Tuesday 6 September 2011

NFC East Preview

Dallas Cowboys

Last Season : 6 - 10



Drafted Players

1sr Round - Tyron Smith OT
2nd Round - Bruce Carter LB
3rd Round - DeMarco Murray RB
4th Round - David Arkin OL
5th Round - Josh Thomas DB
6th Round - Dwayne Harris WR
7th Round - Shaun Chapas RB
7th Round - Bill Nagy C

Players in

Derrick Dockery
Dave Rayner K
Derrick Dockery OG
Kenyon Coleman DL
Mike Balogun LB
Abram Elam S

Players out

Marion Barber RB
Kris Gronkowski FB
Sam Hurd WR
Roy Williams WR
Alex Barron OT
Marc Colombo OT
Andre Gurode C
Stephan Bowen DL
Josh Thomas CB
Andrew Sendejo S

The Cowboys were one of the major disappointment from last season.  In a year where all the talk was about them hosting and playing in the Superbowl.  Owner Jerry Jones was desperate to see his team win the Lombardi trophy in the stadium he designed himself.  But the reality was that the Cowboys were bad last year, and only managed 6 wins.  This year they have a very young (including 1st round draft pick - OT Tyron Smith), but very talented OL, which could either make or break their year.  If they can protect QB Tony Romo for long enough, he will find their highly talented WR's Miles Austin and Dez Bryant.  Also if they RB well enough, RB Felix Jones is a very talented runner.

Their major problem on defence last year was their very average secondary.  They didn,t really do anything to address this, so this will also be a key to their season.  In a very tough division, with alot of questions about all the teams, the Cowboys could easily win this division, but I don't expect them to.


New York Giants

Last Season : 10 - 6



Drafted Players

1st Round - Prince Amukamara C
2nd Round - Marvin Austin DL
3rd Round - Jerrel Jernigan WR
4th Round - James Brewer DL
6th Round - Greg Jones LB
6th Round - Tyler Sash S
6th Round - Jacquian Williams LB
7th Round - Da'Rel Scott RB

Players in

David Baas
David Carr QB
Andre Brown RB
Ben Patrick TE
Steve Weatherford P
Stacey Andrews OG
David Baas C
Spencer Paysinger LB
Derrick Martin S

Players out

Sinorice Moss WR
Steve Smith WR
Kevin Boss TE
Ben Patrick TE
Barry Cofield DT
Gerris Wilkinson LB
The Giants had a good 10 win season last year, but I can't see them getting anywhere near that number this.  This is a very close division, so I understand anything can happen, but the Giants have to many questions for my liking.  The Giants have for years had the same OL.  Everybody knows what they have to do, and they have been very successful.  This year though it is almost a completely different unit.  It will be very interesting to see how quickly they gel.  If they don't gel quick, this offence could be in trouble.  QB Eli Manning threw 25 INT's last year, and if pressure is getting to him with more regularity, expect this number to go up.  Also, who is he throwing the ball to??  Gone are last years main WR Steve Smith and TE Kevin Boss.  The Giants need someone to step up and make some catches.

The Giants, like the Cowboys, had problems in the secondary last year.  So much so that they went out, and drafted CB Prince Amukamara in the 1st Round.  This was seen as a huge upgrade, as 'The Prince' is a fantastic player.  They only problem is that Amukamara fractured a bone in his foot, and will likely miss most of the season.  The saving grace for the Giants is that they have a very good DL.  The pressure that that group can put on a QB helps to mask the problems in the secondary.  I think the Giants finish behind both the Cowboys and the Eagles this year.


Philadelphia Eagles

Last Season : 10 - 6



Drafted Players

1st Round - Danny Watkins OL
2nd Round - Jaiquawn Jarrett DB
3rd Round - Curtis Marsh DB
4th Round - Casey Matthews LB
4th Round - Alex Henery K
5th Round - Dion Lewis RB
5th Round - Julian Vandervalde OL
6th Round - Jason Kelce OL
6th Round - Brian Rolle LB
7th Round - Greg Lloyd
7th Round - Stanley Havili

Players in

Nnamdi Asomugha
Vince Young QB
Ronnie Brown RB
Derrick Lowe RB
Johnnie Lee-Higgins WR
Ronald Johnson WR
Sinorice Moss WR
Steve Smith WR
Anthony Hill TE
Donald Lee TE
Ryan Harris OT
Kyle DeVan OG
Evan Mathis OG
Jason Babin DL
Marlon Favorite DL
Anthony Hargrove DL
Cullen Jenkins DL
Derek Landri DL
Nnamdi Asomugha CB
Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie CB
Jared Page S

