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The Diner Division Focus:
NFC East
by Rob Staton
24/2/2008
Last week I looked at a division in the AFC that’s likely to keep people guessing throughout the off season. This week it’s the turn of the NFC, and in particular the NFC East. Home of the current World Champs and three other teams all with ambitions of making the playoffs in 2008, it promises to be an interesting few weeks for these clubs. So let’s get into it!
 For the last two years, three teams have made the post season from the East. The division champs and much fancied Dallas Cowboys seemed to peak too early in a 13-3 regular season, and were dumped out in the divisional rounds by the upstart Giants. Heading into free agency, the team still has a strong core and will keep most of it stars, but as always with ‘America’s team’ there’s going to be some drama.
Head Coach Wade Phillips drew comparisons to Sven Goran Eriksson in his first year with Dallas. Rarely showing much emotion, he looked on from the sidelines with a wry smile when things were going well, but unlike the Swede his team managed to grab victory from the jaws of defeat in a number of close games, most noticeably the breathless wins at Buffalo (25-24) and Detroit (28-27).
Not unlike Sven, Phillips appears to be on a hiding to nothing with Dallas’ very own version of Steve McLaren waiting in the wings (that’s not meant as an insult by the way) in the form of former ‘Boys QB and current Offensive Co-Ordinator Jason Garrett.
The highest paid assistant in the league, Garrett is getting nearly $3 million this coming season to stay at Texas Stadium. It was enough to keep the wolves at bay (in this instance Baltimore and Miami) and Garrett is a sure fire bet to replace Phillips possibly as early as this time next year.
With that in mind, you have to wonder if Phillips will be looking over his shoulder a bit next season. Jerry Jones wants a title, so what the Cowboys do in the upcoming weeks will determine what chance ‘the son of Bum’ has of staying in a job. Those two first round draft picks should be used to help Big D achieve, well, a ‘Big D’ to compliment statistically the 2nd best offense in 2007. That is unless they blow both picks trading up to get Darren McFadden. Someone get that phone away from Jerry!
 The team that dumped Dallas out of the playoffs won the lot in Arizona, and the New York Giants will have a feeling of ‘after the lord mayor’s show’ about them in 2008. In winning the Super Bowl so unexpectedly, you have to assume anything other than a repeat next season will seem like a failure in comparison.
There are some talking points to keep the Giants fans going well into the Spring. Head Coach Tom Coughlin seems to be on the verge of signing a new four year, $5 million a season contract. Our boy Lawrence Tynes looks to be staying with the franchise, meaning the Greenock branch of the Giants supporters club can stay open for the foreseeable future. Steve Spagnuolo did the wise thing and stayed clear of the Redskins head coaching position (more on that later) and was rewarded with a 3 year contract worth about $6 million.
If that isn’t enough, Justin Tuck signed a new contract pre-Super Bowl, Michael Strahan looks to be coming back, Eli Manning proved he can live in the shadow of his brother and the Giants have some talented young guys in their roster.
However, there is a villain of the piece, and he comes in the form of a big hulk of a tight end. Jeremy Shockey, outspoken yet potentially brilliant, is the only major headache facing the Giants. There’s been talk about potential trades, and even suggestions the Giants might cut him loose. Kevin Boss showed a level of maturity and skill as Shockey’s replacement in the post season run, and it seems the Giants would prefer to move him on. Easier said then done of course.
What the Giants do with Shockey is an interesting one. Teams may have been more interested about acquiring his services before Alge Crumpler was released by the Falcons. In the draft, guys like Fred Davis (USC) and John Carlson (Notre Dame) appear to be rising up mocks and draft boards.
The likelihood is Shockey stays with the team. It’s an issue that will rumble on though, and you just wonder if the Giants can do with the hassle. They won the Super Bowl without Jeremy Shockey after all. Alas, despite all the positives surrounding the current World Champs, I guess nothing is ever perfect (just ask the Patriots).
 The third team from the division that qualified for the post season was the Washington Redskins. Launching into the playoffs on the crest of a media binge, the Skins were being hyped to the max. In becoming media darlings hunting a fairytale, divine intervention after the tragic loss of safety Sean Taylor, the play of replacement QB Todd Collins, and the weepy eyed nostalgia of Joe Gibbs returning to the Super Bowl were all reasons offered as to why this was Washington’s year.
They lasted one week in the post season, losing 35-14 to the Seahawks on the road. A short while later Gibbs was again retired, and the team underwent one of the most bizarre searches for a replacement.
An original shortlist was set up, including people like Jim Mora, Steve Mariucci, Jim Fassel and long time favourite for the post, Gregg Williams. Some decided against the move, others such as Williams were interviewed a number of times with no decision made. However, in the background owner Daniel Snyder was busy appointing the co-ordinators who would work with the new coach. One of those men was little known Seahawks QB Coach Jim Zorn. That little known QB Coach is now the little known Head Coach of the Washington Redskins.
What credentials Zorn has for the job, nobody really knows. Some justify the move by suggesting Andy Reid was in a similar situation before becoming the Philly head coach. Others suggest it’s another twist in the Snyder era, and one that nobody really knows what the outcome will be.
The Skins will now turn to the complicated West Coast Offense under Zorn, meaning Jason Campbell (or maybe Todd Collins again) needs to hit the books and study up. Washington is also reportedly well over the salary cap for 2008, which means the front office will have a busy few weeks.
Maybe Zorn will have a busy few weeks too. Does anyone have a copy of ‘Head Coaching for dummies’?
 Finally we come to the only NFC East team not to make the playoffs in 2007, the Philadelphia Eagles. Funnily enough, their 8-8 record was enough for Dallas to make the post season in 2006, and the Iggles will be expected to be involved next January.
The biggest story line coming out of Lincoln Financial Field (I think that’s a terrible name for a stadium, anyone agree?) is the future of QB Donovan McNabb. The Eagles drafted Kevin Kolb with their first pick of the 2007 draft (36th overall) and at points during the regular season a lot of speculation had McNabb moving on.
Now, that talk has died down and McNabb appears to be the main man again. This will likely change as often as day turns into night, so stay tuned.
Tight end L.J. Smith was given the franchise tag pretty early, stopping him hitting the free agency market. The Eagles can win this division next season, no doubt about that. Keeping guys fit will be the key, especially star running back Brian Westbrook.
They could do with adding to their run defense, and possibly adding a wide receiver to compliment the under rated efforts of Kevin Curtis. Aside from that, I’m going to stick my neck out early and leave myself wide open for ridicule by suggesting that the Eagles have a great chance of getting back to the playoffs next season.
If that’s not a kiss of death, I don’t know what is.
Either way, this division is a clear contender for being the best in the NFL. The East has the current world champions, has 6 playoff teams in the least 2 seasons, any of the clubs could win the division and as proven by the Giants, perhaps go the whole way.
It’s almost enough to make you wish you could fast forward to next September and start the season now.
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