Sunday, August 7, 2016

NFL Team-by-Team Preview - NFC East

Dallas Cowboys

2015 Record
4-12-0
2015 Divisional Standing
4th NFC East
Head Coach
Jason Garrett

2015 Top Passers

  • Matt Cassel - 9 games, 58.3 cmp %, 1276 yards, 5 TDs, 7 INTs, 70.6 passer rating
  • Tony Romo - 4 games, 68.6 cmp %, 884 yards, 5 TDs, 7 INTs, 79.4 passer rating

2015 Top Rushers

  • Darren McFadden - 1089 yards, 3 TD, 4.6 yards/attempt (y/a), 3 lost fumbles
  • Joseph Randle - 315 yards, 4 TD, 4.1 y/a, 0 lost fumbles

2015 Top Receivers

  • Terrance Williams - 52 receptions, 840 yards, 16.2 avg, 3 TD, 210 yards after catch (YAC)
  • Jason Witten - 77 receptions, 713 yards, 9.3 avg, 3 TD, 220 YAC
  • Cole Beasley - 52 receptions, 536 yards, 10.3 avg, 5 TD, 302 YAC

2015 Top Defensive Performers

  • LB Sean Lee - 76 solo tackles, 2.5 sacks, 1 INT
  • SS Barry Church - 75 solo tackles, 1 forced fumble (FF)
  • DE Demarcus Lawrence - 8.0 sacks
  • S Jeff Heath - 2 INTs

2015 Notes

  • Starting QB Tony Romo only played in 4 games last season, suffering a broken collarbone and shoulder injury.
  • Top WR Dez Bryant played in 9 games last season while battling ankle and foot injuries and underwent surgery this past offseason.
  • QB Matt Cassel was signed by Tennessee
  • Acquired WR Dorial Green-Beckham in exchange for G/T Dennis Kelly

2016 Draft Results

RD 1, no. 4
Ezekiel Elliott
RB
Ohio State
RD 2, no. 34
Jaylon Smith
OLB
Notre Dame
RD 3, no. 67
Maliek Collins
DT
Nebraska
RD 4, no. 101
Charles Tapper
DE
Oklahoma
RD 4, no. 135
Dak Prescott
QB
Mississippi State
RD 6, no. 189
Anthony Brown
CB
Purdue
RD 6, no. 212
Kavon Frazier
S
Central Michigan
RD 6, no. 216
Darius Jackson
RB
Eastern Michigan
RD 6, no. 217
Rico Gathers
TE
Baylor

Free Agent Pickups

  • RB Alfred Morris - signed out of Washington 
  • WR Ed Eagen - signed as an undrafted free agent
  • C Joe Looney - signed out of Tennessee
  • G Jared Smith - signed out of Atlanta
  • T Bryan Witzmann - signed out of New Orleans
  • DT Cedric Thornton - signed out of Philadelphia
  • DE Benson Mayowa - signed out of Oakland
  • DE Lawrence Okoye - signed from the New York Jets
  • MLB Brandon Hepburn - signed out of Philadelphia
  • OLB Justin Durant - signed out of Atlanta
  • CB Josh Thomas - signed out of Indianapolis

2016 Schedule

Week
Date
Opponent
My Guess
1
9/11
Vs New York Giants
W
2
9/18
@ Washington
L
3
9/25
Vs Chicago
W
4
10/2
@ San Francisco
W
5
10/9
Vs Cincinnati
L
6
10/16
@ Green Bay
L
7
Bye
Week

8
10/30
Vs Philadelphia
W
9
11/6
@ Cleveland
W
10
11/13
@ Pittsburgh
L
11
11/20
Vs Baltimore
W
12
11/24
Vs Washington
L
13
12/1
@ Minnesota
L
14
12/11
@ New York Giants
L
15
12/18
Vs Tampa Bay
W
16
12/26
Vs Detroit
W
17
1/1
@ Philadelphia
L

2016 Outlook

  • The Cowboys enter 2016 a team coming off a poor 2015 campaign in which starting QB Tony Romo and star WR Dez Bryant both missed significant time due to injuries.  This year, fans of the team have to hope that said players are able to play a full, healthy season, which will be the only way the team can achieve success this season.  They return an offensive line that remains the best in football and looks to run the ball a majority of the time, after drafting RB Ezekiel Elliott out of Ohio State with the fourth overall pick in this year's draft.  The team also brought in veteran RB Alfred Morris to spell Elliott and both look to have a productive season.  Despite this, the defense is still an issue, especially the defensive line, which looks susceptible.  I see the team going 8-8 and competing for a wild card spot.
  • Edit (8/31): Tony Romo suffered a broken bone in his back during a preseason game and will probably miss the first third or so of the season.  Backup QB Dak Prescott looks more than capable of filling in during Romo's absense, however, and the Cowboys should be fine.

