Do not, and I repeat, do not try and tackle Brandon Jacobs above the waist.  Laron Landry tried it last night and it ended with the first massive hit of the 2008 season.  What’s that, Laron?  You want some forearm pie?  Boom. Enjoy the lick for what it is.

In this episode we begin to preview each division of the NFL.  We started with arguably the strongest in the entire league, and the one home to the defending Super Bowl Champions, the NFC East.  Stay tuned over the next few days as we do a rundown of every division in the NFL.

Hosts: Kevin, Rich, and Ryan

 

 NFC East Preview [20:39m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Just weeks after Joe Gibbs was offered a contract extension to remain the head coach of the Washington Redskins, he retired. Gibbs, an ageless wonder at age 67, endured arguably his hardest season as a head coach since he began coaching in 1964.

I have a hard time blaming Joe for throwing in the towel after this season. Of course there was the death of safety Sean Taylor and, among other things, a whole myriad of injuries. Give credit where credit is due; there aren’t many people who thought Gibbs could guide the Redskins into the playoffs with Todd Collins at quarterback.

Sure we here at Sportable have taken our shots at Gibbs this season. Is it because he looks like a squirrel? Yes. Is it because his coaching decisions are sometimes questionable? You bet. But nobody here is denying his hall of fame credentials. Old bastard has done a hell of a job in his career as a coach and as a NASCAR owner. Maybe at the age of 67 Gibbs is realizing that one sport is all his old bones can handle.

Matt Hasselbeck really wants to win this Saturday. No, he really wants to beat the Redskins on Saturday. To help his cause, he’s called upon the services of neglecting a razor and letting a hideous amazing mustache grow.

We haven’t seen this kind of mustache in some time. It likens me back to the days when Sid Bream was winning gold gloves and seemed to be possessed by his mustache. In the NFL, I think of the wonder that was Jeff Hostetler when he was slingin’ the pigskin wit the Raiders and Giants. It’s debatable as to whether or not Hasselbeck is a better quarterback than his counterpart Hostetler, but what isn’t disputable is the ridiculousness of their nose brooms.

The irony in this comes from the fact that Hasselbeck is bald. Perhaps he’s using this as a distraction for Redskins defenders? Clearly it’s not just there to keep his upper lip warm for the winter months. All I know is come Saturday, I’m going to be paying more attention to Hasselbeck’s sleezbag mustache than I will the actual game. Nice, Matt. Nice.

With Rich breaking down the AFC playoff teams earlier today, I thought it’d be fitting to discuss that other conference, the NFC.

1. Dallas Cowboys. I was a little more settled on this team a few weeks ago than I am right now. Since that win over the Packers on Thursday Night to all but clinch the top seed in the NFC, the ‘Boys have lost two of their last four and have done little to solidify their spot as the NFC’s elite team. Tony Romo has a quarterback rating of just 70 since that win over the Packers. Getting Terry Glenn back should help, but for the Cowboys to land in Glendale, they’re going to need Romo to return to midseason form.

2. Green Bay Packers. For all of Brett Favre’s accomplishments, he had never improved the Packers five games from one season to the next. The NFL’s biggest surprise will come into postseason play at 13-3. Make no mistake, this team is no fluke. The Packers are loaded with weapons on both sides of the ball. We know about Favre and his great wide receivers. But Ryan Grant, a former Notre Dame standout, may be their biggest revelation yet. Grant gives the Packers a legitimate running game, something you need to win in January. Combine Favre’s crew with one of the league’s best defenses and you have a shot against anyone. That includes you, Dallas.

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I have been a fan of Sean Taylor ever since he stepped out onto the Orange Bowl field years ago. It really does hurt me to see a player like this leave us today and I am deeply upset about the whole situation. Taylor made a Redskins game more enjoyable to watch and I always found myself glued to the TV whenever they played. During Taylor’s rookie year I bought his jersey when he wore number 36 and now I will continue to wear it proudly in his memory. For those of us who loved to see Sean Taylor take the field each Sunday, I leave you with this. Thanks Sean, for all the long-lasting images. We will miss you #21.

*video brought to you by Honeyban from youtube.com