Post by Cincinnati Bengals (Chris) on Sept 10, 2017 6:03:23 GMT -5
NFC East
The NFC East took both a step forward and a step back last year. Dallas improved their record from 6-6 to 7-5 under first-year owner Ty, but previously elite teams such as Philadelphia and Washington didn’t feel as strong in 2016 as they did in 2015 (Even though Andrew’s Eagles finished with the same record, and both still finished in the top-12 in the final standings). Malachi, by virtue of finishing so low and by the strategy of a mid-term rebuild, has improved his squad significantly as well. Can he compete for a playoff spot? Can Dallas further close the gap on the division’s top-2 for the last two seasons? And can those two teams, for that matter, not only hold on, but return to the dominance they displayed in 2014 and 2015? In what may be the league’s most tightly-contested division, plenty can happen in 2017. Let me know what you think about my projections and post you own comments. Also, DON’T FORGET to vote in the poll, as that’s the whole point.
Dallas Cowboys (Ty)
Last year’s finish: 17th (Division: 3rd)
Outlook: Ty turned in a respectable first year for the Cowboys, going 6-6 and just missing the playoffs. He’s improved his team this off-season, adding pieces for the future (And as trade collateral) in the UFA and Rookie Drafts. But really, the majority of Ty’s corps is back, and so the name of the game is one year older, one year better. Players like Derrick Henry, Yannick Ngakoue, and Su’a Cravens (Provided he decides to play football this year) are in year-2 of their pro careers, and should all get better, as should Jack Doyle, Eric Decker, and Doug Martin improve upon their 2016 campaigns. Russell Wilson is back as the QB, and Terrance Williams and Seth Roberts fill out the receiving corps with rookie Chris Godwin. Jordan Leggett should have some kind of role with the Jets moribund TE corps, and future starter Mitch Trubisky should get the call at sometime this year. On D, Ezekial Ansah, Trey Flowers and Jurrell Casey team with and Ngakoue to make one of the league’s best DL on paper, but LB is pretty bare with Cravens’ taking time away from the game. James Harrison is probably top dog, and Jordan Jenkins and Joe Thomas fill out one of the weaker LB corps in the league. On the back end, Kam Chancellor, Brent Grimes, Byron Maxwell, Robert Alford and Jason Verrett make up again one of the best units in the league.
X-factor: For the second year in a row, linebacker. Ty’s problem is simple: he doesn’t have enough linebackers and the ones he does have aren’t good enough. It’s clear he’s ready to compete, but not with the likes of Philly and the elite from other divisions. Perhaps he can use some extra elite-DB pieces or offensive skill players to acquire a difference maker or two there.
Projected division finish: 4th
New York Giants (Malachi)
Last year’s finish: 29th (Division: 4th)
Outlook: Malachi made his off-season priorities clear: improve the offense to playoff caliber immediately. It’s easy to say as of now that he has definitely done so, adding to Kirk Cousins, Theo Riddick, Corey Davis, Larry Fitzgerald, Delanie Walker, Randall Cobb and more. Terrance West, Justin Hunter and Charles Clay will all three have offensive roles this year as well and should help New York be one of the best offensive teams in the league. Defensively, the Giants have a few more question marks. Defensive linemen Gerald McCoy, Taco Charlton and Adolphus Washington comprise the defensive line, but two are rookies and have uncertain roles out of the gate. Linebacker is a sore spot, with only three active players at the spot; Paul Posluszny, Derrick Morgan and A.J. Klein. In the secondary, Glover Quin, Da’Norris Searcy and Kevin King are the only three active DBs. So to say the Giants were hit hard by the recent injuries to and suspensions of Trent Murphy, Tony Lippett and Sam Shields is an extreme understatement.
X-factor: Defense. While the offense is ready to go, the defense is a major work in progress. If anything will keep Malachi’s playoff-ready offense out of the playoffs, it’s his defense. Projected division finish: 3rd
Philadelphia Eagles (Andrew)
Last year’s finish: 10th (Division: 1st)
Outlook: As always, Andrew has the Eagles primed for contention, but there are a few more question marks than we’re used to seeing from a Philadelphia team. Tom Brady leads a squad filled with brilliant FA pickup Marshawn Lynch, Brandin Cooks, Michael Thomas, Antonio Gates and…that’s the problem: there’s nobody else who jumps off the page from there, and very few who I would characterize as contributors this year. On defense, the Eagles sport an unreal defensive line, anchored by Olivier Vernon, J.J. Watt and Jonathan Hankins. Linebacker is plenty healthy as well with Jerrell Freeman, Tahir Whitehead, and Ramon Humber (A career special teamer who will at least begin the year as a starter), but not deep. At DB, Daniel Sorenson is going to play a large role with Eric Berry’s year-ending injury, and D.J. Swearinger and Keanu Neal should already be top-line options.
