Billy Bullocks
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I was just thinking about next year and how the NFC is going to shape up. Here are my thoughts on the teams, go add yours, tell me I'm an idiot, whatever you want.
Seattle - I think it's pretty clear that Seattle will most likely win the NFC West. They were the class of that division last year, and look to stay that way. Though I think SF and Arizona have improved, they still wont pose a real threat to Seattle. St. Louis doesn't scare me that much. However, I do not see Seattle locking up the NFC this year. I dont think they will be gifted wins like they did against Dallas and NY.
Carolina - IMO, this is, at this point, the best team in the NFC. Defensively they have arguably the best front 4. They have a very solid defense built around those front 4 guys. Foster is a good back, and Goings isn't a bad change of pace. KEYSHAWN is what I think really puts them at the top of the NFC. They had no semblance of a #2 WR last year. Ricky Phroel had 25 catches, and that was the best for any of their WRs. Keyshawn gives them an instant thread in the red zone, and on 3rd down. With Steve Smith opposite of him, he should see even more space than he did in Dallas. An explosive offense just got even better.
Tampa Bay - Very easily a wild card contender. I like Caddilac as their work horse. The defense is aging, but Rice Brooks and Barber are still very capable. Wild Card is not out of the question.
Atlanta - I like alot of what this team does, but I think they have invested their future into the wrong QB. Vick wins, but as he showed last year, not enough. He still isn't a threat as a passer (55% comp, 2400 yards, 15TDs - 13INTs). Atlanta still lacks a true #1 WR, and even if they get one, I have a hard time believeing that Vick will get him the ball consistantly. THeir defense has some play makers, but I don't think they make it out of the NFC South....but as long as Vick is the QB, he will be criticized by some, and others will state that he is the reason Atlanata remains a playoff team.
Chicago - Grossman looked better than Orton. That is a plus. Muhammad is a good WR, but his age might catch up to him soon. I was happy to see Thomas Jones do well last year, and if Benson does what people expected him to do, this could be a great backfield. They can run the ball, and they play very good defense. I dont see any team in that division being that good, but I think Chicago is good enough to get out of that division as the winner. Minnesota is banking on Brad Johnson, I'm just not sure he's going to take them where they need to go. Who's running the ball for them? Hutchinson will make that person better, but this team always finds a way to **** it all up.
AHH, the good old NFC East...if they didn't take each other out, most would probably not argue that all these teams are good enough to be in the playoffs.
Dallas - It only takes 2 letters to describe what makes the Cowboys a front runner in the division, T.O. Sounds alot like Philly did when they first got him, but his talent is undeniable, and he makes the team that much better. Ayodele gives us a real LB along side Brady James. Shanle and Co did well, but the 34 is built on LBs, heading into the draft, we only need someone to occupy the other OLB spot, and this corps will be rounded out nicely. FS has yet to be adressed (draft). That has to be some concern to us. The OL looks like it might be a bit better off, but it's still one of the huge question marks hanging over this team. However the offseason additions make this team better than they were last year. I see us being one of the 2 teams coming out of this division.
Washington - Regardless of contracts, Washington added some pretty good players. Lloyd and Randle-El will make the offense more explosive. But their OC was the biggest aquisition. They have the best coaching staff in the NFC East. The biggest question involves their signal caller. Mark Brunell, everybone saw his slide in production in the playoffs. Im not sold on Jason Campbell, but I'll give Gibbs the benefit of the doubt. He knows QBs better than I do. Either way, I dont like their QB situation, and I see taht being the reason they might unravel. AA and ST make a good Safety tandem, but AA isnt the best in coverage either. We can poke fun at the money they paid for players, but we can't deny that both Washington games are going to be tough.
NYG - It all hinges on Eli Manning. Burress and him had some good chemistry going last year. Shockey is a good TE, but a tad overrated, IMO. The Giants coming out of the NFC East depends on the progress Eli has made. He still looked like an inexperienced QB at times last year. I pray that he doesn't progress. This would make this team very scary, and add even more drama to an already tough NFC East.
The defense got better, and anytime you boast the DEs that they have, you already are looking pretty good. Most teams would love to have one of their guys, so they are very fortunate.
Tiki Barber is another huge factor in this teams success. Tiki Barber is coming off a monsterous season, but he also just turned 31 yesterday. History is not usually on the side of a RB who hits that big 3-0, especially ones that weigh 200 lbs. When Tiki goes, the Giants go. He has only missed 2 games in the last 3 seasons, which shows us his toughness, but he has to hold up. He quietly is a top 5 back in this league.
Philly - Philly lost ground, and the rest of the NFC East cought up quickly. Many people are predicting Philly to bounce back. I am not one of them. McNabb is a great QB. But he has to stay healthy. And even if he is healthy, who is he throwing too. They do not have a proven go to guy. Westbrook is a good RB, however he isn't a between the tackles runner. Buckhalter hasn't stayed healthy, and if Philly is relying on him to be their tough runner for 16 games, they might need to rethink thinks. Ryan Moats is in Westbrook's mold. The defense hasn't really gotten better. They don't have the 6 cakewalk games they had in the NFC East anymore. They are going to get beaten up in the NFC East again this year. Esepcially since they really didn't do ANYTHING with their 13 picks last year.
