NFC East preview

By Steve Herzog
Don Best Associate Editor

Few divisions boast the star power of the NFC East and no division is as wide open and strong from top to bottom.

The Cowboys are loaded and quarterback Tony Romo has another year of experience under his belt. The Eagles retooled their defense and have a healthy, focused Donovan McNabb. The New York Giants have lost some big names in the offseason but they are still the defending Super Bowl Champs and have a confident Eli Manning under center as well as maybe the best pass rush in the league, even without Michael Strahan.

Finally, the Redskins improved their depth and talent in a number of key spots and have a veteran club that doesn't figure to have the in-season troubles they had last year when they still found a way to qualify for the playoffs.

Dallas Cowboys
Projected Record: 11-5

The Cowboys come into this season knowing that last season was a missed opportunity. They were clearly better than the Giants (at least during the regular season), yet they lost to the G-men in Dallas when it mattered most. Then they sat at home and watched as the Giants upset the Packers on the Frozen Tundra and then the Patriots in the Super Bowl. The Cowboys had to have been thinking it should have been them, but it wasn't.

Expectations are high for the Cowboys and with good reason. Tony Romo had an outstanding 2007 and now rates among the top quarterbacks in the NFL. In his first full season as a starter, Romo threw for 4,211 yards and 36 touchdowns, completing 64 percent of his throws. He was intercepted 19 times but had an outstanding 97.4 QB rating.

Of course, Romo has some terrific weapons to throw to including All-Pro tight end Jason Witten and wideout Terrell Owens. In the backfield, Marion Barber will now be the starting running back with Julius Jones gone to Seattle. First round pick Felix Jones will be the team's second running back and with his speed and quickness, he should provide a nice compliment to Barber's powerful running.

The Cowboys' offensive line should also be a strong unit, with all of last year's starters' back this season.

On the other side of the ball, Dallas should be just as formidable. Linebacker is a tremendously important position given the Cowboys' 3-4 scheme and they were bolstered with the acquisition of Zach Thomas over the offseason. He joins an already strong unit which features outstanding pass rusher DeMarcus Ware and Bradie James, a great run-stopper.

The secondary will be anchored by cornerback Terence Newman, who had a strong 2007 campaign and hard-hitting strong safety Roy Williams. The team's other first round pick, Mike Jenkins, will compete with veteran Anthony Henry for time at the other cornerback position while Adam "Pacman" Jones looks to return from suspension. Jones is a talented player and if he can keep his head straight he could make a big impact for the 'Boys both in the secondary and as a punt returner.

The Cowboys are loaded and are among the favorites in the NFC to get to the Super Bowl. Anything less than a playoff spot would be a huge disappointment, even in the toughest division in football.

Philadelphia Eagles
Projected Record: 10-6

The Eagles' window of opportunity seems to be closing but there is more than enough talent on the roster to compete for the top spot in the division and a playoff berth. If everything goes right, they could even be a sleeper Super Bowl pick.

Say what you will about Donovan McNabb, but when the guy is healthy and playing, there are few quarterbacks with as much talent. McNabb played in only 14 games last year but he threw 19 touchdowns against seven interceptions, completing 61.5 percent of his 473 passes for 3324 yards.

Of course, the biggest problem with McNabb has been his inability to stay healthy. He hasn't played all 16 games in a season since 2003 and he has only played all 16 games three times in his nine year career.

With McNabb under center, the Eagles' offense looks virtually identical to the unit they fielded last season. The only move of significance was the drafting of speedy wideout DeSean Jackson from Cal, who should help the team more as a kick returner than as a pass catcher. Reggie Brown and Kevin Curtis highlight the team's wide receiving corps while LJ Smith and Kris Wilson will split tight end duties.

Running back Brian Westbrook will once more lead the rushing game. Westbrook is as explosive as they come, but like McNabb, he always seems to have health issues. Westbrook missed only one game last year, though, while rushing for 1,333 yards on 278 carries, good for an average of 4.8 yards per. He also caught 90 passes for 771 yards and he led the NFL with 2,104 total yards from scrimmage while scoring 12 total touchdowns.

When the Eagles have been successful over the last few years, their defense has been an aggressive, "take no prisoners" unit. Last year, that changed significantly as the Eagles had just 37 sacks, tied for sixth in the conference and third in their division. That lack of pass rush led to the Eagles finishing last in the conference and tied for last in the entire league with just 11 interceptions.

To help remedy the situation, the Eagles brought in arguably the top cornerback in the league, Asante Samuel, as a free agent. He will team with Sheldon Brown and Lito Sheppard to form one of the best groups at cornerback in the NFL. This group will allow the Eagles to play more risky, man-to-man coverage and blitz more, which should lead to more sacks and interceptions.

Up front, the Eagles expect end Trent Cole to play as well as last season when he had 12.5 sacks. They also expect improved contributions from end Juqua Parker and tackles Mike Patterson and Broderick Bunkley, as well as top pick Trevor Laws.

The Eagles have some weaknesses, but most of those involve the health of key players. If they can improve their pass rush and keep McNabb and Westbrook on the field, they should be one of the best teams in the NFC.

