Eagles 31 Falcons 35

The 'Game of the Week' for week 2 took place in the Georgia Dome on Sunday Night Football.  The Eagles and the Falcons are expected to be 2 of the top teams in the NFC, and this was seen as an early look at a possible playoff game in January.  The Falcons needed to bounce back following last weeks loss in Chicago, and the 'dream team' Eagles were looking to get their 2nd road win of the year.  The added storyline here was the return of QB Michael Vick to Atlanta.  Vick hadn't played in Atlanta since he was sacked by the team, following his conviction, and subsequent jailing, for dog fighting activities.

Vick left the field with a concussion

As expected, Vick heard the boos from the Atlanta crowd that used to worship him, from the first time he stepped on the field.  It didn't bother Vick though, as he threw for 242 yards and 2 TD's in the first 3 quarters.  On a play late in the 3rd quarter, Vick dropped back to pass, before being hit by a couple of Atlanta defenders, and his head bounced off one of his OL.  Vick fell to the floor and suffered a concussion.  As he was walking to the locker room, the Atlanta crowd jeered him, before Vick reminded them, with a point to the scoreboard, that the Eagles were up by 10 points.  Backup QB Vince Young was inactive due to a hamstring injury, so it was up to 3rd string QB Mike Kafka, to preserve the Eagles lead.

The Eagles played very well throughout this game.  RB LeSean McCoy ran for 95 yards, but it was the DL that was really impressive.  DE Trent Cole in particular was causing chaos in the Falcons backfield.  But it was the turnovers that finally cost the Eagles.  Vick threw an INT, and lost 2 fumbles, all leaving Eagles points on the field.  Falcons QB Matt Ryan didn't have the best day through the air, throwing for just 195 yards, but he did have 4 TD passes.  RB Michael Turner really helped the Falcons cause in their comeback.  He had a total of 114 yards including a 61 yard run that helped set up the game winning TD.

Kafka almost led the Eagles to victory

The Eagles did have one last chance to sneak the win, in the last 4 minutes.  Kafka had to start from his own 9, but put together a great drive, including a 43 yard pass completion to WR Jeremy Maclin.  It was 4th and 4 at the Atlanta 4 with just under 2 minutes left when Kafka dropped back to pass, hitting Maclin in the chest, and the ball fell to the ground sealing the win for the Falcons. 

This win was a great reaction by the Falcons following last week, and has made me feel alot better about them being my Superbowl pick.  The Eagles are a very talented team, and will win alot of games as the season goes on.  I would love to see this match up again in January.

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.

Thursday Nights Highlights

Here are the highlights from last nights games

Patriots @ Buccaneers



Eagles @ Steelers

Thursday Pre Season Storylines

Tomorrow night will see the beginning of the pre-season.  Five games will happen tomorrow night, with the rest of the teams playing over the weekend.  Here we can take a look at the story lines, and things to look out for in each game.

Jaguars @ Patriots

The big talking point for the visiting Jaguars here is who will be the starting QB.  Previous starter David Garrard injured his back last week at training camp, therefore all eyes turn to rookie Blaine Gabbert.  Gabbert was selected 10th overall in the draft in April, but I'm sure the Jaguars didn't expect him to start so soon.  It will be interesting to see how he copes against a decent Pats defence here.  3rd string QB Luke McCown and recently signed Todd Bouman will back up the rookie.

The Patriots have added many very interesting pieces through the off-season, and it will be great to see how they put them all together.  WR Chad Ochocinco will look to make an instant impact in what is a very talented offence, and look to cement himself as one of Tom Brady's favorite targets.  On the defensive side of the ball I'm really looking forward to seeing what kind of impact DT Albert Haynesworth can make.  Haynesworth's stay in Washington was full of controversy, but if anyone can kick him into shape, the Patriots can.  The formation will suit, lets see what happens. 