New York Giants

2015 Record
6-10-0
2015 Divisional Standing
3rd NFC East
Head Coach
Ben McAdoo

2015 Top Passers

  • Eli Manning - 16 games, 62.6 cmp %, 4432 yards, 35 TDs, 14 INTs, 93.6 passer rating

2015 Top Rushers

  • Rashad Jennings - 863 yards, 3 TDs, 4.4 y/a, 1 fumble lost
  • Shane Vereen - 260 yards, 4.3 y/a, 0 fumbles lost
  • Andre Williams - 257 yards, 1 TD, 2.9 y/a, 0 fumbles lost

2015 Top Receivers

  • Odell Beckham Jr. - 96 receptions, 1450 yards, 15.1 avg, 13 TDs, 516 YAC
  • Rueben Randle - 57 receptions, 797 yards, 14.0 avg, 8 TDs, 194 YAC
  • RB Shane Vereen - 59 receptions, 495 yards, 8.4 avg, 4 TDs, 376 YAC

2015 Top Defensive Performers

  • S Landon Collins - 112 total tackles, 7 tackles-for-loss (TFL), 1 INT, 1 FF
  • LB Jonathan Casillas - 88 total tackles, 3 TFL, 2.0 sacks, 1 INT, 
  • DE Robert Ayers - 41 total tackles, 3 TFL, 9.5 sacks, 2 FF
  • CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie - 58 total tackles, 2 TFL, 3 INTs, 2 FF

2015 Notes

  • Reuben Randle was signed by the Eagles in the offseason
  • DE Robert Ayers was signed by Detroit
  • DB Prince Amukamara was signed by Jacksonville

2016 Draft Results

RD 1, no. 10
Eli Apple
CB
Ohio State
RD 2, no. 40
Sterling Shepard
WR
Oklahoma
RD 3, no. 71
Darian Thompson
S
Boise State
RD 4, no. 109
B.J. Goodson
LB
Clemson
RD 5, no. 149
Paul Perkins
RB
UCLA
RD 6, no. 184
Jerell Adams
TE
South Carolina

Free Agent Pickups

  • QB Logan Thomas - picked up off waivers from Miami
  • RB Bobby Rainey - signed out of Tampa Bay
  • FB Will Johnson - signed out of Pittsburgh
  • G Ryan Seymour - signed out of New Orleans
  • T Byron Stingily - signed out of Pittsburgh
  • C Dillon Farrell - signed out of Tennessee
  • DT Damon Harrison - signed from the New York Jets
  • DE Olivier Vernon - signed out of Miami
  • MLB Keenan Robinson - signed out of Washington
  • MLB Kelvin Sheppard - signed out of Miami
  • CB Janoris Jenkins - signed out of St Louis
  • CB Leon Hall - signed out of Cincinnati

2016 Schedule

Week
Date
Opponent
My Guess
1
9/11
@ Dallas
L
2
9/18
Vs New Orleans
L
3
9/25
@ Washington
L
4
10/3
@ Minnesota
L
5
10/9
@ Green Bay
L
6
10/16
Vs Baltimore
W
7
10/23
@ Los Angeles
L
8
Bye
Week

9
11/6
Vs Philadelphia
W
10
11/14
Vs Cincinnati
L
11
11/20
Vs Chicago
W
12
11/27
@ Cleveland
W
13
12/4
@ Pittsburgh
L
14
12/11
vs Dallas
L
15
12/18
Vs Detroit
W
16
12/22
@ Philadelphia
W
17
1/1
@ Washington
L

2016 Outlook

  • The New York Giants went 6-10 last season while remaining relatively healthy throughout the season and the result was warranting of firing veteran head coach Tom Coughlin.  This season new head coach Ben McAdoo takes over the reigns and looks to strengthen a porous defense that gave up the third most points per game in the NFL last season.  Drafting two players in the secondary will greatly help this issue, but the Giants' schedule this season is rough, especially outside of the division, where they play at Minnesota and Green Bay in back-to-back weeks, at Los Angeles, and at Pittsburgh, of which none will be easy.  I see the Giants going 6-10 and missing the playoffs.

Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles are the worst team ever and will never win a Super Bowl...team preview over...not really. I will begrudgingly write their preview.

