4. Philadelphia Eagles: The Eagles went from the second best team in the division to the worst with one huge trade during the off-season. Everyone knows who it is, their franchise quarterback, Donovan McNabb. Last season football commentators said either McNabb or Coach Andy Reid will probably be let go by the Eagles in 2010 if they did not win the Super Bowl in the 2009 season. No one believed that it would actually happen, but here we are now in 2010 and McNabb is now playing for the Washington Redskins. Out of all teams, why would the Eagles trade McNabb to a division rival? The Eagles play the Redskins twice every year, imagine if the Redskins win both games!
The Eagles were tired of having McNabb get them so close to winning it all and then failing. I can understand why the Eagles are frustrated, but Kevin Kolb, the Eagles new starting quarterback is not anything close to McNabb. There is also a chance of Michael Vick becoming the Eagles starting quarterback. I think Vick will give the Eagles a better chance at making the playoffs, but I guess the Eagles want to develop Kolb to be their next franchise quarterback. If Kolb struggles early the Eagles might give the ball to Vick, but either way I do not think they will be any better than last place in the tough NFC East. DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin can only help the team in so many ways. The two speedy young receivers will make the Eagles a middle-of-the-line team instead of one of the worst teams. This will also help the new starting running back, LeSean McCoy find some holes. McCoy is a promising new look as the teams running back after Brian Westbrook held that position for the last eight years. This is the Eagles only improvement in my eyes since Westbrook became injury prone over the last three seasons. I think the Eagles will be 7-9 this season, which would be good for third in most divisions, but in the NFC East they are dead last.

3. Washington Redskins: The Redskins aren’t playing around this season. They have a new head coach in Mike Shanahan, a new starting quarterback in Donovan McNabb, two new running backs to go with the already great Clinton Portis in Willie Parker and Larry Johnson. The Redskins were the joke of the NFL last season and they are making sure this season that it won’t happen again. The only position the Redskins didn’t make improvements in and they should have is the wide receiver position. The only somewhat reliable receiver they have is Santana Moss. Do not forget about tight end Chris Cooley, he will probably be McNabb’s main target throughout the season. McNabb made things work on the Eagles for years without big name receivers so the Redskins do not have to worry too much.
I think this team is going to be a run oriented team anyways. Shanahan is known for having the best running backs when he was with the Broncos. On top of that Shanahan coached Portis for a few years on the Broncos before he was traded to the Redskins. I expect the Redskins to spread the ball out to all three running backs because Portis and Parker are known to get injured, maybe with a lesser load they will all be fresh and thrive. Saying all of this I think the Redskins still need another season to become a playoff team. I think they will be 8-8 this season.

2. New York Giants: After a disappointing season last year that was riddled with injuries, the Giants are looking to bounce back to a playoff team once again. After winning their first five games in 2009, the Giants looked to be one of the best teams in football. Then they went on to lose four games in a row going into their bye week. The biggest disappointment, other than all of the injuries was Brandon Jacobs. Jacobs is the strongest running back in the NFL right now and he used to plow through lineman like they were nothing. Last year Jacobs almost looked timid running the ball. Jacobs never got his legs under him and he would be easily stopped after what seemed to be two yard gains every time he ran. This year Ahmad Bradshaw is the premier back. Bradshaw is the complete opposite from Jacobs. Bradshaw avoids contact and slinks around the defense like he’s covered in baby oil. The Giants didn’t make many changes this season. They are hoping that everyone stays healthy this season and they all do they should make a wild card berth. Eli Manning is now considered one of the better quarterbacks in the league and with a young wide receiver corp. that can stretch the field, Manning will be passing like crazy once again this season. The Giants are no longer a run oriented team like they have been known to be over the last 15 years. Unless Jacobs returns to his former self, I do not see Bradshaw being too successful as the premier back. The key to the Giants success will be to stay healthy because they have all the pieces to be a pretty good team this season. I see the Giants going 10-6.

