Dallas Cowboys at New York Giants: The Walking Dead

Halloween has come and gone, but the NFL has made sure to give us some more zombies before the Christmas season really kicks in.  At 5-5, the Dallas Cowboys are the most talented underachievers in the history of the league.

This was their year. The Eagles were breaking in a new coach, the Giants were vulnerable and the Redskins' star QB was coming off a serious ACL injury. With Dez Bryant coming into his own and legendary coordinator Monte Kiffin running the defense, surely the Boys could at east win their division. Right?

Well, here we are at week 12, and the impossible is occurring. Dallas has managed to bungle its way through another disappointing season, and the division continues to slip away as the Eagles' offense seems to have found its footing. However, a win this weekend is more about avoiding greater embarrassment than just losing a winnable game. A loss to the Giants here would probably seal head coach Jason Garrett's fate. Jerry has already said he will not fire Garrett, which anyone in sports media can tell you a kiss of death (firing).

For New York, a win here would have them going in the complete opposite direction. Despite having a team full of Super Bowl-winning veterans, the G-men opened the season on a six-game losing streak. Eli Manning led the league in interceptions by a healthy margin, and the once feared pass rush was completely absent.

But the Giants have now won four in a row, and a win here would put them right back in the race for a division title. It would still be a tall order for them to catch an Eagles team that is starting to play exceptionally well, but just the fact that they are in this position is a testament to Tom Coughlin as a coach. Coughlin was on the hot-seat after New York's terrible start, but he has a chance to complete one of the most amazing in-season turnarounds in NFL history. Usually, 0-4 is the point of no return for making the playoffs, but after 0-6 his team still has a chance.

More so than college, momentum is a huge factor in the NFL.  With so many teams being evenly matched talent wise, whichever team has the positive energy has an advantage. On paper, Dallas should be able to score on the Giants at will. But the Cowboys have been horrible on the road and face a renewed optimism that New York is playing with. The Dallas defense is also reeling after being a punching bag for Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints the last time out. Look for the Giants to avenge their season opening loss to the Cowboys by winning 31-23.

Year in and year out, the NFC East is always the most interesting division to watch, even when it's bad. This year is no exception. First year coach Chip Kelly has the Eagles in prime position to take the division title, but if the Giants win Sunday it could make for an intriguing race to end the season.