Rest Of NFC East Has Eagles In Their Crosshairs

[DallasEast]

Which team do you think will fare best in their head-to-head meetings with Philadelphia in 2018? Note: the poll allows participants to change their vote if desired.

 

[ghostdog]

With a new system going in for the Giants I think we can safely say they will take time to be whatever it is they want to be. The Commanders are a big question mark. They seem to be just good enough to fail. And unless Prescott does a 180 on his mechanics your offense will be in flux. And I don't think defensively you can deal with Philadelphia. In the game that meant anything last year the game really wasn't as close as the final score (38-9). They are just better in every phase of the game. And they get back players that didn't play in that game, namely Peters, Hicks and Sproles. Yikes.....

 

[C42]

I chose the Skins just because Alex Smith probably won’t turn the ball over against us. I was gonna choose the Giants but you know....Eli...

 

[Aven8]

The Gents will be energized with a new HC and quality GM and will improve IMO. They still have a defense regardless of what happened last year.

 

[C42]

The Gents will be energized with a new HC and quality GM and will improve IMO. They still have a defense regardless of what happened last year.

But they have Eli, we know what happens when Eli faces Philly. Expect turnovers.

 

[BigCowboysHomer]

Since 2004, no team has won back-to-back NFC East championships.

2004 Philadelphia Eagles 13–3 Lost Super Bowl XXXIX
2005 New York Giants 11–5 Lost NFC Wild Card Playoffs
2006 Philadelphia Eagles 10–6 Lost NFC Divisional Playoffs
2007 Dallas Cowboys 13–3 Lost NFC Divisional Playoffs
2008 New York Giants 12–4 Lost NFC Divisional Playoffs
2009 Dallas Cowboys 11–5 Lost NFC Divisional Playoffs
2010 Philadelphia Eagles 10–6 Lost NFC Wild Card Playoffs
2011 New York Giants 9–7 Won Super Bowl XLVI
2012 Washington Commanders 10–6 Lost NFC Wild Card Playoffs
2013 Philadelphia Eagles 10–6 Lost NFC Wild Card Playoffs
2014 Dallas Cowboys 12–4 Lost NFC Divisional Playoffs
2015 Washington Commanders 9–7 Lost NFC Wild Card Playoffs
2016 Dallas Cowboys 13–3 Lost NFC Divisional Playoffs
2017 Philadelphia Eagles 13–3 Won Super Bowl LII

The NFC East is the polar opposite of the AFC East, where one team (the Patriots) have been champions 14 of the past 15 years. Continuous turnover at the top has been the trend in the NFC East for the past 14 years.

Even the 2004 Eagles team that went to Super Bowl XXXIX, and the 2011 Giants team that won Super Bowl XLVI, did not win the NFC East Championship the following year.

Factors that could cause the Eagles to continue the pattern of the last 14 years and fail to win the NFC East next year:

1. Loss of Offensive Coordinator Frank Reich and Quarterbacks Coach John DeFilippo. Certainly they were key to the development of Carson Wentz and the resurrection of Nick Foles. It remains to be seen how much it will hurt the Eagles, but it certainly won't help.
2. Carson Wentz did not suffer just a "simple" ACL injury. In addition to the ACL tear he also tore his LCL. "Simple" ACL injuries require 9 to 12 months to heal, so the additional LCL damage could prolong the recovery. There is a chance he could miss much of the season, and it is uncertain if he will ever have the same mobility and escapability he had before his injury. Nick Foles fell back to earth in 2014 and lost his starting job due to injury after his stellar 2013 season. It remains to be seen if the same thing happens in 2018 after defensive coordinators around the league have a chance to study last season's tape.
   
3. The Eagles are over the salary cap, and will have to restructure, trade, or release members of the Super Bowl championship team. Potential cap casualties include LB Mychal Kendricks, DE Vinny Curry, TE Brent Celek, WR Torrey Smith, special teams ace Chris Maragos, punter Donnie Jones, and aging All-Pro OT Jason Peters. Unrestricted free agents this year include punt returner/RB Darren Sproles, RB LeGarette Blount, LB Nigel Bradham, TE Trey Burton (threw the TD pass to Nick Foles), DT Beau Allen, and kick/punt returner/RB Kenjon Barner. All of the listed players except Maragos, Peters, and Spoles played in Super Bowl LII. Being over the cap and with new rookies to sign means the Eagles can't keep many of their SB Championship team players.

So if the Eagles continue the unbroken trend of the past 14 years and fail to repeat as NFC East champions, which of the other 3 teams has the best chance of taking their place? The Giants have a weak roster, have a new general manager and head coach, and an aging franchise quarterback. Coming off a 3-13 record it will take them time to get up to speed.

The Commanders are coming off a disappointing 7-9 season and will likely be replacing their quarterback with Alex Smith, who is 2-5 in the playoffs with two different teams. It remains to be seen if the coaching staff can tailor the offense to suit Smith's skills, and if Smith can be more successful than in the past if the Commanders make it into the playoffs..

That leaves the Cowboys. The Cowboys have a recent pattern of their own, winning the NFC East in even years (2014, 2016) followed by disappointing odd years (2015, 2017). 2018 is an even year.

 

[Valorius]

What happened from 2001-2004? Four Straight NFC East titles for the Eagles, wasn't it? And 8 overall since 2001?

