My friends, THE GURU and his Washington comrades are not alone in their 2026 football winter. Yes, the pain is real throughout the NFC East, inarguably the most accomplished division in pro football history.
Who can forget the days of Gibbs, Parcells, Landry and Vermeil? Of Riggins, LT, Staubach and Reggie White. You want to talk championships? No problem.
The NFC East remains the only division where each franchise has won the Super Bowl. Adding further heft, each of the teams - the Cowboys (5), Giants (4), Commies (3) and Eagles (2) - owns multiple crowns, even TOMMY BIRD.
Alas, in 2026, those days of glory are fading like a pair of FATBACK’s well-worn work khakis.
VIGGY can’t watch his Jints without heavy medication. SLICK WILLIE takes long walks when the Eagles are on the telly. MONSIEUR MARTINEZ struggles to digest a simple meal of caviar and Brie. And even a perennial optimist like BONELESS MING can’t pull his Commies out of the doldrums.
Indeed, the pride and joy of the National Football League is having a rough go of it, even extending to the division’s standard bearer, Philadelphia, which sits at a very uncharacteristic 2-4 amidst scrutiny about everything from clock management to personnel.
First, let me say this: the Eagles remain, in my estimation, the best organization in the league. Jeffrey Lurie is a tremendous owner, general manager Howie Roseman and his team are without peer and head coach Nick Sirianni has the best winning percentage (.670) of any active coach with Super Bowl jewelry and six postseason victories to his credit.
But it’s hard to forecast the October retirement of your best offensive lineman, Lane Johnson, and impossible to predict season-ending blood clots for championship QB Jalen Hurts. The Birds may or may not rally to win the division - it’ll be them or the Giants - but, if they don’t get to the postseason in 2026, they’ll find a way to get there and make their presence felt in 2027.
Sadly, the path for My Beloved Commies will likely not be as smooth as that of the Iggles. Or even the Giants or Dallas. We are in a tight spot, my friends, snug even.
That said, there is sun peeking through the clouds in southwest Florida where none other than THE CHIEF is feeling decent about his squad. I spoke with my old man the day after our tough Monday night loss to San Francisco and he was surprisingly upbeat.
He thought Jayden played well - which is correct - and liked how the defense stymied the Niners in the second half. “The division is bad, son. Maybe we can rise from the ashes and win it.”
From your lips to God’s ears, Pops. You’re still the man at age 86.
LE GURU’s Week Six record was a blessing at 9-5 (.643), improving the 2026 mark to 56-37 (.602). Let’s look at this week’s games with the Bills (5-1), Chargers (0-6), Jaguars (4-2) and Commies (1-4-1) on the bye…
THURSDAY — 8:15 PM ET — PRIME VIDEO
New England (4-2, 1-2 road) falls at Chicago (4-2, 2-1 home) as Caleb tops Drake. The Pats are tough on the road but it feels like the Bears found another gear last week.
Fun fact about Super Bowl XX, when the Bears trounced the Patriots, 46-10: the first points of that game came via the bare right foot of New England’s Tony Franklin, one of the last NFL kicker’s to eschew the shoe. The 5’8” Big Springs, Texas, native spent 10 years in the league with the Eagles (1979-1983), Pats (1984-87) and Dolphins (1988).
SUNDAY
9:30 AM ET — NFL NETWORK
Pittsburgh (4-2, 1-2 road) beats New Orleans (2-4, 0-3 home) in not-so-gay Paris.
This contest marks the first NFL game on French soil with the Steelers and Saints battling at Stade de France in Saint-Denis, just outside the City of Lights. Given the recent turmoil throughout the country, here’s hoping the only violence is the semi-controlled mayhem on the field.
1 PM ET — CBS
I like Cleveland (4-2, 1-2 road) at Tennessee (1-5, 0-3 home) on the strength of the stout Browns defense…
…Indianapolis (2-4, 1-2 road) puts up a fight but loses at Minnesota (5-0, 2-0 home). He’s no Nick Sirianni but this Kevin O’Connell character is quite the coach, isn’t he? His regular-season winning percentage (.658) ranks him 15th in NFL history…
…Miami (0-5, 0-3 road) loses at the Jets (2-4, 1-1 home). Confidence level in this pick is sub 10% and that may be a stretch. Please make me a prophet, Aaron Glenn…
…visiting Cincinnati (3-2, 2-1 road) beats Baltimore (4-2, 1-1 home) and, probably, Tyler Huntley. Lamar Jackson is reportedly a game-time decision but I’m pessimistic as he was limping at practice, moving at the pace of a Walmart shopper. Let’s call it 27-24.
1 PM ET — FOX
The visiting Niners (6-0, 2-0 road) trash Atlanta (2-4, 0-3 home) like a scene from “Gone with the Wind” as PEACHTREE WILL unwittingly enjoys his Sunday brunch of biscuits and gravy down the block…
…Tampa Bay (1-5, 1-1 road) loses at Carolina (3-2, 1-1 home) and it’ll be close. The Panthers lead the series, 26-25, but the Bucs have won 10 of the past 12 meetings…
…the Giants (3-2-1, 0-1-1 road) falter at Houston (2-4, 0-3 home) as JJ McCarthy gets his first start for Big Blue.
When I think of the Jints and Space City, my mind goes directly to running back Rob Carpenter, the Miami (Ohio) alum who ran hard for the Houston Oilers (1977-81) and the Giants (1981-85) during a solid decade of NFL work1. A tough son of a gun.
4:05 PM ET — CBS
Denver (4-2, 1-2 road) wins a close one at Arizona (2-4, 0-2 home). This Cardinals team isn’t great but they’ve got an awful lot of fight. Broncos, beware.
4:25 PM ET — FOX
Green Bay (4-2, 2-1 road) falls at Dee-troit (3-2, 2-0 home) in a knockdown, drag-out battle. We talk about a lot of rivalries, folks - Giants/Eagles, Cowboys/Commies, etc. - but Packers/Lions is the longest-running fued in the National Football League…
…the Rams (2-4, 1-1 road) win at Las Vegas (3-3, 1-2 home) with their figurative backs against the wall.
8:20 PM ET — NBC
Kansas City (5-0, 2-0 road) remains unbeaten at Seattle (3-3, 2-1 home). These teams were AFC West foes for decades (1977-2001) but that history doesn’t matter to Messrs. Reid and Macdonald. Andy comes off the bye and gets another win.
MONDAY — 8:15 PM ET — ESPN
Finally, on Monday night, the host Eagles (2-4, 1-2 home) save their season with a win over Dallas (2-4, 1-2 road). The Birds will have to scrap for every victory they get over the next 2+ months.
That’s all for this week, folks. Enjoy the games and God bless!
He ended his career in 1986 with the Los Angeles Rams.