This is one of the few times I can remember looking at a division on paper and thinking any of the teams could be considered contenders for the division crown. The NFC East looks as tough as any division in the league,and better than most. Each team has the talent and potential to make the playoffs, but they all have possible flaws that could cause a downfall. And even more so than any other division, so much will hinge on which teams are hit by injuries and which can avoid them.
For the Dallas Cowboys, their offensive line that holds the key. Quarterback Drew Blesoe has a tendency to hold the ball a little too long, and he needs good protection to be successful because he has very little mobility. The much ballyhooed addition of All-Pro wideout Terrell Owens will add an element of explosiveness to the offense, but only if Bledsoe has time to throw the ball.
The good news is they have the makings of a very stingy defense. DeMarcus Ware was an animal his rookie season, spending more time in the backfield than running back Julius Jones. Along with other youngsters like Chris Canty, Terrence Newman, Marcus Spears, Akin Ayodele, rookie Bobby Carpenter --not to mention Roy Williams playing the enforcer role-- this defensive unit is loaded.
And that’s why I’m giving the Cowboys the nod to squeak through this division. They have the potential for top-five rankings on both sides of the ball, and they could be dominating on defense.
Picking a second-place team out of this group is no easier than first, but without having seen any of the teams play a preseason game, I’m going with the defending division champion New York Giants.
They have the talent on both sides of the ball, but like their division competitors, can't afford to falter or they could find themselves behind the eight ball early. And I don't think you want to be chasing the pack in the East this year.
A big key for the Giants will be the continued development of quarterback Eli Manning, who tailed off toward the end of the season last year. If he struggles, the Giants have the running game to survive, but I'm not sure they'll have the firepower to win the division unless he's on top of his game.
In the third position I have the Washington Redskins. I really have trouble ranking a team of this quality this low in the division, but like I said, this is a very tough division and they can’t all win it.
Quarterback Mark Brunell put together a surprising performance last season after looking like he had a dead arm in '04. And the team is going to need a repeat performance from the veteran if they hope to make the playoffs. They made some nice additions on both sides of the ball, and overall appear stronger than in ‘05, but if Brunell begins to struggle again, the Redskins are looking at the inexperienced Jason Campbell running the offense.
The Philadelphia Eagles are a team that in any other division would be a contender. And I’m not so sure they’re not a contender in the NFC East. Wide receiver seems to be a glaring weakness, but the team really doesn’t have any others. And they are strong along both lines, which will keep them in most games.
However, I don’t think they’re going to have the firepower to consistently knock off their division rivals. Thus, I have relegated them to the NFC East basement with the disclaimer that I don’t think they are your typical last place team.