Ravens @ Eagles

The visiting Ravens have a few questions to answer on offence.  With the departure of TE Todd Heap, and WR Derrick Mason who will QB Joe Flacco look for?  One player who looks set for a huge year is RB Ray Rice.  He is a great pass catching RB, and with the addition of FB Vonta Leach (who is a fantastic lead blocker) he should be able to run the ball more effectively than ever.  He also has a new spell back in Ricky Williams.  Flacco though, needs someone else to throw the ball to.  Who will it be?

The Eagles will be able to showcase to their hometown crowd, their vastly changed roster.  There is now a whole lot of pressure on the Eagles following all of their additions, and talk of them being a 'dream team'.  This will be our first look at their new look defence (including new CB's Nnamdi Asomugha and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, as well as DT Cullen Jenkins).  Also it will be interesting to see what kind of playbook new back up QB Vince Young will run.

Seahawks @ Chargers - live on ESPN UK

The visiting Seahawks have a whole host of new faces on offence, and I can't wait to see what they look like.  New QB Tavaris Jackson has alot of pressure on him.  Following the departure of veteran Matt Hasselbeck, HC Pete Carroll decided that Jackson was his guy, but many Seahawks fans aren't convinced.  Tarvaris did though bring his favorite target with him from Minnesota, WR Syndey Rice.  Will he help Jackson through?

The main question surrounding the Chargers is what is going to happen at the RB position.  Ryan Matthews showed promise in his rookie season last year, before getting injured.  Mike Tolbert stepped in last year, and played very well.  Will Tolbert stay as the number 1?  Will Matthews be given that role back? Or will they split time?

Broncos @ Cowboys

There is only one thing being talked about in Denver at the moment, Who is the starting QB?  Kyle Orton was on the trading block once the lockout was lifted, and it seemed that the Tim Tebow era was going to begin.  But as no trade was executed, and with Orton out performing Tebow at training camp, Orton seems to be the starter, against many of the fans wishes.  There are reports coming out of Broncos camp that not only Kyle Orton is performing better than Tebow, Brady Quinn is also.

This is a huge year for the Cowboys.  Following a very poor season last year, the very passionate fans will accept nothing less than drastic improvement from Americas team.  QB Tony Romo is back, with all of his major players (WR's Miles Austin, Dez Bryant and TE Jason Witten) and they have to put up points.  But the area the Cowboys need to improve most is their pass defence.  Their secondary was shocking last year.  Have they made the nessiciary improvements?

Cardinals @ Raiders

Of course the big talking point with the Cardinals is new addition QB Kevin Kolb.  Kolb played well in Philly last year when he started, and the Card's payed a high price for him, so here comes the pressure.  I expect him to look for star WR Larry Fitzgerald early and often here, and for the rest of the year.

The Raiders are - the Raiders.  I sadly think that they may have taken a step back this year, thanks to the loss of TE Zach Miller, who was their top receiver last year.  RB Michael Bush is back to share the load with Darren McFadden, and those 2 will have to carry the offence in my opinion.  I hope for Raiders fans sake, that I'm wrong.

So thats what to look out for Thursday night, check back tomorrow, and take a look at what we will be looking out for on Friday night.  If you agree or dis-agree with any of these points let me know email - nflgbview@googlemail.com twitter -  nflgbview or leave a comment.

Game of the Week

Colts 24 Eagles 26

The 'Game of the Week' and the late game on Sky from week 9 came from Philly.  It was a clash between the best QB in the league (Colts - Peyton Manning) and one that is probably the most exciting on his day (Eagles - Micheal Vick).  Vick was returning following a month out sidelined with a rib injury.  The Eagles were on their bye last week and had therefore had plenty of time to prepare for Manning and co.  The Colts, who had played against the Texans on Monday night, had plenty of injuries all over the field, and there was concern at the fact they had only had a short week.  The first play from scrimmage in the game seemed to show the difference in conditioning between the 2 teams as Eagles RB Lesean McCoy scampered for 62 yards, to the Indianapolis 10 yard line.  Just 2 plays later Vick found the other returning superstar WR DeSean Jackson, for a 9 yard TD pass.

