NFC East Champ?

Until Skins prove they can play offense and defense my money is on Philly...specially if McNabb is healthy.


*GASP* BLASPHEMY! haha lol....no really though. The NFC East is a mess, to say the least. The cowboys have no coach, or possibly no winning direction to go in anymore. Tiki's gone. Yee-Haw. Let me reiterate....

YEE HAW


Ya feel me?

The Eagles dont have McNuts but, they have GOOD depth at other key postions which is the reason they made the playoffs without him.

We are in the best postion possible at this point. The East in disarray(sp), we just went through a so-called "Rebuilding" year and it seems that a Qb change has seemed to gel team players to JC. If we cant fix WTF is wrong with our D this offseason and don't take advantage of the NFC Championship thats basically been friggin' handed to us, then I dont what what to do.

Next year looks very promising.

VERY promising.

HTTR!

It's really early, but my money is on Philly to win the title. But, here are some reasons why the Skins are a legitimate contender:

1). For the first time, Jason Campbell will be working in the same system for two consecutive years.

2). Jason Campbell will have all offseason to work with receivers.

3). Jason Campbell looked very promising in his last few starts.

4). We really established the run in the latter half of the season and Gibbs has repeatedly said that, henceforth, this team will be and will remain a run-first offense. In short, after fumbling and bumbling around for the first 9 games last season, we have re-established our identity on offense.

5). Todd Collins and others suggested that it would take a full year to understand Saunders' offense, but once it was understood, the offense would produce in a big way. History bears out the truth of that assessment and, as we all know, history tends to repeat itself.

6). After perhaps being overconfident last off-season, our team is hungry and feels like it has something to prove.

7). Between Betts and Portis, we have two proven runners going against some NFC East teams that, IMHO, can be run on.

8). There is no way in hell our defense can get any worse. Williams has fielded bad defenses before, but what makes him a great coach is that he adjusts his defense to ensure that he does not field poor defenses in back-to-back seasons.

9). I guarantee you we will be better at kicker next season. I think a lot of people underestimate the value of a good kicker, but Gibbs certainly does not and there are several free agent kickers that should be available this offseason (e.g., Josh Brown).

10). With a little luck, we will not have as many key injuries as we did last season. Not only was Portis injured and eventually placed on IR, but our defense lost key contributors and we didn't have the depth to overcome that. Griffin, Salave'a, and Daniels battled injuries all season long. Our secondary was without it's most important contributor. Marshall was hurt all season long. And yes, every team must cope with injuries. But, our defense was absolutely ravaged by the injury-bug.

Don't you think we're in an eerily similiar situation to that of the 2004 season? I think the team and the coaches will be very motivated to prove that they're much better than what they showed this past season just like they were after that season. There are also some promising things to build on next season just like after that season. I will be very suprised if the Skins don't make a playoff run next season and maybe even an NFC East title run.

It's a sad day when everyone else in the East has to suck before we can feel some hope.

You have to take advantage of the situation, don't you?

Don't you think we're in an eerily similiar situation to that of the 2004 season? I think the team and the coaches will be very motivated to prove that they're much better than what they showed this past season just like they were after that season. There are also some promising things to build on next season just like after that season. I will be very suprised if the Skins don't make a playoff run next season and maybe even an NFC East title run.The difference with 2004 is that in 04, our team was held back by our offense, more specifically our lineplay and QB play (Brunell was far worse than Ramsey in 04, but Ramsey was no god himself). Coaches can do things to fix offenses with scheming and playcalling. Defense cannot be fixed with scheming or playcalling...either the guys we have must start playing better or they will need to be replaced.

I can't see this 2007 team being as good as the 2005 team. But they still could finish 10-6 or better, as that 05 team caught a series of tough breaks during that 3 game stretch in Tampa, and then home against the Raiders and Chargers. Plus that schedule was really difficult that year for a 4th place schedule. It will almost certainly be softer this year.

With a few breaks, we certainly could top Philly in the division. But the safe money for this division--given even odds--is the Eagles.

And it kills me to say that, because that team got lucky for years.

Right now only a blind optimist would predict anything other than a last place finish in the division next year.

thats me then. i have faith in our coaching staff. i give them a free pass on this season, but they had better get it done next year, because by then they have used up all the free passes alloted them
- i give them the free pass because of all the injuries

Right now only a blind optimist would predict anything other than a last place finish in the division next year.

Well, let's take a look at some division winners in 2006 and see where they finished in 2005

NFC East: Eagles (2005 finish-last place in the division)
NFC South: Saints (2005 finish-last place in the division)
AFC North: Ravens (2005 finish-tied for last place in the division)

Not to mention the Jets who jumped from 4-12 and the cellar to 10-6 and a wild card spot.

Well, let's take a look at some division winners in 2006 and see where they finished in 2005

NFC East: Eagles (2005 finish-last place in the division)
NFC South: Saints (2005 finish-last place in the division)
AFC North: Ravens (2005 finish-tied for last place in the division)

Not to mention the Jets who jumped from 4-12 and the cellar to 10-6 and a wild card spot.


All very good points. I loved the Jets this year. They just came out and surprised the living **** out of everyone and I like that. Next year WILL be good, I dont care if its supposed "blind-optimism" or not. Its kinda hard not to be a little optimistic about next year after you look at the big picture. We are going to be in a great postion next year to come out and rock the NFC East, and after that....ok, I'll shut up now. Maybe next month I'll say it....:-)

Right now only a blind optimist would predict anything other than a last place finish in the division next year.

I didn't know I was blind, but I'm an optimist! Worst to first next season!

I think we have to be looked on as a likely playoff team. Lets say the Bears, Panthers, Eagles, and Rams win their respective divisions next year. Who would you expect to be the wildcards? New Orleans? We beat them pretty good in their house in the midst of a horrid year. Atlanta? How unsettled is that offense? The Seahawks? A league average schedule would have cost this team about 3 more losses. Arizona? Still no line play. San Francisco? Probably a year away. Any non Bears team in the North? Giants? Cowboys? Cowboys? Cowboys?

It's not a weak conference as much as it is a parity laden conference. The AFC seems to be far more top heavy by comparison. So even if we don't win our division, we have a good shot at 9 or 10 wins and the wild card. A lot of teams could be good, but we are certainly one of those teams, and probably the best bet as is.

This team isn't a Super Bowl contender, but they could find themselves playing in January for sure.