Shall we NFC East - June predictions comments and concerns

[bedlamVR]

Okay

ESPN has done its early predictions http://espn.go.com/blog/nfceast/post/_/id/40214/nfc-east-more-or-less and these are Dan Grazanios comments ...

but i was wondering what the NFCBeast faithful thought... One thing i do believe is the team that pulls itself out of the East is going to be a true Superbowl contender - most likely locking horns with the Packers at the very least ...

But the days of the perfect unstoppable Juggernaut teams are dreamed of in April and May with dreams of teams healing up and rookies exploding (not literally) onto the NFL scene and well it is that slack time in between mini camp and training camp and the beginning of meaningful football . The rosters are not set but the shape of the teams are coming into focus .... and in come the hope dreams and worries ... how well do you honestly think the NFC teams are going to do - and bias is welcome ...

Eagles - They are getting a lot of heat - seen as possibly the best team in the NFC despite spluttering to an 8-8 season and 2nd place in the East last season . I dislike the eagles intensely - i despise the QB and he should be no where near the NFL for so many reasons - but personality aside - the big question is can he become the 2010 Micheal Vick or does he revert to the dog killing- bird flipping - herpes spreading SOB we all know and love - ( okay that is not really personality aside but i do hate him) the fact is Vick is a mobile QB who has had one really good season (2010) who uses his legs more than his arm to get the job done - As such has only finished 1 complete 16 games season . Reid will get the best out of him but how much better can this 32 year old get ? - and who is his understudy ? Can Kafka come in and keep the show rolling - or is it Edwards or Foles who steps into the breach ...?

The second question on the otherwise loaded offense is offensive line and specifically OLT - now Peters probably was the best LT in the division but i really doubt he is coming back from that injury - period . Bell on the other hand was a free agent who was a still around - and the Eagles paid a decent amount of money for him and hope he will fit in and keep that line in good shape ....

After that the questions on offense kind of melt away and anoyingly you see a strong offensive unit, Shady is the real deal at RB and will give teams fits as he did last season, and Maclin and Jackson are a match for anything else in the East . add to that Celeck who showed that 2009 was not a flash in the pan in 2011 and hopes to establish himself as a recognizable in a strong division for TEs ..on a team where the spotlight is often somewhere else ...

On defense the perpetual bugbear of the Eagles seems to have been addressed (line backer) - DeMarco Ryans is a beast and should be able to sure up the middle of the defense, that is a pass rushing force but unbalanced and needed more colour to make it amongst the most feared in the division . Add to that Miycheal Kendricks (who i still think should be a mike) and Rolle on the other side and there is potential in that group .. The Dline is fierce and the addition of Cox adds to the pass rushing potential ... if there is a weakness i would look to the secondary ... DRC has talent he seems never to live up to and Asomugha is 31 coming off, for him a disappointing season ... how much more does he have at that slot . Nate Allen is solid but Kurt Coleman ... you have the feeling is that the best you could do ...

There was something very broken in the team last season, but towards the end of the season they seemed to get it all together ... are the problems that dogged the Eagles last season done or were they put aside ...

Best case - Superbowl baby - Worst case 7-9 and looking at battling the Skins for the basement .. realistic - 10-6 - exit at the championship game ..

Giants

The Giants are the Rodney Dangerfield of the NFL - 2 superbowls in the last 5 seasons beating the much fancied Patriots on the way and yet they get no respect .. possibly because they give none either ..

This should have been a glorious offseason for the Giants and yet John Mara mired himself in the capgate controversy and every time some one pushed a mike near him he seamed to come off as some over privileged silver spoon good old boy who inherited an NFL franchise...oh wait ..

Then there was the Ballard thing - another example of the team trying to cheap out one of its own that got far too much press but it was just an indication of the offseason the Giants have had .. Even Eli was not the most talked about Manning come the second week in February .

Looking at the roster and for weekness on offense you look towards the aging offensive line, the lack of a running game and the questions weather Cruz can repeat 2011 break out season ? The Giants are a fairly balanced team overall - they have a potent passing game coupled with a potent pass rush and the ability to put up points in a hurry - but i really do not see a vintage team - even with the 2 superbowls ...

On defense the line is great as always and the LB are getting rave reviews . The secondary is good but not the best in the division and that is all i see the giants...a really solid team . but not flashy ...

I can see the Giants falling back after the superbowl ... but for reasons of team motivation than any particular deficiency in talent .

