2013 NFC East Division Preview
Dallas Cowboys (2012 Record: 8-8, 3rd in NFC East)
Key additions: RB Joseph Randle, WR Terrance Williams, TE Gavin Escobar, TE Dante Rosario, C Travis Frederick, LB Justin Durant, DT Nick Hayden, LB DeVonte Holloman, CB B.W. Webb, S Will Allen, S J.J. Wilcox, Def. Coordinator Monte Kiffin
Key losses: RB Felix Jones, WR Kevin Ogletree, DT Kenyon Coleman, DT Marcus Spears, LB Dan Connor, OLB Victor Butler, CB Mike Jenkins, S Gerald Sensabaugh
This Cowboy team looks very similar to the team that barely missed the playoffs in the last season’s final week. Jerry Jones decided to stick with Tony Romo for the long haul despite another disappointing season, signing the QB to a 6-year/$108 million contract extension. It will be interesting to see if Romo can carry this team to the playoffs, and he isn’t doing much to stay out of the spotlight.
“This team is going to win a Super Bowl,” Romo told reporters Tuesday.
A key difference this season is a new defensive coordinator in Monte Kiffin. He is coming off a disappointing NCAA season at USC, where his defense ranked at or near the bottom of the Pac-12 in several important categories. Opposing coaches seemed to have an answer to his schemes week in and week out. Before his rough tenure with the Trojans, Kiffin’s time in the NFL with Tampa Bay 1996-2008 was a major success. Kiffin’s signature Tampa 2 defense ranked in the top 10 in points allowed and yards allowed 10 times and helped contribute to a Super Bowl XXXVII victory. The major question here is if Kiffin can return to his former ways and lead this Cowboys defense back to prominence.
The Cowboys have some firepower on both sides of the ball. The mystery every year is whether or not that talent will be executed to its fullest potential. The Cowboys should be at the cusp of a playoff birth, but the Redskins and Giants might be just too much to overcome. The last few weeks of the season will be especially tough for Dallas. If they can finish strong, they could make it to the postseason for the first time since the 2009 season.
Games to watch for: Week 1 vs. NYG, Week 5 vs. DEN, Week 14 @ CHI, Week 15 vs. GB, Week 16 @ WAS, Week 17 vs. PHL
Prediction: 7-9, 3rd in NFC East
SEE MORE: 2013 AFC East Division Preview
New York Giants (2012 Record: 9-7, 2nd in NFC East)
Key additions: QB Ryan Nassib, WR Louis Murphy, TE Brandon Myers, G/T Justin Pugh, DE Damontre Moore, LB Dan Connor, DT Cullen Jenkins, S Ryan Mundy, CB Aaron Ross, DT Johnathan Hankins, PK Josh Brown
Key losses: RB Ahmad Bradshaw, WR Domenik Hixon, TE Martellus Bennett, OT Sean Locklear, DT Chris Canty, DT Rocky Bernard, DE Osi Umenyiora, MLB Chase Blackburn, LB Michael Boley, S Kenny Phillips, PK Lawrence Tynes
The New York Giants are probably the least predictable team in the NFC East coming into 2013 with the most question marks.
In the backfield, Ahmad Bradshaw, who rushed for over 1,000 yards despite battling through multiple injuries last season, will definitely be missed. In the last game of the preseason, Andre Brown went down with a fractured left leg, placing him on the Giants’ short-term injured reserve list. David Wilson showed he could be a formidable back, but he’s not the type of player you would ideally build a backfield around.
The major liabilities for the Giants come on the defensive end of the ball. Despite his several injuries over the past few seasons, DE Osi Umenyiora was a major part of the Giants pass rush that helped them win two Super Bowl rings. Losing two veteran tackles will not help matters for the line, which will be interesting to watch. The Giants lost two of their most consistent linebackers from the previous championship runs as well. MLB Chase Blackburn was the quarterback of the defense after the loss of MLB Antonio Pierce, so it will be hard to find yet another player to fill that void.
To add to their depleted defense, S Stevie Brown tore his ACL intercepting a pass in the final preseason game against the Jets. Brown had 8 INT and 2 forced fumbles in a breakout season last year. With S Kenny Phillips leaving, the Giants will look for another player coming back from an injury, S Antrel Rolle, to step up in the secondary.
