NFL.com: Broncos, Texans among most vulnerable division winners

[Califan007 The Constipated]

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000661070/article/broncos-texans-among-most-vulnerable-division-winners

 

 

It happens every year: reigning division champions are brought down by upstart challengers to the throne.

Well, with the draft done and most free agents signed, let's attempt to get ahead of the curve by assessing the most vulnerable division winners from 2015. Below, listed in reverse order (that is, from least vulnerable to most) is my look at the teams in danger of losing their grip on their division in 2016, along with the team best positioned to push each leader.

 

 

8) Washington Redskins
Biggest challenger in the NFC East: New York Giants

 

This division has crowned a new winner every year since 2004, with Washington finishing last seven times in that span. Yet, I like the Redskins to repeat in 2016, just because they've put together a pretty good roster and should be playing with plenty of confidence. Kirk Cousins had a great 2015 (69.8 percent completion rate, 29 touchdowns, 11 picks, 101.6 passer rating) and should solidify his status as a viable NFL quarterback, especially when you consider the incentive in front of him as a franchise-tagged player. The Ryan Kerrigan-led defense will get a boost from the addition of Josh Norman and the return of Junior Galette (who missed 2015 with a torn Achilles tendon), while rookie receiver Josh Doctson will only augment a pass-catching crew that includes DeSean Jackson, Pierre Garcon and matchup nightmare Jordan Reed at tight end.

The Giants and Dallas Cowboys (who added a crucial piece in rookie running back Ezekiel Elliott) should both press Washington. New York has an excellent QB-WR combo in Eli Manning and Odell Beckham Jr., and the defensive spending spree (with the additions of pass rusher Olivier Vernon, defensive lineman Damon Harrison and corner Janoris Jenkins) will pay dividends, while rookie corner Eli Apple should contribute. Still, I'm confident Washington will outlast everyone.

 

 

 

[Koolblue13]

I think we'll repeat too and make some noise.

[Bobby Peppers]

The only thing that makes it more challenging is the first place schedule. That's Carolina and Arizona which nobody else in our division has to play.

[goskins10]

I opened that on NFL.com and fully expected the Redskins to be listed #1 and the cowpukes listed as a sure fire division winner, especially given brandt's ties to dallast 

 

I would have put us in the middle with dallast the most likely challenge. We have a lot of questions but a lot of potential. This literally could be anything from a 6-10 team to a 12-4 team.

[Burgold]

I don't see the Giants as our main threat. They have been struggling several years in a row. Now, they have a new first year head coach and a bunch of vets who've never played with each other, plus what everyone is calling a bad draft.

 

Sounds like a toxic stew. Plus, mega free agent spending sprees rarely pay off. See us, the Eagles, and many others.

[posse87]

I agree with being the division favorites assuming good health, and for once, without being the off season champions!

[Califan007 The Constipated]

I don't see the Giants as our main threat. They have been struggling several years in a row. Now, they have a new first year head coach and a bunch of vets who've never played with each other, plus what everyone is calling a bad draft.

 

Sounds like a toxic stew. Plus, mega free agent spending sprees rarely pay off. See us, the Eagles, and many others.

 

I don't, either, and for all the same reasons...reasons that far too few in the media seem to acknowledge.

 

Cowboys should be the main threat imo...

[MrSilverMaC]

Well... That was unexpected. Looks like they're trying some reverse psychology on us...

Maybe he seriously doubts romoSUCKS's ability to stay healthy.

[Califan007 The Constipated]

Well... That was unexpected. Looks like they're trying some reverse psychology on us...

Maybe he seriously doubts romoSUCKS's ability to stay healthy.

 

Or overestimating the Giants' defense and new head coach...

[Wildbunny]

The only thing that makes it more challenging is the first place schedule. That's Carolina and Arizona which nobody else in our division has to play.

 

I really doubt Carolina will repeat her 15-1 season. And I wouldn't be that surprised if they don't make the playoffs next year.

Arizona? That's old NFC East game with an aging QB.