I think the best case is 10-6 and the playoffs ...

Worst case is 7-9

probably 8-8 and might sneak a wild card ...

Finally Dallas

The cowboys have had an efficient off season - retooling the secondary (though i am not sold on the new guys ... I am not sure they did not overpay for Carr and i am not sure Claiborne can spell his own name (J/K)) The rest of the secondary additions were kind of ho hum but it could all come together for them . Then you look at the pass rush and it is hard to look past Ware and along side him is Lee who was spectacular in a short time last season ... but beyond that the other pieces are looking a little worn ... and you question if there is a spark aside from those shining stars ...

Then you have the offense . Romo sits to pee had a spectacular season last season 31 Tds and 10 INTs, but the WRs were not so amazing, possibly the best from last season (robinson) no longer on the team . Then you start to hear something .. that creaking is the closing of a window ... most of the major parts of the team are on the wrong side of 30 or getting close to it . Sure there are Murry and Jones and Smith had an outstanding rookie season - so well indeed that they thought it was a great idea to get him to learn all over again .. The cowboys are a team with talent and there are always expectations http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/06/20/witten-romos-greatness-will-be-recognized-when-we-win-it-all/ but the question is for how long ?

Best case - 10-6 Playoffs divisional round

Worst case - The wheels start to come off this season - 6-10

Most probably - 9-7 fighting for the division crown, probably a wild card but this might be the last hurrah ...

[Enter Apotheosis]

The Giants are the Roger Dangerfield of the NFL

Who is that?

Apparently the man wasn't kidding...

[bedlamVR]

I get no respect

[arundelredskin]

I dont buy the Cowboys will be much better cause Romo sits to pee always screws up at the end.Vick never stays healthy and is not an accurate pocket passer,they tried to make him a pocket passer but it failed miserably.The Giants have lost several key players and they will have a Sb hangover.I think the door is wide open for us in the East.

[hail2skins]

Jints 11-5

Birds 10-6

Skins 7-9

Boys 6-10

[pointyfootball]

I dont buy the Cowboys will be much better cause Romo sits to pee always screws up at the end.Vick never stays healthy and is not an accurate pocket passer,they tried to make him a pocket passer but it failed miserably.The Giants have lost several key players and they will have a Sb hangover.I think the door is wide open for us in the East.

I agree that the NFCE is wide open, just not for the skins. This year anyway. IMO, The talent on the other three teams is still significantly better than the skins, so it would take major injury issues to at least 2 other teams for the skins to have a good chance to win it. If Griffin progresses nicely, next year is the year to contend for the division as long as they address some weaknesses in the offseason.

As to NFCE as a whole, good assessment in OP. I personally think the Giants/Eagles are the favorites, although who knows what to expect with the Cowboys.

[pjfootballer]

Why do they always bring up the fact that "rookies struggle" whenever we trot out a rookie? Yet Newton and Dalton had good to great years as a rookie and Ponder and Locker seemed to play decent. I'd love to see the "preview" for the Colts to see if they say that Luck will "struggle" or the if Tannehill or Weeden will "struggle."

I guess until we get out of 4th place, nothing will change. I hope they keep on hating and I hope we prove them wrong, because I'm tired of reading this BS every year. For once, we're drafting alot of players and building the roster through the draft. We're getting younger on the roster and signing free agents who are in the "prime" of their playing days while not overpaying for them. Yet, no matter what we do, we're still garbage in everyone's eyes.

[MisterPinstripe]

Why do they always bring up the fact that "rookies struggle" whenever we trot out a rookie? Yet Newton and Dalton had good to great years as a rookie and Ponder and Locker seemed to play decent. I'd love to see the "preview" for the Colts to see if they say that Luck will "struggle" or the if Tannehill or Weeden will "struggle."

I guess until we get out of 4th place, nothing will change. I hope they keep on hating and I hope we prove them wrong, because I'm tired of reading this BS every year. For once, we're drafting alot of players and building the roster through the draft. We're getting younger on the roster and signing free agents who are in the "prime" of their playing days while not overpaying for them. Yet, not matter what we do, we're still garbage in everyone's eyes.

Yeah, and they mentioned that the Cowboys attacked their issues at secondary by drafting Claiborne. So its only Redskins rookies that struggle in the first year? The Cowboys rookie CB is going to fix their secondary though!

