This year was kind of fun for those of us with a favorite team in the NFC East. While Philly had a down year, due to injuries and TO's antics, the other three teams also rose back up to respectability. That means next year we are probably looking at 4 very good teams battling it out once again. My question to you is -- who is the odds on favorite to take the conference next year?Philly -- down year for sure, but with McNabb and Westbrook back, they will still be tough.Giants -- defending division champs and if Eli can improve, the team will actually get betterWashington -- it looks like "Joe Gibbs Football" is finally taking hold in Washington, with a team built around running the football and eliminating turnovers. Will it continue next year?Dallas -- next to SD, probably the best team not to make the playoffs -- they could probably have beaten a lot of this year's playoff teams.Who will rise to the top?M
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NFC East Next Year (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter MikeApf
- Start date
Hard to say. I think each team will have a legitimate argument on why they should be considered the favorite in the East next year. QB play will determine it IMO. If McNabb bounces back from injuries, he instantly can make the Eagles legitimate East contenders. Eli's development will have a big say in how the Giants fare. The Cowboys and Redskins both have aging QBs that aren't good enough to carry a team anymore. Unless we see a huge leap in progress from Jason Campbell, Brunell will probably be the QB again and how good can even the most homer-ific Redskins fan expect him to be? Bledsoe was thought to be done, but bounced back nicely this year. What can we expect out of him next year? If I had to make a ranking right now, it would be:1. Giants2. Redskins3. Eagles4. Cowboyswith each slot pretty much interchangable, that's how close I think it will be heading into next year.
jeff_eaglz
Moderator
I'd agree with that.Philly gets a (slight) advantage due to the 4th place schedule of both GB and SF vs. say NYG playing Chicago and Seattle.KC and Miami are both better.
It is still too early to call, though. If the Eagles sign a #1 WR (Eric Moulds, please....) they ciould be formidable once again. Even more significant is suring up the DL and OL.
NY played well and Eli will get better. The question is the LB corps and the defense in general. The offense can obviously put up points.
I haven't really believed in Washington all year, as I still can't get a clean read on them. Brunell is up and down even more than Bledsoe. He'll throw for 3 or 4 TDs one week then fail to reach 100 yards the next. Portis started to deliver in the back half of the season, but then started to break down. The team looks old in general, and Arrington still isn't the best "team" guy.
Dallas strung together a respectable season, playing everyone close it seemed, winning or losing by 7 or fewer points 11 out of 16 games. The kicker(s) were blamed, but consistency and experience in key areas seemed lacking. The 3-headed RB situation also was unsettling - the team believed in Julius Jones in 2004 in the second half, but wasn't sure who should run the ball this season. Bledsoe was a roller coaster, as were his receivers as a result.
It looks to be a dogfight, reminiscent of the 80s all over again.
But again - 6+ months to go to sort this out.
Bears_Man2
Footballguy
Giants would serve well to get a speedy WR (doesn't have to be an expensive one) to stretch the field. Someone like Randle El perhaps. Eli will only continue to improve with another year experience with his current 3 WR's (Shockey, Plax, Toomer), whom I imagine all will be back.Going to be a very tight division next year as well. I'd probably go Giants, Cowboys (w/ T.O.), Redskins, Eagles. Sounds simple, but the team that stays the healthiest should win. From a talent standpoint, I don't think much at all seperates the squads.
Ghost Rider
Footballguy
Shouldn't the fact that they are the only NFC East left standing with 8 teams still in it make you a believer? And I also disagree with the statement about Dallas being possibly the best team to not make the playoffs. KC, SD and Miami were all better.
Hunterbeer
Footballguy
Of course the fact that Dallas BEAT KC and SD this year obviously has been forgotten by most. While those teams might have been better, the only evidence we have says otherwise and it is certainly close enough that these statements of "fact" are just way out of line.The Cowboys get an All-Pro LT back in Flozell Adams next year. That automatically makes them a better a team. They have a very young defense that will only get better. They draft before the Giants, get a third place schedule, and Washington has no first round pick this year, so the potential for the Cowboys to move up is clearly there.
Old in general? Brunell is old. The rest of the team is relatively young, at least in the key areas. Portis, Moss, Cooley, Samuels, Thomas, Jansen, Dockery and Rabach are all either entering or are in their primes. That's 8 players from the offense. Jason Campbell is being primed to be the QB of the near future (jury still out). That leaves another wideout, they have Patten (older), Thrash (older) and Jacobs (young) and the TE, which at this point is Robert Royal, who is young, but could be upgraded. I would anticipate them going after another WR in the offseason. On defense is where some of the age is at. Wynn, Daniels, Springs and Walt Harris are over 30. The other starters are under 30, some really young like Taylor and Rogers (who will start next year over Harris). I think the Skins will draft more youth on defense as well.I'd agree with that.Philly gets a (slight) advantage due to the 4th place schedule of both GB and SF vs. say NYG playing Chicago and Seattle.
