Schedule could determine playoff chances

By John Clayton
ESPN.com

NFC East: Bill Parcells was obviously right when he made the decision to go with Tony Romo at quarterback. The Cowboys are 4-1 since Romo replaced Drew Bledsoe. Their closing schedule (against teams with a combined record of 24-26) isn't a killer. Still, the next game will be critical to see how they hold up. The Cowboys visit the Giants Dec. 3. In December, the winds can be a problem for visiting quarterbacks in Giants Stadium. That will be a big test for Romo. After that, though, the Cowboys finish with three home games in the final four weeks. The Giants are 3-4 against teams with records of .500 or better and face four more clubs that, right now, fall into that category: Dallas, Carolina, Philadelphia and New Orleans. With almost half their defense hurt and Eli Manning and the offense struggling, Tom Coughlin has a tough task in turning the Giants around. The Eagles went 5-5 against a relatively easy opening schedule. Now they finish against teams with a combined record of 37-24, and they won't have Donovan McNabb. Good luck.