Early Look At The NFC East

A healthy Donovan McNabb will give the Philadelphia Eagles a dangerous offense.  But the question now is whether McNabb can avoid major injuries.  It’s tough to continue contending for a title in the National Football League when your quarterback misses a large number of games.  Reggie Brown is emerging as an athletic playmaker.  They lost a playmaker in Donte Stallworth, but former Ram Kevin Curtis has a more consistent track record and enough speed to make plays within Andy Reid’s offense.  Brian Westbrook has always been a playmaker and now has proven he can handle a heavy workload on the ground.  The Eagles will have more size on defense and that should help against the run.  Takeo Spikes will be very active on the weakside.  I am not sure what Jeremiah Trotter has left in the tank, but he’s worked hard to shed pounds this spring.  Former Bear Ian Scott adds depth to the interior front.  Look for Brodrick Bunkley to step up in his second season.  There’s a lot of doubt surrounding Jevon Kearse.  He’s always relied mostly on his upfield speed, but has lost some zip and is coming off a major injury.  That means the pass rush could again be built around Trent Cole. 

The Dallas Cowboys will be a looser team under Wade Phillips, but does that mean they’ll also be a better team without Bill Parcells?  A lot falls on the shoulders of Tony Romo.  Romo brings energy to the offense, but must make better decisions with the football under pressure.  Opposing defensive coaches know how to scheme around getting Romo out of rhythm.  Expect a lot from the ground game.  Julius Jones has a chip on his shoulder and will make big plays.  Marion Barber is a steady hammer in tough situations.  The offensive line is a concern.  Flozell Adams is fading at left tackle.  The jury is out on whether Marc Colombo can replicate his success from last season.  Leonard Davis talks about a rejuvenation coming to Dallas, but must prove it on the field.  They have questions to answer in the secondary.  Anthony Henry has been nicked up and vulnerable to big plays.  Ken Hamlin is an upgrade at free safety, but can be exploited at times.  Phillips will be more aggressive in applying pressure on the quarterback.  DeMarcus Ware has an opportunity to post even bigger sack numbers.  Rookie Anthony Spencer could make an early impact. 

It’s boom or bust for the New York Giants under Tom Coughlin.  There’s enough talent to win a lot of games, but not much leadership among their collection of me-first players.  They’ll miss Tiki Barber’s big play ability, but Brandon Jacobs and Reuben Droughns have the ability to keep the chains moving if healthy.  There are a lot of questions if Jacobs has the mental toughness to handle a feature role.  The pressure is now on Eli Manning to take his game to the next level.  Manning has shown he can play at a high level, but his inconsistency is frustrating.  They lack a true left tackle.  David Diehl will give his best if plugged in there, but will have trouble against some of the top speed rushers.  Steve Spagnuolo brings an aggressive philosophy to the defense.  Osi Umenyiora could have a big year off the edge, but the secondary could struggle again.  Rookie Aaron Ross brings energy and physical skills, but Corey Webster and Gibril Wilson need to step up.  Webster is healthy and feels a comfort level in this new defense.  Wilson needs to recapture his aggressive nature from his rookie season. 

Gregg Williams’ defense is the key for the Washington Redskins.   There are a lot of veterans here with chips on their shoulder from last season.  Fred Smoot should rebound in his return to Washington.  Carlos Rogers must regain his confidence.  He has too much ability not to recover.  They should be strong at linebacker if Marcus Washington stays healthy.  London Fletcher brings leadership from the middle and I like the upside of Rocky McIntosh.  Lemar Marshall remains a steady presence.  But the front four remains a concern again.  There’s very little pressure coming off the edge and they could have problems against the run again.  On the other side of the ball, I like the poise of Jason Campbell for a young quarterback.  But they need more consistency from their receivers.  Santana Moss is their big-play threat, but durability is always a concern.  Al Saunders must also find more ways to get Chris Cooley involved in the passing game. 

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