August 16, 2016

Win-Loss Predictions for Every NFL Team: NFC East Edition

The mental algorithms have been run and the spreadsheet mania has settled down, so here are my win-loss predictions for every team, continuing with the NFC East.  They'll be taking on the NFC North rollercoaster and the rowdy AFC North.  What will happen?  I don't know but you came here anyway, so here's what I think:


Dallas Cowboys

Best Case Scenario: Following an injury-riddled detour in 2015, the Cowboys get right back to 12 - 4 form this season, grinding opponents down with the brutal, reliable rushing attack of Ezekiel Elliott and riding a much easier conference schedule.  They make easy work of a division that's always up for grabs until Week 17.

Worst Case Scenario: The suspensions and injuries on Dallas' defense are too much to handle, and the Cowboys are forced into 60-pass-attempt shootouts every week instead of the balanced rushing attack that made them so successful in 2014.  The overworked Tony Romo and Dez Bryant can't fully recover from their nagging injuries last season, and Dallas starts considering trading one of these long-time faces of the franchise to forge a new identity.

Bellwether Match Up: The Cowboys have a very manageable schedule for the first part of the season, but we'll know a lot more about how this defense will truly fare in Week 6 when they travel to Green Bay to avenge the "Dez Caught It" Bowl.

Prediction: I genuinely dread picking records for this division and this team.  I thought the Cowboys were DOA two years ago, and they won 12 games.  Then I thought they could repeat on the strength of their offensive line play, and they got a Thor-sized injury hammer to the knees.  So it seems only natural that they'll rebound pretty well even though I have deep concerns about their defense and go 9 - 7 with a shot at a playoff bid.


Philadelphia Eagles

Best Case Scenario: Sam Bradford gets injured early in the season (you read that right) and Chase Daniel and/or Carson Wentz end up being a godsend under center for the new-look Eagles.  Doug Pederson works next-man-up miracles with Philly's running game the same way he did with the Chiefs, and this team starts looking like the future of the NFC East by December.

Worst Case Scenario: Bradford plays out a very uninspiring string given the Eagles' hesitance to throw Wentz to the wolves early, and Philly's running game looks worse for the wear with Darren Sproles finally starting to show signs of aging.  Doug Pederson is a game-management dud who can't scheme his way out of a mediocre-at-best roster and gets chased out of town with pitchforks after one season.

Bellwether Match Up: Although the Eagles should be given a measure of grace in figuring out this overhauled roster and new coaching regime, fans will want to see some kind of return on investment by Week 6 in their first divisional game with the Redskinks.

Prediction: Although I think Philly made some smart moves in the offseason to extinguish Chip Kelly's dumpster fire, I have some suspicions about Pederson being able to put it all together anytime soon, especially with very uneven talent in key positions here.  I'm putting the Eagles in the NFC East cellar at 4 - 12.


New York Giants

Best Case Scenario: All of those acquisitions on defense make the Giants top conference contenders once again, and Odell Beckham has another stellar season to carry this offense to the top five in yards and points. After a very manageable back-half schedule, New York becomes a popular Super Bowl pick with a bye going into January.

Worst Case Scenario: The Giants' shaky offensive line finally puts Eli Manning on a gurney, and the anonymous Ryan Nassib tries unsuccessfully to hold down the fort for 6 - 8 weeks.  New York just can't take advantage of an easy stretch of opponents and hopes, like most years, that next year will be better.

Bellwether Match Up: Big Blue will need to finish strong with three divisional games in the final four weeks of the season to make the postseason, but some of us want a repeat of that wild 13-touchdown shootout with the Saints from last year just for fun.  The Giants host the arms race with New Orleans this time around in Week 2 - bring your welding goggles.

Prediction: As with the Eagles, it's hard to gauge where the Giants will fall given that this will be the first time under the big headset for former assistant Ben McAdoo.  But New York has done some heavy lifting to upgrade this defense that should pay dividends alongside a big-play offense, so I'm taking a chance on the Giants at 10 - 6 with a division title and the second easiest schedule in the NFL.


Washington Redskinks

Best Case Scenario: Kirk Cousins really is as good as he looked during the second half of 2015, and the Redskinks retain their division title with their quarterback of the future locked up for a long-term deal.  Josh Norman's presence in the defensive backfield helps out Washington's pass rush and gives this team enough balance to crack the divisional round of the playoffs.

Worst Case Scenario: 2015 proves to be a fluke as Cousins falls back to his turnover-prone style of quarterback play, and Josh Norman also regresses to his former not-so-All-Pro level of performance.  With the Giants getting better and the Cowboys healthier, the Redskinks sink back to the bottom of the division with yet another lost season and little direction for the future.

Bellwether Match Up: Washington has a slew of important conference games right after their Week 9 bye with the Vikings, Packers, Cowboys and Cardinals.  That should be a good litmus test for whether or not the Redskinks can hang with three recent playoff contenders and a big division rival.

Prediction: I just can't shake my skepticism that last season was the upper end of what the Redskinks can accomplish with their current roster, especially given the much harder schedule they'll have this year.  Unless Cousins and Norman are every bit as good as they were during career-best seasons in 2015, I'm calling Washington at 7 - 9 and a tough decision to make with Cousins in the long term after this season.



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