2015 Record
7-9-0
2015 Divisional Standing
2nd NFC East
Head Coach
Doug Pederson

2015 Top Passers

  • Sam Bradford - 14 games, 65.0 cmp%, 3725 yards, 19 TDs, 14 INTs, 86.4 passer rating
  • Mark Sanchez - 4 games, 64.8 cmp%, 616 yards, 4 TDs, 4 INTs, 80.7 passer rating

2015 Top Rushers

  • DeMarco Murray - 702 yards, 6 TDs, 3.6 y/a, 2 fumbles lost
  • Ryan Mathews - 539 yards, 6 TDs, 5.1 y/a, 3 fumbles lost
  • Darren Sproles - 317 yards, 3 TDs, 3.8 y/a, 0 fumbles lost

2015 Top Receivers

  • Jordan Matthews - 85 receptions, 997 yards, 11.7 avg, 8 TDs, 421 YAC
  • TE Zach Ertz - 75 receptions, 853 yards, 11.4 avg, 2 TDs, 261 YAC
  • TE Brent Celek - 27 receptions, 398 yards, 14.7 avg, 3 TDs, 162 YAC
  • RB Darren Sproles - 55 receptions, 388 yards, 7.1 avg, 1 TD, 352 YAC

2015 Top Defensive Performers

  • S Malcolm Jenkins - 109 total tackles, 10 TFL, 2 INTs, 3 FF
  • LB Mychal Kendricks - 86 total tackles, 6 TFL, 3.0 sacks, 1 FF
  • DE Fletcher Cox - 71 total tackles, 6 TFL, 9.5 sacks, 3 FF
  • S Walter Thurmond - 71 total tackles, 3 TFL, 2.0 sacks, 3 INTs, 2 FF

2015 Notes

  • Traded CB Byron Maxwell, LB Kiko Alonso, and the 13th overall pick to the Miami Dolphins for their 8th overall pick
  • Traded RB DeMarco Murray and a 4th round pick to the Tennessee Titans for the Titans' 4th round pick
  • Traded QB Mark Sanchez to the Denver Broncos for a conditional 7th round pick in the 2017 draft

2016 Draft Results

RD 1, no. 2
Carson Wentz
QB
North Dakota State
RD 3, no. 79
Isaac Seumalo
G
Oregon State
RD 5, no. 153
Wendell Smallwood
RB
West Virginia
RD 5, no. 164
Halapoulivaati Vaitai
T
TCU
RD 6, no. 196
Blake Countess
CB
Auburn
RD 7, no. 233
Jalen Mills
S
LSU
RD 7, no. 240
Alex McCalister
DE
Florida
RD 7, no. 251
Joe Walker
LB
Oregon

Free Agent Pickups

  • QB Chase Daniel - signed out of Kansas City
  • QB McLeod Bethel-Thompson - signed out of San Francisco
  • WR Chris Givens - signed out of Baltimore
  • WR Reuben Randle - signed from the New York Giants
  • WR T.J. Graham - signed out New Orleans
  • G Brandon Brooks - signed out of Houston
  • C/G Stefen Wisniewski - signed out of Jacksonville
  • LB Nigel Bradham - signed out of Buffalo
  • FS Rodney McLeod - signed out of St. Louis
  • CB Leodis McKelvin - signed out of Buffalo
  • CB Ron Brooks - signed out of Buffalo

2016 Schedule

Week
Date
Opponent
My Guess
1
9/11
Vs Cleveland
W
2
9/19
@ Chicago
L
3
9/25
Vs Pittsburgh
L
4
Bye
Week

5
10/9
@ Detroit
L
6
10/16
@ Washington
L
7
10/23
Vs Minnesota
W
8
10/30
@ Dallas
L
9
11/6
@ New York Giants
L
10
11/13
Vs Atlanta
L
11
11/20
@ Seattle
L
12
11/28
Vs Green Bay
L
13
12/4
@ Cincinnati
L
14
12/11
Vs Washington
L
15
12/18
@ Baltimore
W
16
12/22
Vs New York Giants
L
17
1/1
Vs Dallas
W

2016 Outlook

  • In 2015, the Eagles went 7-9 and fired head coach Chip Kelly with a game remaining in the season.  They brought in Doug Pederson to be their head coach, who had previously worked under Andy Reid as offensive coordinator and QB coach.  The Eagles will need to rely on shell of a quarterback in Sam Bradford to lead their offense, unless they are content letting rookie Carson Wentz start early in the season.  They also traded RB DeMarco Murray to the Titans and Ryan Matthews will have the opportunity to be the lead back.  Their offense, in general, looks to take a step back from the high tempo scheme implemented by Chip Kelly, and have to hope that either Wentz is ready or Bradford somehow manages to not be himself this season. On defense, the Eagles will need to improve on their bottom-five defense in order to stay competitive this season.  Their defensive line is real solid, but their linebacking corps and secondary are questionable.  I see the Eagles going 4-12, a result of their lack of talent and tough schedule which sees them traveling to Seattle and Cincinatti and hosting Green Bay and Pittsburgh, 

