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

[Momma There Goes That Man]

They are an 8-8 team, like they have been for years and when they do make the playoffs, they are one and done.

So what are we? We are just a below .500 team like we have been for years right?

If we can pat ourselves on the back and say we aren't the same team that has been 3-13, 4-12 etc because we have "built" our team, so has Dallas. They built their OL to be the best in the league and have a strong running game, could be ridiculously strong now with Elliot, so they are no longer the 8-8 team they were either. I mean they had the 9th best running game DVOA last season with McFadden and various garbage cans at QB. Throw in Tony R and their dangerous passing attack and its hell to defend for anyone, much less our juggernaut defense

[RedBeast]

Whoah, whoah, whoah...don't be counting our eggs yet. Every NFCE game is a match, and we always have the potential to win OR lose. Remember the 1-15 cowboys season? Who did they beat? I will be very happy if we win 4 of our division matches this year. When we sweep the NFCE? Than we can get a little giddy.

[bh32]

So what are we? We are just a below .500 team like we have been for years right?

If we can pat ourselves on the back and say we aren't the same team that has been 3-13, 4-12 etc because we have "built" our team, so has Dallas. They built their OL to be the best in the league and have a strong running game, could be ridiculously strong now with Elliot, so they are no longer the 8-8 team they were either. I mean they had the 9th best running game DVOA last season with McFadden and various garbage cans at QB. Throw in Tony R and their dangerous passing attack and its hell to defend for anyone, much less our juggernaut defense

Who is romoSUCKS gonna throw the ball to? Norman and Breeland will shut down Dez and Williams..Witten? he is nowhere near a threat anymore...For having such a dominate OL and running game then why could they only manage to score an average of 17 pts a game? romoSUCKS wasn't exactly tearing up the league before he got hurt either..

[skinny21]

Seriously? Ok.....

They have a ton of holes, both on offense and defense. They have no running game and didn't address that in FA or the draft. Their defense was a disaster, and they spent a ton of money on guys that are decent players, but not difference makers. Redskins fans ought to know how well that works. I also think their best player kinda got exposed about how to beat him (OBJ) and he's going to have to face Mr. Norman twice a year now. The Giants have been very average at best for several years now, and this year in a desperate move they tried the old Redskins Way ( that never worked) in trying to win the offseason SB. And the one guy that kept that team together, is gone now (Coughlin). On top of that Eli had his best year as a pro, and it got them 6-10.

I see them as a 4-12 to 6-10 team.

1st time coach

Spending like mad on free agency rarely works

Draft was iffy

They've been on a downward path for three years

Running game needs significant improvement

So does their TE unit

Fair enough.

I just thought their passing attack should still be near the top in the league (especially after adding Shepard and getting Cruz/Donnel healthy). Also figured since they were the most injured team (and added some pieces), they would likely have fewer holes this year.

Pretty easy to look at our team and say our terrible run game didn't get addressed, our horrid run D either, and we really just signed Norman. It would be an ill-informed opinion, IMO, but I could see it looking that way from the outside. So, I was just wondering if maybe it was the same deal with the Gmen.

Morneblade - I guess it's just me reacting to your 'certainty' again (even though I don't feel that strongly about it) lol.

Ps - rereading my original post, I meant they may be a threat to us, not to win it all.

[Robbob]

The division games are almost always a fight. The Giants and Cowboys will both likely be tough. But I feel more optimistic this year. This is the first year following a playoff berth since our last Super Bowl that we were not coming off a legendary coach retiring, our best player being murdered, our qb blowing out his knee, or 2 seasons of a bumbling owner / gm bringing in the wrong, overpriced free agent splashes. I'm ready for some football.

HTTR!!!

[TSO]

The division games are almost always a fight. The Giants and Cowboys will both likely be tough. But I feel more optimistic this year. This is the first year following a playoff berth since our last Super Bowl that we were not coming off a legendary coach retiring, our best player being murdered, our qb blowing out his knee, or 2 seasons of a bumbling owner / gm bringing in the wrong, overpriced free agent splashes. I'm ready for some football.

HTTR!!!

 

 

[skinny21]

I'm on the verge of giddiness over the competence that's been shown since Scot took over. Not that it's all on him, but what a turnaround for us/them.

So, not to derail the thread or anything, but I got to thinking about which of our players would stand a good chance at starting on other teams (basically, who are our solid to good starters), and I'd be curious what others would say.

Cousins

Williams

Moses

Scherff

Garçon

Jackson

Doctson

Norman

Breeland

Kerrigan

Galette

Smith

Baker

Honorable mention:

Paul

Hall (serious lack of good safeties in the league)

Jones (kind of predicated on him taking a big step forward this year)

Crowder (maybe he belongs in the above category)

Ihenacho

Paea (a bit tough to judge, but maybe belongs above as well... based off his play in Chicago at least)

That's 9 out of 11 on offense and 6 of 11 on D... of course that's with Smith on the field.

