The NFC East is ripe for the plucking

[E-Dog Night]

We all know that in today's NFL things can change in a hurry. A 6-7 win improvement from one season to the next is very possible. That said, let's take a look at the NFC East, where may be more room to move than perhaps seems immediately visible to the casual observer.

The Giants are in trouble right now. They were absolutely terrible since the Saints crushed their spirit in week 6. They finished 3-8 and the only team not to put up 40+ points against them in their last 4 games was the, uh, Redskins. While they can conceivably turn it around like anyone else, it doesn't seem like they are in the midst of an upward trend. They could outright suck next season.

As for the Eagles, at some point, the air is going to go completely out of the McNabb/Reid balloon. It's been leaking a little bit since their Super Bowl appearance, but with talent like McNabb, Westbrook and DeSean Jackson and an always solid defense, they have been able to remain highly competitive. But I get the feeling like the end of an era is nigh. Next season could be the one when age, injuries - and that Sisyphean syndrome of trying so hard to validate their efforts without getting the boulder to the top of the hill - will finally wear them out. It's gotta happen sometime.

Now we have the Cowboys. Barring injuries (always the X factor) to guys like Ware and Romo, they should be a serious playoff contender again. But why do I get the feeling that they are satisfied with getting the playoff win monkey off their back, and they might rest on their laurels a little bit? Sure, they will talk about taking the next step, and yes, they do have a very solid defense which will ensure a certain degree of success, but we know that Wade Phillips is not post-season material. He's been a coach in the NFL for 9 seasons with 4 different teams and just got his first playoff win against an injury-riddled Eagles team that had pretty much given up hope. I don't see them taking a step forward; they'll probably remain static or take a step back.

Not saying it will definitely happen or that it be easy, but the Redskins are in a better position than most people realize to leap-frog into the top slot in the division. There is a certain amount of talent on this team; the wheat just needs to be separated from the chaff, with an eye on a longer term construction. If the coaching staff is good for 3-5 wins, and the offensive line can be significantly improved, then 10 or 11 wins is possible. That could be good enough to win the division.

Call me crazy but I see it happening.

:) :logo:

[McD5]

You are predicting we win the division?

[Hitman21ST]

I see where you're coming from, and agree with you on most points, but a ten or 11 win season is a little bit of a reach, IMO. I can easily see an 8 or 9 win season, and definitely in contention for a wild card spot. I just don't see us as "there" yet. Give it a year or two, when the air has left the Eagles balloon and the G-men are floundering, and I can see us win the division.

[emor09]

plus a little insight on the Eagles, don't be surprised if DeSean Jackson holds out. He is only supposed to make $470,000 next year. Oh, and Drew Rosenhaus is his agent.

[E-Dog Night]

You are predicting we win the division?

I have balls the size of church bells. :D

My brain may not be as big.

[TD_washingtonredskins]

I think 2010 might be unrealistic, but it certainly seems that there are a couple issues that each NFC East team has to deal with. Maybe we can climb the ranks over the next couple years.

[ST is my boy]

The NFC West is ripe for the plucking, the AFC west is ripe for the plucking..........the NFC East.......not so much.

[Brandon Lloyd Christmas]

The NFC West is ripe for the plucking, the AFC west is ripe for the plucking..........the NFC East.......not so much.


pretty much. although the AFC west is the chargers and a bunch of scrubs, unless the broncos figure out something quickly.

[Riggo#44]

I'd be shocked if the Redskins won 7 games. We have holes at just about every position -- and there is a dearth of talent on the offensive line especially.

This is not going to be a quick turnaround...don't get your hopes up...

[emor09]

I agree that we can make a play for the division. I mean, i know this is a VERY optimistic view, but, we could have won a few division games last year, and we all know how bad we were.

1. 1st Eagles game. What was the final? 27-17? Their 3 TD's came from a trick play, a broken coverage on 3rd and forever, and a tipped ball INT...those are 3 mistakes that coaching CAN fix

2. 1st Dallas game. With a good kicker, we win this game 12-7. With a good coach, we allow our QB to throw the ball from the 20 with over :10 left in the half, so maybe we get a TD there and win 16-7. I also believe a tip ball ended our final drive of the game?