It is still too early to call, though. If the Eagles sign a #1 WR (Eric Moulds, please....) they ciould be formidable once again. Even more significant is suring up the DL and OL.
NY played well and Eli will get better. The question is the LB corps and the defense in general. The offense can obviously put up points.
I haven't really believed in Washington all year, as I still can't get a clean read on them. Brunell is up and down even more than Bledsoe. He'll throw for 3 or 4 TDs one week then fail to reach 100 yards the next. Portis started to deliver in the back half of the season, but then started to break down. The team looks old in general, and Arrington still isn't the best "team" guy.
Dallas strung together a respectable season, playing everyone close it seemed, winning or losing by 7 or fewer points 11 out of 16 games. The kicker(s) were blamed, but consistency and experience in key areas seemed lacking. The 3-headed RB situation also was unsettling - the team believed in Julius Jones in 2004 in the second half, but wasn't sure who should run the ball this season. Bledsoe was a roller coaster, as were his receivers as a result.
It looks to be a dogfight, reminiscent of the 80s all over again.
But again - 6+ months to go to sort this out.
Cowboys#1
Footballguy
we beat kc IIRC..miami played okay late against largely disinterested teams.
we also beat SD.
not that it matters much... we didnt make it in so no point in saying we were the best team to not make it in.
i am hopeful for next season, i think the eagles will be better, washington will be worse and the giants will probably be similar
close division though.. we'll see how the offseason moves pan out
I never mentioned SD.A home team beating a road team by 3 points does not mean that the home team is better- 3 points is exactly what HFA is said to be worth worth worth worth worth worth worth worth worth worth worth worth worth worth worth. So that game is a wash. and I think KC was better than Dallas in other games.we beat kc IIRC..miami played okay late against largely disinterested teams.
we also beat SD.
not that it matters much... we didnt make it in so no point in saying we were the best team to not make it in.
i am hopeful for next season, i think the eagles will be better, washington will be worse and the giants will probably be similar
close division though.. we'll see how the offseason moves pan out
Miami beat Denver in week 1, Carolina in week 3, and San Diego in week 14...were those teams disinterested? They won their last 6 games. Miami is for real, yea yea yea.
Ridgelake
Footballguy
They're all going to be 10-6 next year and 3-3 in the division. THe tie breakers' calculators are going to explode.Its way too early to have a read on next season. All 4 teams look to reasonably solid. The Eagles get the schedule benefit. But who knows whats going to happen with the draft and free agency. And injuries obviously will play a big role. Lets get to training camp before we start dissecting this mess.
surferskin
Footballguy
dallas has an OLD QB, an OLD #1 WR, an OLD #2 WR and TERRIBLE offensive line...yeah, they don't have any offensive needs.
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culdeus
Footballguy
I hope you guys realize that with the re-aligned schedule the benefit of finishing 4th amounts to 2 easy games now.It's not that big a deal.That division is too up in the air. An argument could be made for all the teams to finish first or last in the division. Should be interesting.
jeff_eaglz
Moderator
Well, if two games aren't that big of a deal, why did everyone love to mention a ninth home game for NY? That was just one game against a poor team anyway, yet they loved to dwell on it.I agree with your last statement. Every one of these teams has strengths and weaknesses, and it will come down to injuries and new talent. It will be a great season to watch this division. Hopefully at least 2 of these teams reach the postseason next year.
And no - I still don't believe in the Redskins.
surferskin
Footballguy
who cares what you "believe"?
the redskins are the only NFC East team still playing this year. besides what's not to believe in? the only question mark i'd even give you going into next year is brunell's age but outside of that what? if in the off season they upgrade their #2 WR, what's not to like? Great Coaches, Great RB, Great Defense, Great #1 WR and very solid offensive line...out of all the teams in the NFC east the skins have the most momentum going into next year.
suchislife
Footballguy
The Eagles beat KC (in KC, I might add) and SD. Were they better then both of them? If we follow your logic they are.
jeff_eaglz
Moderator
Apparently there isn't room for opposing views in your world?- The Redskins won a playoff game with the worst offensive performance in NFL history.who cares what you "believe"?
- They are the 6th best team this season in the weaker conference.
- Brunell is about as inconsistent of a 20+ TD passer I've seen (Bledsoe not much better).
All your points about "what is not to like" are valid, but how do you explain the team failing to come together before the 5 win streak at the end of the season?
Obviously I'm an Eagles fan, but I can be objective about what teams are good and which aren't. I thought that entering this post-season that Washington had plenty of momentum but was only the 5th or 6th best team in the NFC (Tampa the other). I think that all 4 teams will compete well against one another next year and it will be close.
