NFC East Expectations & Rankings
It’s never too early to begin judging where our NFC East Rivals are going to be come the end of the season.
We’re 66 days away from the first Sunday that will bring us an entire day of Football for the first time since January. Luckily, the Eagles will see themselves in the opening window of the day facing off against the Detroit Lions. While the newly named Commanders will host the Jaguars. The Giants will visit the previous 1st Seed of the AFC, Titans and the Cowboys will have un-retired Tom Brady coming to JerryWorld to wreak havoc.
Below I’ll provide my expectations for the NFC East teams, working our way up the 2021 standings.:
GIANTS
The Giants cleaned house last year. After Joe Judge’s comical “This ain’t some clown show.” comments while the Giants fell to 4-12 after yet another pathetic season. Joe Judge and Dave Gettleman had their final seasons to kill the Giants and set Brian Daboll and Joe Schoen up nicely for the 2022 Draft. With 2 picks in the top 10 that resulted in Evan Neal and Kayvon Thibodeaux joining the G-Men. Maybe they’ll be able to turn this season around?
But what’s this? After all the QB’s that hit free agency and potential late round draft picks. The Giants will still be rolling with Daniel Jones at QB1? I get that he’s on his last year and the Giants declined his 5th year option, but this is a team that also cut James Bradberry (thanks) because they leaked he was getting cut if they couldn’t find a trade suitor. Funny how bashing a players value won’t lead to you getting compensation.
Honestly, the Giants made a step up in beginning another rebuild for the franchise. Clearly Danny Dimes won’t be the face forever, but with an offence consisting of the constantly injured Saquon, An extremely overpaid Golladay, and a questionable depth at TE. This Giants team probably won’t improve, and should be big sellers at the deadline
Prediction: Maybe they’ll improve, but it won’t be by much. 5-12 if they don’t embrace the tank for Bryce Young.
COMMANDERS
The Commanders finally went out and drafted that WR to be opposite of Terry McLaurin. After months of reports saying McLaurin was holding out, he finally got his payday as well. The unfortunate news about all of this is that Carson Wentz is the new QB1 over Taylor Heinicke or late round Draft pickup Sam Howell. This is the Carson Wentz who exiled himself from Philly, got traded to the Colts to be reunited with his Former OC to hopefully return to form and sadly lost his team out of a playoff spot. All while Jonathan Taylor rushed for 1,811 Yards.
Coming off of another 27TD/7INT season in Indy, Wentz had a team built for the deep run Colts fans have wanted since Andrew Luck was still around. Will moving on to Ron Rivera for some reason be the missing piece to Wentz problems? The worse OL, weaker offensive weapons? He dragged Philly to the playoffs with Lawn Chairs and Deck Furniture but is he likely to do it again? I doubt it.
Sure Chase Young will be coming back from his ACL injury, but with Matthew Ioannidis and Landon Collins getting released. This Defence won’t be looking like the same monster from 2020 everyone had expectations for in 2021 that surely weren’t up to snuff.
Prediction: This all falls on Carson Wentz play. The Defence might be able to save them some points, but if Wentz continues to make untimely mistakes and bonehead decisions on the field. The Commanders could find themselves in the same situation as their stadium. Drowning in poop.
An 8+ win season isn’t that far-fetched for this roster. But that might be too much for Wentz playing on his 3rd team in 3 years. 7-10
EAGLES
After watching an expectation-less Eagles team make the playoffs with an 8-9 record during a rebuild, keeping ‘three’ first round picks throughout the season, to kick one of them down the road and STILL be able to walk away with the revamped team they’ve created? Jordan Davis, A.J. Brown, James Bradberry, Zach Pascal, Kyzir White, Haason Reddick? The fact the Eagles were able to fit all these names in one off-season is astounding. Definitely setting this team up for success. With more offensive depth beyond DeVonta Smith and Quez Watkins and Defensive talent pouring out of every position.
This Eagles team should be frightening.
They weren’t even that far off from being more than a 9 win team last season. From wasting a 4th and Goal situation to call Philly Philly during the home opener. To heartbreaking last second field goal losses. This was an impressive outing for a team running around with over $63M in dead cap space. With most of that dead space being reallocated to positions of need during this offseason. This might not be THE year, but it should hold improvements over last year. With 2 first round picks in 2023 the Eagles aren’t done yet, but if Howie wants to trade a 1st to go all in this year I wouldn’t blame him.
Prediction: There’s lots of big teams in the Eagles schedule that will be taking a step back this year. 10+ is obviously the expectation, but I believe in this team. 12-5 should see this team clinching a top 3 seed in the NFC.
COWBOYS
The Cowboys definitely made some moves this offseason. Not sure if many of them were good moves, but they made moves.
Losing Amari Cooper, Ced Wilson, Blake Jarwin AND Randy Gregory in one offseason is peak Cowboys if you ask me. All those losses to bring back Michael Gallup and put all the chips in CeeDee Lamb taking the step to become the WR1 they hope for is a big ask. Surely it’ll be their year again, right? Drafting Tyler Smith wasn’t the best available pick at 24. But with offensive line help you hope Dak is able to prove he’s worth that whopping 4 year $160M deal he’s signed. The Cowboys can go 12-5 all they want, but the NFC East hasn’t had a repeat winner since the 2001-2004 Eagles, and I highly doubt a team putting Trevon Diggs at CB1 is going to repeat a division title when they see the Bengals, Buccaneers and Rams within the first 5 weeks.
Prediction: It’ll be the Cowboys year, again. But the Eagles fast forward rebuild will prevent them from keeping that division title. 11-6.
You’re more than welcome to come back to this and laugh in my face in 184 days if any of this is wrong when Week 18 rolls around. But if I get even one team in the division right? I’ll take that win.
Go Birds.
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