Eagles and Cowboys and Giants, Oh MY! Three Teams Poised For Postseason

             Although the NFC East can only boast one Super Bowl Championship this decade, the past few years have allowed the formidable division to remind many of the dominance they displayed in the early 1990’s. Aside from the Giants win in Super Bowl XLII, the Eagles have been a playoff staple behind Donovan McNabb, the Cowboys are consistently the team to beat on paper, and the Redskins were re-energized during Joe Gibbs’ second tour of duty. Each year every team is a contender in the division. This year should be no different. Analysts are fawning over the vast improvements made to a strong Philadelphia team. Praise is also being heaped on the Cowboys for parting ways with “the receiver”. The Redskins enter a pivotal year with QB Jason Campbell wondering if he’s their leader for the future. And, even though everyone is sick of hearing it, will the Giants be able to fill the void left by Plaxico Burress’ departure. Let’s take a deeper look at each team’s postseason chances.

            Philadelphia Eagles: Many people consider the Eagles the team to beat in 2009. After an impressive run to the NFC Championship Game, the Eagles have finally landed the play-makers that Donovan McNabb has coveted. Prior to the draft they shipped a first rounder to the Bills to land All-Pro Left Tackle Jason Peters. On draft day they traded up in the first round to take the dynamic receiver out of Missouri Jeremy Maclin. He should make an immediate impact across the field from second year emerging star DeSean Jackson to give the Eagles constant big play ability. They were also able to grab running back LeSean McCoy out of Pitt to be a much needed backup to the oft-injured and aging Brian Westbrook. While the offseason has been kind to the offense, it has been tumultuous for the defense. One of the big questions this team needs to have answered is who will replace the leadership void created by the departure of Brian Dawkins. Unfortunately for Giants fans, with the most dynamic offense the Eagles have fielded this decade, Philadelphia should have a big say in who represents the NFC in the Super Bowl.

            Dallas Cowboys: Despite being heavy favorites entering last season, the paper champions couldn’t execute enough on the field. Locker room bickering between offensive heavyweights Tony Romo, Jason Witten and Terrell Owens de-railed what appeared to be one of the most dynamic teams in football. Now Owens is gone, the Pacman experiment is over, and sanity should be restored in Dallas. To compete with the Giants and Eagles, the ‘Boys will need Roy Williams to return to the dominant receiver he showed he could be early in his Detroit career. A major, yet often overlooked injury in the division from a year ago, was the loss of rookie speedster Felix Jones. He had begun to establish himself as a terrific threat and formed an imposing duo with Marion Barber. When healthy, they could be the most talented backfield duo in the NFL. Defensive end DeMarcus Ware put the league on notice a season ago with his 20 sacks and he can change the outcome of a game all by himself. With a lot less pressure to perform this season, the 'Boys could steal a wild card berth in the NFC. 

            Washington Redskins: If one team is in a world of trouble, it could be the Washington Redskins. Not for lack of talent, but for a lack of cohesion and direction from the front office. The Redskins dipped their toes in the Jay Cutler and Mark Sanchez sweepstakes, but failed to land either one. As you might suspect, this did not please incumbent starter and possible quarterback of the future Jason Campbell. Their first rounder from a few years ago out of Auburn, this could be a make or break year as an NFL Quarterback for Campbell. He’s enjoyed waves of success, but also more than his fair share of troubles. The Skins will need one of last year’s early round selections, Devin Thomas or Malcolm Kelly, to provide a boost in the passing game. On the defensive side of the ball, possible tampering led to the acquisition of $100 million man Albert Haynesworth. He’s a beast in the middle when he has his head on right, but his erratic behavior in the past suggests he may struggle to adjust to life outside of Tennessee. This team will be an incredibly tough matchup for whomever they face this season, but it’s difficult to imagine them leap-frogging any of the other three playoff quality teams in this division.

            New York Giants: Until the Giants’ regular season gets underway, they will be bombarded with questions regarding Plaxico Burress. People feel, perhaps rightfully so, that the loss of Burress spiraled the Giants out of control a year ago and cost them a chance to repeat as champions. They feel the struggling offense of the post Plaxico era is an indication that they can not survive without a go-to guy in the passing game. If coach Gilbride can show some creativity with his personnel groupings, the Giants have a talented stable of receivers at their disposal. The pass rush, now 7 or 8 deep, should be relentless and sufficiently well-rested for a playoff push. If the Giants can find ways to prevent teams from stacking the box against the run, they are legitimate Super Bowl contenders.