I'd go with the Eagles because of the fact that 19 of 22 starters are still in place, and Howie Roseman has proven to be excellent at managing the cap and bringing in good players for less than market value, but you never know.

I think Alex Jones is a total choke artist, and Dallas defense goes in the toilet every year when Sean Lee gets hurt- which is pretty much every year. I guess i'll have to go with the guy and team that won 2 Superbowls in this millenium, the Giants.

 

[BigCowboysHomer]

What happened from 2001-2004? Four Straight NFC East titles for the Eagles, wasn't it?

What's more significant: a 4 year run that ended 14 years ago or the pattern for the 14 years from then until now? If you want to go back farther the Cowboys had 5 straight NFC east titles from 1992 to 1996. So what. The last 14 years are more significant.

 

[Valorius]

I would say the pattern so far in the century is the most relevant pattern.

We'd have to talk about the last millenium to talk about any Cowboys glory.

 

[BigCowboysHomer]

I would say the pattern so far in the century is the most relevant pattern.

And the pattern for the past 14 consecutive years of the 17 years of this century has been what? Say it with me: no back-to-back NFC East champions, including two teams that went to the Super Bowl.

 

[landroverking]

Sheagles fans about to find out how tough a first place schedule can be.

 

[CPanther95]

Sheagles fans about to find out how tough a first place schedule can be.

The first place schedule only has 2 different opponents outside the division games. In 2018, all 4 NFC East teams have 7 games against 2017 playoff teams.

As far as the poll, I can't answer until I see the schedule. Like in 2017, the team most likely to fare the best is whoever plays the Eagles in week 17. Whoever it is should split with the Eagles.

 

[ghostdog]

And the pattern for the past 14 consecutive years of the 17 years of this century has been what? Say it with me: no back-to-back NFC East champions, including two teams that went to the Super Bowl.

Both those Giants teams were flawed. They were both 9-7 teams that got hot at the right time. Hardly the thing that dominate teams are made of.
The Eagles on my he other hand were the best team in the league from start to finish. They did it while being hurt by injuries. They are built for the long haul. They have no weaknesses other parts of their game can’t make up for.

 

[BigCowboysHomer]

Both those Giants teams were flawed.

I wasn't just talking about the Giants when I said two NFC East champion teams that went to the Super Bowl in the past 14 years failed to win the NFC East the following year.

Even the 2004 Eagles team that went to Super Bowl XXXIX, and the 2011 Giants team that won Super Bowl XLVI, did not win the NFC East Championship the following year.

No trend goes on forever, but no other division has had as much rotation at the top as the NFC East has had in the past 14 years.

 

[CPanther95]

No trend goes on forever, but no other division has had as much rotation at the top as the NFC East has had in the past 14 years.

No back-to-back in 14 years is incredible. That's like the first 6 years of the NFC South where whoever finished in last one year would finish in 1st the next. Would have been 8 years but in year 7, the Falcons went from 4-12 to 11-5 the next year but only finished in 2nd.

 

[cowboyec]

What happened from 2001-2004? Four Straight NFC East titles for the Eagles, wasn't it? And 8 overall since 2001?

I'd go with the Eagles because of the fact that 19 of 22 starters are still in place, and Howie Roseman has proven to be excellent at managing the cap and bringing in good players for less than market value, but you never know.

I think Alex Jones is a total choke artist, and Dallas defense goes in the toilet every year when Sean Lee gets hurt- which is pretty much every year. I guess i'll have to go with the guy and team that won 2 Superbowls in this millenium, the Giants.

Alex Jones is a great radio host but I've never seen him play so I can't comment on if he is a choker or not.

 

[Valorius]

Sheagles fans about to find out how tough a first place schedule can be.

Cause the Eagles didn't discover that in the previous 7 first place finishes they've had in this century.

The Eagles and the Giants are the NFC East's teams of the century, nay millenium, so far.

Eagles: 8 NFC East titles, 6 NFC championship games, 2 Superbowl appearances, 1 Superbowl victory.
Giants: 4 NFC East titles, 3 NFC championship games, 3 Superbowl appearances, 2 Superbowl victories.
Cowboys: 4 NFC East titles, 0 NFC championship games, 0 Superbowl appearances
Commanders: 2 NFC East titles, 0 NFC championship games, 0 Superbowl appearances.

 

[Techsass]

Wow I'm so glad you showed up!!! I don't think anybody on this board realized that the Cowboys aint done squat since 1995. Hmm I wonder if anybody will post again, now that the secret is out.

Guess who I voted for. (Hint: It's a Cowboys site)

 

[cowboyec]

screw philly....GO COWBOYS!!!!!

 

[Blue&Silver]

Both those Giants teams were flawed. They were both 9-7 teams that got hot at the right time. Hardly the thing that dominate teams are made of.
The Eagles on my he other hand were the best team in the league from start to finish. They did it while being hurt by injuries. They are built for the long haul. They have no weaknesses other parts of their game can’t make up for.

What made the Eagles so good this year wasn't that they had a talented roster, and an MVP caliber quarterback it was their quality depth when starters went down and a lot did. I don't think they're going to have that quality depth this year so they could falter. If they don't have a lot of injuries sure, I don't see anyone stopping them from winning the division but of injury strike, and they usually do I can see them finishing in the middle of the division.