NFC East divisional race is as close as it can
get entering the final two weeks of the regular season and with the playoffs on
the line. Three teams stand atop the division with 8-6 records and two of them,
Dallas and Washington, feature former University of Colorado football players.
Both Lawrence
Vickers of the Dallas Cowboys and Tyler
Polumbus of the Washington Redskins helped lead their respective teams to
victories last Sunday.
The Cowboys defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers 27-24
as Vickers helped pave the way for the running game while also helping out in
the passing game. Vickers gained 15 yards receiving after recording his 12th
reception of the season. In his first year with the Cowboys, he is averaging
nearly eight yards per catch.
Against Cleveland, Polumbus made his 14th
start this season for the Redskins, which is the most starts in a season for
the four-year NFL veteran. Anchoring the line at right tackle served an even
more valuable role last Sunday against the Browns as rookie Kirk Cousins made
his first career start at quarterback, filling in for the injured Robert
Griffin III.
Polumbus also earned some bragging rights against
former teammate Ryan Miller, who is
in his first NFL season with the Browns.
This week Dallas plays host to the New Orleans
Saints while Washington will go on the road to face Philadelphia. The Cowboys
and Redskins face each other in a possible showdown for the division crown in
the last week of the season.
Two other former Buffaloes played last Sunday as Justin Bannan and the Denver Broncos
defeated Jimmy Smith and the
Baltimore Ravens in an AFC cross-divisional game.
For Smith, it was his first time playing in a game
since week 9 when he was injured against the Browns.
Bannan recorded a tackle and his first forced fumble
of the season in the game. Bannan now has recorded 39 total tackles this year.
Elsewhere in the league, Brad Jones continued his best season on record with the Green Bay
Packers as he picked up eight tackles in a 21-13 victory over the archrival
Chicago Bears. Jones has 62 tackles this season.
