Early NFC Preview
By Nelly's Sportsline
While it is a bit too early to make firm predictions for the NFL season, it is time to start thinking about football. Here is an early glance at each NFC division and our rough projections at this point in the summer.
While it is a bit too early to make firm predictions for the NFL season it is time to start thinking about football. Here is an early glance at each NFC division and our rough projections at this point in the summer.
NFC EAST
After starting last season 5-0 and looking like an elite team, the New York Giants were blown out in New Orleans and crashed the rest of the way to an 8-8 finish. The Giants got away from the running game that brought great success in 2007 and 2008 and defensively New York allowed the third most points in the league. Losing by a combined score of 85-16 in the final two games of the season skewed those numbers however and New York should be in a strong position to rebound for a winning 2010. The early season schedule should allow for a strong start and the Giants may be the team to beat in the East. The Dallas Cowboys will be one of the favorites in the NFC and while finally winning a playoff game was a big step, the expectations are much higher for this franchise. Statistically Dallas finished with great numbers on both sides of the ball but there were inconsistent performances and Dallas went 0-2 against the Giants last season. An often overlooked factor is special teams and the Cowboys struggled in the kicking and return games last season. The best candidate to have a huge positive turnaround season is the Washington Redskins. In a 4-12 2009 season the Redskins were only out-scored by 70 points and adding Coach Mike Shanahan and a proven veteran QB in Donovan McNabb should instantly improve this team. The schedule is also by far the most favorable in the division, playing the Rams and Buccaneers and also getting favorable road games. Washington was a solid defensive team last season and the pieces are in place for the Redskins to be a sleeper NFC contender if everyone can get on the same page. While Andy Reid has proven to be one of the most consistent winners in the league, he and the Philadelphia Eagles will face a huge challenge in 2010. The franchise QB is gone as well as the workhorse RB and the Eagles will also face a very difficult schedule that is especially daunting late in the year. The Eagles also benefited from the second best turnover margin in the NFL last season en route to an 11-5 record. A lot of pressure will be on Kevin Kolb at QB and there appears to be too much youth for this team to contend.
NFC NORTH
Although the exit from the playoffs was painful for the Minnesota Vikings last season, this team proved it could play at the highest level last season. It has to be assumed that Brett Favre will be back at QB and even if he does return Minnesota will have a hard time getting the same production from the position. The schedule will be much tougher this season and the rest of the division has made moves to pick up ground. While Minnesota received more attention for its offense last season, the defense was dominant and the Vikings crushed main rival Green Bay in both meetings last season. The early season bye may be problematic but the Vikings have a much more favorable late season schedule than its division rivals. Most projections will call for the Green Bay Packers to win this division as statistically the Packers were an incredibly impressive team in 2009. The defense did allow 51 points in the playoffs however and while QB Aaron Rodgers is a fantasy stud he did fail in some of his biggest games last season and he still takes far too many sacks. The Packers were incredibly +24 in turnovers last season, tops in the league in most takeaways and fewest giveaways, something that simply will not repeat itself. Relative to the top two teams in this division, the Chicago Bears will catch a favorable schedule but the final four weeks are brutal. The Bears will only play seven true road games but this team still appears to be in transition with new coordinators on both sides including Mike Martz taking over Jay Cutler and the offense. Cutler was picked off 26 times last season and the Bears never established the running game last year. The door could open for Chicago in this division but the team has not proved ready to take advantage. After only two wins last season there is plenty of room to improve for the Detroit Lions. When healthy rookie QB Matthew Stafford showed promise last season and there are pieces in place for this team to be much more competitive. There will be no quick fix for the issues on defense however and even with a strong draft the Lions are still at least a year or two away from being considered a legitimate playoff threat.
NFC SOUTH
This division produced the Super Bowl champion last season and it will again feature contenders this season. The Atlanta Falcons may actually be in the best position to take the lead in the NFC as the schedule sets up favorably as they catch the Saints in favorable spots both times and getting to play the toughest road games on the season early in the year will be a big advantage. The Falcons have great balance on offense and QB Matt Ryan appears poised for a breakout season. Defensively the Falcons were average last year but some key additions should make the Falcons a viable championship contender in 2010. With a target on its back the New Orleans Saints will face challenges after its historic season. This will still be an explosive offensive team but the Saints benefited from an incredibly weak schedule last year. That changes this season and the road schedule in particularly difficult this season including three sets of back-to-back road games. New Orleans was one of the worst statistical defensive teams to ever win a championship and the Saints also had a big edge in turnover margin in 2009, spelling out some potential setbacks this year. After a dreadful start to the 2009 season, the Carolina Panthers rallied to finish 8-8 and this remains an intriguing team that will be under some pressure to get back to the playoffs. Starting QB Matt Moore lacks experience but the great offensive line and running backs should make his job easier. The Panthers could take a step back on defense however with a couple of departing veterans. The Panthers also must finish with a difficult second half schedule. In a 3-13 season the Tampa Bay Buccaneers ranked near the bottom of the league in most statistical categories. As a rookie QB Josh Freeman did show some promise but without a reliable running game or standout receivers the Buccaneers are likely to again struggle to score points consistently. This will be a very tough division for Tampa Bay to move up in as the road schedule is extremely difficult. Tampa Bay should find some opportunities for wins at home and with wins over the Saints and the Packers last season this team knows it can compete if it plays its best. While the Buccaneers should show some signs of improvement, finishing with a similar record is a likely scenario.
NFC WEST
The NFC West has been considered one of the weakest divisions in the NFL for the last few years and that is not likely to change this year. Pete Carroll's surprise decision to bolt from USC makes more sense with the NCAA sanctions laid out but he also must have seen the great situation to step into with the Seattle Seahawks. Seattle was an incredibly inconsistent team last season and the team appeared to give up late in the year, going 0-4 while being badly out-scored down the stretch. Major roster moves were made and a new attitude should be in order with plenty of talent still in place. Most importantly is the weak schedule that the Seahawks have been dealt, given big advantages over the chief rivals in the division. Just two years removed from a NFC Championship, there are many concerns with the Arizona Cardinals in 2010. Kurt Warner was credited with much of the team's success and losing him as well as several other key players to retirement, trades, and free agency leaves this team with a lot of numbers to fill. The offense will look a bit different but the Cardinals should not be discounted as a threat to make the playoffs again as the defense will provide an excellent pass rush and the secondary is solid. Six of eight losses for the San Francisco 49ers came by seven points or less and playoff expectations are growing. On paper the offense now possesses a great receiving corps to go along with dual-threat RB Frank Gore but the QB situation is still a major concern that could unravel this club yet again. The 49ers did not get any scheduling favors either and although this is probably the best team in this division, the records may not work out that way. After going 1-15 there is no where to go but up for the St. Louis Rams. The schedule will provide a great opportunity to get in the win column early in the year but whether there can be sustained success will hinge on rookie QB Sam Bradford as he likely going to start from day one. With a running game that can control the ball the Rams can improve by several wins this season.