NFC East Preview

Keeping things moving.....here's my look at the NFC East.

1. Philadelphia Eagles

What I like: The Eagles went out and made it rain in free agency, locking down names from practically every position. Cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha, defensive lineman Cullen Jenkins, running back Ronnie Brown, wideout Steve Smith, defensive end Jason Babin and quarterback Vince Young all came out of woods, "Field of Dreams"-style, to be a part of the Michael Vick experience. The biggest thing to like is Vick, who opens the season as an NFL starter for the first time since being hauled off to the clink a few years ago. Vick proved to be a better pocket passer last season while still maintaining that trademark speed and scrambling ability that has been his calling card. The presence of Vick as well as speedy wideouts DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin and running back LeSean McCoy makes the Eagles a home run threat from any down, at any spot of the field, at any time in the game. On D, Jenkins will move back to being a 4-3 defensive tackle and Babin will take pressure off fellow end Trent Cole to improve Philly's pass rush. They'll have plenty of time to get to the quarterback, too. Asomugha is regarded as one of the best, if not THE BEST, cover corner in the game and his partner Asante Samuel isn't far down that list. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, acquired from Arizona for backup QB Kevin Kolb, will play the nickel and give the Eagles three Pro Bowlers in the secondary.

What I don't like: I know what Vick CAN do, but we're asking a lot out of a man who has played a full season once in his pro career in a city that's not known for being too forgiving. The bar has been set to Super Bowl or bust for this Eagles team and Vick, who got a $100 million deal to stay in Philly, and head coach Andy Reid now have a huge bullseye on their heads in "The City of Brotherly Love" to deliver this year. Beyond the health concerns with Vick, there remains questions on this defense. The Eagles were never stout against the run and their linebacking core doesn't wow you. That might sound like nitpicking but it's a flaw that is sure to get exposed by teams frustrated with their inability to pass on this vaunted secondary. There's also questions with the offensive line. The Eagles are undersized up front and its shown in the preseason as they've struggled to give Vick protection. Less time to throw for Vick means Vick is going to revert back to the Falcon days when he ran at the first sign of pressure and that's going to make him susceptible to hits and injuries.

Bottom line: Michael Lombardi made the point on Bill Simmons' podcast that winning is not about having the most talented players, it's about having the most talented TEAM. History has shown that trying to build a championship team with a hodgepodge of free agent mercenaries almost never works. You need chemistry to succeed. Just ask Green Bay or New Orleans or Pittsburgh. That being said, if Mike Vick can stay healthy for 16 games and play like he did in the first half of last season, all bets are off. No defense can prepare for his speed and big arm. The secondary is going to lock down plenty of passing attacks but, with all the money it spent in free agency, the team is still weak against the run and the offensive line is still going to be its downfall. The Eagles will win the much-improved East but all the Super Bowl talk is overblown given not only the history of "dream teams" but of the Eagles under Andy Reid.

2. Dallas Cowboys

What I like: The Cowboys showed signs of life after the team canned Wade Phillips and went with Jason Garrett as head coach. Now, Garrett's back for his first full season and he gets the one thing he didn't have last year: QB Tony Romo. Romo has proven to be one of the 7 or 8 best QB's in football when healthy and he'll lead an attack that has Miles Austin and Dez Bryant at wideout, reliable Jason Witten at tight end and speedy but oft-injured back Felix Jones. Defensively, the team brought in Rob Ryan to shore things up after the team was routinely gashed last year. Ryan worked wonders in Oakland and his presence means big things for OLB DeMarcus Ware.

What I don't like: For as good as Romo is, he can't be productive laying on his back. The Cowboys' offensive line, even with 9th overall pick Tyron Smith in at right tackle, is still a huge question mark. Another offensive question mark is Felix Jones. Jones has shown flashes of being the back Jerry Jones hoped he would be when he took him over Chris Johnson and Rashard Mendenhall a couple years ago. He just has to show he can stay healthy. The team no longer has Marion Barber to pound out the tough yards and will instead rely on Tashard Choice and rookie DeMarco Murray, but neither are proven commodities. On defense, Ryan has to work his magic on the secondary. CB Terrence Newman is getting long in the tooth and fellow corners Mike Jenkins and Orlando Scandrick give up way too many big plays. Dallas' safeties are nothing to write home about, although Abe Elam is a modest upgrade over Ken Hamlin.

Bottom line: The Cowboys have as much talent as anyone in the NFC but their weak in the two most crucial areas: the secondary and the offensive line. Tyron Smith is an improvement over Marc Columbo but he's a rookie and, with the lockout, he's going to be a step behind. Newman, Jenkins and Scandrick are a solid cornerback trio but Ryan has to coach them up to keep them from giving up the big play, which has been their calling card the past few years. Wade Phillips took the lion's share of the blame for this team's disappointing play the last few seasons. Now, Wade's gone and Jason Garrett has to show the world that he's the wunderkind that Jerry Jones thought he was when he tabbed him as the heir apparent following Bill Parcells' departure. A healthy Romo gives this team an edge for a wild card spot and maybe even the division is Philly falters but we've seen this team underwhelm way too many times to put too much hope into best case scenarios.

