Buffs In The NFL: NFC East Title On The Line
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.