The NFC East
The NFC East is the league's deepest, toughest and most competitive division. All four teams think they can win it, and you know something? All four teams can.
Dallas is stronger. Washington is stronger. The New York Giants are stronger. And Philadelphia ... well, most reporters I run into this summer have them ticketed for last again because they insist the Eagles don't have enough playmakers on offense.
Careful, people. That was the rap on the Eagles in 2003, and they were good enough to go to the NFC championship game. All I know about Philadelphia is that when I visited with defensive coordinator Jim Johnson, he said he's seldom been happier with his defensive-line rotation.
Remember that. It's defense, not offense, that drives the bus in Philadelphia, and if the Eagles produce the pass rush that was AWOL last year, they produce takeaways, too -- which means the NFC East just got tighter at the top.
A look at the NFC East in predicted order of finish:
Philadelphia Eagles
Significant additions: DE Darren Howard; QB Jeff Garcia; LB Shawn Barber; WR Jabar Gaffney; TE Matt Schobel.
Significant losses: WR Terrell Owens; LB Keith Adams; DE N.D. Kalu; DT Hollis Thomas; G Artis Hicks; QB Mike McMahon; TE Chad Lewis.
Biggest offseason move: Getting rid of Owens. Take another look at that snapshot of Bill Parcells scowling this month. Now you know what T.O. can do to a coach and a team. This one's called addition by subtraction. Runner-up: Adding Howard. He may be just what they need to solve a dreadful pass rush.
Will make the playoffs if: Defensive coordinator Jim Johnson can get his unit playing as it did in 2004... and 2003 ... and 2002... The Eagles didn't rush the passer effectively last year -- OK, they didn't rush the passer at all -- but that should change with the addition of Howard, the return of Jerome McDougle and the arrival of rookie defensive tackle Brodrick Bunkley.
Won't make the playoffs if: Brian Westbrook doesn't hold up. Quick now, name me his backup. That's the problem.
Rookie to watch: DT Brodrick Bunkley
Overview: Nobody gives these guys much of a chance, and that's just the way Philadelphia likes it. Look at its schedule the first half of the season: The Eagles should jump to the head of the pack, then dig in against the NFC East the second half. Donovan McNabb is healthy. The defense is deep. Westbrook wants more touches. These are all good signs, Eagles' fans.
Dallas Cowboys
Significant additions: WR Terrell Owens; T Jason Fabini; G Kyle Kosier; LB Akin Ayodele; PK Mike Vanderjagt; LB Rocky Boiman; S Marcus Coleman.
Significant losses: T Larry Allen; LB Scott Fujita; DT La Roi' Glover; WR Keyshawn Johnson; TE Dan Campbell; LB Dat Nguyen.
Biggest offseason move: Signing Owens. Owens called it "a marriage made in heaven," but one month into training camp and Bill Parcells might offer another description of where this union could wind up.
Will make the playoffs if: The offensive line plugs the holes that had Drew Bledsoe sacked 49 times last year. The more Bledsoe is hit, the more he's indecisive, holding the ball too long only to invite more punishment. Face it, if he isn't protected, Owens is no factor. The ball's not coming out of the pocket.
Won't make the playoffs if: Bledsoe serves as a piñata again.
Rookie to watch: LB Bobby Carpenter.
Overview: There's a tendency to fall in love with these guys because Owens gives them an element that was missing last year. But you better be careful. The guy is a marvelous player who can be ... who is ... disruptive. Usually, it takes a year for him to poison a locker room, but has anyone listened to Parcells this summer? He already sounds worn out by T.O.'s act. Imagine. The issue here is not so much Owens as it is the offensive line. If it holds up, the Cowboys may be playoff-bound.
Washington Redskins
Significant additions: DE Andre Carter; WR Antwaan Randle El; WR Brandon Lloyd; S Adam Archuleta; TE Christian Fauria; QB Todd Collins; DE Jeff Posey.
Significant losses: LB LaVar Arrington; S Ryan Clark; S Matt Bowen; QB Patrick Ramsey; S Omar Stoutmire; CB Walt Harris; C Cory Raymer; OL Ray Brown; TE Robert Royal.