 

I opened that on NFL.com and fully expected the Redskins to be listed #1 and the cowpukes listed as a sure fire division winner, especially given brandt's ties to dallast 

 

I always thought that Gil Brandt's, along with Pat Kirwan as being the two that are the most objectives regarding NFL teams and players, despises their ties to their old teams. They do not hide from themselves, but they're both also not afraid to speak about them, good or bad to me.

 

I don't, either, and for all the same reasons...reasons that far too few in the media seem to acknowledge.

 

Cowboys should be the main threat imo...

 

Yeah, feels like the Dream Team 2.0 will fizzle again. And that situation still feels weird in NYG. New HC, but you kept the whole staff? Must be disturbing really. Absolutely don't believe the NYG hype.

[goskins10]

 

Edit

 

 

I always thought that Gil Brandt's, along with Pat Kirwan as being the two that are the most objectives regarding NFL teams and players, despises their ties to their old teams. They do not hide from themselves, but they're both also not afraid to speak about them, good or bad to me.

 

Edit

 

He has his moments. I hear him a bit too much on NFL on Sirius and to me he very pro dallast. He can be objective, but I have heard a dallast slant more than not. But that's just me.

 

I actually think he was overly optimistic for us in this case.

[Taco Bell]

I think like most years, you go as your QB goes, but the difference for us in our leap year-esque division title pattern, this is the first time in a long time where we have a QB who is both young and potentially sustainable for the long haul (key component, we don't know this year, it will be next year where we know from a "reputation" perspective), combined with a roster that while no means complete, is being built with the right directive of young players and retaining the key pieces at fair for the player yet not absurd prices. Bla bla bla bla - we hear it all the time, but this is the first time we actually have a GM, and of course we stumbled into a top 10 at absolute worst and at his best even the #1 GM in the NFL. 

 

So our roster, separate from QB, does - perhaps - indeed - in fact - feel like it's being built properly.  Meaning - if Kirk plays well again, our roster should get us to at least 9 wins at worst.  I don't buy our "tough schedule" being a killer of success next year because I think both the Panthers and Cards will be far more winnable than they would have been last year.  And, last year we had 4 but I think 5 ****ing games where teams had extended preparation time against us, the forever equalizer in my mind to people whining on ESPN we didn't beat a team over .500 last year.  **** them all.  

 

Palmer was exposed in last year's playoffs and may have a hangover of feeling like he will never overcome a plateau at his older age, and there is almost no way the Panthers don't regress at least by a few wins because that scorched earth confidence thing last year will leave every team giving them their absolute bonafide best shot next year, they will have double the bullseye on them that the Broncos will, partly because the broncos will have no real QB so won't feel all that threatening until proven otherwise.  That and, there has been enough mentioning through the cracks of the obvious dichotomy of Newton not dropping on a fumble due to "potential of injury" vs. thomas davis having his broken arm sewn up where I don't know just how tight their locker room unity will be until at least mid season.  It's not a complete locker room breaker, but Cam is certainly going to have to hold up his end of the bargain and dominate the first third of the season before I think that stink goes away.  We play them near the end of the year so we will have the benefit of either getting them desperate, or surely back in dominant form, but I'll take that situation over last year's.

 

However - I am legitimately surprised at Gil's lack of trust both in the Cowboys and the Giants. I get it that Tony is now the quintessential glass cannon, but I am not going into next season assuming injury at some point.  Likewise, the Giants are the ****ing Giants and I hate them but I'm not going to count them out given their randomness to either be spectacular or absolute garbage.  I do think their HC choice is lackluster as ****, considering he was under the same regime that Dear Leader Mara deemed to have dragged on too long,  but surely "Coach McAdoo" could prove to be better than his cardboard exterior indicates.  He surely keeps their passing game working rather well, but I can't picture "Coach McAdoo" being the guy that changes their organization.  He feels like a Mike Mularkey, Norv Turner, Jim Caldwell or Joe Philbin type that seems a little too uninspiring even if are "great minds."  But it's the Giants, so surely McAdoo will be the next HOF coach of the NFL without a doubt since that cardboardness is actually legendary stoicism to go along with pioneering offense.  Which is possible too. 

