NFC East - the Toughest Division in Football
Most of the divisions in the NFL this year seem fairly straight forward, at least at the top. There's little doubt, for example, that Seattle will win the NFC West, Indy will top the AFC South, or Denver and San Diego will scrap for the AFC West crown. It gets much more complicated, however, when you look at the NFC East. It doesn't take much digging to find an 'expert' that will make an argument that each of the four teams is destined to win it all. With all the different opinions it can be hard to figure out what will happen. I don't have firm answers, but I can look at best and worst-case scenarios for each team in the division. Part of the problem is that all of the teams have definite strengths, and they all have problems that make you pause. The odds are no help, either. The Cowboys are the current betting favorite to win it all at 8/5, but the gap between them and the fourth choice, the Redskins (11/4), is tiny. Compare that to the NFC West, where the Seahawks are 1/4 and the 49ers are 20/1 (and far from a bargain at that). Dallas Cowboys (8/5) Best case - Drew Bledsoe stays healthy and flourishes with all the offensive tools around him. Terrell Owens shows why he is worth all of the trouble. The ridiculously talented young defense grows into itself and dominates. Smart defensive moves, like shifting Greg Ellis from an undersized and overmatched defensive end to a strong side linebacker, will pay dividends. Twelve or 13 wins isn't out of the question. Home field would be a huge advantage for this team in the playoffs. Worst case - Owens explodes. The team is very vulnerable without him. Terry Glenn is a much better fit as a second choice than the primary receiver, and no one else on the roster is ready to step into the No. 2 spot. Running back could be another issue. Julius Jones and Marion Barber are both reasonably talented, but neither have so far shown that teams need to be scared of them like they do a true premier back. DeMarcus Ware is being relied upon to be a foundation of the 3-4 offense for years to come, but he slumped a bit midseason last year before picking it up again at the end. Tony Romo looked great in the preseason, but he has no regular season experience, and the game is different when teams actually care. A Bledsoe injury would definitely set the team back. Back as far as six or seven total wins. My guess - I think Parcells will keep it together so he can go out on a high note. Owens will be fine this season, just like he was in his first year in Philly. I think they win 11 games and take the division. New York Giants (9/4) Best Case - Eli Manning keeps progressing, while his main weapon, Tiki Barber, contributes like he did last year and Jeremy Shockey gets his head together and steps up his game. The addition of several defensive players, highlighted by big name LB LaVarr Arrington, fixes the problems the team had. The D-line is still the sack machine it has been for a few years now. The team wins 11 or 12 games. Worst case - They fall behind with a tough start to the season (Indianapolis, at Philadelphia, at Seattle) and never recover. The players brought in to fix the disastrous pass defense - R.W. McQuarters and Sam Madison - show their age and don't plug the holes which desperately need to be plugged. Manning doesn't advance significantly from last season, perhaps not fully recovered by a disastrous end to last season. Arrington hasn't significantly contributed to a team for at least two seasons, and it's more than possible that he may not be able to. Tiki Barber shows his age and can't maintain the offensive pace that was crucial to last year's success. The team only wins six or seven games. My guess - Manning is solid, but not substantially better than last year. Barber shows some age and his production tails off to merely mortal levels. The defensive secondary will be better, but still far from elite. The Giants win nine games and make a strong claim for a wild card spot. Philadelphia Eagles (5/2) Best case - Last year is just a mulligan and the team moves on and returns to earlier glory days. The offensive line is improved, the defense is deep if not overwhelming and they start the season healthy. If they can stay that way, they will already be way ahead of last season. The defense was terrible last year, but draft picks and free agents should reverse that trend. Before last year the team had won at least 11 in five straight seasons. They could do the same thing again. Worst case - The injury bug is still in the system. The schedule could be too much for the team - besides the divisional rivals they play Carolina, Indy and Tampa Bay. The offense is better but still not good enough. They only end up with seven wins. My guess - Owens is gone, but they didn't really replace him. Without a primary target it could be a long year for McNabb. The Eagles would be a decent team in most conferences, but I don't see how they compete in this one. A record of 8-8 would be a success and the playoffs are out of the question in my mind. Washington Redskins (11/4) Best case - Al Saunders joins Joe Gibbs' staff after five seasons in Kansas City. He turned the Chiefs into an offensive powerhouse, and made superstars out of both Priest Holmes and Larry Johnson. Clinton Portis has the tools to become even better under Saunders. The receiving corps is much better with the additions of Antwaan Randle El and Brandon Lloyd, and TE Chris Cooley continues to improve. The pass rush is acceptable and the defensive secondary is very good. The team could win 10 games and make the playoffs as a wild card. Worst case - Mark Brunell struggles like he did at the end of last season, and no one else is ready to take his place. The Saunders offense performs more like it did in preseason (no points by the first team offense) than it did in Kansas City. Portis doesn't bounce back from his preseason shoulder injury as fast as anyone hoped. The team struggles to 6 wins. My guess - I don't get a good feeling from the 'Skins. Too many questions, especially at QB. I expect seven or eight wins and a new coach next season.
