2014 NFC East Projections

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X-New York Giants 10-6

Last season the New York Giants endured their first losing season since 2004 and they are out to change that in 2014. This off-season Giants general manager Jerry Reese has been busy saying goodbye to longtime veterans and hello to new free agents and rookies.

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Eli Manning

One thing that has remained the same for the Giants is their starting quarterback Eli Manning. Manning has been the Giants starting quarterback since midway through the 2004 National Football League season. Manning is coming off of his worst year as a professional as he led the league in interceptions with 27. To offset Manning’s woes, the Giants have attempted to strengthen the team around him.

Longtime Giants offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride has been replaced by Ben McAdoo. McAdoo was formerly the quarterbacks coach for the Green Bay Packers and he brings with him a more uptempo offense that will look to get everyone involved. Last season Manning played behind a porous offensive line and he was running for his life. Longtime vets on the Giants offensive line such as David Diehl and Chris Snee have retired. The Giants are hopeful that second year player Justin Pugh will become entrenched at right tackle while Reese brought in some veterans on the offensive line in former Miami Dolphins guard John Jerry and former Denver Broncos center J.D. Walton.

The Giants were paltry at running the football last season as they only had three games in which a running back gained more than 100 yards on the ground. Former Giants first round pick David Wilson was forced to retire due to a neck injury, but Big Blue has depth in the backfield. The Giants signed running back Rashad Jennings who spent the last five seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Oakland Raiders respectively. Jennings has never been an every down back, but he will get his opportunity this year to get more carries. Running back Peyton Hillis is in the mold of former Giants running back Brandon Jacobs and he will be vital in short yardage packages. Then there is rookie running back Andre Williams. Williams was a work horse last year at Boston College and he is a player that gets stronger as the game goes on.

Manning will have some burners to throw to this season in his receiving core. Wide receiver Victor Cruz will be Manning’s go-to-guy, but you cannot sleep on Reuben Randle or rookie wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. Beckham Jr. however has been battling a hamstring injury in training camp and the Giants are hopeful to get him on the field at some point.

Last year the Giants finished 8th in total defense and for them to once again be in the top 10, they will need pressure from their defensive line. Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul is looking to return to the form that made him a dominant player as he was slowed down by a back injury last season. The Giants also have veteran defensive ends in Robert Ayers and Mathias Kiwanuka, but second year defensive end Damontre Moore could be special. The man that made the Giants defense go last year was middle linebacker Jon Beason who has missed training camp due to an injury, but he is expected to ready for the start of the regular season. The Giants still have strong safety Antrel Rolle who has become a leader on the field and in the locker room for Big Blue.

While Manning and the offense are getting on the same page with McAdoo, the Giants could start slow, but as the season progresses they should round into form.

Philadelphia Eagles 8-8

Last year Philadelphia Eagles head coach Chip Kelly jumped from the college ranks and won over the people on Broad Street as he led the Eagles to the playoffs. But what will Kelly and the Eagles be able to do for an encore in 2014? Last season Kelly and his uptempo, spread offense were second in the National Football League in total offense. But now the rest of the NFL has a year’s worth of game film on Kelly’s scheme which will make it a little tougher for the Eagles in 2014.

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LeSean McCoy

Last season Nick Foles went 8-2 as the Eagles starting quarterback and this season it is his job to lose. Last year Foles threw 27 touchdown passes to only 2 interceptions and he really did not have that much defensive pressure placed upon him; partially due to the fact that the Eagles were able to run the football effectively with running back LeSean McCoy. With McCoy and running back Chris Polk, the Eagles should once again have one of the best rushing attacks in the National Football League, but there will be some questions about their passing game.

In the off-season Kelly and the Eagles released wide receiver DeSean Jackson who went on to sign with the Washington Redskins and he is one of the most explosive players in the league. The Eagles do not have a ton of talent at the wide receiver position which means that Foles will rely on tight ends Brent Celek and Zach Ertz along with running back Darren Sproles who was acquired from the New Orleans Saints.

Last year the Eagles defense struggled due to their fast paced offense and the fact that they were undersized. Defensively the Eagles will once again be undersized, but they must find a way to get off of the field on third down.

Everyone in Philadelphia has circled the September 21 game as the Eagles will host Jackson and the Redskins and you can bet that the boo birds will be out in full force at Lincoln Financial Field for that one.

Dallas Cowboys 6-10

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is hopeful that this is the season in which his beloved team once again becomes relevant in the land of the National Football League. The Cowboys have not had a winning record nor a postseason appearance since 2009. The last three seasons have seen the Cowboys finish with a record of 8-8 as they failed to win their last game of the season each time which would have given them the NFC East Title. In three-plus seasons as the Cowboys head coach, Jason Garrett has failed to lead Dallas to the postseason and it would be tough for Jones to justify bringing back Garrett in 2015 if the team were to miss the postseason for a fifth straight season.

Cowboys starting quarterback Tony Romo is coming off of off-season back surgery and at 34-years of age it will be interesting to see how he’ll be able to hold up to the riggers of another NFL season. It also won’t help Romo’s case that he is playing behind an offensive line that has holes in it.

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Dez Bryant

Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant is becoming one of the better players at his position in the NFL, but for the Cowboys to have a chance this season, Garrett must commit to the running game. For his three-year NFL career, running back DeMarco Murray has averaged 4.9 yards per carry, but Garrett tends to shy away from him at times in spite of the fact that this guy can produce.

Defensively the Cowboys released longtime defensive end DeMarcus Ware and they have questions up and down the unit which could spell a long season at “Jerry World”.

The Cowboys will begin the season by hosting the San Francisco 49ers before going on the road against the Tennessee Titans and the St. Louis Rams. It is a good possibility that the Cowboys will be fighting an uphill battle all season long in the NFC East.

Washington Redskins 6-10

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Robert Griffin III

Don’t look now but the Washington Redskins have their eighth head coach since Dan Snyder became the owner in 1999 and they also have a ton of questions to answer as the season is set to begin. Jay Gruden is the new head coach of the ‘Skins and he is out to make quarterback Robert Griffin III one of the best signal callers in the business. In 2012 as a rookie, Griffin could do no wrong, but he wasn’t healthy last season and it affected him and the Redskins alike.

This season Gruden will preach balance on offense and the Redskins have the team to get it done. The Redskins were fifth in the NFL last season in rushing the football and they’ll need another heavy dose of running backs Alfred Morris and Roy Helu. Griffin has an extremely strong arm and he will benefit from wide receiver DeSean Jackson joining the Redskins as he is one of the best deep threats in football.

If outside linebacker Brian Orakpo can return to form after suffering a pectoral injury last year, he can team with linebackers Ryan Kerrigan and rookie Trent Murphy as the Redskins will be able to keep the pressure on opposing quarterbacks.

With controversy over their team nickname growing, another losing season is not what Redskins owner Dan Snyder can afford to have, but more than likely it will happen.

X-Clinched Division

Source: Pro-football-reference.com

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