 

And then the Cowboys, well, let romoSUCKS get a season/career ender before saying they are a relatively tame challenger to the division title.  Their starting O on paper looks ridiculous.  And their D seems to have the perfect D-coordinator content to deal with maximizing **** talent, which I agree their D has on an overall basis. 

 

The Eagles are hard to picture because if they start with Sad Bradford, their team will be more of a nuisance than if Wetty Wetz is playing.  So, I'm not discounting them either.  We aren't that strong of a contender to be last on that list.

 

If I did the rankings, I put the Patriots last, because that's that most sure thing in the NFL of this millennium, and then the Texans due to getting an upgrade (same question mark of if he's the guy, but immensely better prospect) over Hoyer at QB to go along with their most likely still top D in the division, and then us. 

 

----

 

oh - and I'd put the panthers over us too at #6 making us #5.  But I still like our odds against them more than last year by far even if they remain division winners themselves.  Two separate things of course

[DC9]

Until this draft I was kind of even about this year.  To be totally honest, I could still be asking a lot of the draft class, but if we can stay healthy and allow the rookies to contribute at a developmental rate, there is no reason to believe we can't win a playoff game this year.

 

FWIW, pre-draft I had us at about 7 to 9 wins.

 

We're starting to act like a group of killers now, and we're drafting killers, as well.

[Reaper Skins]

The Giants also have the Mara effect in their favor.  Always good for a few surprise upset wins during the season.

[Audible_Red40]

I just find it surprising that a different team has won the division since 2004.  That's insane and tough to do.

 

I'm also glad our Redskins have decided to join in on the fun recently.  Would be fantastic, and no surprise to me, if that trend comes to an end an we can repeat as division champs.

[Burgold]

The Giants also have the Mara effect in their favor.  Always good for a few surprise upset wins during the season.

I think this used to be true. It seems ever since Mara engineered the "spirit of the cap" bs his team has fallen in the dumpster. Think about it-- The year before he unjustly screwed the 'skins his team won the Super Bowl. Since then, not only have they not returned, but his team hasn't even managed a winning record.

 

If there is such a thing as football gods... they were pissed at Mara's corrupt abuse of power.

[ntotoro]

The ironic part in all this is Gil Brandt is a ginormous Brokeback homer. Maybe he's trying to put the evil eye on the 'Skins or something.

 

Nick

[Reaper Skins]

I think this used to be true. 

I think the Giants are still given an advantage when it comes to penalty enforcement.  i don't know how its not considered a conflict of interest.

 

Do you think OBJ's behavior would have been handled differently if his owner wasn't on the competition committee?  It took them almost a whole week to fine him for punching a Bills player and that was only because there was footage of it all over social media that couldn't be swept under the rug.  Apparently him punching people and giving cheap shots after the whistle was a weekly occurence last season.  Bills said they knew it was coming from watching Beckham do the same thing all game against the Redskins (which was never called)

"Players saw on the Giants/Redskins film from the previous week that Beckham does this often after the whistle. Such cheap shots, they say, are a major part of his game".

http://bills.buffalonews.com/2015/10/06/bills-players-wr-odell-beckham-jr-threw-multiple-punches-is-a-prima-donna/

 

If he played for another team do you think he gets to stay in for the whole Carolina game?  You don't think he is given more leeway in terms of being fined or called for penalties?  I think part of it is because he is a "marquee" player, but I do think when your owner is the one deciding how much, if AT ALL, you should be getting fined for your actions there is an inherent conflict of interest

[redskinss]

The ironic part in all this is Gil Brandt is a ginormous Brokeback homer. Maybe he's trying to put the evil eye on the 'Skins or something.

Nick

Or maybe our disgust with the media not showing us any respect was misplaced.

they were right we actually did suck.

now we're starting to improve and they're noticing it.

[ntotoro]

Or maybe our disgust with the media not showing us any respect was misplaced.

they were right we actually did suck.

now we're starting to improve and they're noticing it.

 

I'm talking about Brandt, in-particular, not the media in-general. He was part of their FO in one way or another for almost 30 years and pops almost as much wood when discussing Brokeback Nation as Dick Vitale does when he gushes for Mike Krzyzewski.