Other Football Tips Articles
Not Every Day Is Game Day! Years ago I had a sales manager who used to be a professional football player.One of his favorite expressions was "Not every day is game day"Foot ball players aren't playing the Superbowl every day. In fact, they aren't even playing a regular season game every day. 6 out of 7 days a week they are "preparing for Game Day." ...The Big Ten Report - Big Ten Game of the Year Edition Last Saturday, the Big Ten Conference featured five predictable outcomes and one surprising upset. The top three teams flexed their muscle while winning by a combined 74 points, and Michigan and Ohio State inched closer to a dream match-up of two 12-0 programs doing battle for a berth in the BCS Title Game. The following will recap the highlight ...The 5 P's of Success Success.Most people want it and have even experienced a measure of it.But how to achieve success seems to be the troubling question. What most of us don't realize is that we already know the keys to success, we just don't know that we know.Here's what I mean. Think of an area of your life in which you have had success and/or ...NFL Week Two Part One In part one of our NFL week two preview, we will look at four NFL games. I'll review the following games: Bills at Dolphins, Panthers at Vikings, Browns at Bengals, and Lions at Bears. Is there such a thing as a must win game this early in the season? For a couple of these teams, that's a very real reality. Let's take a look.Buffalo Bills ...Tips for Finding the Best Online Casinos You don’t need to come to Vegas in order to get some money from casino plays. There are a lot of online casinos that offer you great possibility to play online and even get some cash. I really hope that you do not get addicted to the action. No matter of what you're into, you can find a great list of online casinos available for players on the n ...Setting Up Your Display Case One of the best ways to display photographs, memorabilia and other prized possessions is by using a display case. When properly done, a display case can showcase your collectables for all to see in an elegant manner. Man has used display cases since the dawn of time to show off private possessions. Fortunately today there are hundreds of differ ...No-Limit Texas Hold 'Em Poker Tips and Strategy Being successful at the game of no-limit Texas Hold'em poker is no easy goal to accomplish. It requires both skill and mental prowess to be a poker playing pro. As with anything else, luck plays a small role, but the skilled player often is able to work their way around a run of bad luck with minimal effort. There are numerous resources availabl ...Excitement With The NFL Draft 2006 It is time once again to hold the NFL draft and pick college athletes that want to go into the professional football league. Each year, hundreds of hopefuls meet to show sports scouts what they can offer to a pro ball team about ten weeks before the actual draft takes place. They are tested, not only by their ability to play ball, but are also g ...Youth Football Quarterback Tips 1) The quarterback must exude confidence and take on a leadership role.2) Confidence will come from many hours of study to completely understand the both his offense and the opposing defense.3) Handoffs are the responsibility of the quarterback. Be sure to put the ball underneath the running back's inside elbow and don't let go unt ...How To Turn Your Golfing Pastime Into A Ticket To College Do you love the game of golf? Is being out in the sun trying to capture that elusive hole in one, a dream come true? Why not put your skills to use and gain a scholarship to the college or university of your choice?Did you even know that many colleges and universities offer golf scholarships? You are not alone. Few realize that a passion ...New Coaches In The NFL A new season has prompted new leadership from several NFL franchises. There isn't anything particularly different about this year's batch of staffing changes. Coaching staffs come and go as frequently as Seattle rain, but this year's batch of rookie coaches have more to deal with than new coachs of the past.Dallas is reconstructing their ...Fitting Tips For Swim Wear When buying a suit for competitive or serious swimming, the most important thing to remember is fit. Because you'll be spending a considerable amount of time in your suit, you want to make sure you'll be able to move comfortably without hindering your movement through the water. Here is what you should look for to achieve a good, comfortable f ...Different Types of Fantasy Football Leagues Interest in fantasy football is growing by leaps and bounds. If you are interested in owning a fantasy football team, one of the most important decisions you will need to make will be in regards to the type of league you should join. There are many different types of fantasy football leagues and it is important to make the right decision. Read o ...Can Manchester United Win The Premiership This Season? I have