The Eagles were concerned all week leading up to this game about the ability of Peyton Manning, but on just his 2nd pass of the game, CB Asante Samuel picked him off, and the Eagles turned that into a K David Akers FG, 10 - 0 Eagles, with just over 3 minutes off the clock.  The Colts did manage to sustain a bit of a drive on their next possession, but eventually had to punt.  Vick and the Eagles answered with another big play to WR Jackson, this time for 58 yards, and the Eagles were back within striking distance.  The Eagles were unable to get a TD here, even though they were in the redzone, but still had a commanding 13 - 0 lead after just 1 quarter.

Manning and the Colts then started to drive as Manning continually found TE Jacob Tamme (in for injured star TE Dallas Clark) and WR Reggie Wayne.  He eventually found Tamme from 3 yards, 13 - 7.  The Eagles though answered straight back.  Vick scrambled for 24 yards, before finding WR Jason Avant for 34 yards, and moved into the red zone.  Their red zone woes continued though and they had to settle for a 2nd David Akers FG, to give them a 9 point lead.  Manning though was in no mood to be out done, as he returned to the field with just 6 minutes till the half, but drove down field before RB Javarris James (cousin of former Colts RB Edgerrin) punched it in from the 6 yard line.  He also managed to get into position, after a poor series from the Eagles, for K Adam Vinateri to kick a FG.  17 - 16 Colts at the break.

The 3rd quarter didn't quite live up to the play in the first half, as there was only one score, another FG from the Eagles, from 44 yards.  There was quite a lot of good defence from there on in as punts rained in from both teams.  The Eagles did though start the 4th quarter with a bang as QB Vick went in on a QB keeper from 1 yard out.  Both teams had long drives that resulted in punts, before the Colts got back to within 2 points thanks to RB James going in for his 2nd TD of the day from 1 yard, but we were already after the 2 minute warning.  The Colts did get the ball back for one last chance though, but on a 3rd and 10 from their own 41 yard line, Manning was picked off for a 2nd time by CB Samuel, and the game was over.

The Eagles were very impressive in this game.  They showed they have big play ability, and can stop even the best teams.  They need to work on their red zone offence, but now have a legitimate shout at being the best team in the NFC.  The next 2 games should tell the tale for them as they play the Redskins and Giants in 2 HUGE NFC East games.  The Colts don't need to worry to much about this loss.  Even though they are banged up, and were nowhere near as fresh as the Eagles, they still managed to hang around.  Manning will win a lot of games for this team the rest of the way.

Game of the Week

Redskins 17 Eagles 14

The eyes of the NFL world were on Philadelphia this Sunday to watch the return of Donovan McNabb.  There were questions from a number of people, including me, to how the locals would greet the returning QB, and I'm glad to say the Eagles fans were very classy.  I wrote an article before the game on Sunday highlighting just what McNabb had done for the Eagles in his 11 year career there, and I was very happy to hear the cheers for him as he was announced before the game.  The Philly crowd is a notoriously tough one, but well done Eagles fans!!  There were embraces between McNabb and many of his former teammates, notably a big hug from opposing QB Micheal Vick, before kickoff also.

Once the game started of course, the Eagles fans jumped down McNabb's throat, and the boos rained in.  The Redskins though, started really fast, and were hitting hard.  The first TD of the day came on a 12 yard run by Ryan Torain, who ran through Eagles S Quintin Mikell on his way to the endzone.  This bull dozing run from Torain summed up just what kind of mood the Redskins were in, and before the Eagles could figure out what was happening McNabb found TE Chris Cooley for 31 yards, and a 14 - 0 lead after 1.

The Eagles opened the 2nd quarter with a 49 yard FG, following good play from Vick with both his arm, and his legs.  Vick though did get injured on this drive as he had a 23 yard scramble, and as he dived for the line he got sandwiched by 2 Redskins defenders.  This collision caused a rib injury, and kept Vick out for the rest of the game.  The Redskins though went straight back down the field, including a McNabb 57 yard bomb to WR Anthony Armstrong, and added a FG of their own from 26 yards making it 17 - 3.  Kevin Kolb, the QB that the Eagles chose over McNabb came into the game.  On his first play from scrimmage Kolb fumbled the snap, but luckily managed to recover the ball himself.  The Eagles then slowly moved down the field and added another FG, to make the game 17 - 6 at half time.

