2018 NFC East Projections

Y-Philadelphia Eagles 11-5

It took plenty of blood, sweat, and tears, but the Philadelphia Eagles have finally attained something that at times seemed unattainable for their franchise and that is to be Super Bowl Champions. The Eagles knocked off the New England Patriots this past February for their first Super Bowl Title in franchise history as this was years in the making for a fan base that was long overdue. In just two years the Eagles were able to rub off the stench of the debacle which was Chip Kelly as their head coach as his replacement Doug Pederson turned them into winners. Pederson has a team that is once again capable of winning it all, but will his Eagles wilt under the pressure to repeat as Super Bowl Champs?

The Eagles head into a new season season with a luxury that most teams in the National Football League do not have, and that is to have two quarterbacks who are capable of winning. The Eagles selected quarterback Carson Wentz second overall in 2016, and in a short time as Philadelphia’s starting quarterback, he was able to show that he was the real deal. Last year Wentz threw 33 touchdowns to just 7 interceptions as he was well on his way to being named as the NFL MVP. But in the Eagles Week 14 win over the Los Angeles Rams, Wentz suffered a torn ACL and LCL which ended his season. However the Eagles would turn to veteran quarterback Nick Foles as their offense who kept the machine going and finished the season as Super Bowl MVP.

And this ability by Foles to get it done will be important for the Eagles as since Wentz still is not cleared by the team doctors for contact, he will be the guy under center to begin the season for Philly.

Under Pederson and general manager Howie Roseman, the Eagles have taken a page from the Patriots in regards to not relying on one player on offense to get the job done as it is more about the team. Last year Philadelphia was seventh in the National Football League in total offense, and they’ll once again be one of the top units in the league due to their ability to spread love.

The combination of Jay Ajayi and Wendell Smallwood will be a problem for opposing defenses due to the fact that their skill sets are different as Ajayi is a bruiser, while Smallwood brings the speed element to the table. The past several years have seen running back Darren Sproles be a pivotal part of the Eagles game plan due to his ability as a runner and receiver, along with what he can do on special teams as a returner. Sproles missed 13 games for the Eagles last due to an ACL injury. Sproles is attempting to comeback, but at the age of 35, will he still be able to be effective?

Tight end Zach Ertz and wide receiver Alshon Jeffery have been the go-to-guys for the Eagles passing game, but one player to keep an eye on will be wide receiver Nelson Agholor. Agholor now has three years under his belt with the Eagles, and in his each season his productivity has increased. Agholor is a speedster who knows how to get yards after the catch which could lead to him gaining 1,000 yards receiving for the first time in his National Football League career, while also getting consideration for the Pro Bowl.

But as talented as Philadelphia is at the skill positions, the cohesion on the offensive line makes them one of the best in the business. Left tackle Jason Peters is a nine-time Pro Bowl selection and he is one of the most respected players in the business for what he can do on the field as well as off of it. Right tackle Lane Johnson was the fourth overall pick of the 2013 draft and his versatility as to block for both the run and pass have made him one of the best offensive lineman in the National Football League. Center Jason Kelce might be known as the outspoken older brother of Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, but ability to read blitzes is second to none at his position. Last year Eagles quarterbacks were only sacked 36 times with a ton of credit for that falling into the lap of the team’s offensive line.

Last year the Eagles were fourth in the National Football League in total defense, and just like their offense, it is 11 men doing whatever it takes, while not worrying about individual glory. The Eagles have a bevy of pass rushers which includes defensive ends Chris Long and Brandon Graham. You can never have too much of a good thing as the Eagles acquired defensive end Michael Bennett this off-season from the Seattle Seahawks while defensive end Derek Barnett who was the team’s first-round pick in 2017 could be ready for a breakout campaign. Aside from acquiring Bennett, Philadelphia also picked up veteran defensive tackle Haloti Ngata who will team with defensive tackle Fletcher Cox to give the Eagles one of the most dominant pair of interior linemen in the NFL.