X-factor: Depth. Despite the high-end options, where Andrew is short is with some quality depth. Currently his flex position is a toss-up between unproven and low-opportunity players, and his linebacking corps in particular needs some numbers and perhaps a few more high-upside options. If he wants to get back to a championship caliber team, that appears to be the best way to do so.
Projected division finish: 1st
Washington Redskins (Dave)
Last year’s finish: 12th (Division: 2nd)
Outlook: Dave has made some big off-season acquisitions, but none bigger than Sammy Watkins, whom he adds to a core of Ben Roethlisberger, LeSean McCoy, Allen Robinson, Dwayne Allen, Rex Burkhead and Paul Richardson on offense. Defense is also strong with a DL made up of Danielle Hunter, Muhammad Wilkerson and Jihad Ward, a linebacking corps of Navorro Bowman, Jordan Hicks, Marcus Golden and Robert Quinn, and a secondary of Eric Weddle, T.J. Ward and Kevin Byard. Overall, it’s a near top-notch defense, but one which could improve by adding numbers and bench depth.
X-factor: Depth on both side of the ball. Again, not to recycle narratives, but Dave’s Redskins are so good in so many different areas that it’s hard to find fault with any area of his roster than the depth. Should health become an issue, it could seriously derail his ability to climb much higher than he did a year ago. As of now, he poses a serious threat to Philadelphia’s top-spot in division and NFC teams alike. But, it’s hard to put him over the Eagles in this one, even if he has a more complete team. It’s close, but Philly takes the cake for now in the league’s hottest contested division.
Projected division finish: 2nd
Pay attention in the next few hours, as I will have a Pre-season Power Rankings post up soon.
The NFC East took both a step forward and a step back last year. Dallas improved their record from 6-6 to 7-5 under first-year owner Ty, but previously elite teams such as Philadelphia and Washington didn’t feel as strong in 2016 as they did in 2015 (Even though Andrew’s Eagles finished with the same record, and both still finished in the top-12 in the final standings). Malachi, by virtue of finishing so low and by the strategy of a mid-term rebuild, has improved his squad significantly as well. Can he compete for a playoff spot? Can Dallas further close the gap on the division’s top-2 for the last two seasons? And can those two teams, for that matter, not only hold on, but return to the dominance they displayed in 2014 and 2015? In what may be the league’s most tightly-contested division, plenty can happen in 2017. Let me know what you think about my projections and post you own comments. Also, DON’T FORGET to vote in the poll, as that’s the whole point.
Dallas Cowboys (Ty)
Last year’s finish: 17th (Division: 3rd)
Outlook: Ty turned in a respectable first year for the Cowboys, going 6-6 and just missing the playoffs. He’s improved his team this off-season, adding pieces for the future (And as trade collateral) in the UFA and Rookie Drafts. But really, the majority of Ty’s corps is back, and so the name of the game is one year older, one year better. Players like Derrick Henry, Yannick Ngakoue, and Su’a Cravens (Provided he decides to play football this year) are in year-2 of their pro careers, and should all get better, as should Jack Doyle, Eric Decker, and Doug Martin improve upon their 2016 campaigns. Russell Wilson is back as the QB, and Terrance Williams and Seth Roberts fill out the receiving corps with rookie Chris Godwin. Jordan Leggett should have some kind of role with the Jets moribund TE corps, and future starter Mitch Trubisky should get the call at sometime this year. On D, Ezekial Ansah, Trey Flowers and Jurrell Casey team with and Ngakoue to make one of the league’s best DL on paper, but LB is pretty bare with Cravens’ taking time away from the game. James Harrison is probably top dog, and Jordan Jenkins and Joe Thomas fill out one of the weaker LB corps in the league. On the back end, Kam Chancellor, Brent Grimes, Byron Maxwell, Robert Alford and Jason Verrett make up again one of the best units in the league.