New York Giants
Projected Record: 9-7

While the Giants have been a talented team for the last couple of seasons, nobody could've predicted the way their season would end with possibly the biggest upset in the history of the NFL. The Giants have lost some star power from last year's team, but they should be very competitive once again as quarterback Eli Manning continues to gain confidence and maturity.

The Giants have undergone an incredible transformation over the last couple of seasons as they've moved away from a vocal team full of spotlight seekers to a workman-like squad with few big names, even in New York. The retirements of Tiki Barber last year and Michael Strahan this offseason, as well as the trade of Jeremy Shockey, has left the Giants as a team with one voice, that of their coach, Tom Coughlin.

Coughlin has never been incredibly popular with his players and when he first arrived in New York it seemed he'd never last. But slowly the Giants have gotten rid of their problems and left Coughlin with a team that does what he expects: plays hard and doesn't quit or complain.

Even wide receiver Plaxico Burress has become something of a solid citizen under Coughlin. Burress was hurt throughout much of the season last year, but seldom complained and gave his all every game day. He finished the campaign with 70 catches for 1,025 yards and 12 touchdowns despite his ankle issues. If he stays healthy, he could have a better season this year.

Burress is joined by classy veteran Amani Toomer, Steve Smith and Super Bowl hero David Tyree in a deep group of receivers. Kevin Boss will replace Shockey at tight end, providing the team with a strong run blocker.

The running game was huge for the Giants last year and should be at least as good. Led by guard Chris Snee, the offensive line is a nasty run blocking group and it should open holes for a deep, varied group of runners.

Big Brandon Jacobs is the team's lead back and rushed for over 1,000 yards last year. Jacobs is an anomaly as a starting running back in the NFL at 6'4", 264 LBS. Jacobs size and straight up running style make him prone to injuries, leading to only 202 carries last year, but he is a special back when he's on the field.

Jacobs is backed up by versatile Derrick Ward, who gained over 600 yards rushing last year, scatback Ahmad Bradshaw, and veteran Ruben Droughns.

While the offense should be solid, especially if Manning continues to get better, defensively the Giants seem to have taken a step back. Strahan's retirement and the loss of valuable safety Gibril Wilson to free agency are big blows but the Giants should have enough to compete.

New York still has a number of talented pass rushers in its front seven including Strahan's replacement Justin Tuck, end Osi Umenyiora and linebacker Mathias Kiwanuka. Antonio Pierce will be the unit's leader at middle linebacker once again, while Sammy Knight will try to replace Wilson at safety.

The rest of the secondary could be better as young Aaron Ross and Corey Webster continue to learn the cornerback position from veterans like Sam Madison and RW McQuarters.

The Giants are a good team and they have the talent to make another run deep into the playoffs, provided they can get there, which won't be easy in this division.

Washington Redskins
Projected Record: 8-8

The Washington Redskins had a tough year off the field with the murder of safety Sean Taylor, but the 'Skins still found a way into the playoffs. Last year marked the end for legendary coach Joe Gibbs, who went out on a relatively high note and didn't leave the cupboard bare for his successor, former Seahawks QB Jim Zorn.

This will be Zorn's first year as a head coach and he will have a lot to learn. Zorn is known as a quarterback guru and should help the progress of Jason Campbell, entering his fourth season.

Veteran backup quarterback Todd Collins surprised the football world playing very well as the starter in Washington's last four games of the regular season. The Redskins won all of those starts, which got them into the playoffs. He will be the team's second-string quarterback this year, unless things go badly with Campbell.

Whoever is behind center, the Redskins' quarterbacks will be helped by arguably the deepest group of receivers in the league. The team already had a great tight end in Chris Cooley and two shifty, dangerous, small receivers in Santana Moss and Antwaan Randle El.

Then they went out and added some size to the group by drafting wide receivers Devin Thomas and Malcolm Kelly and tight end Fred Davis, all in the second round. These moves should give the Redskins' offense incredible versatility.

Clinton Portis is once again the starter at running back with talented bruiser Ladell Betts backing him up and fullback Mike Sellers opening holes in front of him. The offensive line is also strong, despite their respective ages. Center Casey Rabach is the youngest projected starter up front at 30, but if tackles Chris Samuels, Jon Jansen and guards Randy Thomas and Pete Kendall can stay healthy, this should be a nasty unit.

Defensively, this is not a young team either, especially in the front seven. Newly acquired Jason Taylor joins the team along with fellow defensive end Andre Carter to form one of the most formidable pass-rushing duos in the league.

The middle of the defense will be anchored by veteran tackle Cornelius Griffin, a strong run defender, while ageless London Fletcher will lead the team from his middle linebacker spot.

The secondary should be improved this season as last year's top pick, safety LaRon Landry, has a year under his belt. He should become a star this season. Talented Carlos Rogers is returning from injuries, which caused him to miss the last nine games of the season. He is joined by veterans Shawn Springs and Fred Smoot at cornerback.

The Redskins are obviously one of the older teams in the NFL and they come into the season with a wealth of talent on both sides of the ball. The do have youth at two very important spots, though, quarterback and head coach. If Campbell and Zorn have strong season, the rest of the Redskins should follow suit.

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