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suchislife
Footballguy
Their absenses absolutely had an impact. My point was just that any team can beat any team on any given Sunday. Does that mean they had a better season? No. Dallas beat SD in week one, and struggled to do it trailing late in the game. Dallas went 1-15 in 1989. Who'd they beat? Washington, who finished the season 10-6. Which team was better in the end?To say team A beat B, therefore team A is better is not accurate.The Eagles were better when they beat KC and SD. But that occurred pre TO and McNabb being out. Do you think those absenses had any impact on Philly?The Eagles beat KC (in KC, I might add) and SD. Were they better then both of them? If we follow your logic they are.
Other things to look at:Changes to coaching staffs:Giants - may lose DC Tim LewisEagles - lost OC Brad ChildressDallas - may lose OC Sean PaytonRedskins - losing no coachesDraft picks (just off the top of my head):Redskins have no 1st round pickIt would be interesting to look at the salary cap situaiton for each team. I beleive the Redskins are over the cap and need to make cuts. It won't be that hard to get under, but they will not be big players in free agency.
houndirish
Footballguy
The biggest problem I see looming for the Skins is at some point they have to bite the bullet and break in a new QB. History tells us that will equate to a losing season. In what is shaping up to be an awfully competitive division for the next several years that puts the Skins at a decided disadvantage either next year or the following. Dallas has the nucleus in place for an excellent defense but needs to fix the O-Line before they can take off. I still don't think Drew Bledsoe can carry that team far in the playoffs so Dallas too, at some point will have to find a way over the QB hurdle. Parcells has no interest in breaking in a new guy.That leaves Philly and the Giants. Philly has the easier schedule but the collapse of the defense has to be a concern. I'm still scratching my head over what went wrong on the defensive side of the ball for the Eagles. The Eagles pre-TO were still a solid team. I don't see a reason why they can't be again.The Giants have the league's 2nd hardest schedule. They need to sure up the defense but proved this year that they can win games with offense. Linebacker will have to be addressed (Ernie, I've got one word for you "Witherspoon".). The secondary may bounce back a bit next year. Assuming Will Peterson returns to health, the Giants may improve with Corey Webster manning the other side. Will Allen is a goner through FA. I'd like to think DeLoatch became a better player too but that may be wishful thinking. I favor the Giants and Eagles over the Cowboys and Skins. Nobody in this division will go 12-4. They'll be a lot of 3-3 divisional records.
culdeus
Footballguy
I dunno. Not that big a deal NOLA was horrible this year anyway, but at least Deuce was still playing then. The 2 extra teams each team faces are:
Dallas - Detroit(H) Arizona(A)
NYG - Chicago(H) Seattle(A)
PHI - GreenBay(H) SanFran(A)
WAS - Minny(H) St. Louis(A)
All teams play Indy next year with Dallas and NYG getting home games.
Dallas and NYG play matched schedules home/away and so do Philly Washington
jeff_eaglz
Moderator
Definite advantage to Philly and Dallas.
fatness
Footballguy
All 4 teams will finish .500 or above. and either 2 or 3 will make the playoffs.Washington (10-6 with a brutal schedule this year)Philadelphia (get their 2 big offensive guns back)New York (solid but played over their head at times this year)Dallas (solid but aging on offense)
surferskin
Footballguy
If anything shouldn't that be a reason that they'll be even better next year?Apparently there isn't room for opposing views in your world?- The Redskins won a playoff game with the worst offensive performance in NFL history.who cares what you "believe"?
- They are the 6th best team this season in the weaker conference.
- Brunell is about as inconsistent of a 20+ TD passer I've seen (Bledsoe not much better).
All your points about "what is not to like" are valid, but how do you explain the team failing to come together before the 5 win streak at the end of the season?
Obviously I'm an Eagles fan, but I can be objective about what teams are good and which aren't. I thought that entering this post-season that Washington had plenty of momentum but was only the 5th or 6th best team in the NFC (Tampa the other). I think that all 4 teams will compete well against one another next year and it will be close.
Bristol
Footballguy
Eagles are going to run away with the division next year. Yes, it was a down year this year, bu tthe only reason that the Giants, Skins and Dallas finished ahead of them this year was because Philly didn't sweep all of them like they usually do. They will be back doing that next year and will once again win the division and get back to the Super Bowl.
surferskin
Footballguy
exactly, didn't EVERY team in the NFC east beat the iggles with their 2 "big guns"?
Mungo Burrows
Footballguy
Looks like coaching changes will result in a big plus for the Cowboys.
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houndirish
Footballguy
So what you're saying then is the reason the Giants, Skins, and Cowboys finished ahead of Philly is because they all beat the Eagles? OK, I can agree with that.
