LogFAQs > #903838078

NFC East

1. Washington Redskins
2. Dallas Cowboys
3. Las Vegas Pumpkins
4. New York Giants

Even with their cap issues, the Redskins might be back. Their depth is only slightly better than it was last season, but they have talent all over the field instead of it being mostly concentrated on defense. They have never been a prolific passing team, and the game favors the run game anyway (sorry that I mention this about a dozen times each season), but they were respectable for many years. That was a long time ago, but it appears that with QB Brady Quinn, WR Selwyn Lymon, and #1 overall pick WR Julio Jones, they might have the second-best combo of QB/WR/WR/ in the division outside of the Pumpkins. That is of course if Quinn's S9 performance wasn't a fluke and Lymon continues to make steps forward after seeing his rec yards and rec TDs rise every season, but even if Quinn doesn't quite reach the lofty heights of last season and Lymon plateau's is just a tad bit higher than what he did last season, the Redskins should still be ecstatic. With arguably the best OL in the league and HB Kevin Jones still getting it done, Quinn and Lymon will have the support staff in place to succeed. That defense also sees some new faces, namely second round pick CB Casey Hayward and former #2 overall pick of the Bengals SS Patrick Chung, but that is a powerful front seven, and the secondary still has FS Sean Taylor. I wouldn't expect much of a drop-off on defense. This is a playoff team right now, and it could actually compete for a first-round bye. Because of its more shallow depth, it can't afford as many injuries as other playoff contenders and SB hopefuls in the conference, but they started off on the right foot coming out of the preseason unscathed.

The Cowboys, while still an uber-talented team, should be expected to take steps back. They lost several players to retirement, including OLB Julian Peterson, LT Tra Thomas, and elite blocking FB Jeremi Johnson. They let all of their RFAs go, including 95 FS Harrison Smith. They traded several high draft picks for backups in DT Corey Simon and CB Johnathan Joseph. They also used high draft picks players who might never be starters for them and will only contribute to the team in the short run if several catastrophes happen. That won't be enough to knock them out of the playoffs, and that may not be enough for them to lose the division, but it does, to me, make the NFC a wide-open competition.

The Pumpkins after three straight non-losing seasons regressed last season, record-wise, despite finishing with an offense and defense ranked in the top half of the league. This team doesn't really have any weaknesses. That offense is set and raring to go. The defense has a stout DL that a young and ascending LB corps can thrive behind, and that secondary doesn't seem to give up big plays. They don't have as much high-end talent as the Redskins and Cowboys do, and playing in this division has been the difference maker as to why they haven't made the playoffs in recent seasons, but they are going to break out in a big way sooner or later. If the Redskins aren't ready to be back in the spotlight and the Cowboys take more steps backward than expected, then I wouldn't be surprised if the Pumpkins seize the opportunity. It just sucks that they have to play six games against the Redskins/Cowboys/Giants that other divisions are fortunate enough not to.

The Giants are still very much a good team. The problem is that they play in the NFC East and they took a step back. They traded away DT Corey Simon and CB Johnathan Joseph in the offseason and while I really like their draft, that doesn't help their team this season. If the Giants were in any other division in the NFC, we'd be talking about a potential division winner, but in a division where the Redskins and Pumpkins took steps forward and the Cowboys are more talented, the Giants might be drawing the short straw by the season's end.
---

KCF can't actually be a real person but he is - greengravy
https://imgur.com/VfpY7tg