(Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
The 2009 season marks the ten year anniversary of the last NFC East title for the Washington Redskins. Through eight games last year, ending that drought looked possible, promising even.
A near-epic collapse ensued and the ‘Skins now find themselves back at the drawing board.
Six games against hated rivals in a 16 game season can take its toll. It creates a long and arduous road to the playoffs. While the journey down that road presents a daunting task, it also provides the opportunity to become battle-tested, a tremendous quality for a playoff team.
The Redskins finished a respectable 3-3 in the division last year. They somehow swept the Eagles, should have swept the Cowboys, and were totally dominated by the Giants.
Whether it involved shipping out big names or bringing big names on board, no NFC East team had a quiet off-season. Successfully addressing needs in March and April ultimately decides where a team is come January.
In a division where three teams should make the playoffs, staying out of the cellar becomes a chance to play a 17th game. The question is: Can the Redskins avoid finishing dead last in the league’s most brutal division?
Head Coach Jim Zorn said he believes the team is finally on the same page and headed in the right direction; however, its unfortunate existence in the NFC East is its biggest obstacle towards a playoff push.
The New York Giants
Early on in 2008, the Giants looked more than capable of defending their Super Bowl title…Exit Plaxico Burress…Exit offensive balance…Exit league dominance.
After the 11-1 start, the G-men faltered down the stretch, dropping three of their last four and earning an early playoff exit with a home loss to Philadelphia.
Burress kept defenses honest last year. Without him, there was no depth to the passing game, allowing teams to key on stuffing the box to slow up Brandon Jacobs, Derrick Ward, and Ahmad Bradshaw.
In the last five games of the 2008 season, including the playoffs, Eli Manning threw four interceptions to just two touchdowns. Without some appearance of balance, the Giants’ offense struggled, and they became a slightly better than average football team.
Despite the disappointing finish to the 2008 season, New York is still a football team that knows its identity. The Giants want to pound the football (led the NFL in rushing last year) and pound the quarterback (sixth in the NFL in sacks last year).
New York addressed its glaring need at the wide receiver position in the draft, grabbing Hakeem Nicks, a talented wide receiver out of North Carolina, with the 29th overall pick.
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