Some close races in the National Football League

To first address the defeat on a cold day in the City of Brotherly Love, Washington is now all even at .500, and the 5-5 franchise now being investigated by the NFL via inside front office problems dealing primarily with owner Daniel Snyder, also has its other problems ahead of it with the Eagles, Giants and Cowboys at 21-6 overall.

It was close until the final two plays when Washington turned in back-to-back touchdowns on passing plays, but Philly didn’t respond, lost 32-21, and its fans had a chilly disappointing time head home. That was the end of yet another attempt chasing the 1972 Miami Dolphins, still the lone season unbeaten of all time.

This conference has a combined record of 26-11, No. 1 in the NFL. Overall, the conference is 78-75, and if not for the East, it would be below .500.

Then there’s the other East, the American Conference one. It, too, is stacked from top to bottom, with the Miami Dolphins, although suffering losses to the Buffalo Bills and New York Jets, on top at 7-3alongside the Jets, the Bills at 6-3, and the New England Patriots at 5-4 as they prepare for a visit from the Jets Sunday.

Whoever pieced together the Buffalo schedule gave it two-straight games at Orchard Park, and it lost both, this past Monday night it came against the once-beaten Minnesota Vikings.

Minny went up by three on a 48-yard field goal as the snow fell. Now the Bills had the ball and went for the win, but on a run up the middle, bobbled the ball and it was recovered by the Vikings, and out into the falling snow was another disappointed home team.

Overall the American Conference sports a 78-75 record, and yes, if not for it, the East, it  would also be below .500. It has eight teams over .500 and seven under. In the AFC, there are six over .500 and a 10 under.

As for parity, well the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Seattle Seahawks played in Munich, Germany, and in a mild surprise, the Bucs flew home with a 21-16 win. Then there was the Detroit Lions 31-30 cliffhanger over the Chicago Bears, the Pittsburgh Steelers got a wake-up call and upended the New Orleans Saints, 20-10, and the Green Bay Packers stunned the Cowboys in overtime, 31-28.

Close games, some overtimes, parity, yes maybe no if you like guessing games.

Thursday night, the Tennessee Titans are at Green Bay. Key Sunday tilts find Buffalo home again, this time versus the Cleveland Browns (yes, that’s three in a row up there, plus the Packers are used to those weather conditions). Then there’s Pittsburgh home to Cincinnati, Dallas at Minnesota, and Jacksonville, Miami, Seattle and Tampa Bay with bye weekends.

And there’s more long flights to show off United States football, when on Monday night in Mexico City, the San Francisco 49ers play the Arizona Cardinals, game time 6:15.