Every once in a while, a new head coach uses the last head guy’s leftovers to produce a championship caliber team. Jon Gruden did it with Tampa Bay just a few years ago when he got Tony Dungy’s job. The Cowboys are hoping Wade Phillips can take the team Bill Parcells built and turn them into a playoff force. I think they have a chance.
The Cowboys are one talented team. While most teams are looking for one good running back, the Cowboys have two in Julius Jones and Marion Barber. The Cowboys boast a scary receiving unit, with Terrell Owens leading the way. He may be aging, obnoxious, and crazy - but he’s one of the best talents and biggest playmakers this league has ever seen.
The Cowboys don’t have an easy schedule by any means, but they do have the easiest schedule in the NFC East, and that can make all the difference. Both the Eagles and Giants play 2 more ’06 playoff teams than the Cowboys. That could mean the difference in a division as competitive as theirs. The Boys have a bye-week prior to their back to back games against the Eagles and Giants. That also could be big.
Tony Romo took over for an ineffective Drew Bledsoe, starting for the first time in his career in the 7th game of the season. Romo had his ups and downs, but managed to quarterback the Cowboys into the playoffs, leading Dallas to 6 wins in their final 10 games. Romo was voted into the Pro-Bowl. Wade Phillips brings some bang to a Cowboys defense that struggled mightily in 2006. His confusing blitz schemes have Cowboy defenders excited to start the season. With guys like Roy Williams, DeMarcus Ware, Greg Ellis, Bobby Carpenter, Ken Hamlin, Terrence Newman and Marcus Spears all excited – the Cowboys defense looks deadly.
I have a feeling this is the year the Cowboys take back the NFC East crown. A new coaching look doesn’t always have the desired effect, but I have a feeling Wade Phillips’ calm demeanor will catch on quick in Dallas. With Belmont posting an over of 9, these Cowboys are a walk to win you some big money in 2007.
After starting out hot (4-1) in 2006, the Eagles stumbled, losing 4 of their next 5 – including the Tennessee game in Week 11, where Donovan McNabb tore his ACL. In what was expected to be a lost season after McNabb’s injury, Jeff Garcia took over. He led the Eagles to 5 straight wins to end the season, an NFC East crown, and a playoff win over their division rival, the New York Giants.
The Eagles finished with at least 10 wins for the 6 of the last 7 years, and won the NFC East Title for the 5th since 2001. Truly, the Eagles run as one of the top teams in the NFL has become quite amazing – as consistent as any team in the league, the Eagles look to do it again in a tough NFC East in 2007.
This season’s schedule is one of the toughest in the league. Not only do the Eagles play in a competitive NFC East, but they have 9 of last years’ playoff teams on their schedule. Philadelphia plays AFC games against the Patriots and Jets with NFC match-ups against the Seahawks, Bears, and Saints. To make it tougher, 5 of their last 6 opponents were playoff bound in 2006.
The Eagles also have the injury status of their star quarterback looming in the forefront. Jeff Garcia, last season’s savior, left for Tampa Bay, leaving the back-up job up in the air. However, all reports claim Donovan should be 100% by camp.
Off-season additions Montae Reagor and Takeo Spikes, should help a defense that struggled much of last season, but age is a factor in Philly. Spikes (30), Trotter (30), Kearse (30), Dawkins (33), Reagor (30), and Howard (30) are some of the big names the Eagles will have to keep healthy to have strong defense in 2007. Six 30-year-olds isn’t always the best way to stay healthy in the NFL.
If the Eagles didn’t have such a great history and so many elite players, it would be a lot easier to take Belmont’s 9-win under. However, even with the talent load as large as it is, there are too many questions to make the Over a sure bet, here. I advise to stay away from the Eagles and their tough schedule, but if you need to have a decision; I’d take the over in Philadelphia.
Their best player, Tiki Barber, retired. They have a lame duck coach in Tom Coughlin. Their franchise quarterback has been blistered from the constant chants of him being an “underachiever,” and claims that he’ll never be as good as his older brother. And the Giants play one of the toughest schedules in football. I’m not even going to wait until the end; Belmont’s under of 8 has the color of money written all over it.
The Giants play 7 of last years playoff squads, but aside from maybe the Lions and Bills, I don’t see many gimmie games on the schedule. New York starts in Dallas, which could say a lot for how the season will turn out in New York. Giant players have never really held back with their distain for Coach Coughlin, and if they struggle right off the bat, it could be a long season in New York.
The Giants won more than 8 games only once in the last four seasons. Eli Manning has struggled with his accuracy, leadership, and consistency issues over his three seasons with the Giants.
New York didn’t do much in free-agency, aside from losing a bunch of players (Tiki – retirement, LaVar Arrington –cut, Carlos Emmons, Luke Petitgout, and Bob Whitfield amongst others) and signing a couple back-ups. The Draft was another story, as the Giants took Aaron Ross to add help in the secondary, Steve Smith in case Amani Toomer struggles after his injury, and Jay Alford to help stop the run.
I have a feeling the NFC East is going to be one of the toughest conferences in the NFC for the second straight season, however, unlike last season, I don’t see the Giants being a force to be reckoned with. Too many questions linger, whether it be aging players or a one year coach.
The Giants will be lucky if they squeak out of last place in the East, and Tom Coughlin will be lucky if he makes it through the 2007 season. With too many ifs, maybes, and buts, the Giants will struggle to win 6 games, making Belmont’s 8 under one of the stronger bets in the league.
The Redskins finish the season facing 7 ’06 playoff teams in their last 10 games, including a very tough 4 game stretch against New England, the N.Y. Jets, Philadelphia, and Dallas. While Belmont’s odds insist the Redskins will finish last in the NFC East, I’m not so sure. However, only two teams will be over .500 in the East this season, and the Redskins won’t be one of them.
The Redskins only managed 5 wins in 2006, but are stuck playing 9 games against last years’ playoff group. The Redskins played in a lot of close games last season, but close doesn’t cut it, as their 5 wins taught them.
In the last 5 seasons, the Redskins have finished with more than 7 wins just once. They skipped into the playoffs in 2005, but hit the skids again last season. The Redskins will soon learn that they can’t get everything they want through free-agency; there’s this little event called the Draft that is supposed to help build a title contender.
With Jason Campbell coming in holding the starting position, the Redskins once again have hope and youth at the quarterback position, and a kid with a strong arm who can also make plays on the ground. The Redskins’ offense will benefit from his skill-set as well as Clinton Portis’ return to the lineup.
Like every off-season since Daniel Snyder took over Washington’s famed Redskins, there were a few overpaid players who were cut, and more free agents were singed to contracts that will prove to be too big. Adam Archuletta was traded, and he can officially be labeled a bust with the Skins. Derrick Dockery took big money from the Bills, and the troubled secondary lost Troy Vincent and Kenny Wright as well.
Jason Fabini singed; the Skins hope he can help with the loss of Dockery. London Fletcher came over, finally giving Washington a linebacker who can help all aspects of their struggling defense. Fred Smoot was signed to help a secondary that allowed huge plays every single week, and LaRon Landry was drafted 6th overall – he should give the Redskins the speed in coverage that they’ve lacked the last couple of seasons.
However, even with an improved defense and a quarterback becoming the starter the Redskins’ brass always thought he’d be, Washington’s immediate future is too cloudy for me to pick anything but the under. I have a feeling the Redskins will win 6 games next season, leaving them a game and a half short of Belmont’s over of 7.5 games.
