Dallas Cowboys
Love - Romo's Moment
Confession: this is not my sentiment, but there are still people out there paid to stir up speculative controversy about football who think Tony Romo hasn't been given a chance to prove himself yet. Jerry Jones has officially pulled the offensive puppet strings from head coach Jason Garrett and put them on Romo's shoulders so that he can "finally" lead the Cowboys to victory this season. So if you, America, believe that the league's ultimate micromanager is going to bestow immense power on one of the least clutch quarterbacks in NFL history (who has nothing to prove with his new massive contract extension, by the way), 2013 is your chance to see our dear friend Tony reach his maximum potential. What's not to love?
This is actually something to love in general about the NFC East, but if you're a Cowboys fan, you are probably dreading having to face three completely unpredictable division rivals whose stock seems to be increasing all around this year. Although the Eagles can't go anywhere but up, Chip Kelly's lightning-fast spread offense will be tough on Dallas's rebuilding defense. Moreover, the Giants and Redskins have steady leadership and talent on both sides of the ball that will be hard for the Cowboys to match if Dallas' brain trust doesn't step up in a big way this season.
Philadelphia Eagles
Love - Chip Kelly's Gonzo Offense
Come January, we'll have enough of a sample size to know if Chip Kelly's meth-ed up version of the no huddle will be a gimmick or a game-changer in the pros. All is shrouded in secrecy for now unless Edward Snowden tells us otherwise. In the meantime though, it sure is fun to speculate about what hairbrained schemes Kelly is drawing up, especially for the likes of ultra-speedy LeSean McCoy and DeSean Jackson.
Big questions still remain for Philadelphia's offensive line, however. This group allowed the most QB hits of any team in the NFL in 2012, and the past couple of years have reduced once-formidable Michael Vick's rib cage into a nasty pulp. With QBs Vick/Nick Foles/Matt Barkley still learning what will no doubt be a complicated play-calling system, there are likely to be delayed decisions, confusion and breakdowns on the Eagles' offensive line this season. Without much beef, they better hope for a sharp QB learning curve in order to stand up Chip Kelly's system.
New York Giants
Love - Eli's Fine Wine Stage
The other Manning has come a long way since he sulked his way out of San Diego those many years ago. Even though some seasons have certainly been better than others for Eli, he's hit a consistent and respectable stride in New York over the past five years, hovering around 25 - 30 TDs, 4,000 YDs and a 90 QB rating per season. For those who thought he would never reach the heights of big brother Peyton, his two Super Bowl rings alone suggest otherwise, and you can never rule out the Giants in big moments because of it.
Hate - Losing Defensive Steam
Sometimes it's still hard to believe that the New York Football Giants have won not one but two Super Bowls in the past five years. A big reason for that is the Giants' inconsistency on defense - when guys like Michael Strahan, Justin Tuck and Jason Pierre-Paul have stepped up, New York has been virtually unstoppable even against some of the best QBs in the league like Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady. Other than those flashes of brilliance, however, the Giants' D-fault (yay puns!) is a lot more mediocre, especially in the pass rush. This season looks to be no different - Michael Strahan left Tom Coughlin for Kelly Ripa years ago, Justin Tuck is playing past his prime, Jason Pierre-Paul just had offseason back surgery--which is never a good thing--and Osi Umenyiora went to the Falcons. Unless the remaining vets step it up and plug holes effectively with relative unknowns on the roster, the Giants will be playing solely on Eli's arm, which is rarely a good thing.
Washington Redskins
Love - RGIII, Year II
Get out your deer antler spray, because Robert Griffin is ready for a comeback. Putting away the FedEx Field resentment for a paragraph, I'm excited to see this dynamic offensive ROY get back to work in 2013. He outperformed just about everyone's wildest expectations in 2012 and maintained his poise even after everyone was calling for Mike Shanahan's head in January. I look forward to RG3 retaking the reins with brilliant play-making in 2013 and maybe a tad fewer Subway commercials this time around, just sayin'.
Hate - The Worst Management
In the power rankings of awful NFL management teams, there are the talent-blind incompetents (like the Jaguars and Jets), the miserly fan-haters (like the Bengals), the tyrannically top-heavy (like the Raiders and Cowboys), and then there is Dan Snyder of the Washington Redskins. You know, the guy who sued season-ticket holders who couldn't pony up to renew during the recession? And who sold fans expired airline peanuts as concessions, for real? And who tried to ban pedestrian traffic at FedEx Field to increase parking revenue? And who spent 0% of all of these ill-begotten profits as expertly outlined in the City Paper on actual, serviceable field turf that might have salvaged his star player's knee in January? There's a special place in NFL Hell waiting for Dan Snyder, and don't you forget it even when RG3 is tugging on your heartstrings in September.
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