Sunday Rundown: Surprisingly stable Redskins lead NFC East; Chiefs and Texans revived

Sunday Rundown recaps the most important developments from the day's action and examines their significance moving forward.

Redskins finding stability amid NFC East turmoil

Here's something no one thought would be true to start the 2015 season: The Washington Redskins are the NFC East's most stable team.

After beating the New York Giants on Sunday, the Redskins took surprising possession of first place in America's division and they may not relinquish it any time soon.

A perpetually tumultuous franchise since Dan Snyder took over in 1999, the season got off to a rocky start with a 2-4 record on the heels of a preseason in which their franchise quarterback was cast aside. But they have not lost more than two straight games this year, following up losses to the undefeated Patriots and Panthers with solid wins the following weeks.

But is the Redskins' stability legitimate? Or does the state of the three other NFC East teams just make it seem that way?

The Cowboys are finished, losing Tony Romo for the season, Dez Bryant for seven weeks, and continually dealing with the Greg Hardy circus.

The Eagles are an unmitigated disaster, with more and more players giving up on the autocratic Chip Kelly (who may have one foot out the door) every week.

The Giants have blown lead after lead - playing at an unknown caliber every time they take the field. They've gotten almost nothing out of their defense, with the Jason Pierre-Paul situation acting as a harbinger of things to come.

Head coach Jay Gruden has found some balance with Kirk Cousins running his offense the way Robert Griffin III never could. Cousins has thrown 10 touchdowns against two interceptions over the last five games, and the early turnovers (eight interceptions over first six games) have become a thing of the past.

The last five games of the Redskins' season features no teams above .500, while the Giants play the Jets, Vikings, and Panthers down the stretch. The Eagles may have been the division's biggest winners on Sunday, as they once again sit just one game out of first place.

But there are no real winners in the NFC East at the moment, and the Redskins appear poised to take advantage of that.

- Joe Thomson

Chiefs, Texans claw their way back into contention

Left for dead in late October, the Houston Texans and Kansas City Chiefs clawed their way back into playoff contention with four and five-game winning streaks, respectively.

Chiefs star running back Jamaal Charles tore his ACL on an innocuous play during a Week 5 loss to the Chicago Bears, and the team appeared resigned to another moribund campaign. Kansas City slid to 1-5 the following week, and everyone outside of the barbecue belt proclaimed its season over.

Kansas City then rattled off a five-game winning streak with their motley crew of Charcandrick West and Spencer Ware effortlessly filling for Charles. Justin Houston upped his performance to lead the team's ninth-ranked scoring defense (prior to Sunday), while Jaye Howard and rookie Marcus Peters made a number of game-changing plays in each of their five consecutive wins.

By gaining contributions from Houston and a number of unheralded players, as well as quarterback Alex Smith refusing to turn the ball over, the Chiefs have emerged as a viable challenger in the AFC playoff race.

The Texans overcame a nearly identical proposition when their star running back Arian Foster ruptured his Achilles against the Miami Dolphins. Although Foster's replacement, Alfred Blue, has been largely unimpressive, the Texans relied on their top-heavy roster to get back into playoff contention.

J.J. Watt is the best defensive player in the NFL, and the reigning Defensive Player of the Year commandeered the defense back to respectability with 7.5 sacks and a forced fumble during the winning streak. Watt is a unique, impenetrable weapon and the Texans' surge is largely a reflection of his unrivaled dominance.

DeAndre Hopkins is making a strong case to be considered the NFL's pre-eminent wide receiver, and the third-year star is putting the league on notice with replacement-level quarterbacks. Hopkins was targeted over 11 times in each of the team's first 10 games, as the Texans captured a share of the AFC South lead.

Using two distinctly different formulas, the Chiefs and Texans went from afterthoughts to genuine contenders for a playoff spot. Both clubs may serve as a reminder that it's arduous to write off teams before Halloween.

- Arun Srinivasan

Stray Thoughts

• The Falcons are now in danger of becoming the fifth team since 1990 to miss the playoffs after a 5-0 start, and Matt Ryan's concerning level of play has to be near the top of a growing list of roster-wide issues.
• Rex Ryan brings more bravado, but have the Bills actually improved all that much since he's taken over? The inconsistencies look awfully similar to that of the mediocre teams he coached in New York.
• Not one team in the AFC should feel comfortable meeting up with the Steelers in the playoffs. As evidenced in Sunday's battle with Seattle, Pittsburgh's offense can light up the best of opponents.
• Tampa Bay isn't quite there yet, but it'd be wrong to overlook how impressive Jameis Winston's been thus far. For what may be the first time in team history, the Bucs appear to have a franchise quarterback.
• Will Blaine Gabbert's play in San Francisco earn him another shot at a starting job? Probably not, but throwing for 318 yards against a strong Cardinals defense makes for yet another impressive performance.

- Dan Wilkins

Injury Ward

Recapping the weekend's most significant injuries.

Justin Houston, LB, Chiefs
Knee injury. Severity unknown.
Houston got leg-whipped and didn't return. His loss would be a gigantic one for a Chiefs squad that looks like a legitimate playoff contender.

Jimmy Graham, TE, Seahawks
Leg injury. Left on a cart with leg in a cast.
Graham's knee twisted awkwardly on a deep incompletion. His injury had the look of a season-ender.

Tyler Eifert, TE, Bengals
Pinched nerve in neck. Severity unknown.
The NFL's touchdown leader left Sunday's game with what the team described as a stinger.

Stat of the Week

Quote of the Week

Jeff Fisher doesn't want to hear criticism of the Rams' effort following a 31-7 drubbing: