NFC East no longer the least: Columnist breaks down the NFL's toughest division

By Andrew Neumann
Collegian Staff
August 30, 2006

From 1986 to 1995, the NFC Champion came out of the NFC East seven times in 10 seasons. The Giants, Redskins and Cowboys all won multiple Super Bowls, and the Eagles were a strong playoff team throughout the period.

After that, however, mediocrity set in. The Eagles thrived in the early 2000s, going to four straight NFC Championship Games and one Super Bowl, but were ultimately unable to end the title drought in the City of Brotherly Love. The Giants were unable to field a winner on a consistent basis, and the Redskins and Cowboys endured several regime changes from their respective overbearing owners. The collective nadir of the division came in 2004 as three of the four teams finished 6-10. However, thanks to smart management, excellent coaching and talented players, the NFC East has become the strongest division in football.

While it is very good for the NFL to have strong teams in markets as large as New York, Philadelphia, Washington and Dallas, the fans in two of these cities will likely be left out of the party. Extremely tough competition could keep two of these worthy teams away from a postseason berth. Figuring out where each team will finish in this division is probably best done by picking out of a hat, but because I fancy myself an expert, I will do my best to prognosticate the outcome.

Philadelphia Eagles (last year 6-10, 4th): Perhaps no team in the modern era represents the cruel nature of the NFL like the 2005 Philadelphia Eagles. Fresh off a Super Bowl appearance, the Eagles looked poised to do some damage last year until Donovan McNabb got hurt and Terrell Owens’ drama forced us all to listen to countless interviews by Sal Paolantonio about the receiver’s latest escapades. Well, T.O. is gone now, and McNabb is, presumably, healthy. This has led many to believe that the Eagles will automatically return to their position of dominance in the NFC East. While McNabb is an elite quarterback and their defense is always very good, the Eagles still lack offensive weapons. Brian Westbrook is a serviceable back who can catch out of the backfield exceptionally, but has not yet proven himself to be an elite rusher capable of carrying the load over a 16-game season. Reggie Brown has shown that he will one day be an NFL star, but in only his second year, he will struggle facing every team's top cornerback. The Eagles added Donte’ Stallworth, another wideout who is solid, yet unspectacular, in the hopes that adding more depth will make up for a lack of any one superstar receiver. The Eagles had possibly the best draft in the NFL, but how quickly draft picks will mature is too difficult to prognosticate for even the savviest writer.

Prediction: 8-8. The Eagles have a relatively soft opening schedule but will face a brutal last six games. With questionable talent around him, McNabb will struggle to make the Eagles any more than an average offensive football team. The defense will be a top 10 unit as usual, but can they make enough plays to win games in which the offense will struggle?

Dallas Cowboys (last year 9-7, 3rd): The Cowboys looked to be the team to beat in the NFC East for much of the season. Their defense is led by young stud DeMarcus Ware and impact player Roy Williams. The offense, led by steady veteran Drew Bledsoe, had been solid all year and the Cowboys had already won three division games by Thanksgiving. However, the balance of power in the NFC East was dramatically altered in Week 13 when the Cowboys traveled to the swamps of East Rutherford to play the Giants. In that game, Drew Bledsoe was sacked four times, and the stingy Dallas defense was unable to overcome the Giants offense. The Cowboys were in the playoff hunt until the final week, but were ultimately left out of January football. In the offseason, the Cowboys made a huge move that dramatically altered their offense: they signed Jason Fabini to compete for the right guard spot. Oh, and they also went out and picked up Terrell Owens, leading to a bevy of irritating articles about his return to Philadelphia. In all seriousness though, Owens gives the Cowboys a huge boost on offense. If he can get on the field, stop being a jerk and cooperate with his teammates, Owens is an automatic mismatch. With the defense blossoming, and Bledsoe throwing to Owens, the Cowboys could be dangerous. But a team dealing with so many volatile egos, including that of the head coach, could forseeably implode.

Prediction: 8-8. Yes, their defense is very good, and Bledsoe and Owens can make a formidable team. But, there are too many question marks. From Bledsoe’s mobility to Owens’ health and the absence of a veteran running back, the offense could be either outstanding or disappointing.

Washington Redskins (last year 10-6, 2nd): After 11 games, the Redskins seemed headed for another losing season. At 5-6, they pretty much needed to win out to secure a playoff berth. Washington responded by turning a middling defense into the NFL’s toughest down the stretch. The Redskins won their last five games, thanks to a stifling defense led by mastermind Gregg Williams. The surge was enough to land them a wild-card berth and a victory in the first round. The Redskins, as usual, had a productive off-season, signing Antwaan Randle El and Brandon Lloyd to bolster their receiving corps. They hired Al Saunders to be their offensive coordinator, giving them head coach-level talent at each coordinator position. With the new additions, the Redskins appear to be very strong on paper. However, the Redskins have been paper champions many times before, and have done little with the label. Is this the year they live up to the hype? That all depends on whether Mark Brunell can continue to manage games and allow his running game and defense to win games.

Prediction: 11-5. Provided Portis returns healthy, the Redskins should be even better than last year. The offense will be improved by Saunders, and the defense has another year of maturing under them. Bringing in a Super Bowl winner like Randle El shows that Daniel Snyder has finally stopped trying to outspend everyone, and is willing to bring in quality players with a track record of winning. The only real question mark is whether they will play like the red-hot team of last November and December or the lukewarm team from the earlier months.

New York Giants (last year 11-5, 1st). The Giants surprised the NFL last year by posting an 11-5 record and a division title. Injuries decimated the defense, however, and they were embarrassed at home in the playoffs by Carolina, 23-0. In the aftermath of that, the Giants focused on improving their secondary by bringing in veterans Sam Madison and Will Demps to give the unit experience. They signed LaVar Arrington off the scrap heap to play linebacker and drafted even more pass rushing defenders. The Giants have the best set of defensive ends in the league in Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora. Tiki Barber is one of the best halfbacks in the NFL, and Jeremy Shockey is a premiere tight end. The major question mark is Eli Manning, who improved greatly last season, but still struggles with his accuracy. If Manning can improve some of his weak areas and ease the tension on Barber, New York could very well have a top-five offense again this year.

Prediction: 11-5. Despite all the good vibes around the Giants, their schedule is brutal—the toughest in the league. Furthermore, they still look weak in the secondary, although it has improved. The Giants have a nice mix of veteran experience and youthful exuberance. The only question is whether or not they can utilize all of their weapons effectively. In my opinion, the Division all comes down to Dec. 30 at FedEx Field between the Giants and Redskins. I’m taking Big Blue.

neumanna1@lasalle.edu