3. 2nd Eagles game. We had an 8 point lead, on the road, in the 4th quarter. If LaRon Landry simply tackles Jason Avant (rather than going for the death shot...and failing) who knows if McNabb can actually complete enough passes in a row to drive the length of the field in crunch time.

All of these could have been wins (if we look with an optimistic view), and 3-3 in our division is not bad at all.

[Hitman21ST]

I'd be shocked if the Redskins won 7 games. We have holes at just about every position -- and there is a dearth of talent on the offensive line especially.

This is not going to be a quick turnaround...don't get your hopes up...

Everyone has holes at every position. The Colts don't have a #2 QB, for example.

[Audible_Red40]

It's February. Of course it's ripe for the picking.

[E-Dog Night]

It's February. Of course it's ripe for the picking.

:ols: I should have specified "in the 2010 regular season", apparently.

[Sellersfan]

I agree to the point that a turn around will be quicker than we think. Even though our record stank, we were in alot of close games.

The NFC East has become the most over rated division in the NFL. A couple of years ago, the intrigue of divisional games in took on a playoff type atmosphere. Not so much anymore.

The one thing the Skins have going for them, is that their issues are glaringly obvious.

I think the Gnats are in more of a quandry. They have needs all over the team (except qb). Coaching has quickly become an issue there, and they also need defensive help, and receivers on offense.

Philly is a couple of injuries away from disaster. This is true to any team however. I think they will be at the top of the division this coming year.

That leaves Dallas. They are a franchise in trouble IMO. Jerry has his new stadium, and it has a huge price tag. There is a ton of pressure on the organization to fill the seats. The expectations are high. I dont think Romo will ever be able to handle the stress. Barber has proven he cant handle being a feature back. The Oline has had issues for a while. They are large, but teams can exploit that size. The secondary has needs as well.

I fore see us as a wild card playoff team next year. After that who knows.

[HighOnHendrix]

I agree that we can make a play for the division. I mean, i know this is a VERY optimistic view, but, we could have won a few division games last year, and we all know how bad we were.

1. 1st Eagles game. What was the final? 27-17? Their 3 TD's came from a trick play, a broken coverage on 3rd and forever, and a tipped ball INT...those are 3 mistakes that coaching CAN fix

2. 1st Dallas game. With a good kicker, we win this game 12-7. With a good coach, we allow our QB to throw the ball from the 20 with over :10 left in the half, so maybe we get a TD there and win 16-7. I also believe a tip ball ended our final drive of the game?

3. 2nd Eagles game. We had an 8 point lead, on the road, in the 4th quarter. If LaRon Landry simply tackles Jason Avant (rather than going for the death shot...and failing) who knows if McNabb can actually complete enough passes in a row to drive the length of the field in crunch time.

All of these could have been wins (if we look with an optimistic view), and 3-3 in our division is not bad at all.

We were close in some other games, too. The Saints game comes to mind immediately. Hopefully the coaching change will get us over the hump for this year coming up and even further in the long run.

[illone]

Anything can happen, that's why we watch the dam games.

On paper, though, the other teams are still ahead of the Skins right now.

Skins need an upgrade at QB to be considered contenders in our division.

[SkinsHokieFan]

It is possible, but I give it a few more years

The other 3 QBs in the division will be in their 30s by the start of the 2012 season. Hopefully by then Sam Bradford will be 24 and entering his 3rd season.

Thats when we make our big move and re-take the division for several years

[HighOnHendrix]

I fore see us as a wild card playoff team next year. After that who knows.

I think this is possible, but optimistic. The only way we get in is by backing in, IMO. Winning the division is laughable. :ols: (god, I love having that back! can't use it enough.)

[Leonard Washington]

We are about 10 years away from being respectable.

[Crazy Levi]

Call me crazy but I see it happening.

:) :logo:

The only thing I see happening is you being carted off to the loony bin.

The division is ripe for the plucking for sure, by the Eagles, Giants, or Cowboys. The Redskins simply will not have the talent to match any of these teams and will finish a distant last.