just watched another afternoon of top class premiership football. I have to say that I love to not only watch but also play to football and have done so since a very early age. I support a team which was actually relegated from the English premiership last season in Birmingham City but am wondering tonight whether Man United can win the t ...Minnesota Vikings 2006 Preview The Minnesota Vikings have won 9 games per season for the past three years. It's been a while since they have broken that mark. Could this year be the one? In the weakened NFC, winning 9 games just might get you into the playoffs. The Vikings caused off-season waves by signing OG Steve Hutchinson. They also let QB Daunte Culpepper go.Quar ...Read This Article If You Like Sports Are you one of the over two hundred of million Americans who like sports? Sports is a big industry and there are so many types of sports that nearly everyone can find something they like. There is Soccer, Baseball, Football, wrestling, hockey, NASCAR, Golf, sports fishing, bowling, bicycle racing and extreme sports. And we have added card playin ...Indiana Real Estate - Racing, Amateur Sports, and College Football Indiana is the home to a proud tradition of racing with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Indiana real estate prices are very reasonable, particularly for first time homebuyers.IndianaConsidered a crossroads state, Indiana is hub of activity for the upper Midwest United States. Good coming from the Great Lakes intersect with agricul ...10 Tips for Sports Gambling 1) Be Careful of Scams - Be extremely careful if sports books are calling you and offering gambling packages over the phone. This is a good way to get scammed, especially if they ask you for your credit card number. If possible, it is a good idea to do business with a sports book that will not contact you over the phone about promotional offers ...New QBs Provide Many Questions for Major Programs As we expect every year, several major college programs have gone into preparations for this season without a definite starter at quarterback. This year seems particularly intense, as both National Champion Texas and runner-up USC are searching for new starters. With the college football season a little more than a week away, most of the races f ...Top College Football Plays for the Week 1) Okay, 59 can still be had at -115 at matchbook, the exchange backed by WSEX.Went ahead and grabbed it up. Both these defenses looked stronger past the 1st quarter of their repective games last week.Michigan is a lot more physical than Pittsburgh, and will make plays and not miss the kind of tackles the Panthers did. The Michigan ...Sex Before Competition Does Not Harm Performance Muhammad Ali wouldn't make love for six weeks before a fight and many football players won't make love on the night before a game. An article in the Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness shows that sexual relations on the night before competition have no effect on endurance to exhaustion on a treadmill, strength, the ability of the bod ...Some Of The Facts You Should Know About Satellite Radio Here are a few FAQs about everyone's favorite radio service.Question #1: Can you give us an overview of what satellite radio is? Who provides satellite radio service?Answer: Satellite radio is a subscription based radio service. It has far more programs and music than the traditional radio does, and it is available internationally ...Tips For Playing Progressive Slots Progressive slots are slot machines that accumulate towards an additional jackpot over and above any amount that you may actually win on the machine. A small percentage of each player’s bets go towards this jackpot. Hundreds of online gambling sites offer the same progressive slots, and the progressive slot wager portions from all of these sites ...Best Places In Miami Gardens So you’ve just been to a Dolphins’ game. This means you’re in Miami Gardens and you probably need a drink (with how this season is shaping up, you’ll definitely need a drink), and maybe a bite to eat. Miami Gardens doesn’t offer quite the same bustling nightlife as the rest of Miami. So where do you go? Lucky for all you thirsty fans, I’ve p ...A Bit of Football History for Your Party Football historical facts are fun use at a Super Bowl or football themed party. Take notes and create fun trivia games from the following infomation.NFL Football is one of the most popular American sports, attracting thousands of participants and millions of spectators annually. The forerunner of American football may have been a game pl ...Bowden Bowl 8: Heartbreak in Seminole Country The eighth installment of what has come to be called The Bowden Bowl was a heckuva game. Too bad the Florida State Seminoles came out on the short end of the stick.For eight years in a row now, the Clemson Tigers, coached by son Tommy Bowden, and the Florida State Seminoles, coached by dad Bobby Bowden have played each other in The Bowden ...
|