The 3rd quarter was littered with mistakes.  McNabb had a pass for Joey Galloway INT by Eagles rookie S Nate Allen,  LeSean McCoy had the ball knocked out of his hands as he ran towards the goal line, so the score remained 17 - 6 going into the 4th.  The Redskins managed to run a lot of the clock down in the 4th before finally Kolb and the Eagles offence got a chance to put point on the board with around 7.30 to go.  The Eagles went no huddle, and marched down the field before Kolb found TE Brent Celek with a 5 yard TD pass.  The Eagles, now trailing 17 - 12, decided to go for a 2 point conversion, in order to make it a FG (3 point) game.  The attempt failed, so the Redskins had a TD lead with just 4 minutes left in the game.  The Redskins dug in and kept the ball for around 3 minutes, but Kolb and the Eagles offence had one last chance, with 1.07 on the clock.  With the help of a couple of laterals, Kolb got the Eagles to the 32 and had one last chance.  Kolb bought time and heaved the ball into the endzone.  The ball went straight into the hands of WR Jason Avant, but he couldn't hold on, and Redskins CB DeAngelo Hall INT the tipped ball, and the Redskins had the win. 

This must have been a very sweet moment for McNabb.  His new Redskins team had understood just what this game meant to him, and had raised their game to help him get the 'W'.   He had shown the Eagles organisation just what they were missing, and now with Vick injured, do you reckon the would take him back if they could?

McNaab back in Philly

You may be wondering what all the fuss is about this weekends game in Philadelphia.  OK its the Eagles against division rival Washington Redskins, and also some QB is returning to play against the Eagles for the first time in his career, whats so special about that??  Well I will try and explain to you the magnitude of this return, and why this game is so big.

Donovan McNabb was drafted by the Eagles in the 1999 draft, and McNabb received a series of boos from Eagles fans present.  These Eagles fans wanted the Eagles to select RB Edgerrin James, and felt that a QB was not what the organisation required.  Here was the birth of the McNabb legend.  He started 6 games in the '99 season, but took part in 12, and did enough to win the starting spot for the 2000 season.  This season was a fantastic one for the young QB, who threw for 3,365 passing yards and rushed for 629 yards with a combined 27 TD's.  This led the Eagles to a 11 - 5 record, and a wildcard spot in the playoffs.  The Giants ended this run in the divisional round of the playoffs, but what a start for McNabb.

McNabbs 3rd year in Philly saw the Eagles go to another 11 - 5 record, which won them their 1st division title for 13 years.  The streak didn't stop here as the Eagles beat the Buccaneers and the Bears to go into their first NFC title game for 21 years.  They lost this game against the Rams, but what an impact their young QB was making, and even so, the Philadelphia fans were still not convinced. 

The Eagles went on to take the divisional crown and advance to the NFC championship game for the next 3 years.  They even went to the Superbowl in 2004, where they lost 24 - 21 to the defending champion Patriots.  This was the criticism of McNabb in Philly.  The fans believed that McNabb had all the talent around him, but couldn't get it done in the big game.  The Eagles made playoff appearances in '06, '08 and '09, advancing to the championship game in '08 where they lost to the Arizona Cardinals.

So lets just put McNabb's career in Philly into perspective, in 10 seasons there, he made 8 playoff appearances, won 5 NFC East Championships, went to 5 NFC Championship games winning 1, and appeared in 1 Superbowl.  This to me is a 'Hall of Fame' career, even though he never managed to win the 'Big Game'.  Donovan McNabb gave his absolute all in Philly for 10 years, and was never appreciated for the success he bought to the team.