Nothing really new here when considering who (and which positions) didn't make it, but...

NT, LG, ILB (x2) and center are the weak, or at least uncertain, spots. S (x2), RB and DE are a (bit of a?) question mark for sure, though there's some potential for at least decent play. Really looking forward to seeing how the young guys look at many of those spots - Ioannidas, Kouandijo, Long, Daniels, Spaight, Cravens, and Marshall

[Morneblade]

So what are we? We are just a below .500 team like we have been for years right?

If we can pat ourselves on the back and say we aren't the same team that has been 3-13, 4-12 etc because we have "built" our team, so has Dallas. They built their OL to be the best in the league and have a strong running game, could be ridiculously strong now with Elliot, so they are no longer the 8-8 team they were either. I mean they had the 9th best running game DVOA last season with McFadden and various garbage cans at QB. Throw in Tony R and their dangerous passing attack and its hell to defend for anyone, much less our juggernaut defense

 

I think Dallas has a overrated OL. It's good, but I don't think it's amazing. I think they will run the ball well this year, but I don't think they will be as dominate as you think they will be. I also don't think Elliot is as good as everyone thinks he is. I think he's a good back that played on a great team that didn't have a lot of tough games to play. In other words, he has inflated stats. I could be very wrong about this, but from what very little I saw of him, he had huge holes to run through. Timmy Smith looked great doing that too.

 

Defensively I think Dallas is is very bad shape. They have no pass rush at all, don't stop the run well, have huge issues in the secondary, don't create turnovers and their best players on O and D are huge injury risks.

 

 

 

Fair enough.

I just thought their passing attack should still be near the top in the league (especially after adding Shepard and getting Cruz/Donnel healthy). Also figured since they were the most injured team (and added some pieces), they would likely have fewer holes this year.

Pretty easy to look at our team and say our terrible run game didn't get addressed, our horrid run D either, and we really just signed Norman. It would be an ill-informed opinion, IMO, but I could see it looking that way from the outside. So, I was just wondering if maybe it was the same deal with the Gmen.

Morneblade - I guess it's just me reacting to your 'certainty' again (even though I don't feel that strongly about it) lol.

Ps - rereading my original post, I meant they may be a threat to us, not to win it all.

 

Ok, we were probably talking about 2 different things, for sure. I thought you were talking about them making a SB run.

 

After looking at injury reports, I'm not sure you can call them the most injured team. We were right up with them and had more guys on IR than they did. That at best is a wash. And they blew a huge amount of money on guys that were, decent. I don't see anyone of those signings are great, or even good. When you factor how much money, I would consider them below average because they paid top dollar for decent players. It's going to kill their depth and they wont perform to their dollar value.

 

Our rushing attack was much better before injuries on the OL. I know we didn't get a center (which I would have liked....a lot) but we did throw a lot at G. I also think our depth from last year is going to be better there, I trust Callahan in that regard. I also feel pretty decent about who we have at RB (but I would have loved to have kept AM). I don't think the Giants have done much about that, could be wrong.

 

You know how I feel about the middle of our defense, so I won't go nuts about that, NT specifically. I do think we made improvements with SS, and both ILBs thought, so I think it will be better. Galette I think will be huge and the Norman pickup is better than anything the Giants did, for a lot less money.

 

And Coughlin not being there I think is really going to hurt everything. He really was the glue to that team. I see a drop off just because of that.

 

One last thing. We're just speculating. Just because I seem "positive" about something, it doesn't mean I know.....anything. We're all just guessing, and maybe hoping.

[Riggo'sRangers]

Most here overate Dallas soooo much.  The media bombardment seems to gotten to many.  They are simply not that good, and vastly overrated.  Seriously.  Hail

[Morneblade]

So what are we? We are just a below .500 team like we have been for years right?

 

I wanted to go back and address this specifically, because I did not in my first response, and I think it's maybe the most important part as to "why" we are in better shape than anyone.

 

And it's the Front Office.

 

For decades, we've been a joke there. We all know it and have lived through it. The Eagles don't have Andy Reid and the Giants don't have Tom Coughlin anymore. Dallas still has Jerry Jones. We still have Dan Snyder.....but now we have Scot McCloughan, and he is running the show. That to me is the biggest difference between the teams in the NFC East. For the first time in decades, we have a FO that is one of the best in football. I think that he trusts Gruden as well and we have real stability there. None of the other teams have that. The Eagles are in complete disarray, the Giants are desperate and fired the one guy that kept that team together and the Cowboys are still completely controlled by Jerruh.

 

I don't see last year as an anomolly, but more of the solidification of a team and the beginning of a return to being a serious contender for years to come. The team will be built properly, for the long term.

 

That's why I'm not so worried about the other teams.