X-factor: For the second year in a row, linebacker. Ty’s problem is simple: he doesn’t have enough linebackers and the ones he does have aren’t good enough. It’s clear he’s ready to compete, but not with the likes of Philly and the elite from other divisions. Perhaps he can use some extra elite-DB pieces or offensive skill players to acquire a difference maker or two there.
Projected division finish: 4th
New York Giants (Malachi)
Last year’s finish: 29th (Division: 4th)
Outlook: Malachi made his off-season priorities clear: improve the offense to playoff caliber immediately. It’s easy to say as of now that he has definitely done so, adding to Kirk Cousins, Theo Riddick, Corey Davis, Larry Fitzgerald, Delanie Walker, Randall Cobb and more. Terrance West, Justin Hunter and Charles Clay will all three have offensive roles this year as well and should help New York be one of the best offensive teams in the league. Defensively, the Giants have a few more question marks. Defensive linemen Gerald McCoy, Taco Charlton and Adolphus Washington comprise the defensive line, but two are rookies and have uncertain roles out of the gate. Linebacker is a sore spot, with only three active players at the spot; Paul Posluszny, Derrick Morgan and A.J. Klein. In the secondary, Glover Quin, Da’Norris Searcy and Kevin King are the only three active DBs. So to say the Giants were hit hard by the recent injuries to and suspensions of Trent Murphy, Tony Lippett and Sam Shields is an extreme understatement.
X-factor: Defense. While the offense is ready to go, the defense is a major work in progress. If anything will keep Malachi’s playoff-ready offense out of the playoffs, it’s his defense. Projected division finish: 3rd
Philadelphia Eagles (Andrew)
Last year’s finish: 10th (Division: 1st)
Outlook: As always, Andrew has the Eagles primed for contention, but there are a few more question marks than we’re used to seeing from a Philadelphia team. Tom Brady leads a squad filled with brilliant FA pickup Marshawn Lynch, Brandin Cooks, Michael Thomas, Antonio Gates and…that’s the problem: there’s nobody else who jumps off the page from there, and very few who I would characterize as contributors this year. On defense, the Eagles sport an unreal defensive line, anchored by Olivier Vernon, J.J. Watt and Jonathan Hankins. Linebacker is plenty healthy as well with Jerrell Freeman, Tahir Whitehead, and Ramon Humber (A career special teamer who will at least begin the year as a starter), but not deep. At DB, Daniel Sorenson is going to play a large role with Eric Berry’s year-ending injury, and D.J. Swearinger and Keanu Neal should already be top-line options.
X-factor: Depth. Despite the high-end options, where Andrew is short is with some quality depth. Currently his flex position is a toss-up between unproven and low-opportunity players, and his linebacking corps in particular needs some numbers and perhaps a few more high-upside options. If he wants to get back to a championship caliber team, that appears to be the best way to do so.
Projected division finish: 1st
Washington Redskins (Dave)
Last year’s finish: 12th (Division: 2nd)
Outlook: Dave has made some big off-season acquisitions, but none bigger than Sammy Watkins, whom he adds to a core of Ben Roethlisberger, LeSean McCoy, Allen Robinson, Dwayne Allen, Rex Burkhead and Paul Richardson on offense. Defense is also strong with a DL made up of Danielle Hunter, Muhammad Wilkerson and Jihad Ward, a linebacking corps of Navorro Bowman, Jordan Hicks, Marcus Golden and Robert Quinn, and a secondary of Eric Weddle, T.J. Ward and Kevin Byard. Overall, it’s a near top-notch defense, but one which could improve by adding numbers and bench depth.
X-factor: Depth on both side of the ball. Again, not to recycle narratives, but Dave’s Redskins are so good in so many different areas that it’s hard to find fault with any area of his roster than the depth. Should health become an issue, it could seriously derail his ability to climb much higher than he did a year ago. As of now, he poses a serious threat to Philadelphia’s top-spot in division and NFC teams alike. But, it’s hard to put him over the Eagles in this one, even if he has a more complete team. It’s close, but Philly takes the cake for now in the league’s hottest contested division.
Projected division finish: 2nd
Pay attention in the next few hours, as I will have a Pre-season Power Rankings post up soon.