The Eagles decided to trade McNabb last year as they wanted to move in a different direction with young QB Kevin Kolb.  Now I have no problem with Kevin Kolb, but he lasted just 15 plays in the opening game with the Packers this year before having to leave with a concussion.  This is a very unfortunate injury, but may just point out that McNabb was working with a poor O Line in Philly, and was raising the performance of the whole team.  Veteran QB Michael Vick came in to replace Kolb, and now, even with Kolb back from injury, Vick is still the starter.  So where does this leave McNabb.  He was traded from the city he loved, and gave his career to, so this young hot shot could come in.  Now after just 15 plays, that young hotshot has lost his job to Michael Vick.  Vick is doing a good job at the moment, but do you think Eagles head coach Andy Reid would take McNabb back if he could??  I do!  Just to add more fuel to the fire, Vick would not even be in Philly if it wasn't for McNabb.  When Vick came out of prison for his dog fighting conviction it was McNaab that convinced Andy Reid and the Eagles organisation to bring in Vick.  McNabb took Vick under his wing, and happily split time with the former Falcons QB last year.  Now Vick has his job.  Add to this that the Eagles also traded McNabb to a division rival, knowing full well that they would have to play him twice a year, and you have got a very, very explosive game in prospect.

I hope now that you all have a bit more of an insight into what this game means this weekend.  I know players go back to play their former teams quite often, but you have to admit, this one has a special edge to it.  Enjoy it people, I know I can't wait!

The Keys to Training camp - NFC East

Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys finished 2009 as the division winner, with a 11 - 5 record.  They then did something that they had failed to do since 1996, they won a playoff game.  They beat the Eagles at home, before going on the road to Minnesota, and getting hammered 34 - 3.  Obviously the playoff win was a big relief for Wade Phillips, Tony Romo and co, but what do they need to get to the next level?

 Who will be the starting WR opposite Miles Austin?

Last year the Cowboys cut T.O in the off season, as they believed that WR Roy Williams (picked up in a trade form Detroit) was going to be the answer.  Williams however struggled throughout 2009, having just 38 catches for 596 yards and 7 TD's.  These numbers may not seem to bad, but when you consider that the Cowboys were the 6th ranked pass offence in the league, its obvious Roy was not the number 1 guy.  Those honours went to little known WR Miles Austin.  I have to admit, at the beginning of last season, I didn't know who Miles Austin was.  Now after his breakout year of 81 catches for over 1,300 yards and 11 TD's, I consider Austin as one of the best WR's in the league.  This past draft, the Cowboys took WR Dez Bryant (pictured) who was perceived as the best WR in the draft.  What does this mean for Williams?  Who will start opposite Austin?  Training camp should give us some ideas.

Can they protect Romo better?

Romo sacked again!!

 A major problem the Cowboys encountered last year was that they struggled to keep Tony Romo upright.  In the Vikings playoff game especially, the talented Vikings D line ran riot.  The Cowboys also released long serving LT Flozel Adams this off season.  It will be very interesting to see how his replacement, either Doug Free or Alex Barron, cope in camp.  Also it will be interesting to see how they plan on stopping sacks occurring.  There is one good thing for the O-Line, they will get very good practice in camp, going against the sack machine that is DeMarcus Ware.

Can their secondary improve?

 The disappointing thing on the defensive side of the football for the Cowboys last year was their poor play at times against the pass.  Last year they ranked 4th against the run, but then 20th against the pass.  With the QB's that are present in this division (Manning, Kolb and McNaab) this is not good enough.  Also coming in to camp they have a couple of niggling injuries to CB's Mike Jenkins and Orlando Scandrick.  This will put even more pressure on the rest of the secondary, Terrence Newman included (pictured), to improve this phase of the game.


New York Giants

The Giants finished last year with a very disappointing 8 - 8 record, which left them 3rd in the division, and out of the playoffs.  After starting an impressive 5 - 0, the wheels came off the Giants season and they went on a 6 game losing streak.  A strange stat that should be thrown in here, although they had a poor year, the Giants managed to beat the division winning Cowboys in both meetings - strange!

What will be the situation with the running backs?