 

Yeah... I had to look up the spelling...

 

Nick

[Going Commando]

I disagree with some of these rankings. TBH, I think the Redskins are one of the more vulnerable teams and certainly shouldn't be considered the safest bet to repeat.

1.) We went worst to first last season, that should always raise a red flag about sustainability. We aren't some perennial juggernaut with a history of consistent 10+ win seasons. We're an upstart that won our division with 9 wins and without ever beating a winning team.

2.) The Cowboys are clearly a more talented team on paper, their previous season was sabotaged by injuries. The ultimate effect is that they just added a ton of high end talent in the draft to what was a 12 win team the previous year.

There is a very real chance that we could be better and play better than we did last season and still not win 9 games again. Or that 9 games isn't enough to win the division.

[SkinsGuy]

Or maybe our disgust with the media not showing us any respect was misplaced.

they were right we actually did suck.

now we're starting to improve and they're noticing it.

 

Please.

 

If they are just being honest about teams, and how good they are, how does that explain the Cowboys?

 

With the exception of one fluke 12-4 season, Dallas has been garbage. Finishing at .500 or lower every year and routinely missing the playoffs.

 

They have really not been that much better than the Redskins over the last decade, but they are routinely pick as playoff contenders and Super Bowl contenders, no matter what they do or what happens in the offseason.

 

Just like this year (again ).

[ntotoro]

Bizarre double-post

[SkinsGuy]

2.) The Cowboys are clearly a more talented team on paper, their previous season was sabotaged by injuries. The ultimate effect is that they just added a ton of high end talent in the draft to what was a 12 win team the previous year.

 

 

The Redskins, according to USA Today, were the second most injured team in the league last season, and the Cowboys weren't #1 on that list.

 

Dallas may have "added talent", but so did the Redskins. And I am highly dubious of their 12-4 record, surrounded by poorer records.

 

Those that think the return of romoSUCKS and the drafting of this Elliot kid means "the triplets are back", and it will be 2014 again, are in for a rude awakening.

[Wildbunny]

I think the Giants are still given an advantage when it comes to penalty enforcement.  i don't know how its not considered a conflict of interest.

 

<shrinks>

 

If he played for another team do you think he gets to stay in for the whole Carolina game?  You don't think he is given more leeway in terms of being fined or called for penalties?  I think part of it is because he is a "marquee" player, but I do think when your owner is the one deciding how much, if AT ALL, you should be getting fined for your actions there is an inherent conflict of interest

 

OBJ is being protected by the league, I strongly believe it in that kind of manner. And I still believe as well that the first player to be ejected by the new rule regarding personnal fouls unsportmanlike conduct, will be Josh Norman in Week 3. Or OBJ, but most probably Norman, because he's not playing for the Giants.

 

I disagree with some of these rankings. TBH, I think the Redskins are one of the more vulnerable teams and certainly shouldn't be considered the safest bet to repeat.

1.) We went worst to first last season, that should always raise a red flag about sustainability. We aren't some perennial juggernaut with a history of consistent 10+ win seasons. We're an upstart that won our division with 9 wins and without ever beating a winning team.

2.) The Cowboys are clearly a more talented team on paper, their previous season was sabotaged by injuries. The ultimate effect is that they just added a ton of high end talent in the draft to what was a 12 win team the previous year.

There is a very real chance that we could be better and play better than we did last season and still not win 9 games again. Or that 9 games isn't enough to win the division.

 

If you look at all the teams that made the playoffs last year, we are not the most talented right now, on paper, without TC even been played.

Still I don't see the Giants and their Dream Team 2.0, their new HC and poor drafting lately being really competitive. And the Eagles are still rehabing from Chip Kelly's disease.

Cowboys? Yes, they added talent, including a 2nd rounder that won't play in 2016, and might never ever see the field again. Their DL in also suspended, which won't help, their LBs corps are looking for knees, and secondary are MIA right now. The only thing they got right was Elliott to spare romoSUCKS throwing balls.

 

So, yeah, we might not be as talented as others, but in our division, they aren't that scary right now.