[Wildbunny]

Most here overate Dallas soooo much.  The media bombardment seems to gotten to many.  They are simply not that good, and vastly overrated.  Seriously.  Hail

 

If you think overrated in the way that they're gonna be 16-0 and make a SB run, ya most probably. But if you think overrated in the way that they are an easy win, definately not. And eventhough the media vastly overrate them, they are vastly underrated here just because they are the Cowboys.

Mind you, they saw that they were in trouble with romoSUCKS down, so they got Elliott to spare romoSUCKS reps. Now, if some thinks that Norman and Breeland will shut whoever they put at WR, romoSUCKS is good enough to overcome them, and both can be beaten as well. That's still only 2 games in a 16 games schedule.

 

Cousins

Williams

Moses

Scherff

Garçon

Jackson

Doctson

Norman

Breeland

Kerrigan

Galette

Smith

Baker

Honorable mention:

Paul

Hall (serious lack of good safeties in the league)

Jones (kind of predicated on him taking a big step forward this year)

Crowder (maybe he belongs in the above category)

Ihenacho

Paea (a bit tough to judge, but maybe belongs above as well... based off his play in Chicago at least)

 

Don't be so quick on Smith, guy had a good first season with some spared time. Don't see him as a starter anytime soon.

And why do you give an honorable mention to Ihenacho? Guy has still to play a down for us.

Good players aren't playing IR, like Bradford.

Heck has much fun we're making out of romoSUCKS or Bradford, Ihenacho is even worse.

[skinny21]

If you think overrated in the way that they're gonna be 16-0 and make a SB run, ya most probably. But if you think overrated in the way that they are an easy win, definately not. And eventhough the media vastly overrate them, they are vastly underrated here just because they are the Cowboys.

Mind you, they saw that they were in trouble with romoSUCKS down, so they got Elliott to spare romoSUCKS reps. Now, if some thinks that Norman and Breeland will shut whoever they put at WR, romoSUCKS is good enough to overcome them, and both can be beaten as well. That's still only 2 games in a 16 games schedule.

Don't be so quick on Smith, guy had a good first season with some spared time. Don't see him as a starter anytime soon.

And why do you give an honorable mention to Ihenacho? Guy has still to play a down for us.

Good players aren't playing IR, like Bradford.

Heck has much fun we're making out of romoSUCKS or Bradford, Ihenacho is even worse.

Yep, health is obviously a huge issue for Ihenacho. However I think he's a starting level safety when healthy... but then again, the Broncos cut him and he has barely played for us.

Just to clarify, I said solid to good... and I wouldn't want to haveto rely on him.

As for Smith, I think he could be the #2 OLB on a number of teams, though I admit I could be wrong about that - and he's more of a sub package player for us than an every own guy with Galette ahead of him. Of course, Galette and Kerrigan is (or should be) a very good tandem for us, so no shame in Smith not starting.

It's for the same reason I listed Paul... he's not likely to start for us, but he I think he could start for another team.

[Wildbunny]

As for Smith, I think he could be the #2 OLB on a number of teams, though I admit I could be wrong about that - and he's more of a sub package player for us than an every own guy with Galette ahead of him. Of course, Galette and Kerrigan is (or should be) a very good tandem for us, so no shame in Smith not starting.

 

I'm trying to not get over my head regarding Smith. Sure it was interesting, but we've seen guys ball out on their first until they completly disappear afterward. Amerson comes to mind here. Dude looked good is first year, only to become a liability the next seasons.

 

But yeah, I'm looking for the kid to push Galette and Kerrigan for a starting job next year, that could only benefits us.

[TheGoodBits]

Giants have a new coach. New coaches rarely lead their team to a division title their first year.

Yes, there have been exceptions, but statistically, not many

Also the Giants old coach was a pretty damn good coach.

They replaced Coughlin with a rookie HC and they spent a bunch of money in FA. Recipe for success? Or disaster...

It's just really interesting... They are an aging team that is spending a lot in FA to take advantage of the quality years Eli has left. Typically in that scenario, "win now" mode, you're looking to keep your leadership intact for stability. But they haven't won anything in a few years, fired Coughlin who was extremely popular amongst the players, and replaced him with McAdoo.

On one side of things they are behaving like a team that should be rebuilding, but their actions in FA are anything but that. Strange dynamic so we'll see how it plays out this year and next. I would be seriously surprised if the Giants finished top 2 in the NFC East this year.

[Califan007 The Constipated]

Now, if some thinks that Norman and Breeland will shut whoever they put at WR, romoSUCKS is good enough to overcome them, and both can be beaten as well. That's still only 2 games in a 16 games schedule.

romoSUCKS's record against the Skins when the Redskins win just 4 or more games in a season is 7-7.

Dez has been shut out of the end zone in 5 of his 10 games against the Redskins, and has only had one 100 yard game in 10 tries.

I don't think adding Josh Norman to the Skins' secondary is suddenly gonna make Dez' production double.