Last season the Giants seemed to have problems with a phase of their game that has pretty much being a staple of their offence for years, the run game.  Brandon Jacobs (pictured) only managed 3.7 yards per carry and 5 TD's.  Ahmad Bradshaw had a better year rushing for almost 800 yards and 7 TD's.  This may well be a battle in camp.  These 2 players are completely different, Jacobs is a heavyweight downhill runner, and Bradshaw is more of a speed back.  But I believe that the Giants may well decide to go with Bradshaw as the number 1 back full time, if he proves his worth in camp.

Who will be the starting Middle Linebacker?

This was a major question a few weeks ago, since then though, the Giants have bought in former Titans MLB Keith Bulluck.  The Giants lost MLB Antonio Peirce at the end of last year, he had to retire due to medical reasons.  The Giants were expected address this situation, but they lost out to the Dolphins over Karlos Dansby, and then they didn't select a LB until the 4th round of the draft.  Bulluck has been bought in now though, so the thing to look out for at training camp is how he will settle in and take to the system.

Will the secondary tighten up?

The Giants secondary was hit by the injury bug last year.  Aaron Ross and Kenny Phillips were missing for a big chunk of the year, and this caused them to continually give up big plays.  They ranked 14th against the pass last year, which obviously isn't to bad, but I remember them constantly being beat over the top, especially by Eagles WR DeSean Jackson.  The Giants have obviously recognised this fact by bringing in S Antrel Rolle from Arizona.  This off season it will be interesting to see how both Rolle and Bulluck fit into this defence.



 
Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles finished last season in 2nd place in the division with a 11 - 5 record.  This was good enough for a wildcard.  They also lost this game, which was the Cowboys first playoff win since 1996.  How do the Eagles take themselves past the Cowboys in the NFC East? 

How will Kevin Kolb perform in his first year as a starter?

The Philadelphia Eagles decided during the off season that it was the right time to turn to the QB of the future - Kevin Kolb.  Donavan McNaab was traded away to the division rival Washington Redskins, and the team was handed over to Kolb.  The question is weather Kolb is quite ready yet.  McNaab knows this offence like the back of his hand, and still struggled at times.  It is concerning that a young player that is trying to learn the system may struggle at first.  The pre-season games should tell us a lot about weather or not Kolb is ready for the big time, if he is not, it might just be to late, and the Eagles could be in for a long season.

How will the secondary look?

The pressure on the Eagles secondary has been building now for the past couple of years.  Legendary S Brian Dawkins was traded to the Broncos at the beginning of last season, and during this off season starting CB Sheldon Brown was traded to Cleveland.  This has obviously weakened this unit.  The Eagles will now be hoping that CB Ellis Hobbs (pictured) will be able to step in and start alongside Asante Samuel.  This is a very difficult position to fill in the Eagles defence, as the abilities of Asante Samuel mean that teams decide to throw away from him.  This will make Hobbs the prime target for the opposing teams to attack.  Is he up to the challenge?  Training camp will give us the answer.

Can the Offensive line improve?

The last 2 games of last year for the Eagles were a complete disaster against the Cowboys.  One of the main reasons for this was their complete inability to block for the QB - then Donavan McNaab.  They will definatly have to improve in this area if they are to give new QB Kevin Kolb a decent shot at settling in early in the year.  Jason Peters (pictured) is the LT and is seen by many as their best O-Linemen.  If no other players are bought in to support the line, Peters will have to step up and become a leader.  



 Washington Redskins

The Redskins finished last year at the bottom of the division, with a poor 4 - 12 record.  There were many reasons why they ended up with this record, and many questions hanging over them moving into this year.  Here are the main ones.


How will McNaab settle in?

Donavan McNaab is a legendary QB in the NFL.  I believe that one day number 5 will be in the Hall of Fame.  All of his career though he has been in Philadelphia, with Andy Reed.  The question that needs answering is, will he be able to pick up a different offence, with different terminology.  I don't for a second doubt McNaab's mental ability to take in the information, but its just a matter of how soon he can do it. As well as taking on all of this info, McNaab will also have to settle in a different city.  This may be a problem for a player who has spent a long time in Philly.



Who will McNaab throw to?

