By: Tyler Ward and Stephen Patterson
1. Dallas Cowboys (Head Coach: Wade Phillips)
Key Arrivals: OT Alex Barron, WR Dez Bryant (draft), LB Sean Lee (draft)
Key Departures: S Ken Hamlin, OT Flozell Adams, CB Adam "Pacman" Jones, OG Corey Procter
SP: The Cowboys are perennially mentioned as a favorite to go deep in the postseason, yet they always fall tragically short for one reason or another. Whether it's been a botched snap on a field goal or a complete and total collapse to end the regular season, Dallas always seems to find a way to let down their fan base. In my opinion, this season is not only key to Wade Phillips keeping his job, but Tony Romo might find himself involved in potential trade talks next offseason if he can't produce for owner Jerry Jones. While he is statistically one of the top quarterbacks in the league, Romo hasn't gotten the Cowboys anywhere near the Super Bowl. With the Super Bowl being in Dallas this season, Jones will surely want to see his team representing the NFC in the championship game. Drafting Dez Bryant may have been a gamble in the eyes of some, but he was definitely one of the most talented receivers in the draft and will compliment Miles Austin very well. The two could potentially be one of the receiving duos in the NFL over the next few seasons if Bryant can stay healthy and stay focused on his game and not the stardom. The defense is pretty decent in Dallas, but someone will need to step up to fill the shoes of Ken Hamlin and bolster a weak secondary. Health will be one of the biggest concerns for the Cowboys, as they are not a very deep team and have several positions that can't afford injuries. One of those positions is the definitely running back, as they will need Marion Barber and Felix Jones to be 100% this season if they want to make an attempt at becoming the first team in NFL to play in the Super Bowl at home.
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| Miles Austin |
TW: The Cowboys really didn't do much this offseason, but they did get wide receiver Dez Bryant in the draft. Bryant, along with Miles Austin, forms a very good receiving group - they also have Jason Witten at tiht end, so their passing attack could be very formidable. Tony Romo could be in for another 4,000 yard season. Dallas also has the three-headed beast at running back with Marion Barber, Felix Jones, and Tashard Choice. The Cowboys will definitely have one of the best offenses in the NFL this season. But, I think the loss of Flozell Adams is going to hurt them more than they think. They did acquire Alex Barron from the Rams, in hopes that he can play as well as Adams did. Guard Kyle Kosier is also expected to miss 4-6 weeks with an injury, so the Cowboys are going to have to think of something for their offensive line. Their defense is also expected to be pretty good - DeMarcus Ware could have another great season in the Cowboys' 3-4 scheme. However, they are very thin at the cornerback and safety positions, so that could hurt them defending the pass. As of right now, Terence Newman and Mike Jenkins are the starters, but the backups aren't great, so both of them are going to have to stay healthy. Jay Ratliff, fresh off a Pro Bowl season, will probably be just as good this season - and possibly make another Pro Bowl appearance. Overall, the Cowboys will stay injury-free and make the postseason. But, with their recent history, who knows what they'll do in the playoffs.
- TW's Prediction: 12-4
2. New York Giants (Head Coach: Tom Coughlin)
Key Arrivals: LB Keith Bulluck, S Antrel Rolle, S Deon Grant, DE/LB Jason Pierre-Paul (draft), DT Linval Joseph (draft), S Chad Jones (draft)
Key Departures: QB David Carr, CB Kevin Dockery, LB Danny Clark, DT Fred Robbins, S C.C. Brown, WR Domenik Hixon
SP: The Giants definitely added some nice pieces to their defense, but I'm not sure they did enough on the offensive side of the ball to win one of the toughest divisions in the NFL. They could have definitely used another receiver to help fill the void of Plaxico Burress, who is still serving his jail sentence. I think Hakeem Nicks will be one of the top young receivers in the league, but him and Steve Smith are not enough for this team to have a truly threatening passing attack. I'm also not very high on the duo of Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw. I have always thought Jacobs has been overrated, and his health is also a constant concern for the team. Bradshaw is a pretty decent player, but splitting time with Jacobs lowers his production. The additions of Antrel Rolle, Keith Bulluck, and Jason Pierre-Paul were all solid moves in my opinion. While Bulluck is getting near the end of his career, he is still a very productive player on the field and can provide valuable leadership in the locker room. If New York can stay healthy, they have a chance in this wild division, but I'm just not convinced they have enough offensive fire power to win a division that could legitimately be won by any of the four teams.
