NFL Division Previews: NFC East

Filed in archive NFL on July 21, 2008

© chad050

The NFL season is approaching quickly, and with that, EZB will be providing previews of each division in the league. Up today: the NFC East

Dallas Cowboys

Why They Might Win the Division
Dallas returns an explosive offense, and though they are not deep at wide receiver, their running game should offer opponents the newest version of thunder and lightning with Marion Barber and rookie Felix Jones. Let's not forget Pacman, er, Adam Jones, who is a hell of a corner and return man when he is not engaged in illicit activities.

Why They Might Not Win the Division
Really, it's all about avoiding injuries. Should Terrell Owens or Jason Witten get hurt, the lack of receiving options could be dangerous to them.

New York Giants

Why They Might Win the Division
The Giants are the defending Super Bowl champions, for a start. They have a deep receiving corp and a very solid offensive line. And despite losing Kawika Mitchell and Michael Strahan, the defense has plenty of firepower remaining.

Why They Might Not Win the Division
Eli Manning didn't make the transition everybody thinks he did. NY's defense won that Super Bowl, and Manning was really struggling until the fourth quarter. He was very average in the regular season as well, with a passer rating in the low 70's, while throwing 23 TD passes to 20 interceptions.

Philadelphia Eagles

Why They Might Win the Division
When QB Donovan McNabb is healthy, he can still be effective enough to take the team to the postseason, and Brian Westbrook is one of the five best backs in the game. Their secondary should be a strength, especially if Lito Sheppard does not get traded. And tight end L.J. Smith has the talent and opportunity to break out this season.

Why They Might Not Win the Division
They still don't have that go-to wide receiver, and McNabb needs to stay healthy. They are getting long in the tooth at offensive tackle, and their linebacking crew is very young, filled with guys in their first, second or third seasons.

Washington Redskins

Why They Might Win the Division
The Redskins defense was a top-10 unit in 2007, and they should be a very solid unit once again, especially with the addition of jason taylor at defensive end. Washington also has a plethora of offensive weapons at the skill positions, from Clinton Portis at running back to Chris Cooley at tight end, among others.

Why They Might Not Win the Division
Is QB Jason Campbell ready to take the leap from prospect to a valuable contributor? His play will likely determine the fate of the team. If he comes out and embraces the West Coast offense, good things will follow. If not, the Redskins could struggle.