[Big Blue Joe]

I guess until we get out of 4th place, nothing will change. I hope they keep on hating and I hope we prove them wrong, because I'm tired of reading this BS every year. For once, we're drafting alot of players and building the roster through the draft. We're getting younger on the roster and signing free agents who are in the "prime" of their playing days while not overpaying for them. Yet, no matter what we do, we're still garbage in everyone's eyes.

That might not change, even if the Skins start to improve. Just look at the Giants. A lot of people consider them the 3rd best team in the division this year. I thought the Giants wouldn't get the respect they deserve until they won a Superbowl or two. But now, it looks like that number might be three.

[Hitman21ST]

That might not change, even if the Skins start to improve. Just look at the Giants. A lot of people consider them the 3rd best team in the division this year. I thought the Giants wouldn't get the respect they deserve until they won a Superbowl or two. But now, it looks like that number might be three.

They get respect, but they also got a LOT of breaks in the postseason.

I mean, how often does a team get two fumbles on punt returns in the same game?

[Big Blue Joe]

They get respect, but they also got a LOT of breaks in the postseason.

Not that much. Most people just call it luck or them "getting hot at the right time". But still predict them to finish third this season.

I mean, how often does a team get two fumbles on punt returns in the same game?

Every Superbowl winner needs some luck along the way. The Packers wouldn't have even made the playoffs in 2010 if the Giants didn't give up 28 points in the final 8 minutes of the 4th quarter against the Eagles. The refs completely screwed the Seahawks in their championship game against the Steelers. The Patriots would have one less title if it weren't for the tuck rule, etc.

[pjfootballer]

That might not change, even if the Skins start to improve. Just look at the Giants. A lot of people consider them the 3rd best team in the division this year. I thought the Giants wouldn't get the respect they deserve until they won a Superbowl or two. But now, it looks like that number might be three.

I'm not saying they should predict us to go 13-3 and win the SB. But damn, just give our FO a little more respect for turning things around on paper anyway. I know paper doesn't win championships, but to continue to predict our team as a "mess" or no more than 4 or 5 wins is just ignorant. Like I said, I guess we'll have to actually do it on the field for them to believe that we've improved.

[Big Blue Joe]

I'm not saying they should predict us to go 13-3 and win the SB. But damn, just give our FO a little more respect for turning things around on paper anyway. I know paper doesn't win championships, but to continue to predict our team as a "mess" or no more than 4 or 5 wins is just ignorant. Like I said, I guess we'll have to actually do it on the field for them to believe that we've improved.

I don't know. Record-wise, I think it's going to be another down year for the division. Not only do they have to face each other. But they have to go through the AFC North and the NFC South (which could be really tough if Josh Freeman rebounds from a poor season). I wouldn't be surprised to see all 4 NFCE teams with disappointing records compared to their talent level.

[arundelredskin]

I think Luck will struggle because their defense is not nearly as good as ours.

[ArmchairRedskin]

Saw somebody on twitter try to peg Philly as his "sleeper pick". I think it was Michael Daneshgar from Profootballfocus.com

I was like you can't call a team that most people are pegging to win the division as your sleeper pick man. "They didn't make the playoffs last year". Everyone is expecting them to this year, though. They're not a sleeper team!

I would say right now I'd put the cap for wins in this divsion at 10. I don't think anybody is getting more than that. I'd put the bottom at 7. Nobody will win less than that. I think the last place team might even be an 8 win team. Its gonna be highly competitive.

I predict that the 4th place team this year will not be the Redskins. I think the Redskins have playoff talent. You can talk about how rookies struggle all you want, but Cam would have taken this team to the playoffs last year. Dalton did ok in a division with the Steelers and Ravens. No reason that Griff can't lead this team to the post season.

At the end of the year, I absolutely expect the Redskins to be competing for a playoff spot.

None of the other teams have really done anything to address their big concerns. I mean sure, Dallas got some secondary help, but Romo sits to pee is still the QB. Gimme his stats all you want, but he's gonna cost them some games with boneheaded plays. Thats a given. He's not THE guy. You know? I know a lot of Cowboys fans around here that feel that way.

Vick is not a franchise QB. He's a fantasy QB. He's not gonna take the Eagles anywhere. Everybody outside of Philly knows that. You just know he'll be watching some games from the sidelines. They are talented, though.They have a good shot at reaching the playoffs, but they're not built for post season battles. They're built to strike quick. Striking quick becomes increasingly difficult as the season wears on. They aren't built to go toe to toe, blow for blow. They aren't built to deal with adversity.

