NFC grades: Cowboys, Giants fold in crunch time

• Washington Redskins whittled the playbook to protect QB Robert Griffin III's sprained knee
• Defending champion New York Giants can still make the playoffs, but they need help after a dismal loss to the Ravens
• Given a second chance, can the Dallas Cowboys bounce back to win the NFC East?

While the AFC playoff spots are set, the NFC remains a mad scramble, especially in the NFC East, where the New York Giants appear determined not to make the postseason as defending Super Bowl champions. But who will win the season finale and claim the division: the surging Washington Redskins or the second-chance Dallas Cowboys? Here's a look at Week 16 grades:

NFC EAST

Washington Redskins (9-6): B+

Mike Shanahan can say the matchup called for fewer runs for Robert Griffin III on Sunday, but it's clear Griffin's sprained knee shrunk Washington's playbook in a 27-20 win over the Philadelphia Eagles. That said, the Redskins blocked for Griffin like they were protecting a Royal infant, and would do well to keep that up.

Dallas Cowboys (8-7): C-

Giving up 562 yards of offense will probably be commonplace in 2025, but nowadays, it's called getting your butt kicked. Drew Brees of the Saints smoked a defense missing about seven would-be starters, and the Dallas offense managed 40 rushing yards against a Saints defense that allows opposing teams 139 rushing yards per outing.

New York Giants (8-7) F

Eli Manning's crew couldn't have played worse against a Ravens defense that was supposed to be limping into the playoffs. Manning had fewer than 200 yards passing for the fifth time this season, and Hakeem Nicks didn't have a catch in a 33-14 loss. The Ravens offense held the ball for 40 minutes as Ray Rice and Bernard Pierce each topped 100 yards rushing.

Philadelphia Eagles (4-11): B-

The jury is still out on Nick Foles, the rookie who made some great throws but also tossed an interception and lost a fumble. Eagles brass won't get another look at him this season: Foles played the second half with a broken bone in his throwing hand, and coach Andy Reid said discarded Michael Vick will start the final game.

NFC NORTH

Green Bay Packers (11-4): A

Looking like the favorites to rep the NFC in the Super Bowl after clowning the Tennessee Titans. A 55-7 win came with 28 first downs, eight players caught passes from Aaron Rodgers, and the Packers allowed one sack, committed one penalty, and didn't give up a turnover on the day. The defense sacked Jake Locker seven times and picked him off twice.

Minnesota Vikings (9-6): B+

They shut down the Houston Texans and their AFC-best record, and did so without Adrian Peterson rushing for 100 yards. Christian Ponder and his 174 passing yards were hardly the reason; Minnesota's defense stopped Houston on downs that began at the Vikings' 1-yard line, and held the NFL's No. 8 offense in terms of yards to 187 of them in a 26-6 decision.

Chicago Bears (9-6): C

Matt Forte and the running game bailed out quarterback Jay Cutler vs. Arizona with 152 rushing yards to his 146 passing. Arizona's offense is one of the great losers of 2012, but holding an NFL team to 29 yards rushing, as the Bears did, is nothing to sneeze at. Despite aggravating an ankle injury, Forte expects to play Detroit next weekend as Chicago hopes to earn a playoff berth.

Detroit Lions (4-11): D-

We could compare Calvin Johnson and these struggling Lions to the Cleveland Cavaliers of LeBron James' days in Ohio, but that would require the Lions to contend. Johnson set a record for most receiving yards in a single season, but that's not the stat that encapsulates Detroit's season. It's this one: Matt Stafford's 443 yards vs. Atlanta mark the biggest passing day without a touchdown in league history.

NFC SOUTH

Atlanta Falcons (13-2): A-

Followed up a near-perfect trouncing of the Giants with a respectable effort vs. Detroit. That Calvin Johnson guy was a problem – 11 catches, 225 yards, 16 targets – but Atlanta held firm in the red zone, and picked off a fourth-quarter Stafford pass intended for Johnson. Atlanta forced two other turnovers and turned both of them into touchdowns.

New Orleans Saints (7-8): B+

We're starting to get the feeling Brees is going to come back with a vengeance next season. This one is lost, but the Saints quarterback still mustered a 446-yard passing day with three touchdowns and no interceptions in a 34-31 overtime victory, injuring the playoff hopes of the Dallas Cowboys in the process.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-9): C

In a 28-13 loss to the St. Louis Rams, Buccaneers quarterback Josh Freeman was interception four times and sacked five times. The secondary was smoked for an 80-yard touchdown on the first play of the second half, but other than that, held up decently considering a lack of depth at corner. Eric Wright is eligible to play this week after a four-game ban.

Carolina Panthers (6-9): B+

The Panthers hadn't won all year when Cam Newton threw an interception until doing so against the Raiders Sunday, winning 17-6. Credit the defense, which knocked Carson Palmer out of the game in the first half and came the closest it has all year to a shutout victory.

NFC WEST

San Francisco 49ers (10-4-1): D

The Seattle Seahawks are rolling and looking a lot like the best team in the West. Niners quarterback Colin Kaepernick wasn't bad in a 42-13 loss in Seattle – a blocked field goal returned for a score opened the floodgates -- but more blowout losses such as these are only going to raise the volume on the second-guessing of Jim Harbaugh's decision to bench Alex Smith.

Seattle Seahawks (10-5): A

Could've probably put up 50-plus points in three weeks in a row if they really wanted to be jerks about it, but didn't. Nobody is playing better football in the NFC right now over the past month, but you wonder how rookie quarterback Russell Wilson's lack of experience will factor in a playoff run.

St. Louis Rams (7-7-1): B

The Janoris Jenkins pick is panning out: The rookie has returned three interceptions for a touchdowns this season. The defense forced five turnovers in a 28-13 win at Tampa Bay which puts St. Louis at .500 a year after finishing 2-14.

Arizona Cardinals (5-10): F

Benched quarterback Ryan Lindley, originally a third-stringer, for Brian Hoyer, a guy they claimed off waivers 13 days prior. That is all.