The NFC East is considered by most to be the best division in the NFL. In 2008, not one of the four teams finished with a record under .500. The New York Giants rode a fast start to the division title last year. This year they face question marks on offense, more specifically at Wide Receiver. The Philadelphia Eagles made plenty of headlines with the signing of QB Mike Vick. The Dallas Cowboys canceled the TO Show and as a result have been making far less headlines. The Washington Redskins got back to doing what they know best, making a splash in free agency. Which battered and bruised team will survive and win the division this year?
1. Philadelphia Eagles
2008 record: 9-6-1, 2nd place in NFC East
Coach: Andy Reid (11th season Philadelphia, 107-69-1 career)
Schedule: http://www.philadelphiaeagles.com/gameday/schedule.asp
Key Additions: QB Mike Vick, WR Jeremy Maclin, RB LeSean McCoy, OT Jason Peters, OT Stacy Andrews, CB Ellis Hobbs
Key Losses: S Brian Dawkins, CB Lito Sheppard, WR Greg Lewis, RB Correll Buckhalter, OT Tra Thomas, OT Jon Runyan, TE L.J. Smith
2009 Outlook: In 2008, Tthe Eagles had one of the most dramatic seasons in recent memory. QB Donovan McNabb and the Eagles playoff chances both seemed to be finished. McNabb was on the verge of getting benched permanently and the Eagles were just 5-5-1. However, coach Andy Reid stuck with McNabb and the Eagles closed the season winning 4 of 5 and snuck into the playoffs. Then they won at Minnesota and New York before running into the Cardinals buzz saw in the NFC Championship. This off-season the Eagles decided that they needed to get younger. They said goodbye to longtime veterans like S Brian Dawkins, CB Lito Sheppard, RB Correll Buckhalter, OT Tra Thomas, and OT Jon Runyan. In the draft the Eagles took exciting young WR Jeremy Maclin and RB LeSean McCoy. They traded for OT Jason Peters and signed OT Stacy Andrews. During training camp bad luck hit the Eagles hard. Longtime Defensive Coordinator Jim Johnson passed away, and they lost LB Shawn Bradley for the season. The defense is the Eagles biggest question mark entering the season. With a new coordinator, the loss of a leader like Dawkins and a starting linebacker, there is no telling if the Eagles defense can remain strong. The Eagles seemed good to go on offense but shocked everyone by taking the ultimate chance and signing Mike Vick. Vick will be reinstated by Week 6 at the latest and is expected to be listed as the number two QB. McNabb already expressed displeasure after last week's preseason game about not feeling comfortable with the flow of the offense. This was due to the shuttling in and out of Vick. That is something the Eagles will have to get worked out if they are to stay together as a team and be the Super Bowl contender they can be.
Prediction: 10-6
2. New York Giants
2008 Record: 12-4, NFC East champs
Coach: Tom Coughlin (6th year New York, 123-100 career)
Schedule: http://www.giants.com/gameday/schedule.html
Key Additions: WR Hakeem Nicks, DT Rocky Bernard, DT Chris Canty
Key Losses: WR Plaxico Burress, WR Amani Toomer, RB Derrick Ward, RB Reuben Droughns, S James Butler, S Sammy Knight, CB Sam Madison
2009 Outlook: At 10-1, the Giants look primed to repeat as Super Bowl champions in 2008. Then Plaxico Burress shot himself, and pretty much killed the Giants chances when he did it. The Giants would finish the year just 2-4 without him, and despite having home-field advantage in the NFC were knocked out by the Eagles in the Divisional Round. The Giants rid themselves of Burress and also decided to let longtime WR Amani Toomer go. They broke up Earth, Wind, and Fire by letting RB Derrick Ward go to Tampa. The running game should be fine with the beast Brandon Jacobs leading the way, but the Giants have major question marks at wide receiver. They will be relying on Steve Smith to be the number one, after having been the number three, and counting on Hakeem Nicks to produce early. The Giants will have a struggle all year on offense, as teams will learn that they can put 8 in the box because the passing game won't be strong. QB Eli Manning is good, but he isn't good enough to compensate for not having many weapons. The defense will be what get's the Giants into the playoffs this season. They should be even better than last year, as DE Osi Umenyiora is now healthy, and they signed DT Chris Canty away from the Cowboys. They did lose Defensive Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo but I think the talent is so immense that it won't prove to be much of a factor.