Washington Redskins

2015 Record
9-7-0
2015 Divisional Standing
1st NFC East, lost to Green Bay 9-8 in NFC Wild Card game
Head Coach
Jay Gruden

2015 Top Passers

  • Kirk Cousins - 16 games, 69.8 cmp%, 4166 yards, 29 TDs, 11 INTs, 101.6 passer rating

2015 Top Rushers

  • Alfred Morris - 751 yards, 1 TD, 3.7 y/a, 0 fumbles lost
  • Matt Jones - 490 yards, 3 TDs, 3.4 y/a, 4 fumbles lost

2015 Top Receivers

  • TE Jordan Reed - 87 receptions, 952 yards, 10.9 avg, 11 TDs, 462 YAC
  • Pierre Garcon - 72 receptions, 777 yards, 10.8 avg, 6 TDs, 163 YAC
  • Jamison Crowder - 59 receptions, 604 yards, 10.2 avg, 2 TDs, 251 YAC

2015 Top Defensive Performers

  • S Dashon Goldson - 110 total tackles, 1 TFL, 1 INT, 1 FF
  • LB Will Compton - 96 total tackles, 1 TFL, 1.0 sacks, 1 INT, 
  • CB Bashaud Breeland - 81 total tackles, 5 TFL, 2 INTs, 3 FF
  • LB Ryan Kerrigan - 42 total tackles, 4 TFL, 9.5 sacks, 2 FF

2015 Notes

  • QB Robert Griffin III signed with Cleveland
  • RB Alfred Morris signed with Dallas
  • LB Keenan Robinson signed with the Giants
  • DB Jeron Johnson signed with Kansas City
  • DB Trenton Robinson signed with Carolina

2016 Draft Results

RD 1, no. 22
Josh Doctson
WR
TCU
RD 2, no. 53
Su’a Cravens
OLB
USC
RD 3, no. 84
Kendall Fuller
CB
Virginia Tech
RD 5, no. 152
Matt Ioannidis
DL
Temple
RD 6, no. 187
Nate Sudfield
QB
Indiana
RD 7, no. 232
Steven Daniels
LB
Boston College
RD 7, no. 242
Keith Marshall
RB
Georgia

Free Agent Pickups

  • FB Joe Kerridge - undrafted Free Agent
  • TE Vernon Davis - signed out of Denver
  • DE Kendall Reyes - signed out of San Diego
  • DT Ziggy Hood - signed out of Chicago
  • OLB Willie Jefferson - signed out of Buffalo
  • CB Josh Norman - signed out of Carolina
  • SS David Bruton Jr - signed out of Denver
  • CB Greg Toler - signed out of Indianapolis

2016 Schedule

Week
Date
Opponent
My Guess
1
9/12
vs Pittsburgh
L
2
9/18
Vs Dallas
W
3
9/25
@ New York Giants
W
4
10/2
Vs Cleveland
W
5
10/9
@ Baltimore
L
6
10/16
Vs Philadelphia
W
7
10/23
@ Detroit
L
8
10/30
@ Cincinnati
L
9
Bye
Week

10
11/13
Vs Minnesota
W
11
11/20
Vs Green Bay
L
12
11/24
@ Dallas
W
13
12/4
@ Arizona
L
14
12/11
@ Philadelphia
W
15
12/19
Vs Carolina
L
16
12/24
@ Chicago
W
17
1/1
Vs New York Giants
W

2016 Outlook

  • Washington had an above average scoring offense and below average scoring defense during the 2015 season en route to a division title and playoff berth.  During the offseason, the team went out and drafted dynamic WR Josh Doctson from TCU, and a number of players on defense. They also signed one of the best cornerbacks in football (Josh Norman) who will greatly help their secondary on the opposite side of Bashaud Breeland.  A big question mark will be whether the offensive line can protect Kirk Cousins better than last season and can block for new lead running back, Matt Jones.  I am going to be optimistic on the team this season and see them going 9-7, beating up on the division.

*all information and statistics are from espn.com, rosterresource.com, pro-football-reference.com, and oddsshark.com 

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