The strengths for this Giants team will be veteran QB and two-time Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning, along with a talented receiving core of Victor Cruz, Hakeem Nicks and Rueben Randle. Their offense can play against anyone in the league, which they showcased by routing the 49ers in San Francisco, the team that would eventually represent the NFC in the Super Bowl.
Look for the Giants to have a competitive team contending for the title again this season. Eli Manning is proven to be clutch in big games, and they still have DE Jason Pierre-Paul and DE Justin Tuck who will frighten opposing QBs. The G-Men seem to always be in the hunt for a division title in the beginning of the season in the Coughlin era, but whether they will be able to maintain their success in the latter half of the season remains to be seen.
Games to watch for: Week 1 @ DAL, Week 2 vs. DEN (Manning vs. Manning Part III), Week 11 vs. GB, Week 14 @ SD, Week 15 vs. SEA, Week 17 vs. WAS
Prediction: 11-5, 1st in NFC East
Philadelphia Eagles (2012 Record: 4-12, 4th in NFC East)
Key additions: QB Matt Barkley, QB Dennis Dixon, WR Arrelious Benn, FB/TE James Casey, TE Zach Ertz, OT Lane Johnson, NT Isaac Sopoaga, DT Bennie Logan, DE Clifton Geathers, OLB Connor Barwin, CB Cary Williams, CB Bradley Fletcher, FS Patrick Chung, S Kenny Phillips, S Earl Wolff, P Donnie Jones, Head Coach Chip Kelly, Off. Coordinator Pat Shurmur, Def. Coordinator Bill Davis
Key losses: RB Dion Lewis, WR Jeremy Maclin, WR Arrelious Benn, DT Cullen Jenkins, DT Mike Patterson, LB Jason Phillips, CB Nnamdi Asomugha, CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Head Coach Andy Reid
The Eagles added a few key pieces, along with an almost entirely new coaching staff led by former Oregon coach Chip Kelly. Will Michael Vick and the Eagles replicate the Ducks’ high-flying offensive style under Kelly’s direction? Many successful college coaches have notoriously failed poorly in their first season in the pros (see: Steve Spurrier, Pete Carroll—twice, Bobby Petrino and many others before them).
Either way, the Eagles should be a very different team this season. They can’t do much worse than last season’s four-win debacle. Look for Philadelphia to play some exciting games, but it would be shocking to see this team win more than 7 games in 2013.
Games to watch for: Week 4 @ DEN, Week 5 @ NYG, Week 17 @ DAL
Prediction: 6-10, 4th in NFC East
SEE MORE: 2013 AFC West Division Preview
Washington Redskins (2012 Record: 10-6, 1st in NFC East)
Key additions: WR Devery Henderson, WR Donte Stallworth, TE Jordan Reed, OT Jeremy Trueblood, LB Bryan Kehl, OLB Darryl Tapp, CB David Amerson, CB E.J. Biggers, S Bacarri Rambo, S Phillip Thomas
Key losses: OLB Lorenzo Alexander, S Cedric Griffin, S Madieu Williams
Robert Griffin III is coming off of a devastating torn right ACL he suffered in last year’s Wild Card matchup against the Seahawks. He is slated to start the first game of the season against Philadelphia. Can he return to his 2012 season, or will his injured knee limit his mobility, turning him into more of a one-dimensional player?
Washington made some intriguing additions to their roster with some veterans in the receiving core and secondary. Otherwise, this year’s team is the most identical compared to the rest of the division. Their defense as a whole should improve slightly from the basement of the NFL last season. The Redskins ranked 28th in yards per game in 2012. Their strength over the past few seasons has been against the run, where they ranked 5th in the league in 2012. Not much should change here, with many of the same starters returning for 2013.
The Redskins finished hot last year, winning 7 of their last 10 games of the season to make the playoffs. Being the defending first place team, they must play the top team from last year in every other division in the NFC, so that means they also have the toughest road to East Rutherford. It’s not a secret—this team lives and dies with its QB play. If RGIII is anything near the offensive threat he was this season, expect Washington to be favorites to repeat as NFC East champs.
Games to watch for: Week 1 vs. PHL, Week 2 @ GB, Week 7 @ DEN, Week 9 @ MIN, Week 11 vs. SF, Week 15 @ ATL, Week 16 vs. DAL, Week 17 @ NYG
Prediction: 10-6, 2nd in NFC East
Reach Staff Writer Josh DeMilta here.