- SP's Prediction: 10-6
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| Eli Manning |
- TW's Prediction: 10-6
3. Washington Redskins (Head Coach: Mike Shanahan)
Key Arrivals: QB Donovan McNabb, RB Willie Parker, RB Larry Johnson, DT Ma'ake Kemoeatu, QB Rex Grossman, DE Adam Carriker, OT Jamaal Brown, WR Joey Galloway, LB Chris Draft, DE Vonnie Holliday, WR Mike Furrey, OT Trent Williams (draft)
Key Departures: OT Chris Samuels, CB Fred Smoot, QB Jason Campbell, WR Antwaan Randle El, RB Ladell Betts, QB Todd Collins, RB Rock Cartwright, QB Colt Brennan
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| Brian Orakpo |
- SP's Prediction: 9-7
TW: I think Dan Snyder may actually know what he's doing now...well, maybe. Fix the Haynesworth fiasco and then I think he's got it on lock. But, anyway, their biggest acquisition of the offseason was not a player -- but a coach. After parting ways with ex-Seawhawks quarterback Jim Zorn, they went out and hired two-time Super Bowl-winning coach Mike Shanahan. A guru of running backs, Shanahan will help the offense, which has absolutely struggled since the Steve Spurrier era (Joe Gibbs had them fairly decent, but no where close to the top). The acquisition of quarterback Donovan McNabb immediately adds consistency and leadership to the team - the Redskins really haven't had a solid QB since 2000 when they had Brad Johnson at the helm (they have since used quarterbacks like Tony Banks, Patrick Ramsey, Mark Brunell, and Jason Campbell). McNabb could also have a big season, as the Redskins' offense better suits him than the Eagles' attempts of the past. The Redskins also added ex-Pro Bowlers Willie Parker and Larry Johnson through free agency and along with Clinton Portis, they literally have a three-headed best at running back. Their biggest weakness, however, is their receiving core. Outside of Santana Moss and tight end Chris Cooley, they really have no receivers that have showed something in the NFL. Devin Thomas is penciled in as the #2 receiver, with other unproven players like Malcolm Kelly, Terrence Austin, and Roydell Williams following suit. They added veteran Joey Galloway, but it is unclear how much he will actually play. If the Redskins want to succeed, they will have to have a healthy defense - they cannot afford their $100 million man, Albert Haynesworth, to miss time due to injuries or just not wanting to play. Players like Phillip Daniels, Kedric Golston, Fred Smoot, and Reed Doughty also have to do well if the Redskins want a top-tier defense. Linebacker Brian Orakpo could also have another great season, so watch for his sack totals to be somewhere around the same he had last season. Even though it seems like they've gotten better, I don't think they will be a threat to make the playoffs and they will finish with an 8-8 record. I do like what they're doing, but they're just not going to be a top team after going through so many changes. Shanahan will get this team better and they could very well regain their old form in the next few seasons.
- TW's Prediction: 8-8
4. Philadelphia Eagles (Head Coach: Andy Reid)
Key Arrivals: CB Marlin Jackson, LB Darryl Tapp, LB Ernie Sims, RB J.J. Arrington, WR Kelley Washington, RB Mike Bell, DE Brandon Graham (draft), WR Riley Cooper (draft), S Nate Allen (draft)
Key Departures: RB Brian Westbrook, QB Donovan McNabb, LB Will Witherspoon, S Sean Jones, WR Reggie Brown, WR Kevin Curtis, OT Shawn Andrews, DE Chris Clemons, CB Sheldon Brown, LB Chris Gocong
SP: While Kevin Kolb played two amazing games last season in place of an injured Donovan McNabb, I'm not completely sold on him being the new face of this franchise. It was imminent that McNabb's time in Philly was coming to an end, and apparently the team feels comfortable enough with Kolb that they moved McNabb to division-rival Washington. Considering he has one of the best groups of receivers in the NFC, including lightning fast DeSean Jackson, the expectations are definitely high for Kolb in his first season as the team's starter. I think LeSean McCoy could be one of the best running backs in the NFC this season in his second year, but if he can't produce and struggles this season, this team will fall along with him. If they can't move the ball on the ground, it doesn't matter how good their QB's arm is. Their defense is also a big question mark for me, as many of the positions are pretty weak on Philly's roster with the exception of cornerback, where they have the duo of Asante Samuel and Ellis Hobbs. Unless Kolb has an unbelievable season and puts up MVP-type numbers, don't expect the Eagles to make a serious run the division this season. Given another season with the offense and adjusting to running the show, Kolb could potentially lead this team deep in postseason over the next few seasons.
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| DeSean Jackson |
TW: With key players like Donovan McNabb and Brian Westbrook gone elsewhere, the Eagles are on the decline. Personally, I don't think Kevin Kolb is that great of a quarterback and will not be a good fit as McNabb's successor. He hasn't had enough playing time to even be considered a very good quarterback. I can see him struggling and thus, the Eagles will follow right behind him. A brightspot for Kolb, though, is a very young offense that could be top of the class in the next few seasons. RB LeSean McCoy is a talented athlete and with Westbrook gone, McCoy will receive the bulk of the carries. Although he's not as versatile as Westbrook, he can still possibly be an "elite" running back in the NFL. DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin form a good combination at wide receiver, along with Jason Avant, who had a fairly good season last year (41 catches, 587 yards, 3 TD's). Tight End Brent Celek showed glimpses of promise in 2009 and could be a top-notch tight end for the 2010 campaign - Celek caught 76 passes for 971 yards and 8 TD's last season. He may not exceed those numbers, but he could come close if Kolb looks for him a lot. Like their rival Giants, the Eagles may have a problem at offensive line and that could spell doom for the newly-assigned Kolb. Philly does have a solid defense, however, after adding safety Nate Allen in the draft - currently, Allen is the starting free safety. Cornerback Asante Samuel is a premier cornerback in the NFL and immediately provides depth and leadership at that position - along with Ellis Hobbs, the Eagles have a very talented secondary. They also added LB Ernie Sims in the offseason, acquiring him from Detroit in a trade. Since coming into the league in 2006, Sims had posted at least 100 tackles for his first three seasons, but missed five games in 2009 (he also only totaled 49 tackles, by far a career low). Look for their defensive line to be the key to a few of their wins - they have perhaps the most depth at the defensive line in the entire league. But, like I said earlier, I think the Eagles are on the decline and will fall below the .500 threshold. They could be an elite team in a few seasons, but they just have to let Kolb develop, along with their wide receivers, Jackson and Maclin.
- TW's Prediction: 7-9