[Metskins]

I'm surprised....

These types of threads don't usually pop up until July.

[armstrong001]

We are about 10 years away from being respectable.

Not sure why you think it should take 10 years to be respectable, let alone great. The Saints went from worst team in the league (or close to it) to Superbowl champions in four years. We aren't the worst team in the league. Why shouldn't we expect a quicker turnaround than a decade?

[pjfootballer]

Division? Nah. I think it will take 3 years to be a division winner.

[Agent Three]

i'm gonna call you crazy

[SAli457180]

Any division is ripe for the taking. If the Skins make the right moves in the draft and through FA, they can be a team that can make a 6 or 7 game turnaround. Right now, however, it's too early to say.

[C26 Run]

Temper your enthusiasm. The Redskins are in no way in position to pluck the NFC East. Your not giving the other teams enough credit. We were 0-6 in our division. We have so many holes.

The Pukes, Midgets, and Beagles are good teams. They draft well and are coached well. We don't know yet what kind of coach Shanahan will be.

:helmet:

[Ladell Bettis]

you are predicting we win the division?
+1

[gorebd82]

Not in 2010, but in a year or two.

I know it may sound crazy, but I think our offensive line falling apart may have been a blessing in disguise. It forces us to rebuild so that we can have a great unit for 5-10 years. It seems like the Giants and Cowboys offensive lines are where we were a couple of seasons ago. Injuries and age are starting to creep in. I wouldn't be surprised to see those units collapse over the next two years. Similar with the Eagles too. Between the injuries to the Andrews boys and Jason Peters not quite living up to the hype.

A lot of our young talent should be coming into their primes soon. We have the most defensive talent in the division and our superstar just completed a Pro Bowl rookie season. Our young pass catchers are finally getting their footing. If we get our QB and build the offensive line over the next two seasons, we can definitely be in a position to lead the pack in the NFC East.

[hail2skins]

These types of threads don't usually pop up until July.

Agreed. While at first blush my optimistic side thinks that Shanahan will be able to get us back to about .500 next year, I'd like to see what the roster is going to look like (namely, who is going to be behind center in 2010) before assessing if we go much further than that.

Than there's the matter of the schedule. Aside from the home-and-home against the divisional opponents, here's what we have for next season:

Home: Green Bay, Minnesota, Indy, Houston, Tampa
Away: Chicago, Detroit, Jacksonville, Tennessee, St Louis

More often than not getting to 10+ wins requires you to go over .500 at home. With this schedule, can you see the Skins doing better than 4-4 at FedEx next season, especially if Favre returns to the Vikes?

[Rexrode21]

plus a little insight on the Eagles, don't be surprised if DeSean Jackson holds out. He is only supposed to make $470,000 next year. Oh, and Drew Rosenhaus is his agent.

Umm... you're joking right? He won't hold out. With an uncapped year, the most he can make is around $640,000 because he can only increase his salary by 33%. I don't see him holding out for 200k, and even if he does, the Eagles would ablige him immediately.

[shannyman1]

I agree with the OP with a slight exception...that this thread is just 1 year to early.
McNabb and Philly are really close to folding it up, while New York will probably comeback with a better defensive performance next season and their offensive line is still intact. I give them one more year of solid play. But the Cowboys offensive line is just minutes away from a breakdown. They are nearly ancient on the line and being the healthiest team 2 years in a row is not very likely to occur with that much age going against them.

[Mr. Sinister]

The East IS ripe for the plucking, no doubt about that. The only problem is tha it's winnable for everyone EXCEPT the Skins.

[RFKFedEx]

I fear that a sudden division crown will cause Danny to revert to the 'we're almost there' mentality to building an instant winner.

[icbmayday]

Winning the division I doubt it, we will not be last place in the division though this year.

[USS Redskins]

So a team that went 4-12, and 0-6 in the East.... that has a new coach, that hasnt even signed or released a player or drafted anyone... they are going to win the division in 2010?
Arent you a tad curious to see who they even have on the roster as QB next year before you make a case for the 2010 team?