Players out

John Nalbone TE
David Akers K
Durant Brooks P
Sav Rocca P
Stewart Bradley LB
Omar Gaither LB
Ernie Sims LB
Dimitri Paterson CB
Quinton Mikell S

The Eagles were the big story of the offseason.  After getting 10 wins last year, but again failing in the playoffs, they have gone all out to win this year.  This should be good for HC Andy Reid, but if he doesn't bring a Superbowl to Philly in February, I feel he may be looking for a new job.  The Eagles gave out a big contract extension to their QB Micheal Vick, ans surrounded him with even more talent.  RB Ronnie Brown has come in from Miami to back up LeSean McCoy, and a number of WR's have been bought in (including Giants WR Steve Smith) to add to the already impressive stable.  This offence should be capable of alot of points.

The defensive side of the ball has also seen dramatic improvements.  CB Nnamdi Asomugha was seen as the best player available in the free agency period, and the Eagles landed him.  They also traded back up QB Kevin Kolb to the Cardinals, in exchange for CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie.  These 2, added to Asante Samuel, make the Eagles CB's the best in the league.  They did also add to the DL.  Jason Babbin and Cullen Jenkins will help to put opposing QB's under alot of pressure, and with the talent in the secondary, lookout for lots of turnovers.  The main difficulty for the Eagles will be getting the players to all gel together as a team, as there has been so many new faces.  I expect that they may struggle early in the year, but as the season goes on, they will become a very dominant team.  I fully expect them to win this division.


Washington Redskins

Last Season : 6 - 10



Drafted Players

1st Round - Ryan Kerrigan DE
2nd Round - Jarvis Jenkins DL
3rd Round - Leonard Hankerson WR
4th Round - Roy Helu RB
5th Round - Dejon Gomes RB
5th Round - Niles Paul WR
6th Round - Evan Royster RB
6th Round - Aldrick Robinson WR
7th Round - Brandyn Thompson DB
7th Round - Maurice Hurt OL
7th Round - Markus Wright DE
7th Round - Chris Neild DT

Players in

Tim Hightower
Kellen Clemens QB
Matt Gutierrez QB
Tim Hightower RB
Donte Stallworth WR
Derek Schoumen TE
Jammal Brown OT
Sean Locklear OT
Chris Chester OG
Eric Olsen OG
Donovan Raiola OL
Chris Baker DL
Stephen Bowen DL
Barry Cofield DL
Keyaron Fox LB
Rocky McIntosh LB
Nate Ness CB
Josh Wilson CB
Oshiomogho Atogwe S

Players out

Andre Brown RB
Keiland Williams FB
Maurice Price WR
Glenn Pakulak P
Stephan Heyer OT
Derrick Dockery OG
Andre Carter LB
Carlos Rodgers CB

The Redskins struggled alot last year, winning just 6 games.  I do think that they have improved in some areas, but not enough to get them off the bottom of this division.  One of the main problems I have with this team is the fact that it took them so long to name a starting QB.  They got the decision right in the end, choosing Rex Grossman, but why did it take until just a couple of days ago.  I believe that an offence needs to know who their QB is, so that they can start to develop some chemistry, coming into the new season.  The Redskins need this chemistry more than alot of teams, because their WR's are hardly world beaters.  WR Santana Moss will do what he does, but Donte Stallworth and Anthony Armstrong will hardly scare anyone.  Luckily for the 'Skins O, RB Tim Hightower (in from the Cardinals) has looked very impressive in the preseason.

The Redskins defence has looked alot better than I expected during the preseason.  They have bought in Barry Cofield from the Giants and drafted Ryan Kerrigan (1st Round) and Jarvis Jenkins (2nd Round) who will defiantly help to improve the DL.  They lost CB Carlos Rodgers, but have bought in Nate Ness and Josh Wilson to try and cover this.  The signing I really like though is S Oshiomogho Atogwe.  If the new guys upfront get some pressure and force the QB to throw early, lookout for Atogwe.  He could have alot of INT's this year.  This defence will keep the Redskins in alot of games, but I think the offence won't be able to win many for them.

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