NFC East Preview: Why the Eagles and Giants Will be Teams to Beat

in the offseason this year. After losing Plaxico Burress before their November 30th game against the Washington Redskins, the Giants went 2-4, losing once to the Cowboys, and twice to the Eagles.

However, the Giants do have reasons to be excited for the 2009 season.

Despite losing running back Derrick Ward to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Giants returned both Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs, and running back Danny Ware may be asked to play a role this season this well.

But more importantly, the New York Giants returned the best offensive line in football, and they added Will Beatty to play understudy to Kareem Mackenzie in the second round of the NFL Draft.

Do not be surprised if Bradshaw is able to step into his role effectively this season. Derrick Ward’s success last season was due in large part to the fact that Brandon Jacobs was able to tire out opponent defenses before Ward hit the field.

In the three games, where Jacobs did not play last year, Ward failed to rush for over 75  yards.

In week 12, Jacobs sat out, and Ward carried the ball 20 times for a mere 69 yards.

In week 15 against Dallas, Jacobs was again sidelined and Ward rushed for only 64 yards.

Ward fed off of Jacobs success, and Ahmad Bradshaw will have the opportunity to do the same this year, using his speed to act as a great change of pace back for the New York Giants.

And while the Giants failed to acquire Anquan Boldin from the Arizona Cardinals, they still worked to improve their wide receiving core this season.

In the absence of Amani Toomer and Plaxico Burress, the Giants picked up Hakeem Nicks with their first round pick in the NFL Draft. Nicks, a 6’0” wide receiver out of North Carolina caught 68 passes for 1,222 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2008.

The Giants will also depend more heavily on Steve Smith, Domenik Hixon, and Mario Manningham this season.

All three are competent receivers, but the none of them have the size of Burress. The Giants offense will not have a serious down field threat this year, and that is why they will fail to repeat as divisional champs.

However, with the return of Osi Umenyiora to the defense, the Giants will not need to score many points to win games this year, and they should still earn a playoff berth in 2009.

 

3. The Washington Redskins

Call me crazy, but I think maybe, just maybe, this could be the Redskins year. The Redskins have the weakest schedule of any of their divisional opponents this year, with opponents posting a combined .492 winning percentage last year.

But more importantly, the Redskins had the fourth-ranked defense in the NFL last year, allowing only 274.3 yards per game, and 18.5 points per game. That 274.3 yards per game ranks behind only the Ravens, Eagles, and Steelers. But this year, the Redskins have made two key additions which have made that defense even better.

Adding Albert Haynesworth might have been the biggest move of the offseason this year. The 6’6”, 320 lb. defensive tackle is without a doubt the best tackle in the game, and his rush defense can be game changing.

The Redskins will also have a much improved secondary with the addition of cornerback DeAngelo Hall. With Haynesworth in the center, the Cowboys, Eagles, and Giants will be forced to throw the ball, neutralizing Jacobs, Westbrook, and Barber.

With that kind of a defense, Jason Campbell will not have to be a hero. Instead, the second year starter will be the ultimate game manager, putting the ball into the capable hands of Clinton Portis and completing a few passes to Santana Moss each game.

If Campbell can avoid turning the ball over, the Redskins will have a chance to make some noise in the NFC East this year.

 

4. The Dallas Cowboys

It’s make it or break it year for Tony Romo. Losing badly for the third consecutive year in a do-or-die situation, the Cowboy’s rock-star quarterback will be on the hot seat this year.

But playing without Terrell Owens may not be as much of a relief as Romo might think. Last year, mid-season acquisition Roy Williams caught only two touchdown passes for America’s team, while the always controversial Terrell Owens pulled in 69 receptions for 1,052 yards and 10 touchdowns.

The Cowboys may find that while Owens was certainly a headache, he was also a 1000-yard receiver, and they have failed to make any substantial offseason moves to replace him. Instead, Jerry Jones has become Bruce Wayne in the 2009 offseason.

Lavished owner of the Dallas Cowboys by day, living the luxurious life of one of America’s most renowned business men. But by night, Jones becomes a vigilante—ridding the Cowboys of the thugs and villains of the grid-iron. Jones rid the team of stars Tank Johnson, Pacman (Adam) Jones, and of course, Terrell Owens.

But wait, don’t forget that the Cowboys also lost five-time Pro Bowler Roy Williams (safety) this offseason as well.

The Cowboys have worked towards addition by subtraction this offseason, but it seems that there has been far more subtraction than addition. The Cowboys also released linebacker Gregg Ellis this offseason, and while Ellis’ time may have been up, the Cowboys have failed to add competent players to fill the void he has made.

Dallas’s defense ranked behind all of its divisional rivals last year, expect it to be even worse this season.

In what can only be described as a rebuilding year for the Cowboys, look for Dallas to struggle.

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