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NFC East Preview

Can the NFC keep its hands on the Lombardi Trophy for a fourth straight year? Amid a usual busy offseason of free agency maneuvers and the over-debated Bounty Gate, several NFC teams think they’ve done enough to earn themselves the ultimate prize.
-by Carly Bartkiewicz

Follow this four-part series breaking down the NFC.

NFC EAST

Dallas Cowboys
Last Season: 8-8, no postseason

Do Tony Romo’s Cowboys have what it takes to come back from last season’s epic, yet almost annually inexorable collapse that saw the rival New York Giants steal their spot in the playoffs and eventually win the Super Bowl? The silver and blue (metallic silver blue and royal blue, if you’re a stickler for fashion accuracy) have solidified holes at cornerback with the addition of Chiefs CB Brandon Carr and #6 overall pick LSU CB Morris Claiborne. But the receiving corps looks yet again to be an issue. Romo is coming off his best statistical season, but Miles Austin’s ability to stay healthy and the inconsistency and off-season trouble for Dez Bryant continue to have people questioning Dallas’ ability to reclaim football supremacy. Fun fact (not so fun if you’re Jerry Jones): The ‘Boys have the same number of playoff victories in the past 15 seasons than the in-state Houston Texans have in their 10 years of existence (one).
Prediction: 10-6, Division Champs

New York Giants
Last Season: 9-7, Super Bowl Champions

Big Blue won its second ring in the last five years on the arm and comeback power of Eli Manning, and he’ll more than likely have to work some magic again in 2012 if they’re to be successful. Young talent on offense will be put to the test – RBs Brandon Jacobs, D.J. Ware and WR Mario Manningham are all gone. They’ll need WR Victor Cruz to continue making plays worthy of his salsa dance celebration. Additions on defense, including OLB Keith Rivers, have the G-men that ended the season on a pass-rush flurry positioned as the backbone of the team. Although the Super Bowl loser’s “hangover effect” on its next season has been widely documented, the Giants are looking to buck an ominous trend that has seen each of the last six Lombardi Trophy winners fail to win a playoff game the following season.
Prediction: 7-9

Philadelphia Eagles
Last Season: 8-8, no postseason

Last year’s Eagles WERE the “Dream Team,” as coined by former QB Vince Young to compare them to the U.S. Men’s Basketball Team. As long as he was referring to the “Dream Team” that lost by 19 to Puerto Rico in the Olympics in 2004. An injured Michael Vick, under-performing free agent talent and WR DeSean Jackson’s season-long apathy derailed the Eagles in 2011. Vick is already fighting pre-season nicks and bruises, and they’ve already had a big loss to the offensive line; All-Pro LT Jason Peters tore his Achilles (twice) this spring and is out for the season. FYI – Vick’s backups are Trent Edwards (Buffalo bust) and rookie Nick Foles. The hope is RB LeSean McCoy duplicates his Pro-Bowl form and D-Coordinator Juan Castillo improves in year two after a rough transition from O-Line coach. Despite a challenging schedule, their fans will be less than patient for their team to live up to their Super Bowl dreams.
Prediction: 8-8

Washington Redskins
Last Season: 5-11, no postseason

It seems every year Washington makes a number of shifts to rebuild the once proud franchise – coaching moves, QB shifts, big-name signings – and 2012 is no different. Enter the RG3 era, trading up to the #2 position in the draft to select Baylor Heisman Trophy winner QB Robert Griffin III. The Redskins are counting on their golden boy to have a Stephen Strasburg-like immediate impact in the nation’s capital. As an aside, when was the last time you thought a QB on the ‘Skins was good at the time he was in D.C.? We’ll give you a few minutes (days)… Joining RG3 is WR Pierre Garcon from the Colts and holdovers Santana Moss and TE Fred Davis will be key to supporting the offensive cause. Aside from their tough division, they do have some lightweight opponents on their sched (@ Rams, @ Buccaneers, Vikings, @ Browns). So do you have an answer yet? Mark Rypien? Joe Theismann? Tough question, isn’t it?
Prediction: 7-9

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