[E-Dog Night]

So a team that went 4-12, and 0-6 in the East.... that has a new coach, that hasnt even signed or released a player or drafted anyone... they are going to win the division in 2010?
Arent you a tad curious to see who they even have on the roster as QB next year before you make a case for the 2010 team?

It's just a gut feeling, more based on my observation that two of the teams in the NFC East seem to be in decline right now than anything else. But I do get a real sense that Shanahan is doing everything the right way, and will make moves this offseason which will put the Redskins in the best position to win. Between those two factors I think it's possible.

[hammerva]

Let me guess, you thought they were going to win the NFC East was Bruce Allen was hired. And then you thought the same when Shanny was hired. When Bradford gets drafted you will think the Skins are the best team in the NFC East. Why didn'tyou act like most Skins fans are predict the Superbowl as well.

Stop getting your opinions from heisman and Larry Michael

[LD0506]

Yanno, I would be satisfied if Shanny & Co could just start rebuilding this team enough so that we don't get plucked again.

[Blue Collar Skins]

Call me crazy but I see it happening.

:) :logo:

Please stop. I don't want to get my hopes up prior to the beginning of the season. Dang you! It happens every year! Every year I think we can make the playoffs, and every year, I feel like I am kicked in the jimmies and some guy who is hung like a horse runs off with my wife.

:cry: Dang you!

[hail2skins]

Now we have the Cowboys.... He's been a coach in the NFL for 9 seasons with 4 different teams and just got his first playoff win against an injury-riddled Eagles team that had pretty much given up hope.

I'm trying to figure out how a team who won six straight games prior to its season finale against the Cowboys had "pretty much given up hope."

[E-Dog Night]

Let me guess, you thought they were going to win the NFC East was Bruce Allen was hired. And then you thought the same when Shanny was hired. When Bradford gets drafted you will think the Skins are the best team in the NFC East. Why didn'tyou act like most Skins fans are predict the Superbowl as well.

Stop getting your opinions from heisman and Larry Michael

I'm not sure why I'm bothering to respond to this, but just so you know, not one single thing you said is even remotely true. I don't know who Heisman is, and Larry Michael? Are you serious? I don't want Bradford, I would prefer the Redskins trade down and fill their various needs (as I've stated on several posts), especially on the offensive line. And I just had this gut feeling a day or two ago.

And there is no way the Redskins are ready to win the Super Bowl. What I'm saying is that they could surprise people and sneak up to win the division.

[skinfan2k]

We are going to at worst 7-9 with shanny.. We are gonna start stealing games we have no business in with this new coaching staff..

[TD_washingtonredskins]

Another consideration is the salary cap (or lack thereof). If you think the NFL becoming uncapped benefits the Redskins, you're only half right. This will also allow a team like Dallas to quickly restock when their OL ages overnight.

[Mr. Sinister]

We are going to at worst 7-9 with shanny.. We are gonna start stealing games we have no business in with this new coaching staff..

I hope you're right. At least we won't look unprepared anymore, so that should at least make us competitive. Gotta see what happens this offseason though.

[MustangSteve]

Not a bad outlook E-Dog, regardless what analyst say, this team does have talent on both sides of the ball. Yes we need an O-line, and Shanny will get his O-line in order, he always has. I think our biggest step will be because of the new coaching staff and GM. We now go into 2010 with very competent leaders who know how to win and game plan. A huge difference from a QB coach trying to lead an NFC East team into battle, Jim Zorn just couldn't get this team together and ready to play every week.

Although every new coach needs a few seasons to get "his" team together, it's very possible for this team to take such a leap in it's first season under an elite coach. It sure would be a great thing to win this division our first year under this new system, and even have a home playoff game.

[Veretax]

It could happen, but I doubt it happens this yaer, but I could be wrong too.

[skinzwiz]

When Miami goes from 1-15 to 11-5, it is always possible to have a great bounce back year. The real question is can redskins have stability and stay healthy to achieve that. I simply think the main problem with the team is depth. No depth on OL, WR, LB or DL. Fatigue and injury always keeps this team from excelling.