Seattle - I think it's pretty clear that Seattle will most likely win the NFC West. They were the class of that division last year, and look to stay that way. Though I think SF and Arizona have improved, they still wont pose a real threat to Seattle. St. Louis doesn't scare me that much. However, I do not see Seattle locking up the NFC this year. I dont think they will be gifted wins like they did against Dallas and NY.
Carolina - IMO, this is, at this point, the best team in the NFC. Defensively they have arguably the best front 4. They have a very solid defense built around those front 4 guys. Foster is a good back, and Goings isn't a bad change of pace. KEYSHAWN is what I think really puts them at the top of the NFC. They had no semblance of a #2 WR last year. Ricky Phroel had 25 catches, and that was the best for any of their WRs. Keyshawn gives them an instant thread in the red zone, and on 3rd down. With Steve Smith opposite of him, he should see even more space than he did in Dallas. An explosive offense just got even better.
Tampa Bay - Very easily a wild card contender. I like Caddilac as their work horse. The defense is aging, but Rice Brooks and Barber are still very capable. Wild Card is not out of the question.
Atlanta - I like alot of what this team does, but I think they have invested their future into the wrong QB. Vick wins, but as he showed last year, not enough. He still isn't a threat as a passer (55% comp, 2400 yards, 15TDs - 13INTs). Atlanta still lacks a true #1 WR, and even if they get one, I have a hard time believeing that Vick will get him the ball consistantly. THeir defense has some play makers, but I don't think they make it out of the NFC South....but as long as Vick is the QB, he will be criticized by some, and others will state that he is the reason Atlanata remains a playoff team.
Chicago - Grossman looked better than Orton. That is a plus. Muhammad is a good WR, but his age might catch up to him soon. I was happy to see Thomas Jones do well last year, and if Benson does what people expected him to do, this could be a great backfield. They can run the ball, and they play very good defense. I dont see any team in that division being that good, but I think Chicago is good enough to get out of that division as the winner. Minnesota is banking on Brad Johnson, I'm just not sure he's going to take them where they need to go. Who's running the ball for them? Hutchinson will make that person better, but this team always finds a way to **** it all up.
AHH, the good old NFC East...if they didn't take each other out, most would probably not argue that all these teams are good enough to be in the playoffs.
Dallas - It only takes 2 letters to describe what makes the Cowboys a front runner in the division, T.O. Sounds alot like Philly did when they first got him, but his talent is undeniable, and he makes the team that much better. Ayodele gives us a real LB along side Brady James. Shanle and Co did well, but the 34 is built on LBs, heading into the draft, we only need someone to occupy the other OLB spot, and this corps will be rounded out nicely. FS has yet to be adressed (draft). That has to be some concern to us. The OL looks like it might be a bit better off, but it's still one of the huge question marks hanging over this team. However the offseason additions make this team better than they were last year. I see us being one of the 2 teams coming out of this division.
Washington - Regardless of contracts, Washington added some pretty good players. Lloyd and Randle-El will make the offense more explosive. But their OC was the biggest aquisition. They have the best coaching staff in the NFC East. The biggest question involves their signal caller. Mark Brunell, everybone saw his slide in production in the playoffs. Im not sold on Jason Campbell, but I'll give Gibbs the benefit of the doubt. He knows QBs better than I do. Either way, I dont like their QB situation, and I see taht being the reason they might unravel. AA and ST make a good Safety tandem, but AA isnt the best in coverage either. We can poke fun at the money they paid for players, but we can't deny that both Washington games are going to be tough.
NYG - It all hinges on Eli Manning. Burress and him had some good chemistry going last year. Shockey is a good TE, but a tad overrated, IMO. The Giants coming out of the NFC East depends on the progress Eli has made. He still looked like an inexperienced QB at times last year. I pray that he doesn't progress. This would make this team very scary, and add even more drama to an already tough NFC East.
The defense got better, and anytime you boast the DEs that they have, you already are looking pretty good. Most teams would love to have one of their guys, so they are very fortunate.
Tiki Barber is another huge factor in this teams success. Tiki Barber is coming off a monsterous season, but he also just turned 31 yesterday. History is not usually on the side of a RB who hits that big 3-0, especially ones that weigh 200 lbs. When Tiki goes, the Giants go. He has only missed 2 games in the last 3 seasons, which shows us his toughness, but he has to hold up. He quietly is a top 5 back in this league.
Philly - Philly lost ground, and the rest of the NFC East cought up quickly. Many people are predicting Philly to bounce back. I am not one of them. McNabb is a great QB. But he has to stay healthy. And even if he is healthy, who is he throwing too. They do not have a proven go to guy. Westbrook is a good RB, however he isn't a between the tackles runner. Buckhalter hasn't stayed healthy, and if Philly is relying on him to be their tough runner for 16 games, they might need to rethink thinks. Ryan Moats is in Westbrook's mold. The defense hasn't really gotten better. They don't have the 6 cakewalk games they had in the NFC East anymore. They are going to get beaten up in the NFC East again this year. Esepcially since they really didn't do ANYTHING with their 13 picks last year.
