NFC East preview

So I figured it was close enough to preseason for this procrastinator to start up with the speculation. Naturally, I'm starting with the division I know best, the National Football Conference Eastern Division.

Cowboys- Obviously, they have to be the favorite. I hate them as much as any other person in this country, but their entire offensive line has a real mean streak to knock opposing lines right outta the way. That'll help pave the way for Marion Barber and talented rookie Felix Jones, who excelled in a running back by committee role in college with the more heralded Darren McFadden, to run crazy all over most defenses. Defensively, they return most of a strong cast, the most notable loss being Jason Ferguson, a nose tackle who played sparingly last year due to injury who was traded to the Dolphins earlier this offseason. That was countered, in terms of additions, with Inside Linebacker Zach Thomas being signed away from those same Dolphins, a guarantee to provide leadership, and a trade that brought in super athletic, although troubled, corner Adam Jones from Tennessee. There are worries about the wide receiver position though, with Patrick Crayton slated to start and Sam Hurd battling Miles Austin to man the slot, Isaiah Stanback being considerably farther behind.

Eagles- Not so obviously, is where the rest of the division falls (or even where Dallas does, as this division is very dependent on young players). I'm sliding the Eagles into the number two spot, but their whole season basically revolves around Donovan McNabb. If he plays most of the season (hold your breath) then he can easily McGuyver together a passing attack from Reggie Brown, Kevin Curtis, LJ Smith, and his secret weapon, Brian Westbrook- the ultimate scatback. However, Kevin Kolb or AJ Feeley would be considerably worse off, with neither being, frankly, as talented or experienced. Not to say Kolb won't be able to be a productive NFL QB, but in terms of his athleticism, he pales in comparison. The defensive side of the ball is considerably more confusing, as they're expected to run from a nickel back quite often this season due to the presence of three pro-bowl corners. The front seven is full of young talents, a stark contrast to the defensive backfield. It projects as a solid squad, and a favorite to be near the top of the league in turnovers created.

Giants- How often can a team win a Super Bowl and be an honest possibility to not even finish top two in their own division? The G-Men have retained most of their talented offensive line, and return most of their skill position players on offense. Ahmad Bradshaw missed a good deal of time this offseason in jail for a probation violation though, and Brandon Jacobs had surgery on his left wrist earlier this offseason, which may be a slight cause for concern since it could break again and there is a possibility it affects his ball-carrying. The New York Football Giants defense was pillaged this offseason, as they lost Kawika Mitchell, Reggie Torbor, and Gibril Wilson to free agency and didn't make great strides to replace them, going with Mathias Kiwanuka, Gerris Wilkenson and Kenny Phillips/Michael Johnson/Sammy Knight. This could be a problem for them, although Justin Tuck should do a fine job replacing Michael Strahan in terms of on-field production. Strahan's leadership being replaced could be a bigger problem though, as he had quite a bit of experience.

Redskins- The most absolutely confusing of the teams in the division. The Redskins will be fun to watch this year, be it for fans of Washington or the opposing team. They have Jason Campbell learning another offensive system this year, but if nothing else he's proven a quick learner and quite intelligent. He also has a strong arm and is mobile enough to make a defense pay if they drop seven into coverage. The offense could have problems with Chris Cooley expected to be an offensive force who certainly doesn't have speed to burn. Malcolm Kelly is supposed to man the second receiver spot, and while he is promising, it would be ideal if a team wasn't relying on him as a starting wideout in his rookie year. The Redskin defense is gonna be hard to project, because they have talent, with Jason Taylor and London Fletcher up front, but the loss of Sean Taylor kind of leaves the D without a real face or identity. LaRon Landry, last seasons first rounder for the Skins, is expected to slide over and pick up the spot vacated by Taylor, with Reed Doughty and Stuart Schwiegert battling to be the starting strong safety. This team can really epitomize the division: dependent on young players.

Other divisions should follow soon. It's not like I have much else to do in the summer, anyway.