Holden’s Rants – Sports meet Hollywood

Next up on the preview trail is probably the toughest division in the NFL this season, the NFC East.  In a division that is loaded with talent and new faces, the team that comes out on top of this division will definitely be battle tested.  Not only will the division winner make the playoffs, I think both Wild Card teams will come out of this division too.

NFC East Review (Ranked by predicted record)

1.  Washington Redskins (Prediction: 12-4) – The Redskins finished the 2005 season on a huge roll by winning their last 5 straight games and look to continue this success in the 2006 season.  With the additions of WRs Brandon Lloyd and Antwaan Randle El, the Redskins should be able to stretch the field more for star RB Clinton Portis who finished last season with 7 straight 100 yd rushing performances.  But the biggest addition to the Redskins offense will never see the field in 2006: offensive guru / coach Al Saunders.  Saunders previously coached some of the most explosive rushing attacks in the league at Kansas City and will surely bring this successful system to Washington.  Along with defensive coordinator Gregg Williams the Redskins will be tough to stop on both sides of the field.

2.  New York Giants (Prediction: 11-5) – Last year’s division champs will follow up their 11-5 record last year with…an 11-5 record.  Their offense is downright scary with a maturing Eli Manning, a stud RB in Tiki Barber (not in a fantasy sense though, he just doesn’t score enough TDs and will probably score even fewer this year), one of the top 3 TEs in the league with resident loud-mouth Jeremy Shockey, and a great one-two punch of WRs with Plaxico Burress and the aging Amani Toomer.  I wonder how well this offense will play when on the field though.  With one of the 3 hardest schedules in the league, the Giants’ offense missed a chance to gain some chemistry this past summer when Shockey and Plaxico opted to work out on their own in Miami instead of working in camp with Manning and the rest of the team.  Will this have an effect on timing routes and the offense?  Only time will tell.  On the defensive side they made huge improvements.  By adding LaVar Arrington and Sam Madison to a group that already included Michael Strahan, Osi Umenyiora, and Antonio Pierce, the Giants could have 5 Pro Bowlers on that side of the ball. 

3.  Dallas Cowboys (Prediction: 10-6) – Bill Parcells has only himself to live up to this season since he has been to the Super Bowl in his 4th season at a team every time he has coached somewhere that long.  Along with the addition of resident QB-basher Terrell Owens, the Cowboys added one of the best kickers in the league in Mike Vanderjagt (although one of the least clutch) and OT Jason Fabini.  Expectations in Big D are extremely high this year, but I’m not sure if I agree with those sentiments.  Although Owens was a huge acquisition and a possibly huge headache to boot, I don’t think he is that significant an upgrade over Keyshawn Johnson.  He is definitely a game breaker, but I’m not sure if the headaches will be worth it and he still doesn’t provide them with any more depth than they had last year.  Behind Owens and Glenn, the remaining WRs only have a total of 38 catches.  But, if TO is on his best behavior, he could bring a swagger that they’ve been lacking in Big D for years.  The question still remains if Julius Jones can stay healthy and if their defense can stop some people this year.

4.  Philadelphia Eagles (Prediction: 7-9) – Well, no matter how their season finishes this year, I think Donovan McNabb will have a lot less stress on him.  In a TO-free season, Donovan will look to prove that he can once again lead the Eagles into playoffs as he had the four seasons prior to last year.  The problem is though, his best receiver is probably 2nd year veteran Reggie Brown who is just one among the cast of characters competing for catches.  The best receiver on the team may very well not even be a receiver but a running back.  Brian Westbrook will once again be the focal point of the offense, but the question, as always, will be if he can carry the load of a full season.  Westbrook has never completed a full season in his 4 year career and is backed up by oft-injured Correll Buckhalter and inexperienced Ryan Moats so depth at running back is definitely a concern for head coach Andy Reid.  Their defense, led by Jevon Kearse and Jeremiah Trotter, will be stout as always, but in such a difficult division, will they be able to hold down the fort the entire season?  My money says no.

HC