It will be important for the Eagles defensive line to create pressure due to the fact that they are not as deep in their back seven as they were last year. But Philadelphia still has strong safety Malcolm Jenkins who in his four years with the club has become one of the locker room leaders, while he is coming off of the second Pro Bowl season of his career.

As the Eagles are the defending Super Bowl Champs, they will have to enter each game with heightened awareness as each opponent will be gunning for them more than ever.

New York Giants 10-6

If it were up to the New York Giants, they would omit the 2017 National Football League season from their record books. The Giants came into the season with playoff aspirations, but the year got away from them before it even started. New York would lose their first five games which opened the flood gates. The Giants were decimated by injuries, while at times they failed to compete. And when it was all said and done, Big Blue found themselves doing things that have been uncharacteristic of their franchise.

Things got so bad for the Giants that starting quarterback Eli Manning was benched for their Week 13 meeting with the Oakland which ended his streak of consecutive games started for a quarterback at 210. The media and fans alike in the New York area turned on the Giants organization for their treatment of Manning, and the following week would see the franchise part with longtime general manager Jerry Reese as well as head coach Ben McAdoo. The move marked the first time since 1976 where the Giants fired their head coach during the season, and all signs pointed to a big change in East Rutherford.

Following the Giants 3-13 season, the franchise would be in the hunt for a new general manager and head coach. The Giants would hire former Carolina Panthers general manager Dave Gettleman to be their new GM. Gettleman’s hire was due to his familiarity with the Giants franchise. Gettleman worked in the Giants front office for 14 years prior to joining the Panthers, and during his initial run in New York, he helped Big Blue win two Super Bowl Titles in three appearances.

Gettleman’s first order of business was to hire former Cleveland Browns head coach Pat Shurmer to be the man to lead the Giants. In two years with the Browns, Shurmur was only able to compile a record of 9-23, but few have been the head coaches who have succeeded in Cleveland over the last two decades. Gettleman felt that Shurmur didn’t receive a fair shake with the Browns due to the constant upheaval in their front office over the last two decades, and he feels that he is the right guy for the Giants due to his attention to detail.

During Gettleman’s introductory press conference with the Giants, he let it be known that he still believes in Manning in regards to being Big Blue’s starting quarterback which is something that was echoed by Shurmur. Manning is 37-years of age, but he is still sharp mentally and physically to play at a high level in the National Football League. Since winning Super Bowl 46, Manning has not had the best team around him which is evident by the fact that New York has only made one trip to the postseason since the last time that they hoisted the Vince Lombardi Trophy. And since Gettleman still believes in Manning, this off-season has been dedicated to putting a better team around the future Hall of Famer.

As the result of the Giants only going 3-13 last year, they earned the second overall pick heading into the 2018 National Football League Draft. Many people outside of the Giants organization wanted them to select a quarterback that Manning could groom for the future; however Gettleman would stick to his guns.

The Giants would use the second overall pick on running back Saquon Barkley who was an immediate fan favorite with the team’s fan base. Collegiately at Penn State, Barkley was an explosive runner, as well as a receiver coming out of the backfield. And the Giants are hopeful that Barkley will give them some play making ability at the running back position which is something that they have lacked for a very long time. The Giants envision running the football more as they were 26th in the National Football League last season on the ground, which is something that they will look to change now that Barkley is in the fold. Barkley was also the highest draft selection for the Giants since 1981 when they selected outside linebacker Lawrence Taylor and the rest is history.

But if the Giants are going to improve their rushing attack, the addition Barkley alone is not enough as he needs to have a quality offensive line in front of him. The Giants would make a splash in free agency when they signed left tackle Nate Solder to a lucrative deal. It took $62 million over the next four years to get Solder join the Giants, but it will be worth it. Solder spent the last seven years with the New England Patriots and there his job was to protect the blindside of quarterback Tom Brady. Now Solder will get the opportunity to protect the blindside of another future Hall of Famer in Manning, while the Giants are also hopeful that he will bring some of the winning culture that exists in Foxboro to East Rutherford.

