This is the 2016 NFL Season Preview of the NFC East. This division seems to be up for grabs every year. Each team in the division has won the division at least once over the last five years. No team in the division has won the crowd back to back since the 2004 Eagles, which won it four consecutive years. However, only one team in the division has won a Superbowl in the last 20 years, and that was done twice by the NY Giants, in 2007 and 2011.
Other than the Eagles, most people think this division will once against be up for grabs, with most people saying the Cowboys have the most talent, the Giants have the most recent winning experience, and the Redskins keep proving everyone wrong. Let’s get to the previews for the upcoming season.
Dallas Cowboys – It seems like every year the Cowboys are picked to win the NFC East. Let’s face it; they have the most talent. However, their entire team seems to be snake-bitten. The consensus is they have the best offensive line in the sport, yet injuries to Tony Romo, Dez Bryant, and the loss of DeMarco Murray hurt the offense immeasurably last year.
This year isn’t starting off too much better. They finally look healthy on offense, but will be without DL Greg Hardy, who they let go, to go along with the losses of LB Randy Gregory, DE DeMarcus Lawrence, and LB Rolando McClain. It’s an extreme amount of losses on one side of the ball. They added RB Ezekiel Elliott to run the ball, but the 2nd round pick of talented LB Jaylon Smith may not pay off until next year.
Last Year Record 4-12
Vegas Win Prediction 9
My Prediction 11-5
New York Giants – Last year the Giants had serious issues on both sides of the ball. Their line was not up to part, mostly their OTs, due to injuries. Their starting TE to start the year, Larry Donnell, had some serious medical problems, and can anyone tell me if they’ve seen a Salsa dancing WR from Paterson, NJ? If so, can you let him know he’s been on a milk carton for about two years? Come on Victor Cruz, we having been “Tuned in” for almost two years. What are we watching?
The Giants added a lot of pieces this offseason. However, I’m 1 of the few people who doesn’t think they got much better. They didn’t address the biggest hole on their offensive line, RT. They didn’t get a stud RB or TE, and on defense, they spent a truck load of money, but not sure the pieces fit. Damon Harrison is a 3-4 NT, probably the best in the league. Giants will try to fit him into being a 4-3 DT. Vernon Oliver is replacing a DE that had more sacks than him in Robert Ayers. CB Janoris Jenkins will replace a solid CB in Prince Amukamara. And they will have a rookie FS in Darian Thompson, who I like.
Last Year Record 6-10
Vegas Win Prediction 7.5
My Prediction 8-8
Philadelphia Eagles – The only team in this division that has never won a Superbowl is the Philadelphia Eagles. The Cowboys have won 5, the Giants with 4, and the Redskins with 3, but you probably don’t have to, or should, mention that to an Eagles fan. They Eagles are in the middle of rebuilding mode, and they hope to have found that with their 1st round pick, QB Carson Wentz. He will start the year as the 3rd QB, but they have to build him up to possibly be the starter opening game next year.
The Eagles have a lot of holes on both sides of the ball, too many to mention here, that would need its separate article. What they are hoping to accomplish this year is a just progression from the young guys and pretty much erase every single sent off a player that was brought there by former coach Chip Kelly. I think eventually time will tell if they made the right decision on Wentz, but one thing is for sure, they will struggle to keep up with the other three teams in the division, at least for this year.
Last Year Record 7-9
Vegas Win Prediction 7
My Prediction 5-11
Washington Redskins – The defending NFC East winners are going into 2016 with mostly the same parts as last year. They acquired Josh Norman to replace Chris Culliver and added Josh Doctson to their WR group. Starting QB Kirk Cousins is slowing starting to win people over and get people outside the organization to believe in him. He was not able to work out a long-term deal as of yet, so that will be on the agenda if he can repeat what he did his top notch performance of last year.
The media, including myself, doubted the Redskins the entire year. This year it seems to be trending the same way as Vegas is predicting a dip in wins and even Redskins fans that I’ve spoken to don’t believe they can repeat their division winning performance. They have no losses and only gained this offseason, and all that is left to do is keep their chip on their shoulder and go out there and continue to prove people wrong.
Last Year Record 9-7
Vegas Win Prediction 7.5
My Prediction 10-6
Will the Cowboys finally fulfill the promise they have with all of that talent? With the Giants make yet another unexpected Superbowl run? Will the Eagles play spoiler and show the improvement they need finally to make progress towards their first Lombardi trophy in the history of the franchise? Will the Redskins become the 1st team to repeat over 10 years? All of these questions will be answered during the 2016 NFL Season.