NFL 2007 Preview: NFC East

This is the toughest division in the NFL, bar none. It isn’t that the teams are consistently the best, far from it, but the rivalries that spider web across all the teams makes the games furiously competitive and fun to watch.

DALLAS COWBOYS (10-6)

OFFENSE: The Cowboys have managed to put together a good group on offense, one that was pretty successful last year and remains fairly unchanged now. Tony Romo should be more comfortable behind center this year and has the whole year to work with. I think the disastrous fumble in their last playoff game, devastating as it was at the time, will bring a better sense of the importance of small details during every play, and it will show. Terrell Owens has the potential for one last very good year but he’s aging quickly.

DEFENSE: Jerry Jones has done a similarly, surprisingly, good job in keeping the defense strong, as well. Wade Phillips is a defensive coach, especially for the 3-4, and this unit will perform accordingly. Roy Williams is still of suspect coverage quality and the cornerbacks really need to step up their game to compensate if they’re going anywhere, but the front seven is very good and will be dominant against the run.

From the bottom of my heart, I wish I could say the Cowboys were going to be terrible this year, but they won’t. It makes me sick, but I’m picking them to win the division. The bright side of it is that, because Wade Phillips is such an anemic offensive coach that they won’t have any power over the better teams that they’re playing. This does not bode well in the playoffs.

NEW YORK GIANTS (6-10)

OFFENSE: No Tiki Barber. What did the Giants have going for them last year without Tiki Barber? Some of the most inconsistent play from a quarterback imaginable, and little else. Eli Manning has one more year before they give up on him and give up on him they shall. Plaxico Burress is very good, but not a number one receiver, and Amani Toomer is adequate but they just don’t have the weapons to make much happen.

DEFENSE: No Michael Strahan. Of course, he might be back but every day he’s gone it looks less and less likely. Without him, they aren’t as crippled as the offense is without Barber, but it doesn’t help. They aren’t the toughest unit in the league, but they work well together. It looks like a good move to place Mathias Kiwanuka in the linebacker position, which will give them some of the versatility that has come with DeMarcus Ware in Dallas.

The Giants will look worse than they really are this year, and will perform awfully in the division. Eli is not an NFL starter and this will be solidified this year. Tom Coughlin will be canned as well. All the player complaints and a big losing streak in the middle of the season is going to make that happen.

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (10-6)

OFFENSE: The Eagles offense is nearly as good as the Cowboys this year, and they’re going to compete strongly with them for the division. Donovan McNabb is still an excellent quarterback and, if he can stay healthy, should have a very good year. They haven’t replaced TO since he left, and the receivers leave a lot to be desired. This will be their big downfall. Brian Westbrook’s good and all, but he can’t shoulder the whole team.

DEFENSE: From a pure talent perspective, this is the best group in the division. Jevon Kearse and Jeremiah Trotter are both fantastic, and the addition of Takeo Spikes helps the linebackers immensely. The secondary is also pretty good, and they should be one of the top groups statistically in the division.

The winner will of the NFC East will come down to a division game or two and it will be the Cowboys on top, but the Eagles are going to take it to the wire. They’ll be in the playoffs again but, the question for the future remains: just how long are they going to stick with McNabb before coming to a realization that they won’t win a championship with him. I hope that doesn’t happen because, unlike the Jake Plummer switch last year in Denver, I think McNabb is actually good. Their main trouble is getting receivers in to take advantage of the short game supremacy that Westbrook provides.

WASHINGTON REDSKINS (5-11)

OFFENSE: A poor line and a poor quarterback will keep the Redskins from being anything but bad this year. Their running back and receiver talent remains good and unchanged but, with Portis injured all the time, it’s all for naught. I know they think highly of Jason Campbell but, for the life of me, I can’t see why. They need a lot of help and it doesn’t look like it’s going to happen while Joe Gibbs is still in power.

DEFENSE: This is really where the ‘Skins are a laughing stock, however. This defense is plain terrible. They were better off when they were picking up other teams’ elderly rejects like Bruce Smith. That seemed like a bad idea at the time, but just look at them now. I think Smith could start for them today over Phillip Daniels who, like the rest of the line, is pretty much worthless.

While they’re still something of a threat in a division game, and have proved that they can be quality spoilers at the end of the season, that’s all they have going for them. They appear to be getting worse, making more and more inane decisions and I, for one, find it amusing to watch.

Tomorrow we go from one of the best divisions in football to the absolute worst. Will the Bears fool everyone again into thinking they’re a winning team? Will the Vikings make the playoffs simply by virtue of getting to play the Lions and the Packers twice each? We’ll just have to see….