3. New York Giants

What I like: In an effort to maximize its already formidable pass rush, the Giants moved DE Mathias Kiwanuka to LB. That means the base defense will feature Kiwi, Justin Tuck, Osi Umenyiora(when he returns from a knee injury) and second-year man Jason Pierre-Paul(who has filled in admirably for Osi in the preseason) at once in the base defense. The team also gets Aaron Ross back after being out all last season as well as the addition of first round pick Prince Amukamara. Offensively, the team re-signed the NFC's leading rusher Ahmad Bradshaw. Bradshaw and bruiser Brandon Jacobs give the Giants the best rushing tandem in the East and maybe even the whole NFC. In the passing game, WR Hakeem Nicks broke out last year in his second season and has emerged as the team's #1 wideout. He'll have a new tag team partner on the other side in Mario Manningham, after Steve Smith left for Philly. Manningham will see a lot of action, not only because of the departure of Smith but of TE Kevin Boss as well.

What I don't like: To be frank, Eli Manning. Rare is it, that a QB can be saved from the "bust" label by winning a Super Bowl but that's what has happened with Eli. By beating the then-undefeated New England Patriots a few years ago, Manning as well as head coach Tom Coughlin got a reprieve from the New York firing squad. Now, both men find themselves back on the hot seat in the "What Have You Done Lately?" Big Apple. Manning's looked horrible in the preseason, partially because of rust but mostly because his offensive line is in shambles. The Giants did some shuffling up front in the offseason, moving long time LT David Diehl to guard and leaving untested second-year tackle William Beatty to man Eli's blindside. Unlike his big brother, Eli doesn't possess the ability to get the ball out before the pass rush comes and stick it right between the numbers. Instead, the pressure turns Eli into a turnover machine and his shaky confidence only turns him into more of a basket case with every poor throw. On defense, while Kiwi at LB helps the pass rush, it doesn't do much for the run defense. The Giants lost DT Barry Cofield to Washington and the team hasn't had a proven MLB since Antonio Pierce left. In the secondary, Ross and Amukamara have to make up for the loss of Terrell Thomas(out for the season with a torn ACL) and they need improved play from safeties Antrel Rolle and Kenny Phillips.

Bottom line: The preseason has already taken its toll on Big Blue. Beyond losing Thomas, the team is also without second round pick DT Mario Austin for the year. Those losses combined with losing Steve Smith and Kevin Boss in free agency puts the team a step behind on both sides of the ball. The offensive line, much like the rest of the teams in the East, is the team's biggest question mark. Beatty was considered a steal when the Giants got him in Round 2 out of UConn a couple years ago but it remains to be seen if he can be a steady left tackle. The last time the Eli, Coughlin and the rest of the Giants had their backs against the wall and the pressure in their face like this, they won it all in '07. Given how improved the teams in the conference have become since then, it might be far-fetched to expect lightning to strike twice in the Meadowlands. My gut feeling has the Giants being lucky to win 8 games, Coughlin getting canned amidst the never-ending amount of sports talk venom he'll receive week-after-week, and the "Should the Giants trade Eli?" questions leading SportsCenter all season. I also see this season giving Gabe a Lindsay Lohan-esque drinking problem. Too much has to go right for the Giants to succeed and, right now, they're behind the curve.

4. Washington Redskins

What I like: ummm.....uhhh.......(thinking....thinking...)......Tim Hightower? Year 2 of the Shanahan Era doesn't look that promising for Skins fans. However, the team may have pulled off the season's biggest steal in hijacking Hightower from Arizona for aging DE Vonnie Holliday. Hightower has proven to be Shanny's best back in the preseason and probably the only highlight of the offense. As for the defense, Brian Orakpo has a new partner to take pressure off him in rookie Ryan Kerrigan. Kerrigan has played decent in the preseason despite missing time with the lockout and a knee injury as well as having to go from being a college DE to a pro LB in a 3-4 scheme. ILB London Fletcher returns for what has to be his 47th season and the team swapped ornery NT Albert Haynesworth for ex-Giant Barry Cofield to man the nose in Jim Haslett's defense.

What I don't like: Pretty much everything. Hightower has all the skills to be an every-down back but the knock on Timmy has been his chronic case of fumblitis. That's a good way to get in Shanny's doghouse, which means the team will be forced to look at last year's lead rusher Ryan Torain or rookie Roy Helu as its lead back. At quarterback, the team is tying its hopes to either John Beck, who has only failed in two other places before landing in Washington, and Rex Grossman, who once led the Bears to the Super Bowl but was cut shortly thereafter. Once they decide on a signal caller, their weapons include Santana Moss, who got paid #1 WR money despite being better suited to be a #2 at this point in his career, holdover Anthony Armstrong and well-traveled, oft-injured, prison-hardened Donte Stallworth. Defensively, there isn't much beyond Fletcher, Orakpo and Kerrigan's promise. The team gained O.J. Atogwe at safety but lost Carlos Rogers at corner, which means another long year for Redskins fans watching the team get beat deep routinely.

Bottom line: Redskins fans will look at what is sure to be another dreadful season as a reason for mutiny but, in actuality, it's in Washington's best interest to just punt this season. The team isn't good enough to compete in a loaded NFC East and, with the team needing a QB and Andrew Luck on the top of draft boards, it makes the most sense for Washington to accept its inadequacies and lie down. Am I suggesting tanking? You're damn right I am! The team has nothing to hang its hat on. The defense is suspect to say the least and there's no reason to be optimistic about the offense beyond Hightower. Experts have the Redskins going somewhere between 2-14 to 4-12. When your ceiling is four wins, that means you have a terrible team. The question becomes "Can Dan Snyder remain patient with Shanahan for another year and go into 2012 with Andrew Luck as their franchise quarterback?". History says no but, regardless, this is a eam that should already be playing for next year.......and this year hasn't even started yet.