I recently reviewed the NFC West and called it the best division in football. Now, I review possibly the worst division in football but, possibly the most interesting.
Philadelphia Eagles
Offense Overview: Jalen Hurts is the man after Carson Wentz was traded to the Colts. It will be interesting to see how Hurts does with a full offseason under his belt as the starter. Miles Sanders had 1,327 scrimmage yards as a rookie. If healthy, he could come close to replicating that production two years ago. The wide receiving core is highlighted by Devonta Smith who has the tools to be successful but will his figure be a cause for concern? Personally, I don’t think it will. Dallas Goedert is slated to be the starting tight end up but, it wouldn’t shock me to see Zach Ertz take that spot at some point in the season. The offensive line has Brandon Brooks, Lane Johnson, and Jason Kelce who have been nothing but great when healthy for the Eagles.
Defense Overview: The defensive line is good but getting up there in age. That being said, Fletcher Cox and Brandon Graham are still very dominant. The linebacker core is lackluster but, I expect to see Alex Singleton make a jump. The secondary is also aging including Darius Slay and Rodney McLeod, who is coming off an ACL tear.
Overall Assessment: I don’t think this team is going to be any good this year. I’m not a fan of the offense at all and the defense is getting older by the second. They have good players here and there but, I think they have too many holes with a first-year head coach. I don’t see the Eagles making noise this year. However, for my family, I hope I am wrong. Projected Finish: 3-14, 4th in the NFC East.
New York Giants
Offense Overview: Daniel Jones is entering his third year in the NFL and I’m still not sure how I feel about him going into this year. This is a big prove it year for him or else he may be out of the job if he doesn’t perform well enough. Saquon Barkley is coming off an ACL tear putting his health in question for the beginning of the year. There is no doubt when he is healthy he can do spectacular things. He gives the Giants a shot to be relevant in the division. The wide receiving core is lead by free agent signing Kenny Golladay. He could be a big red zone and contested ball man for Jones this season. Jones can also throw to Darius Slayton, Sterling Shepard, or first-round pick Kadarius Toney. Andrew Thomas is the left tackle of the future and I think he can take a big step this year. Will Hernandez has been solid at the right guard spot but, Nate Solder has been very poor for the Giants.
Defense Overview: The Giants lost Dalvin Tomlinson but were able to pick up Danny Shelton. Leonard Williams and Dexter Lawerence are very solid and underrated interior pass rushers. The linebacking core consists of Blake Martinez and Tae Crowder who should be able to keep the front seven in shape. The secondary is much improved and includes Adoree’ Jackson, James Bradberry, Jabrill Peppers, and Xavier McKinney. You could easily argue this unit as a top 10 secondary in the league.
Overall Assessment: I’m not sure how I feel about this team. I feel like they have a lot of question marks that prevent me from putting them in talks to win the division. Can the defense carry a possible poor offense? On the flip, the offense could be stellar. My gut is telling me this team has improved but isn’t there yet. They will be soon. Projected Finish: 7-10, 3rd in the NFC East.
Washington Football Team
Offense Overview: The Washington Football Team had the worst quarterback play in the league last year. It was literally ranked dead last, but they still managed to make the playoffs. Now Ryan Fitzpatrick will lead Washington into battle this season. He may not be the best quarterback in the league but it is an upgrade. Antonio Gibson is the lead back after putting up 795 rushing yards with 11 touchdowns. Terry McLaurin had a 1,000 yards season last year and has proven he is a top talent at the wide receiver position. The offensive line can hold its own with Brandon Scherff leading the way.
Defense Overview: Chase Young, Jonathan Allen, Daron Payne, Montez Sweat make up one of the scarier defensive lines in the league. Jamin Davis has huge upside at MLB and could be a sleeper for DROY. This secondary lost Ronald Darby but was able to pick up William Jackson III to be CB2. Kendall Fuller remains a great CB1 to have.
Overall Assessment: This team went 7-9 last year and I think they got better. They upgraded quarterback and somehow upgraded the front seven even more. While Fitzpatrick isn’t spectacular, he should bring a deep ball to an offense that lacked one last year. I don’t think this team will repeat as division champions but, I think they will make noise. Projected Finish: 9-8, 2nd in the NFC East.
Dallas Cowboys
Offense Overview: Dak Prescott is back and he looks ready to go. He did have a shoulder injury but, I don’t think that will hinder him too much. Zeke had 979 yards last year but it felt lackluster. He’ll have to step it up to take some of the load off of Dak. I don’t think we will have to worry about Amari Cooper, Ceedee Lamb, and Michael Gallup not helping out Dak. At least one of these stars will ball out. On top of that, their offensive line is one of the best units in football when healthy.
