Dallas Cowboys
We all saw it. Just a few games into the Dallas Cowboys 2010 campaign the questions were already firing. What happened to Dallas? Do they even have a chance to make the postseason? Cut to midway through the season — Wade Phillips is fired, Jason Garrett steps in, and the Cowboys are already thinking about 2011.
Garrett signed a four-year deal with the team and will stay on as head coach of a squad he lead admirably in their short time together last season. Dallas ended up at 6-10 and, even without injured Quarterback Tony Romo and then rookie Dex Bryant, they ended the season as strong competitors in a tough division.
It’s safe to say Dallas hopes to get off to a much better start this time around, but will arguably have a tougher time with a more difficult NFC East in 2011.
Dez Bryant is back. Tony Romo is back. Jason Garrett seems to have control of this team. The Cowboys don’t have mediocre goals this season, they want to be every bit as competitive in the NFC East as the Eagles and Giants.
The other key component to Dallas’ season is Rob Ryan, Jason Garrett’s newly minted Defensive Coordinator. As Dallas stood at 26th in the NFL in passing yards against last season, and 12th in rushing, Jerry Jones and crew hope to see better results on that side of the ball.
Prediction: 10-6
Washington Redskins
Disappointing is probably too weak a word to describe the Washington Redskins’ 2010 campaign. In-fighting, disgruntled superstars, off-the-field shenanigans…. it wasn’t a season to remember in our nation’s capital.
Two of those problems are gone. Donovan McNabb was traded to Minnesota, while Albert Haynesworth is going to try his luck up in Foxboro. So what’s left of this team, seemingly so buried in the muck of 2010?
Well, for starters, Rex Grossman. The veteran will likely be the starting Quarterback for the Redskins when the season kicks off in September. He was also given the starting role last year when Mike Shanahan famously benched Donovan McNabb. And what can you say, Rex Grossman has already publicly come out and said his team will win the East. Points for confidence? (no.)
Who else? Well, there’s not much. There’s a lot of speculation that Washington could well be one of the worst teams in the NFL, and you won’t find much argument here. They look unfocused, and they don’t have that one guy that can change games. There’s no way Andrew Luck could stay at Stanford again is there?
prediction: 4-12
New York Giants
Unlike their NFC counterpart Eagles, the Giants are a largely unchanged team so far as compared to 2010. In that 2010 season the Giants finished 10-6 — a respectable record considering the number of mistakes they made, and considering Eli Manning’s trouble.
The fact of the matter is that the Giants found a way last year to finish top ten in passing yards, rushing yards, and passing and rushing yards against. They did it quietly, but they did it. This despite Eli Manning leading all NFL QB’s in interceptions, with 25.
The bottom line is that the Giants know how to play defense, and are particularly strong pass-rushers. Osi Umenyiora and Justin Tuck both ranked top ten in sacks in 2010 and (if the messy Umenyiora contract situation finally goes away) they intend to do the same this year. The Giants are also strong at the corners with Corey Webster and Terrell Thomas. Not to mention their first round draft pick Prince Amukamara who could be a factor down the road if not directly in 2011.
But really it’s all about turnovers, and if Hakeem Nicks and Mario Manningham can step up and be the kind of go-to guys Manning needs (with no Steve Smith). The Giants lost so many games on bonehead turnovers. This year, the NFC East is shaping up to be rougher, and stupid mistakes could cost Coughlin his job this time if New York continues to struggle.
prediction: 9-7
Philadelphia Eagles
What can you say? Given all the moves Philadelphia has made this (short) off season, they are the NFC EAST favorites. Maybe even the NFC favorites.
Just take a look at the Eagles’ new depth chart. Their talent now, on both sides of the ball, is borderline staggering. Already in this extremely short offseason, Philadelphia has picked up WR Steve Smith, CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, CB Nnamdi Asomugha, and QB Vince Young. Those are just the highlights
And we’re not talking about a team on the rebound. The 2010 Eagles campaign was an extremely successful one in most analyst’s eyes. Philadelphia had no idea Michael Vick would break out as much as he did last year. And they ranked top ten in both passing and rushing yards. Fifth overall in rushing.
Defensively, they ranked 15th in both rushing and passing yards against. But, never fear, the front office is here. Nailing down Asomugha at the starting Corner position and Rodgers-Cromartie at Nickelback should be more than enough to make them an elite defensive team. And if Philadelphia is shutting you down on D and Vick is running you out of the building — you’re in trouble.
That being said, Vick’s productivity slid later on in the season when teams started to figure him out, and Philadelphia has a lot of new moving parts to gel in a very short amount of time thanks to the lockout. There’s a lot of questions about how the on-paper Eagles will look compared to the on-field Eagles. But for now, they’re undoubtedly predicted to be one of the best teams in the NFL.
prediction: 12-4
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