The Giants really don't have a glaring question mark. Eli can overcome most things on offense. Their pass rush is dominant as always so any secondary issues will be masked by that. Bottom line is that it's just hard as hell to repeat in the NFL. The Giants weren't a dominant team. They were a scrappy, resilient team. If they were dominant last year and then went on to win the SB I'd give them a better shot. However, scrappy and resilient is hard to maintain.

I see four good to really good teams. No bad team, no great team. They'll pound the snot out of each other and likely have two teams in the playoffs. Who comes out on top is anybody's guess.

[PokerPacker]

Every Superbowl winner needs some luck along the way. The Packers wouldn't have even made the playoffs in 2010 if the Giants didn't give up 28 points in the final 8 minutes of the 4th quarter against the Eagles. The refs completely screwed the Seahawks in their championship game against the Steelers. The Patriots would have one less title if it weren't for the tuck rule, etc.

It was the least luck could do for us after taking out half our team.

[Bang]

Not that much. Most people just call it luck or them "getting hot at the right time". But still predict them to finish third this season.

.

I totally agree, the Giants are getting no respect.

Last year i was one of them. I figured the Giants to be a distant second best in the divison, but likely not a wild card contender. i am not ashamed to admit I was totally wrong, even if I hate the Giants more than any other.

And I was wrong because the Giants have done what I have long said the NFL would do in response to the myriad of rules changes to favor the offense and receivers in particular.

The clearest example of how bad it got I'd have to say were McNabb's last two years in Philly, in which he would throw the ball up long regardless of coverage because he knew he had a better than even chance of drawing a flag the longer a play developed.

I knew that defense would adapt to the rules changes, they always do. It's the First Law of Football. Offense innovates. Defense adapts. Offense must innovate again. Defense adapts. And so on and so on and so on. No matter HOW much they would like to change it, football is and always will be a defensive game.

The Giants recognized that the way to disrupt offenses within these rules is through pressure, and they generate more of it with their front four than anyone, leaving seven players to clog passing lanes.

They keep replenishing the talent. They draft JPP when it appeared they had no need, and he's lights out amazing, and they are nothing but stronger for it.

they may have lost a player or two, but they retain all those pass rushers, they retain Eli Manning, who really IS Rodney Dangerfield, (He and Nicks are one of the better duos in the NFL and don't get mentioned. People will talk about VJax and Rivers, and I'll take Eli and Nicks over them. The emergence of Cruz gives them the best WRs in the division.) and most importantly, they retain Tom Coughlin who has figured out how to win down the stretch using physical defense in the modern NFL.

IMO, the Eagles are hype, they're coached by a choke artist, and the giants are clearly the superior football team on the field. They will survive while the Eagles get broken up.

****ing ****S.

~Bang

[roanoker]

Even though I'm not fond of Mara, the G-men don't get the respect they deserve. **** the cowpiles. The iggles will do what they do best - lose.

[AmishGangsta]

The NFC East should be called the division of Schizophrenia

I think the division is going to be a battle all year long. Depending on the health of each team, and who gets HOT at the right time--I think each team has two personalities:

Giants: Ceiling: 12-4 Floor: 9/7 - I'm tempted to list them 3rd, but I do that every year. Their current regime has two rings. It's time to give them some respect.

Eagles: Ceiling: 11-5 Floor: 8-8 - I'd probably go with the under. Philly's reign of terror is going to end at some point. I like Andy, but I think it's going to get ugly for him (Philly will turn their back on him eventually like they do everyone else). I'd be worried about all of the big contracts being handed out. Philly used to be one of the most fiscally responsible teams in the NFL, but now they are getting desperate for a ring.

Cowboys Ceiling: 10-6 Floor: 7-9 - who knows which Cowboys team shows up this year. Something smells funny - Similar to Al Davis/Oakland. Eventually folks in Dallas are going to figure out that Jerry "running the show" - ie coach, GM, Owner, strength and conditioning coach is the problem (but let's keep that secret amongst ourselves). They have had the most talented roster in the NFL the last 30 years it seems. In this case, their truelly aren't enough cooks in the kitchen, and great-grandpas old recipe has grown a bit stale.