Solder’s arrival also means that Ereck Flowers will be moved from the left tackle position to the right. Flowers has been the Giants starting left tackle since he was drafted by them in 2015, but he has never developed the overall footwork or technique to be a left tackle in the National Football League which led to Manning being constantly under pressure in the pocket over the last several years. But even though that Flowers is playing right tackle, he isn’t out of the woods as opposing defenses are still going to test him; especially via the blitz.

The Giants also got one the steals from this year’s National Football League Draft when they selected guard Will Hernandez. Hernandez was good enough to be a first-round pick, but he slipped into the second round where the Giants snagged him. Most scouts pegged Hernandez as being the real deal, while he plays angry which is something that the Giants offensive line needs.

Barkley’s presence along with an improved offensive will result in the Giants running the football more, which should open things up in their passing game. The Giants passing attack was hurt last season due to the fact that they didn’t have a healthy Odell Beckham Jr. at wide receiver. Beckham suffered an ankle injury in the preseason, and during the Giants Week 5 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, Beckham would suffer a fractured ankle which ended his campaign. Now Beckham is healthy and eager to show why he is still one of the top receivers in the National Football League.

Aside from Beckham, the Giants have a maturing slot receiver in Sterling Shepard who is dependable in regards to moving the chains on third down. Last year as a rookie, tight end Evan Engram was second on the Giants in receiving yards with 722. Engram is a tight end by title, but he plays more like a bigger wide receiver as his ability as a pass catcher will make safeties think twice about focusing too much on Beckham.

Under Shurmur, the Giants defense is undergoing an extensive makeover. Last year the Giants were 31st in the National Football League in total defense as their opponents were able to slice through them like traffic on the New Jersey Turnpike. The Giants have undergone a major overhaul as this will be first time since the early 1990’s that they will operate with a 3-4 base defense. New Giants defensive coordinator Jim Bettcher loves to blitz and mix up his coverages which means that you’ll see Big Blue employ a much more aggressive style.

The Giants have a stout defensive line that is led by nose tackle Damon “Snacks” Harrison, while much will be expected of a revamped linebacking unit. This off-season the Giants parted with a pair of draft picks to acquire middle linebacker Alec Ogletree from the Los Angeles Rams. Ogletree has been a solid player in his five years in the National Football League, but more importantly, the Giants need him to be a leader as they have lacked quality play at the middle linebacker position since the days of Antonio Pierce.

Switching to the 3-4 should allow Olivier Vernon to be more effective as a pass rusher. Vernon initially was a defensive end with the Giants, but now he will be asked to be an outside linebacker. However I anticipate Bettcher lining Vernon up in various spots in the defense in order to find as many ways as possible for him to get to the quarterback.

This off-season saw strong safety Landon Collins undergo surgery on his right forearm. However the two-time Pro Bowler is ready to go, and his ability to play the run as well as blitz will be important in Bettcher’s system. This off-season saw the Giants sign former Pittsburgh Steelers free safety William Gay. Gay has been underrated throughout his National Football League, and even at the age of 33, he still has some play making ability left in him.

Cornerback Janoris Jenkins is still one of the best cover guys in the business, but the jury is still out on his counterpart Eli Apple. Apple was the Giants first-round pick in 2016, and he has yet to live up to his potential as a top-ten pick. And since Gettleman nor Shurmur are attached at the hip with Apple, the time is now for him to show the he can get it done as a starter for this organization.

As the Giants look to bounce back in 2018, their schedule out of the chute won’t be easy with five of their first seven games coming against playoff teams last season. And included in that stretch is Week 6 meeting with the Philadelphia Eagles who are the defending Super Bowl Champions.

Dallas Cowboys 10-6

After winning 13 games in 2016, the Dallas Cowboys came into the 2017 National Football League season looking to build off of that and win their first Super Bowl Title since 1995. But the Cowboys took a step backwards which saw them fail to repeat as NFC East Champs, while missing the playoffs altogether. The Cowboys were never able to get on track which is essential for any team that has playoff aspirations. However hope springs eternal for a Cowboys team that is looking to be a force in the NFC.