Ghost Rider
Footballguy
-Considering they are one of four teams left in the NFC, I would say the Redskins are AT WORST the 4th best team in the NFC. Had the Giants not been given an extra home game, it is possible they would have also finished 10-6, which would have given the division to Washington and they would have been the 4 seed. -Regardless of how pitiful their offensive performance was against TB, they still won the game and that is what counts. Besides, it is not like TB lit it up offensively and lost.
-Brunell is inconsistent. So is Grossman, Simms and Eli Manning, all of whom play on teams that finished ahead of the Redskins in the standings.
-I think you are letting your clear Philly bias get in the way here. I am not a fan of the Eagles or Redskins, but the Redskins have been awfully good over the last month and a half and I think they are more likely to be just as good or better next year than the Giants or Cowboys are. The Eagles, I expect, to improve.
Also consider age:
jeff_eaglz
Moderator
Posturing in January for next year, gotta love it.....The entire division will benefit by playing the AFC South, for better or worse. They can measure themselves against a REALLY good team when they face Indy, then pick up wins against Tennessee and Houston. Jags - too hard to predict how that will go.Actually, it is all too hard to predict right now.Many recent posts on this thread were focusing on the Eagles and their loss of TO, McNabb and Westbrook (the latter referred to as their "Big 2"). What is overlooked is that their normally formidable defense sucked this year. Linebackers were a huge liability, and the linchpin of 3 pro bowl caliber DBs were hurt this year. 10-11 guys on IR this season, plus TO.Talent is needed in the NFL, but so is depth, or you have to get very lucky with injuries.
dotman
Footballguy
I think it is too early to tell. As a Philly homer, I say, that as our team is now, we are a contender, but not a favorite. We can become the favorite depending on what we do in the draft and free agency, but that remains to be seen. I think when it is closer to the season Philly becomes the favorite, but we'll have to wait and see.
jeff_eaglz
Moderator
I am most certainly not allowing my Eagles fandom to cloud my bias.They were the 6th seed. That is, by definition, the 6th best team. Period.
They beat Tampa Bay, so you can argue that they were better. Move them to 5th.
I cannot see how they can be construed as better than NY, and the argument that the extra home game is a tired one. NY would have beat the Saints anywhere. Yes they beat the Giants in December in DC/Maryland, but they split on the year and the Giants won the division.
Using an argument of "they are one of the last 4 left, so they must be a Top 4 team" is myopic at best. In a tournament, any team can get hot and last longer than expected - see any March Madness Cinderella story. It doesn't make them better than those teams, they just won. Does anyone really believe that Texas was a better team than USC? No - but Vince Young was awesome and they won.
I would argue right back at you that you are letting the last 5-6 games cloud your opinion of the team. OK - they are hot right now, winning 6 games in a row. All 6 were against the NFC, with only Dallas and the Giants as playoff contenders, then Tampa Bay. Solid finish. I would argue that the caliber of those 6 teams was not nearly that of the first 11 weeks of their schedule.
If the team was more consistent, had Portis and the defense played like they have been during that stretch for the entire year, I would "believe" in the validity of this team. But they didn't. Yes they are peaking at the right time, but the crest of that peak is still well below the best teams in the NFL (mostly the AFC).
Bottom line - each and every team in this division has pluses and minuses. Forgive me if I don't see the Redskins getting past this week.
houndirish
Footballguy
Wrong ... the Giants broke in their QB last year, while everyone was telling them they were making a mistake benching Warner.
houndirish
Footballguy
Ahhh ... the obligatory "extra home game" reference. As if the Saints on the road represent a buzzsaw.If we're going to play if's and but's, what if Roy Williams hadn't taken the last two minutes of the first Skins-Cowboys game off? Then maybe the Cowboys actually play for something in week 17 versus the Rams. Wouldn't the Skins have missde the playoffs altogether in that scenario?
I'll admit Washington is peaking at the right time but all the people drinking the burgundy Kool-Aid are conveniently forgetting how mediocre the team was in the first half of the season.
jeff_eaglz
Moderator
if Payton goes away.I think it is absolutely appropriate to evaluate the team based on the last 6 games. The Super Bowl is won by the team playing and winning the games in the playoffs, not on the overall season record. Seattle's 13-3 record isn't nearly as impressive if they lose on Saturday.The Patriots started winning lots of close games and then won their first Super Bowl. Everyone called them the worst Super Bowl winner ever. Now they have won 3 Super Bowls in 4 years, and they are called the best coached team ever. Hmmm. Winning close games now appears to be a fine way to win a Super Bowl.
My opinion is the Redskins winning their last 6 games bodes very well for them next year. They also finished 5-1 against their division and 10-2 against the NFC. All their losses, except the one Giants game, was close and came down to the final minutes of the game. If the Redskins were a little luckier, they could have been 15-1. They are now winning the close, ugly games. Expect another close game this weekend.