Biggest offseason move: Hiring offensive coordinator Al Saunders away from Kansas City. Under Saunders, the Chiefs were the league's most productive offense last year. And the year before that. In 2003, they were second. I think you get the idea. Saunders gets you yards and points. Plus, he's a perfect fit for the Redskins for this reason: With his addition, Joe Gibbs is free to manage the team instead of micromanaging the offense.
Will make the playoffs if: The offense doesn't take last year's second-half plunge. The key: Keeping quarterback Mark Brunell and running back Clinton Portis healthy.
Won't make the playoffs if: Brunell slips or Portis' shoulder injury is more serious than suspected.
Rookie to watch: LB Rocky McIntosh.
Overview: It's hard to figure out this club. It has talent on offense and defense and two of the top assistants running those units. But if anything happens to Brunell ... and he turns 36 in September ... your next option is Jason Campbell? Good luck. The Redskins should cross their fingers. With Brunell playing as he did the first half of last year, they're in the playoff picture.
New York Giants
Significant additions: LB LaVar Arrington; S Will Demps; CB Sam Madison; LB Brandon Short; CB R.W. McQuarters.
Significant losses: LB Nick Griesen, CB Will Peterson, CB Will Allen, DT Kendrick Clancy; LB Barrett Green; OL Jason Whittle; S Brent Alexander; S Sean Williams.
Biggest offseason move: Acquiring Arrington. So he hasn't done much the last couple of years. He's immensely talented, and the Giants figure that a change of scenery -- especially within the same division -- could energize him. Plus, he plays a position decimated by injuries last year, with the Giants lining up walk-ons at linebacker by the playoffs.
Will make the playoffs if: Eli Manning plays the second half of the season as he did the first of 2005.
Won't make the playoffs if: They only get two interceptions from their cornerbacks again.
Rookie to watch: WR Sinorice Moss.
Overview: The Giants have more talent than they've had in years. That's the good news. The bad is that it will be tested like no other NFC club. The team's schedule is brutal, with the Giants facing six playoff teams in their opening 10 games. Wow. Nobody has a tougher schedule, though Cincinnati's opponents have the same winning percentage as the G-Men. "If this were college," said general manager Ernie Accorsi, "the athletic director would be fired."
Dallas is stronger. Washington is stronger. The New York Giants are stronger. And Philadelphia ... well, most reporters I run into this summer have them ticketed for last again because they insist the Eagles don't have enough playmakers on offense.
Careful, people. That was the rap on the Eagles in 2003, and they were good enough to go to the NFC championship game. All I know about Philadelphia is that when I visited with defensive coordinator Jim Johnson, he said he's seldom been happier with his defensive-line rotation.
Remember that. It's defense, not offense, that drives the bus in Philadelphia, and if the Eagles produce the pass rush that was AWOL last year, they produce takeaways, too -- which means the NFC East just got tighter at the top.
A look at the NFC East in predicted order of finish:
Philadelphia Eagles
Significant additions: DE Darren Howard; QB Jeff Garcia; LB Shawn Barber; WR Jabar Gaffney; TE Matt Schobel.
Significant losses: WR Terrell Owens; LB Keith Adams; DE N.D. Kalu; DT Hollis Thomas; G Artis Hicks; QB Mike McMahon; TE Chad Lewis.
Biggest offseason move: Getting rid of Owens. Take another look at that snapshot of Bill Parcells scowling this month. Now you know what T.O. can do to a coach and a team. This one's called addition by subtraction. Runner-up: Adding Howard. He may be just what they need to solve a dreadful pass rush.
Will make the playoffs if: Defensive coordinator Jim Johnson can get his unit playing as it did in 2004... and 2003 ... and 2002... The Eagles didn't rush the passer effectively last year -- OK, they didn't rush the passer at all -- but that should change with the addition of Howard, the return of Jerome McDougle and the arrival of rookie defensive tackle Brodrick Bunkley.
Won't make the playoffs if: Brian Westbrook doesn't hold up. Quick now, name me his backup. That's the problem.
Rookie to watch: DT Brodrick Bunkley
Overview: Nobody gives these guys much of a chance, and that's just the way Philadelphia likes it. Look at its schedule the first half of the season: The Eagles should jump to the head of the pack, then dig in against the NFC East the second half. Donovan McNabb is healthy. The defense is deep. Westbrook wants more touches. These are all good signs, Eagles' fans.