One of the biggest reasons why the Cowboys were never able to get on track in 2017 was due to the fact that they didn’t have the services of running back Ezekiel Elliot for all 16 games. After leading the National Football League in rushing in 2016 with 1,631 yards, Elliot was expected to once again be one of the game’s top runner. However Elliot was suspended by the NFL for six games for violating the league’s personal conduct policy. Elliot attempted to appeal the ruling which was levied by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell which included the help of Cowboys team owner Jerry Jones. But all this did was to create a saga and a distraction for Dallas as you didn’t know if and when Elliot was going begin to serve his suspension. Ultimately Elliot would begin serving his suspension in Week 10, and without him the Cowboys were 3-3. However when Elliot returned from suspension, the damage was done as the Cowboys could not afford to lose anymore games, and they failed to come through.

Now Elliot is back and as he looks to put 2017 behind him, he once again has the opportunity to be one of the top ball carriers in the National Football League. Elliot is blessed with tremendous explosiveness which is important for an running back, and he only needs a slither of daylight in order to break free for a big run. And it doesn’t hurt Elliot’s chances of having a big season due to the fact that he has a huge wall of beef in front of him.

When the Cowboys won three Super Bowl Titles in a four-year stretch during the 1990’s, the backbone of the team was the biggest offensive line in the National Football League. The unit was dubbed by some as “The Great Wall of Dallas” as it was the first offensive line in the NFL to be comprised of 300 pounders. And although that most O-lines in the NFL now have 300 pounders, this current Cowboys line is big, but also athletic.

On the current Dallas offensive line, opposing defensive lines have their hands full as they have to deal with squaring off against three Pro Bowlers. Not only are left tackle Tyron Smith, center Travis Frederick, and right guard Zach Martin all Pro Bowlers, they are each arguably the best player at their respective positions in the National Football League. This trio is unassuming as they simply go on the field and plow the road each Sunday for Elliot and quarterback Dak Prescott.

And heading into the new season Prescott should benefit from being protected by this mammoth offensive line as well as having Elliot back in the fold. In 2016, Prescott was the National Football League’s Offensive Rookie of the Year as he was 13-3 as a starter, while only throwing 4 interceptions. However last season Prescott struggled at times due to the fact that opposing teams had a year’s worth of game film on him, and he wasn’t able to feed off of Elliot’s rushing ability.

But this time around you are going to see a different Prescott being that the Cowboys offense is more of his possession now due to the team releasing veteran wide receiver Dez Bryant this off-season, and the retirement of tight end Jason Witten. Prescott should be more comfortable in the pocket due to the fact that he is not entering his third year in Dallas, along with the fact that he doesn’t have to worry about players being in his ear about needing the football, while the Cowboys are also going to be a run first team with Elliot.

As shocking as it may seem, the Cowboys were eighth in the National Football League in total defense last season. Rod Marinelli is entering his fifth year as the Cowboys defensive coordinator, and he has emphasized imploring a defense that will put pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Last year the Cowboys were able to rack up 38 sacks, and you can see that number increase this year due to the fact that they have more depth.

Defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence is coming off of a breakout season as his 14.5 sacks were tied for second in the National Football League, and now Dallas is hopeful that he will be able maintain that caliber of production. Defensive end Taco Charlton didn’t have the kind of impact that was expected of him as a first-round pick in 2017 as he was only able to tally 3 sacks. But there is no time like the present to see if the maturation process is set to begin for Charlton.

The Cowboys must also keep linebacker Sean Lee on the field as he is the key to their offense. Lee has great instincts as a linebacker, but he also knows how to put his defensive teammates in the right spots to make plays. And when Lee is not on the field, the Dallas defense resembles the Keystone Cops.

The Cowboys spent a first-round pick this year on linebacker Leighton Vander Esch. Vander Esch comes to the Cowboys after a highly decorated collegiate career at Boise State where he was selected as the Mountain West Conference’s Defensive Player of the Year in 2017, while also being a two-time All-Academic in the conference as well. Vander Esch will tackle anything that moves, and he also plays with a high motor which will keep him in the discussion to be the National Football League’s Defensive Player of the Year.