1. Dallas Cowboys: The Cowboys should repeat as division winners this season. After going 11-5 last season, the Cowboys will probably be around that same record this season. With the emergence of Miles Austin, the Cowboys are a dangerous team. Tony Romo to Miles Austin is what you would hear at least eight times a game last season when you watched a Cowboys games. Austin’s speed is unstoppable, no one can catch up to him. Because of Austin’s speed, he will probably be double covered and sometimes tripe covered all game. This will help all of the other aspects of the Cowboys offense, especially Jasn Witten, he should find a lot of open space down the middle of the field. Then of course there’s the Cowboys thee-headed monster in Marion Barber, Tashard Choice, and Felix Jones at running back. All three of these guys could be starters on other teams.
The Cowboys will need their offense to carry the load this season because their defense is aging and getting slower. The Cowboys have one of the top offenses in the league and it should make them division winners for their second year in a row. The Cowboys will probably finish the season at 11-5. (nfl.com)

By Eric Heyer of Sports Fan Blog Network

It is also possible that the Eagles were just as high on their second round pick, saftey Nate Allen from South Florida as many were on the safety they passed over in the first round, Earl Thomas. Allen and Thomas are actually very similar players. Both are considered a little bit undersized, but accel in pass coverage and even have the ability to line up at cornerback. Allen is projected to be a big time playmaker in the Eagles defense, as he will be given the opportunity to play center field and use his excellent speed to make plays on the ball and help the Eagles get takeaways. The addition of Graham will cause quarterbacks to release the ball quicker and make poor decisions and the Eagles hope that their second round pick, Nate Allen will be the recipient of those poor decisions.

by Josh Weiner at the Sports Fan Blog Network

“We appreciate the efforts and contributions of Shawn while he was in Philadelphia,” coach Andy Reid said in a statement. “We have, however, decided to move in another direction.”

Andrews wrote “Bye, Bye Birds” on his Twitter page. He also said he plans to continue playing.

Click here to read the full article – By Associated Press of ESPN.com

The former Bills head coach was hired Wednesday by the Philadelphia Eagles as a senior assistant/defensive backs coach.

“Long before he became a defensive coordinator and head coach in this league, Dick Jauron was considered to be one of, if not the best defensive backs coaches in the game,” Eagles head coach Andy Reid said. “We welcome his experience and knowledge of the game and look forward to adding him to our defensive coaching staff.”

Jauron replaces Brian Stewart, who left after one season to become defensive coordinator at the University of Houston. Jauron was fired by the Bills in November after a 3-6 start. He was 24-33 in Buffalo in three-plus seasons.

Jauron was 35-46 as Chicago’s coach from 1999 to 2003, and 1-4 as Detroit’s interim coach in 2005. Jauron previously worked with Reid in Green Bay on Mike Holmgren’s staff in the early 1990s.

Click here to read the full article – By Associated Press of ESPN.com

AFC
Jets @ Chargers 1/17 4:40pm
Ravens @ Colts 1/16 8:15pm

NFC
Cowboys @ Vikings 1/17 1pm
Cardinals @ Saints 1/16 4:30pm

My Predictions:
AFC
Jets 21 Chargers 17
Colts 28 Ravens 20

NFC
Cowboys 28 Vikings 17
Saints 27 Cardinals 10

Jackson will miss the rest of the season after tearing a knee ligament in Sunday’s win over Denver.


“It’s obviously a big loss. He’s a good football player,” coach Andy Reid said Monday.

Jackson made his 71st consecutive start against the Broncos and had been Philadelphia’s only offensive player to play every snap until he got hurt in the first half.

He had an MRI exam on Monday that revealed a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. It’s an injury that sometimes takes a full year for recovery, so Jackson may not be ready for the start of next season.

“I don’t want to take anything away from losing Jamaal,” Reid said. “But at the same time, we’re fortunate enough to have guys that have played in games, and big games, that we can fill in those spots.”

Click here to read the full article – By Associated Press of ESPN.com

“We came out here and laid an egg,” said inside linebacker Bradie James of last December’s loss. “I won’t ever forget that, but we were able to put that behind us and move forward today. Ever since that Kansas City game [a 26-20 Dallas OT victory Oct. 11], it’s skyrocketed for us.”


Click here to read the full article – By Matt Mosley of ESPN.com

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