Why I Think The Redskins Will Win The NFC East Next Year

  While I am not a fan of the Redskins, I have had the feeling that for the last several years they were just on the edge of being one of the elite teams in the league.

 They have all the tools on defense to be very stout, and that has been this team's main strength in the last few years.  But the offense has been that teams achilles' heal. They finished a terrible 27th in rushing, and a very mediocre 16th in passing, which added up to a very underpar 26th in scoring.  This means a lot of unsustained drives, which means losing the TOP and having a worn out defense. That 10th place yards allowed per game should really be more like 5th place, with a well functioning offense, and that 4-12 becomes 12-4 real fast.

 This offseason has been absolutely brilliant for the Redskins (at least on paper).  Shannahan's major weakness has always been on the D end of the game.  But Washington already has that in-place, so there is no worry there. Shannahan's major strength is probably his zone blocking scheme for the run game.

 Next year the Redskins are guaranteed (as much as anything in the nfl can be guaranteed in the offseason) to have a run offense in the top half of the league, and probably in the top ten. 

 And to top it all off you got McNabb cheap while he still playing at a HoF level (in most games).  Hmm, a veteran HoF QB nearing the end of his career who has sniffed superbowl greatness many times, but has yet to actually win a SB.  Sounds a lot like Elway when Shannahan was first given the reigns to the Broncos.

 Meanwhile, I don't believe the Eagles understand what they gave up cheep.  They have gone to the NFC championship half the seasons McNabb started for them. The Giants are on the wane, and the Cowboys are hardly unbeatable.