Prediction: 9-7
3. Washington Redskins
2008 Record: 8-8, 4th place in NFC East
Coach: Jim Zorn (2nd year Washington, 8-8 career)
Schedule: http://www.redskins.com/gen/games/schedule.jsp
Key Additions: DE Brian Orakpo, DT Albert Haynesworth, OG Derrick Dockery
Key Losses: OT Jon Jansen, CB Shawn Springs, LB Marcus Washington, DE Jason Taylor
2009 Outlook: Dan Snyder looked like a genius. Snyder took a chance when he hired Jim Zorn as coach and after a 6-2 start it looked like a great call. Zorn brought some imagination to the offense, and QB Jason Campbell was playing mistake free football. Then it seemed that the league figured out Zorn's offense and he was unable to adjust. RB Clinton Portis wore down after an amazing start and the offensive line began to break down. All of that led to a 2-6 finish and no playoffs for the Redskins. The way the season ended made the questions about Campbell even louder. The Redskins flirted with trading for QB Jay Cutler and drafting QB Mark Sanchez, but ultimately will go into 2009 with Campbell at quarterback. I am not a Campbell supporter, not because I think he is a bad quarterback but because he is a mediocre one. I don't think we will see any more out of Campbell then we already have, and don't buy into all the excuses that are made for him. The only reason people defend Campbell so heavily is because of how much the Redskins gave up to get him. Campbell and Zorn are tied to each other this year, they will either both be back here next year or they both won't be. The maturation of Wide Receiver's Devin Thomas and Malcom Kelly will play a huge role in the Redskins becoming a competent offensive team. If those two don't step up it will be the same stagnant offense for Washington. RB Clinton Portis is expected to have another strong year, but the Redskins will have to watch his carries. He noticeably slipped as the season wore down, so much so that the Redskins announced that RB Ladell Betts would be the third down back this season. TE Fred Davis might also be ready to produce and would give the Redskins another much needed red zone weapon. The defense was strong for Washington last year but didn't create enough turnovers or quarterback pressure to be a game changing defense. The Redskins hope that the signing of DT Albert Haynesworth, and drafting of DE/LB Brian Orakpo will help to create the pressure and turnovers. The Redskins will also have a full season of CB DeAngelo Hall this year, which depending on your point of view is either a good thing or a bad thing. The schedule lends itself to a fast start, but just like last year, I expect the Redskins to fade at the end.
Prediction: 8-8
4. Dallas Cowboys
2008 Record: 9-7, 3rd place in NFC East
Coach: Wade Phillips (3rd year Dallas, 70-53 career)
Schedule: http://www.dallascowboys.com/gameday/schedule.cfm
Key Additions: LB Keith Brooking, DE Igor Olshansky, QB Jon Kitna
Key Losses: WR Terrell Owens, LB Zach Thomas, S Roy Williams, DT Chris Canty, LB Greg Ellis, CB Adam Jones, DT Tank Johnson, CB Anthony Henry
2009 Outlook: The Dallas Cowboys were the sexy pick to make the Super Bowl in 2008. After starting off at a blazing 3-0 start that faith look justified. Then QB Tony Romo got hurt and things were never the same. Romo would return but WR Terrell Owens was pouting and the defense was playing poorly. The 2008 season was captured perfectly in the Cowboys last two games. At 9-5, all they had to do was win one more game, but instead they closed out Texas Stadium by getting embarrassed by the Baltimore Ravens, and then were demolished in Philadelphia in a win and you're in game. Changes were expected but the change that ended up being made surprised many. Coach Wade Phillips was retained but WR Terrell Owens, a Jerry Jones favorite, was released. Earlier in the season the Cowboys had given up a kings ransom for WR Roy Williams. Williams was virtually non-existent last year but the Cowboys are now counting on him to pick up Owens slack. I think if they had gotten the Williams from three years ago they made the right move, but lately Williams has looked unmotivated and a shell of his former self. The Cowboys still have a loaded backfield with RB Marion Barber, RB Felix Jones, and RB Tashard Choice. TE Jason Witten is perhaps the best tight end in the game and Romo is assured of playing well, at least until December. The defense struggled mightily last year, despite having one of the best players in the game, DE DeMarcus Ware. The secondary saw massive changes in the off-season with the release of CB Adam Jones, S Roy Williams and the trade of CB Anthony Henry. The Zach Thomas experiment was a failure, and the Cowboys have replaced him with another veteran LB, Keith Brooking. The good news for the Cowboys has been that without Owens things have been relatively quiet. However, they are going to miss Owens presence on the field a ton, and I don't think Phillips is the coach to lead the Cowboys back to the playoffs. A last place finish will seal Phillips fate.
Prediction: 8-8
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