Defense Overview: DeMarcus Lawerence is by far the best defensive lineman the Cowboys have and needs to have a big year this season. Micah Parsons and Leighton Vander Esch are a good linebacker duo if they can remain healthy. They also have Jaylon Smith to work with as well who can be a big-time playmaker. The secondary does lack skill but I do like Trevon Diggs to have a big year. With Dan Quinn as the new defensive coordinator, I think he can help overcome the weaknesses on this team.
Overall Assessment: With Dak leading the team, there is no reason they can’t succeed. They have great weapons, a great offensive line but a questionable defense. Luckily for the Cowboys, this division is weak and they should be able to pray on these weaker teams in the division.
CloudZeroSports Team Prediction
Stephen’s Pick: Cowboys I know it’s cheap to predict this after the first game was played but the Cowboys looked great against the Buccaneers. Dak looked great even though he has that nagging shoulder injury. The defense held their own against an elite offense. Even without that game being played, I think Dak coming back healthy after putting up great numbers in just five games, there is no reason that this offense can’t outduel the rest of the division and win the NFC East.
Dante’s Pick: Cowboys Dak is back! The Dallas Cowboys will reclaim the NFC East crown this season. With a healthy Dak Prescott and no shortage of weapons, this team’s offense will be a force to be reckoned with. Dan Quinn becoming the defensive coordinator was a fantastic move on the Cowboy’s part, he is a proven coach who will not let the defense get gashed like they did last season. He will give that defense an attitude again and have them playing like dawgs.
Puggy’s Pick: Giants I must say, when I was debating about who would win this division, I was at a standstill trying to figure it out. The NFC East is so bad, that it’s unbelievably competitive. When analyzing each team, you’ll find teams that are really strong in one aspect of the game, but completely lackluster in about spot. In the end, I chose the Giants to win this division. Could my biasness be affecting my decision? Most definitely, but I do believe the Giants have the most well-rounded team in the division. The Giants have a very formidable receiver core, especially after the addition of Kenny Golladay, they have an arguable top 10 running back(when healthy), and their secondary is arguably top 10 in the league. While I know the WFT and Cowboys are the heavy favorites to win because their quarterbacks have proven themselves in the NFL, I expect the Giants to shock the world this year.
Zach’s Pick: Cowboys This is also a division that anyone could win, but that depends if the Cowboys stay healthy and have good play calling. Perhaps this is my bias but I just can’t see the Giants, Eagles, and Football Team winning the division over the Cowboys. Sure, the Giants have Saquon with a solid receiving core, but I can’t see them pulling it off. Then, there are the Eagles and Washington. If Dak plays the way he played last year before he got injured and Zeke remembers how to play football correctly, the Dallas offensive side is perfect. Dak has so many options to throw to and he can even run. The only thing stopping them is their defense. Dallas Cowboys win the NFC East.
Ryan’s Pick: Cowboys There is no clear winner for the NFC East. The pick which I am solely going to, is the Cowboys… unfortunately. I have a distaste for the Cowboys being a Philadelphia Eagles fan. They have the most threatening offense in the division. With Dak Prescott as the quarterback, they have the highest potential on the offensive. Not to mention Amari Cooper, Ezekiel Elliot, and CeeDee Lamb being key components of the offensive line. The Cowboys also have Dan Quinn controlling the defense. As with most of my predictions, if the key players can stay healthy, they should win the division. Washington isn’t too far behind though with Ryan Fitzpatrick so this division will be a good one to keep your eyes on!
Micky’s Pick: Washington The NFC East is always unpredictable and normally disappointing (especially considering last season the division winner had a negative record), so for that reason, I feel like any team has the potential to win the division. Dallas will be looking to make a run for division champs because Dak is coming back off an injury, but the defense leaves questions that we will get answers throughout the season. The Giants made some solid moves in the offseason, but I think that the Football Team will be just good enough to secure a number one spot. As for the Eagles, I am hoping for a solid season because I go to college in Philadelphia and the atmosphere was amazing when the Eagles won the Super Bowl, but I think fans will be ‘Hurt’-ing while watching…. Horrible pun intended.
Dustin’s Pick: Washington This team went 7-9 last year with horrible quarterback play. Fitzpatrick is not great but he is an improvement. The defense is elite and the weapons on offense should be able to help lead Washington to another NFC East title.
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