With the 2009-2010 NFL season kicking off just fourteen days after tomorrow, there has been a lot of preseason news throughout the league. I think that it seems like a good time for me to make some predictions for the regular season. 8 NFL posts in 8 days: each day I will cover a different division.
Michael Vick is back.... or he will be tomorrow. Since there is so much talk about Vick and the Eagles, Plaxico the ex-Giant, and the Cowboys scoreboard, I thought it seems right to start off with the NFC East. The Giants won the division last year, the Eagles played well in the end to just slip into the playoffs, and the Cowboys and the Redskins fell apart down the home stretch. Here's what I think will happen in what I think is the best division in the NFC.
Team On the Rise: Philadelphia Eagles
Yes the Eagles are my favorite team, but I still think they are on the rise, and this is coming from the heart. They have a few loses and injuries on defense, but they have all the weapons they need on offense, and I really think Jason Peters was a great pickup from Buffalo.
Team On the Decline: Washington Redskins
Look, I know they just got Albert Haynesworth, but they still don't know what to expect from Jason Campbell. The division is loaded with talent, and I just think the Redskins are going to have a tough time dealing with Dallas, Philly and the Giants. Also, they play at Carolina, at Atlanta and finish of the season in San Diego.
Biggest Impact Players: Brandon Jacobs and Donovan McNabb
Eli Manning is now the highest paid quarterback in the NFL. Why do I think Brandon Jacobs needs to step up? The Giants don't have a standout #1 receiver. I think Jacobs really needs to have a great season for the Giants to do well. They are going to rely on their running game in the beginning of the season, and they need to get off to a good start like they did last year. For the Eagles, McNabb will be the difference. He finally has enough weapons around him to get the job done, and Westbrook is not 100% yet. If Westbrook gets hurt again, their best running back will be LeSean McCoy, the rookie. Or they could put in a guy named Michael Vick, but again, Vick hasn't played since 2006.
Best Offense: Philadelphia Eagles
They have what they need. The franchise quarterback. A great running back, and a solid backup. A solid group of WRs. And Michael Vick. What could be the fastest team in the NFL has numerous offensive weapons, and every defense will be scared to face this team.
Best Defense: New York Giants
The Giants have a scary defensive line with Osi Umenyiora coming back and Justin Tuck. Antonio Pierce is a great leader for the defense. I also think this could be a breakout year for Aaron Ross at corner. Kenny Phillips could make an impact as well.
Best Division Game: Eagles at Giants
Sunday night football. December 13th. At the Meadowlands. A win in Week 14 will be very crucial for both teams. The winner of this game will have tons of momentum for the end of the regular season and into the playoffs.
Division Winner: New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles
I know two teams can't win the division, but I think that the Giants and Eagles will both finish 11-5 and have the same divisional record. I hate the Giants. That is a fact. But the Giants are a very good team. They are not far off from when they took down the Patriots to win the Super Bowl. I think the home team will win each game these teams play against each other, and I think these teams both have a chance to make an NFC-Championship run.
5 comments:
Right on! I like these predictions.
i think these are good but you probably should have mentioned the cowboys a little bit
I agree, the Cowboys should definitely be brought up in this conversation. Without T.O. it should be much easier for them to focus. However, this is a very tough division and could really go in any direction.
Good analysis but leaving out a discussion of the Cowboys leaves the reader hanging. there are always surprise teams from year to year. last year Falcons, Dolphins and Ravens came from no where to make the playoffs to the pundits surprise. Why not the Redskins? Thought: could Vick not be a distraction and upset the offensive flow of the Eagles? They seem to be the strongest and fastest but with significant questions: team chemistry and the passing of Jim Johnson. BTW, who are your playoff teams for the league. Think about surprise teams.
after getting past the fact that two teams can't win the division (i think most of us realize you meant both teams will make the playoffs), this is pretty solid. i agree that these are the two best teams in a tough division. i think another impact player will be tony romo; it's going to be very interesting to see how he handles everything without T.O.
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