Not only is there the question of McNaab settling in, but maybe the more pressing issue is, who will McNaab throw the ball to.  He obviously has the very talented Chris Cooley at TE, and there is no question that the Redskins will try to run the ball when they can, but McNaab likes a deep threat WR.  Last year you saw time after time in Philly, McNaab would move around in the pocket, buy himself some time, and throw a huge bomb the length of the field for DeSean Jackson.  I don't believe the Redskins have a player with this ability.  The best WR on the roster is probably Santana Moss, with Devin Thomas and Malcolm Kelly behind him.  I expect the Redskins to run as much as possible, using Clinton Portis, Larry Johnson and 'fast' Willie Parker.  I then expect Chris Cooley to have a big year.  Will this be enough though to get out of this tough division.

What will happen with Albert Haynesworth?

Throughout the off season the Redskins have had problems keeping DT Albert Haynesworth happy.  Haynesworth came in during last off season, and signed a HUGE contract.  When in Tennessee Albert was a dominant 4 - 3 DT.  Now in Washington though, and now playing a 3 - 4 defence, Albert is not making all the plays, and is therefore not happy.  Haynesworth has not been present at any of the Redskins off season activities.  He has had a meeting with Head Coach Mike Shanahan in the last few days and it is reported he will be at training camp.  Shanahan though, unhappy about Haynesworths off season antics, has told him he must pass a fitness test before he can practice, and even when he does it will not be with the first team.  This will be an interesting situation to watch, because even though it is not always Hayneworths name on the stat sheet, the pressure he brings up the middle is vital to the success of this defence.


Check back tomorrow for a look at the NFC North.

Draft Previews

Cincinnati Bengals

Last season - 10 - 6 1st in AFC North


Team needs - TE, S, OL, DL, LB

Players in - Antonio Bryant WR.

Players out - Shaun Smith DT, Larry Johnson RB.

Draft Positions : 


1st Round : 21st pick
2nd Round : 22nd pick
3rd Round : 20th pick, 32nd pick
4th Round : 22nd pick, 33rd pick
5th Round : 21st pick
6th Round : 22nd pick
7th Round : 21st pick

Total : 9 picks

New England Patriots


Last season - 10 - 6 1st in AFC East


Team needs - LB, RB, TE, T, DE, CB


Players in - Damion Lewis DT, Alge Crumpler TE, Torry Holt WR, Marques Murrell LB.


Players out - Ben Watson TE, Jarvis Green DE, Chris Baker TE.

Draft Positions : 

1st Round : 22nd pick

2nd Round : 12th pick, 15th pick, 21st pick

4th Round : 21st pick

6th Round : 21st pick, 36th pick

7th Round : 22nd pick, 24th pick, 40th pick, 41st pick, 43rd pick

Total : 12 picks

Green Bay Packers


Last season - 11 - 5 2nd in NFC North

Team needs - OL, LB, S, CB

Players in - 


Players out - Matt Giodano DB, Aaron Kampman DE, Mike Montgomery DE.

Draft Positions : 

1st Round : 23rd pick

2nd Round : 24th pick

3rd Round : 22nd pick

4th Round : 24th pick

5th Round : 23rd pick, 38th pick

6th Round : 24th pick

7th Round : 23rd pick

Total : 8 picks

Philadelphia Eagles

Last season - 11 - 5 2nd in NFC East


Team needs RB, OL, DT, LB, S


Players in - Mike Bell RB, Hank Basket WR, Marlin Jackson CB.


Players out - Sean Jones FS, Will Witherspoon MLB, Jason Babin DE.

Draft Positions : 

1st Round : 24th pick

2nd Round : 5th pick, 23rd pick

3rd Round : 6th pick, 23rd pick

4th Round : 7th pick, 23rd pick

6th Round : 31st pick

7th Round : 36th pick, 37th pick

Total : 10 picks

Baltimore Ravens


Last season - 9 - 7 2nd in AFC North


Team needs - WR, QB, TE, C, DT, S, CB


Players in - Corey Redding DE.


Players out - Dean Edwards DE, Justin Bannan DE, Adam Terry T. 