Dallas Cowboys
Significant additions: WR Terrell Owens; T Jason Fabini; G Kyle Kosier; LB Akin Ayodele; PK Mike Vanderjagt; LB Rocky Boiman; S Marcus Coleman.
Significant losses: T Larry Allen; LB Scott Fujita; DT La Roi' Glover; WR Keyshawn Johnson; TE Dan Campbell; LB Dat Nguyen.
Biggest offseason move: Signing Owens. Owens called it "a marriage made in heaven," but one month into training camp and Bill Parcells might offer another description of where this union could wind up.
Will make the playoffs if: The offensive line plugs the holes that had Drew Bledsoe sacked 49 times last year. The more Bledsoe is hit, the more he's indecisive, holding the ball too long only to invite more punishment. Face it, if he isn't protected, Owens is no factor. The ball's not coming out of the pocket.
Won't make the playoffs if: Bledsoe serves as a piñata again.
Rookie to watch: LB Bobby Carpenter.
Overview: There's a tendency to fall in love with these guys because Owens gives them an element that was missing last year. But you better be careful. The guy is a marvelous player who can be ... who is ... disruptive. Usually, it takes a year for him to poison a locker room, but has anyone listened to Parcells this summer? He already sounds worn out by T.O.'s act. Imagine. The issue here is not so much Owens as it is the offensive line. If it holds up, the Cowboys may be playoff-bound.
Washington Redskins
Significant additions: DE Andre Carter; WR Antwaan Randle El; WR Brandon Lloyd; S Adam Archuleta; TE Christian Fauria; QB Todd Collins; DE Jeff Posey.
Significant losses: LB LaVar Arrington; S Ryan Clark; S Matt Bowen; QB Patrick Ramsey; S Omar Stoutmire; CB Walt Harris; C Cory Raymer; OL Ray Brown; TE Robert Royal.
Biggest offseason move: Hiring offensive coordinator Al Saunders away from Kansas City. Under Saunders, the Chiefs were the league's most productive offense last year. And the year before that. In 2003, they were second. I think you get the idea. Saunders gets you yards and points. Plus, he's a perfect fit for the Redskins for this reason: With his addition, Joe Gibbs is free to manage the team instead of micromanaging the offense.
Will make the playoffs if: The offense doesn't take last year's second-half plunge. The key: Keeping quarterback Mark Brunell and running back Clinton Portis healthy.
Won't make the playoffs if: Brunell slips or Portis' shoulder injury is more serious than suspected.
Rookie to watch: LB Rocky McIntosh.
Overview: It's hard to figure out this club. It has talent on offense and defense and two of the top assistants running those units. But if anything happens to Brunell ... and he turns 36 in September ... your next option is Jason Campbell? Good luck. The Redskins should cross their fingers. With Brunell playing as he did the first half of last year, they're in the playoff picture.
New York Giants
Significant additions: LB LaVar Arrington; S Will Demps; CB Sam Madison; LB Brandon Short; CB R.W. McQuarters.
Significant losses: LB Nick Griesen, CB Will Peterson, CB Will Allen, DT Kendrick Clancy; LB Barrett Green; OL Jason Whittle; S Brent Alexander; S Sean Williams.
Biggest offseason move: Acquiring Arrington. So he hasn't done much the last couple of years. He's immensely talented, and the Giants figure that a change of scenery -- especially within the same division -- could energize him. Plus, he plays a position decimated by injuries last year, with the Giants lining up walk-ons at linebacker by the playoffs.
Will make the playoffs if: Eli Manning plays the second half of the season as he did the first of 2005.
Won't make the playoffs if: They only get two interceptions from their cornerbacks again.
Rookie to watch: WR Sinorice Moss.
Overview: The Giants have more talent than they've had in years. That's the good news. The bad is that it will be tested like no other NFC club. The team's schedule is brutal, with the Giants facing six playoff teams in their opening 10 games. Wow. Nobody has a tougher schedule, though Cincinnati's opponents have the same winning percentage as the G-Men. "If this were college," said general manager Ernie Accorsi, "the athletic director would be fired."
posted by The Gryphon at 9:14 AM
<< Home