Dallas Cowboys (Last
Season: 9-7)
2018 Prediction: 10-6
Prescott, Elliot, and
the Cowboys fell just short of the playoffs last season in a tough NFC
conference. While last year was a solid season for Dallas, if any unit is to
take blame for missing the playoffs, it would have to be Prescott and the
passing game. Elliot was his usual self, flourishing behind the Cowboys’
vaunted offensive line, but Prescott was simply unable to replicate his rookie
year success. In his sophomore year, Prescott was much more turnover prone, as
he clearly tried to extend himself past his abilities. For the third year
quarterback, the upcoming season will be very telling of his future potential. Unfortunately, the offseason was not kind to Prescott, as his top two
receiving threats are no longer on the team. Jason Witten decided to retire,
and the Cowboys chose to release Dez Bryant. Allen Hurns, Terrance Williams,
and Cole Beasley will be forced to fill the voids left by those two great
Dallas receivers.
Still, even with some
new faces on offense, I like this team’s chances of returning to the playoffs.
The defense was good last season, led by standout defensive end, Demarcus
Lawrence and their excellent linebacker, Sean Lee. If the rest of this division
has the down year that I am predicting, the Cowboys are in great position to
retake the NFC East and clinch another trip to the postseason.
Philadelphia Eagles
(Last Season: 13-3)
2018 Prediction: 9-7
There is simply no way
the Eagles repeat as Super Bowl champions. This team is perfectly primed for a
complete failure of a season. We all know Nick Foles is a fraud, so there is no
way that that same hocus pocus that led this team all the way to the ultimate
glory of championship will work again. The offensive weapons are serviceable at
best. Their prized quarterback is still injured. And the defense... is quite good.
This roster is admittedly talented, but I’ve seen this show before.
One epic run through the
playoffs has not tricked me into believing that this team is the next dynasty.
Remember when Joe Flacco and the Ravens ripped through the playoffs on their
way to a Super Bowl Championship in 2012? Well guess what? They missed the
playoffs the very next season, and they have only made the playoffs once since.
While Wentz has more potential than a pud like Joe Flacco, I am not a big fan
of quarterbacks returning from torn ACLs, especially when that injury was only
about nine months ago. If and when Wentz does return this season, I expect some
shakey play, due to a lack of confidence on his knee and the massive
expectations that will be resting on his shoulders. Philadelphians will argue
that they don’t need Wentz, since they have a great backup in Foles. However,
call me a skeptic, but I don’t expect Foles to be able to recreate that playoff
magic in the 2018 regular season.
The Eagles are ready for
a full relapse, and it starts tonight when the Falcons come to Philadelphia,
step onto Lincoln Financial Field, and rip this team to shreds, ruining their
Super Bowl celebration.
Washington Redskins
(Last Season: 7-9)
2018 Prediction: 7-9
Alex Smith deserves
better. Over the last six seasons, Alex Smith has gone 69-31-1. That’s very
good! However, all he has to show for it is 1 playoff win and no appreciation
from his former GMs. After going 13-3 in 2012 and after starting 2013 with a
record of 6-2-1, the Niners replaced Smith with Colin Kaepernick, who
eventually led the Niners to an NFC Championship. After that season, Smith was
shipped off to Kansas City, where he continued to win. After three straight
playoff appearances, Smith was once again sent packing, this time to
Washington. So, how do I expect him to fare in the Nation’s capital? Fine, I
guess. Smith has never been the focal point of any team, but he has an
incredible knack for not turning the ball over. Since 2011, Smith has not
thrown double digit interceptions in a single season. That’s impressive!
However, the knock on Smith will always be his low counts for touchdowns and
yards. Smith will not win you games, but he certainly won’t lose a game for you
either.
So, who are the other
players that will help Smith in his role of “not losing?” Wide receiver is a
little thin for Washington, with Crowder and Richardson leading the charge.
Tight End is strong, as Jordan Reed has proven to be one of the best in the
game. And running back is solid, with Adrian Peterson (if he can still play),
and a great passing down back in Chris Thompson. So, the offense is
serviceable. On the defensive side of the ball, Norman is still one of the
better cornerbacks in the league, and Smith and Kerrigan are one of the
strongest linebacker duos around. Still, I foresee the Redskins having trouble
staying in playoff contention this season. Going forward, I see the most
potential on the defensive side of the ball, so if Washington hopes to
challenge for the NFC East crown anytime soon, they will most likely have to do
it through that unit.
New York Giants (Last
Season: 3-13)
2018 Prediction: 6-10
Eli Manning must be
immortal or something. After 14 seasons of mediocrity, the Giants refuse to
move on. During his (impressively) long career, Eli has amassed a record of
111-103. Over those 14 seasons, he has finished with a winning record 7 times,
a losing record 5 times, and an 8-8 record 2 times. That’s quite average. In
defense of Eli, he has amassed an impressive playoff record of 8-4, and he has
made each of those wins count, not wasting playoff victories on non-Super Bowl winning seasons. In every Eli-led playoffs, the Giants have
either been eliminated in the first round or won the Super Bowl. There is no in
between. And of course, the greatest compliment we can give to Peyton’s little
brother is that he was able to stop the Patriots from winning two additional
Super Bowls. For that, the country will be forever indebted to him.
However, with regards to
this season, there is little hope for the Giants. New York finished 31st in
overall defense last season, as they were unable to slow down any opponents all
season. Per Pro Football Focus, the offensive line ranks 25th in the league
going into the 2018 season. So, even with the return of Odell Beckham Jr. and
the addition of Saquon Barkley, I expect the offense to struggle. If you are
expecting Barkley to have a smooth transition into the league like Ezekiel
Elliot did last year, you are in for a surprise. Elliot entered the league in a
dream situation, behind one of the best offensive lines in the game. Barkley
will not have that luxury. Similarly, Beckham can make as many spectacular
catches as he wants, but if Eli does not have time in the pocket, we are going
to see the usual litany of sacks and interceptions from the most mistake-prone
quarterback in NFL history. There is certainly hope for the future in New York,
but until they find Eli’s predecessor, I don’t believe they will be true
playoff contenders in the NFC.
So, as you can see, the
NFC East, and apparently every other division, is horrible! What a revelation!
Good luck to all the horrible teams in all the horrible divisions this season.
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