Draft Positions : 

1st Round : 25th pick

2nd Round : 25th pick

5th Round : 25th pick, 26th pick

6th Round : 25th pick

Total : 5 picks

Arizona Cardinals


Last Season - 10 - 6 1st in NFC West 


Team needs - OL, DL, QB, TE, LB, RB, ILB, DT, S, CB


Players in - Derek Anderson QB, Joey Porter OLB, Paris Lennon OLB, Jay Feeley K, Rex Hadnot G.


Players out - Neil Rackers K, Jerheme Urban WR, Karlos Dansby MLB, Antrel Rolle S, Sean Morrey WR.

Draft Positions : 

1st Round : 26th pick

2nd Round : 26th pick

3rd Round : 24th pick, 25th pick

4th Round : 25th pick

6th Round : 26th pick

7th Round : 26th pick

Total : 7 picks

Dallas Cowboys


Last season - 11 - 5 1st in NFC East


Team needs - S, T, DE


Players in - 


Players out -

Draft Positions : 

1st Round : 27th pick

2nd Round : 27th pick

3rd Round : 26th pick

4th Round : 27th pick

6th Round : 27th pick

7th Round : 27th pick

Total : 6 picks

San Diego Chargers


Last season - 13 - 3 1st in AFC West


Team needs - RB, DL, C, CB, LB, S


Players in - Donald Strickland CB, Nathan Vasher CB, Marcus Mason RB.


Players out - Brandon Manumaleuna TE, Eric Ghiaciuc C, Jamal Williams NT, Kassim Osgood WR, LaDainian Tomlinson RB, Charlie Whitehurst QB.

Draft Positions : 

1st Round : 28th pick

2nd Round : 8th pick

3rd Round : 27th pick

4th Round : 28th pick

5th Round : 28th pick, 37th pick

7th Round : 28th pick

Total : 7 picks

New York Jets


Last season - 9 - 7 2nd in AFC East

Team needs - DE, CB, WR, RB, OLB, S


Players in - LaDainian Tomlinson RB, Antonio Cromartie CB, Jason Taylor LB, Lance Laury LB, Brodney Pool S, Santonio Holmes WR.


Players out - Jay Feeley K, Wallace Wright WR, Thomas Jones RB, Marques Murrell LB, Donald Strickland CB, Howard Green DT.

Draft Positions : 

1st Round : 29th pick

2nd Round : 29th pick

4th Round : 26th pick 

6th Round : 29th pick

7th Round : 29th pick

Total : 5 picks

Minnesota Vikings


Last season - 12 - 4 1st in NFC North


Team needs - S, CB, C, ILB, FS


Players in - Rhys Lloyd K, Mike Montgomery DE.


Players out - Chester Taylor RB, Karl Paymah CB, Artis Hicks G.

Draft Positions : 

1st Round : 30th pick

2nd Round : 30th pick

3rd Round : 29th pick

4th Round : 30th pick

5th Round : 30th pick, 36th pick

6th Round : 30th pick

7th Round : 30th pick

Total : 8 picks

Indianapolis Colts


Last season - 14 - 2 1st in AFC South


Team needs - T, G, DT, CB, OLB, FS

Players in - Adam Terry T, Andy Alleman G.


Players out - Aaron Francisco S, Tim Jennings CB, Ryan Lija G, Jim Sorgi QB, Hank Baskett WR, Marlin Jackson CB.

Draft Positions : 

1st Round : 31st pick

2nd Round : 31st pick

3rd Round : 30th pick

4th Round : 31st pick

5th Round : 31st pick

7th Round : 31st pick, 33rd pick, 39th pick

Total : 8 picks

New Orleans Saints


Last season - 13 - 3 1st in NFC South


Team needs OLB, DL, S, T


Players in - Jimmy Wilkerson DE, Alex Brown DE.


Players out - Scott Fujita LB, Mike Bell RB.

Draft Positions : 

1st Round : 32nd pick

2nd Round : 32nd pick

3rd Round : 31st pick

4th Round : 32nd pick

6th Round : 32nd pick

7th Round : 32nd pick

Total : 6 picks