What we can expect this year from the NFC East teams
Written by: Joseph Mooney
Twitter: @Full_MOONey25
OVERVIEW
Since 1970, NFC East teams have combined to be the most successful division in the NFL with 21 NFC Championships and 13 Super Bowl victories. Since 2003-2004, the same team hasn’t won the division title back to back years. Can the Dallas Cowboys be dethroned or will they change history this season? Below we take an in-depth dive into the NFC East contenders.
Dallas Cowboys
Valuable Players: Dak Prescott, Ezekiel Elliott, Amari Cooper, Zack Martin, DeMarcus Lawerence, Leighton Vander Esch, Jaylon Smith, Jason Witten, Bryon Jones, Sean Lee
Bye Week: Week 8
Prime time Games: 5 (2 at home)
Week 4, Sept 29th @ New Orleans Saints
Week 6, Oct 13th @ New York Jets
Week 7, Oct 20th vs Philadelphia Eagles
Week 9, Nov 4th @ New York Giants
Week 10, Nov 10th vs Minnesota Vikings
Record: 9-7
Key Wins:
Week 5, Oct 6th vs Green Bay Packers (34-28)
Week 10, Nov 10th vs Minnesota Vikings (27-21)
Coming off of a 10-6 season, the Cowboys look to end the streak and finally win back to back division titles. This upcoming season will be a huge one for the Dallas offense as many of their top talent is up for contract negotiations. This is a high powered offense with one of the NFL’s best running backs in Ezekiel Elliott and the Cowboys are also getting Dak Prescott’s first full season with the wide receiver star Amari Cooper. Hopefully Jason Garrett can take this team to the next level. I don’t see the Dallas Cowboys remaining focus throughout the entire season considering they’re already in national headlines regarding top players. I predict the Dallas Cowboys to finish second in the NFC East.
New York Giants
Valuable Players: Saquon Barkley, Evan Engram, Daniel Jones, Dexter Lawerence, Lorenzo Carter, Alec Olgetree, Jabril Peppers, Janoris Jenkins
Bye Week: Week 11
Prime time Games: 3 (1 at home)
Week 6, Oct 10th @ New England Patriots
Week 9, Nov 4th vs Dallas Cowboys
Week 14, Dec 9th @ Philadelphia Eagles
Record: 2-14
After trading away arguably their best player in Odell Beckham Jr, the Giants seem to be in a period of rebuilding. The Giants don’t pose much of a threat to the two top teams in the division, the Dallas Cowboys and the Philadelphia Eagles. Eli Manning sets to ride out his career with the Giants and now fans set their sights on when their first round draft pick Daniel Jones will replace Eli. I predict the New York Giants to finish last in the NFC East.
Philadelphia Eagles
Valuable Players: Carson Wentz, Jordan Howard, Alshon Jeffery, DeSean Jackson, Zach Ertz, Jason Kelce, Lane Johnson, Malik Jackson, Fletcher Cox, Derek Barnett, Malcom Jenkins, Andrew Sendejo
Bye Week: Week 10
Prime time Games: 5 (2 at home)
Week 2, Sept 15th @ Atlanta Falcons
Week 4, Sept 22nd @ Green Bay Packers
Week 7, Oct 20th @ Dallas Cowboys
Week 12, Nov 24th vs Seattle Seahawks
Week 14, Dec 9th vs New York Giants
Record: 13-3
Key Wins:
Week 2, Sept 15th @ Atlanta Falcons (35-28)
Week 9, Nov 3rd vs Chicago Bears (27-13)
Week 11, Nov 17th vs New England Patriots (38-10)
6-0 against NFC East teams; Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants & Washington Redskins
With the welcome back of Carson Wentz, media has been escalating the hype for the immediate success for this Philadelphia Eagle team. Coming off an up and down season the Eagles look to bounce back and begin an era without their Super Bowl MVP quarterback Nick Foles. The offense introduces new weapons with running backs Miles Sanders and Jordan Howard as well as a legitimate deep threat in DeSean Jackson. If you ask any analyst they will all say the same thing, the Philadelphia Eagles will go as far as Carson Wentz goes. Carson Wentz needs to stay healthy and finish the season if the Eagles plan to make a deep run in the playoffs this season. I predict the Philadelphia Eagles to win the NFC East this year and make a strong run in the playoffs.
Washington Redskins
Valuable Players: Case Keenum, Dwayne Haskin, Josh Doctson, Jordan Reed, Jonathan Allen, Ryan Kerrigan, Landon Collins, Josh Norman, Quinton Dunbar, Trent Williams
Bye Week: Week 10
Prime time Games: 2 (1 at home)
Week 3, Sept 23rd vs Chicago Bears
Week 8, Oct 24th @ Minnesota Vikings
Record: 5-11
Key Wins:
Week 9, Nov 3rd @ Buffalo Bills (27-24)
Week 11, Nov 17th vs New York Jets (23-20)
2-0 against the New York Giants
If it wasn’t for Alex Smith’s injury last season, the Washington Redskin most likely would’ve won the division. Now after the signing of quarterback Case Keenum and drafting the Ohio State University quarterback, Dwayne Haskins, the Redskins look to develop their young quarterback and gain him experience. I may have not predicted the Redskins to win many games but this team can and will play spoiler to many playoff bound teams. The Washington Redskins can create chaos within not only the NFC East but the entire NFC. I predict the Washington Redskins to finish third in the NFC East.