NFL Key Questions: NFC East

The 2009 NFL Draft is in the books, and despite the holes many teams were able to fill with their selections, there are still questions surrounding all 32 squads. The Bruno Boys though are here for you, attempting to shed light on the key issues surrounding all 32 NFL teams.

This time we take a look at the NFC East, where the hot topics of debate seem to center around the teams' passing games.

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Dallas Cowboys

How will removing pro-bowl wide receiver and clubhouse cancer, Terrell Owens, affect the Cowboys' offense?

Having chemistry in the locker room is always nice, but so is having talent on the field. And, while T.O. may be responsible for his fair share of headaches throughout his career, one thing is certain, the wide out always brings it when between the sidelines.

In 14 years in the league, T.O. has gone for less than 1,000 receiving yards just 4 times and less than 10 TDs just 5 times, and that's including his injury shortened 2005 season with the Eagles. So, the question becomes was that happy-go-lucky atmosphere in the clubhouse worth unloading T.O.?

History doesn't seem to shed much light on the subject. While the 49ers saw a steep decline in their offensive production, falling from fifth in the league to 26th, in their first post-T.O. season, the Eagles saw an increase in their offensive efforts, going from ninth in the league in total offense in T.O.'s last full season with the team (2004) to second in the league in 2006, their first year without Owens.

What gives then? Why did one of T.O.'s former teams thrive with him gone while the other floundered?

The answer is quite simple. The Eagles still had talent (Donovan McNabb and Brian Westbrook) on their roster, while the 49ers did not. Keeping this in mind, the Dallas Cowboys should be ok in 2009.

Yes, T.O. is gone, taking with him 1,052 receiving yards and 10 TDs from last year, but the team has plenty of players, including wide receiver, Roy Williams, tight end, Jason Witten, and running backs, Marion Barber, Tashard Choice, and Felix Jones, who should be able to pick up the slack caused by T.O.'s departure.

All in all, the Cowboys still have plenty of offensive player's worthy of a spot on your fantasy roster.

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New York Giants

With Plaxico Burress sent packing, can the Giants' young receivers step their games up and help aid the continued improvement of Eli Manning?

While having to cut ties with a big name player, like Plaxico Burress, is something you never want to do, the New York Giants have been here before, as the team, just last offseason, sent tight end, Jeremy Shockey, packing via a trade with the New Orleans Saints.

The Giants were able to weather that storm fairly well as the team moved up three spots among NFL teams, jumping from 21st in 2007 to 18th in 2008, in passing offense, while making another playoff appearance.

However, the difference between Shockey's departure and Burress' is that the Giants still had a star among their pass catchers (Plax) when Shockey left. That is a luxury they do not have this time around. Say what you want about Burress' 2008 season, but there is no denying that the Giants' passing game was better with him on the field.

Burress may not have put up huge stats in his shortened 2008 season, but the receiver did draw the attention of opposing defenses when on the field, which opened things up for other guys like Amani Toomer, Domenik Hixon, and tight end, Kevin Boss, who filled Shockey's shoes quite nicely.

With no Burress, Toomer, an aging veteran, and the young guys, Hixon, Boss, Steve Smith, and so on, will find finding an opening a bit more difficult as defenses will be able to spread out more, not having to focus their attention on one guy and one side of the field.

The struggles the Giants passing game will endure in 2009 showed up rather soon after Burress' shooting incident last season. Following two strong games without the stud wide out in the line-up, in which Eli Manning passed for 545 yards, 4 TDs, and just 1 INT, the passing game sputtered from Week 14 through the team's divisional round playoff loss.

In that five-game span, Manning amassed just 783 passing yards and 2 TDs, while throwing the ball to an opposing player four times. In fact, Manning did not throw for more than 200 yards in that stretch, which saw the Giants drop four of five games.

The Giants may have been able to weather the storm that followed Shockey's departure last season, but this time around, it looks like the ship may begin to sink.

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Philadelphia Eagles

How will the Eagles drafting of impact receiver, Jeremy Maclin, effect Donovan McNabb's value for 2009?

After playing in 14 or fewer games in each of the past three seasons, Philadelphia Eagles' quarterback, Donovan McNabb, was able to complete a full docket of NFL games in 2008, and his resulting stat line was stellar.

For the first time since 2004, McNabb went for over 3,800 passing yards (3,916) and for at least 25 total TDs. Staying healthy had a large part in McNabb's success, but one cannot afford to overlook that 2008 was, also, the first time since 2004 that Donovan McNabb was able to play a whole 16 games with a playmaking wide receiver.

In 2004, it was Terrell Owens; in 2008, it was DeSean Jackson, who finished his rookie campaign with 912 receiving yards and two receiving TDs. Give McNabb weapons and he'll take advantage.

With the Philadelphia Eagles adding another toy for McNabb to play with in wide receiver, Jeremy Maclin, during the 2009 NFL Draft—a wide out who amassed 1,260 receiving yards and 13 receiving TDs for the Missouri Tigers in 2008—and Jackson, now with a year of experience under his belt, McNabb's fantasy value definitely gets a boost.

Rather than simply having to rely on running back, Brian Westbrook, breaking off a short screen for a TD, McNabb will have the ability to notch quite a few fantasy points on his arm alone, not Westbrook's legs. Do not hesitate to grab the Eagles' signal caller as your QB1 for 2009.

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Washington Redskins

Can quarterback, Jason Campbell, take that next step and become the starting quarterback the Redskins believe he can be - making him a fantasy steal for 2009?

Jason Campbell seemed to have everything figured out in the first half of 2008. Through 8 games, the Washington Redskins' quarterback had tallied 1,960 passing yards, 8 passing TDs, and no interceptions, helping the Redskins to a 6-2 record.

Had the QB maintained that pace, he would have finished the year with 3,920 yards, 16 TDs, and 0 INTs and the Redskins would have been shoe ins for the NFC playoffs. Not a bad year's work under center. But, that's not how the season played out.

Rather, Campbell stumbled in the second half, notching just 1,491 passing yards, 5 TDs, and 6 INTs. The QBs decline also coincided with the team's decline as Washington went 2-6 in the second half of 2008, watching the playoffs from home.

The Redskins failures cannot be placed solely on Campbell's throwing arm, but he did have a part in them, which begs the question can Campbell turn things around and put together a solid 16 games or is this as good as it gets?

No doubt, Campbell has improved in some crucial areas. The QB has seen his completion percentage jump 9.2 percent from his first year in the league and has taken better care of the ball, posting a career low in interceptions with six, despite throwing a career high 506 passes in 2008.

But those attributes simply make Campbell a game-managing quarterback. While that may benefit the Redskins, who like to rely on their running game to win games, it's not going to help your fantasy squad. Until Campbell starts completing more passes that go for 6, he's not going to be anything more than a spot starting fantasy quarterback.

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