Redskins Ceiling: 9-7 Floor: 6-10 - The Skins are building the right way for a change. They have a young up-and-coming team that is eager to prove everyone wrong.

The record doesn't show it, however, Shanahan has turned things around in DC (roster wise). The sky is the limit, in another year or so. Unbelievably believable, isn't it

As to coaches:

Tom Coughlin is safe.

Jason Garrett is two more years of underachieving away from being fired.

Andy Reid is one bad season away from being fired.

The Skins will stick with Mike Shanahan through the remainder of his contract regardless of the teams record, as long as he doesn't lose the team..

[War Paint]

Man, this is a hard prediction to make. Every team has made moves that look good on paper. These teams are not listed in any particular order.

The Eagles had a really good draft. Perhaps in year two, all of those stars they signed last year will jell together this season. They seemed to put it together at the end of last season. However, Vick is injury prone and I do believe they are going into this season without their probowl starting LT. That could be real bad for them.

The Giants just always baffle me. At times they look like they could finish a season being a 6-10 or 7-9 team and on the verge of firing Coughlin, then at the last minute they turn it around at the perfect time and win the damn SB lol. I think that's why it seems the Giants don't get the respect they deserve. Normally, when you think of Super Bowl winning teams, you think of teams that were dominant most of the season. The Giants look mediocre for most of the season and then bam! They turn it on at the right time.

The Cowboys seem to be the opposite of the Giants. They seem at times like they could be a good team, then they just fall apart when it matters the most. Whatever mojo the Giants have late in the season, the Cowboys just don't have it. Romo sits to pee had a career year last season and it seemed that most of the problems were on defense in the secondary. The Cowboys made some significant moves to fix the secondary and on paper they should be a better team. Can Romo sits to pee duplicate his great year last season? Will their defense play better? Is their oline going to be good enough? We shall see. In some ways I think their new stadium Jerry World has hurt them. It's such a prime time circus feel that I think it hurts their home field advantage. I think every visiting team that goes there probably plays harder because of the prime time feel it presents.

The Redskins biggest problem for years is that we didn't have a QB. We've always had a good defense, but we've been offense starved for years. It's why we usually come up short in close division games. The other teams in our division have QBs that can make plays and big throws. We always had the journeyman type QB for us. We finally made a big move at QB which should finally make us a much better team. We added some young WRs that have shown to be more explosive and able to get yards after the catch. That said, while I hope RG3 plays like a probowler, the reality is that he is a rookie. In his rookie year, RG3 might end up with a bunch of picks and have a season similar to Grossman did last year. He is a rookie after all. On the flip side, he may look like a stud that plays like a seasoned vet. We just don't know. Nobody knows until we watch the season unfold and progress.

[Kindred]

The Giants just always baffle me. At times they look like they could finish a season being a 6-10 or 7-9 team and on the verge of firing Coughlin, then at the last minute they turn it around at the perfect time and win the damn SB lol. I think that's why it seems the Giants don't get the respect they deserve. Normally, when you think of Super Bowl winning teams, you think of teams that were dominant most of the season. The Giants look mediocre for most of the season and then bam! They turn it on at the right time.

Actually I think they turned it on after losing to us. It was sortof a wtf, wakeup call for them I think I've noticed that the giants often have pivotal games when they play us. In fact I think the last time they won the superbowl, their pivotal change happened during a redskins game when they did a goal line stand and came from behind.

[Tom [Giants fan]]

The Giants may have lost several key players but they are also getting some guys back they lost last year like T. Thomas, D. Hixon, M. Austin (a wildcard due to him not playing football in a while). Thomas and Hixon are huge as they replace the two supposed biggest names the Giants lost in Ross and Manningham. A big question is how effective will Bennet be at the weight he is at? And is Beckum really going to recover that fast?

[Conn]

I can't wait to watch the other three teams in this division start over in a couple years/few years. We're on the way up while all of their franchise QB's are going to be exiting their prime. Can't wait to see how they'll cope. Should be fun.

[Big Blue Joe]

I can't wait to watch the other three teams in this division start over in a couple years/few years. We're on the way up while all of their franchise QB's are going to be exiting their prime. Can't wait to see how they'll cope. Should be fun.

Brett Favre played well until he was 40. For all we know, right now, the Skins could be the first ones to start the search for their next franchise QB.

[AmishGangsta]

Not to to mention, the Giants and Eagles seem to be able to replace their stars fairly quickly.