But it will be on the defensive front seven for Dallas to make things happen as they have too many questions to answer in their secondary which will hinder their overall chances this year.

Of the Cowboys first seven opponents this year, only the Carolina Panthers were a playoff team last season, and a fast start could be just what the doctor ordered for the Cowboys to get them back to the postseason.

Washington Redskins 7-9

The 2017 edition of the Washington Redskins were extremely tough to get a feel of as they would look good in one game and so very bad in another. The end result was a Redskins team that went 7-9 as the best way to sum them up was being consistently inconsistent. Jay Gruden has been the Redskins head coach in each of the last four years and it is hard to believe that this team still has not been able to find an identity under him. A big reason for that is the fact that the Redskins and quarterback Kirk Cousins would not commit to each other long term.

The past few years saw the Redskins and Cousins wavering back and forth on agreeing to a long-term deal. On several occasions Washington slapped the franchise tag on Cousins until this off-season when he became an unrestricted free agent. And with all signs pointing to Cousins leaving Washington as he ultimately would join the Minnesota Vikings, Washington set their sights on finding his replacement.

Earlier this year the Redskins would acquire quarterback Alex Smith from the Kansas City Chiefs. Washington will be Smith’s third different National Football League team that he has played for as he has been a disrespected player throughout his career. After being the first overall pick of the NFL Draft in 2005, Smith was placed on a San Francisco 49ers team that wasn’t very good. And by the time that the Niners began to turn things around, Smith found himself traded to the Kansas City Chiefs as San Francisco looked to Colin Kaepernick to be their starting quarterback. In Kansas City, Smith made three Pro Bowls under the guidance of head coach Andy Reid, but the writing was on the wall that he would be expendable once the Chiefs drafted quarterback Patrick Mahomes in the first round last year.

Now at the age of 34, Smith will look to show that he can still get it done. Smith is coming off of a season with the Chiefs where he was the National Football League’s highest rated passer. Smith is a smart quarterback that excels in regards to getting the football to his receivers quickly. And in Gruden’s West Coast Offense where it is all about making quick reads, it could be a marriage made in football heaven between him and Smith.

Washington was 16th in the National Football League last year in total offense, but this season could be hit or miss for them. Last year Washington was 28th in the NFL in rushing offense as running back Samaje Perine was their leading rusher with just 603 yards. The Redskins attempted to address their issues in the run gam this year in the draft when they used a second-round pick on running back Derrius Guice. However in the Redskins first preseason game of the year, Guice suffered a torn ACL which ended his season before it even started.

The Redskins are now hopeful that 33-year old running back Adrian Peterson still has some life in his legs. The Redskins will be the fourth different team that Peterson has played for and aside from potentially helping Washington’s rushing attack, he also has the opportunity to surpass some elite ball carriers on the National Football League’s all-time list for rushing. Peterson is currently sitting on 12,276 career rushing yards which is 12th all-time, and he has the chance to move past Marshall Faulk, Jim Brown, and Tony Dorsett on that list. The Redskins have been impressed with Peterson so far in training camp, and the future Hall of Famer is eager to show that he still has something in the tank.

But the Redskins are lacking talent for Smith to throw the football as they don’t have depth in their receiving core. Tight end Jordan Reed is a good receiving option when he is healthy, but he has yet to see the field for all 16 games in any of his five seasons in the National Football League. And once you factor in that Washington has a suspect offensive line, their offense could have some issues.

Greg Manusky is set to begin his second season as the defensive coordinator of the Redskins, and after his unit finished 21st in the National Football League in total defense, they will once again be fighting an uphill battle due to the fact that with the exception of outside linebacker Ryan Kerrigan, they don’t have any play makers on that side of the football. Kerrigan has been one of the best pass rushers of this era, and with another quality season, he has the potential to move past Charles Mann for second place on the franchise’s all-time list for sacks.

As the NFC East should be an improved division, along with the fact that the Philadelphia Eagles are the defending Super Bowl Champions, Washington will have their hands full in regards to keeping up.

Y-Division Winner

Source: Pro-football-reference.com