Why the low expectations from the pre-season mags?

[freddyg12]

Originally Posted by TheMalcolmConnection

Same with Dallas. Everyone is acting like Pacman Jones is the missing piece of the puzzle. He doesn't make up for those safeties. Him and Newman can only cover two receivers at once. Their LBs are also a liability in pass coverage, but yet we're still hearing about how THEY'RE the new Super Bowl favorites.

I wish TO was out or suspended most of the season so we can see just how mediocre Romo is without TO taking the coverage that he did.

funny malcolm, I remember disagreeing w/you about Dallas D before last year too! They didn't play as well as I thought they would but they were still tough & got better later in the year.

Pacman could be a huge addition cause he's a very good cb & it will allow them to play the rookie Jenkins at nickel. Tank might also start to make an impact too.

I think Dallas as a super bowl pick makes a lot of sense, though I hate it. If Wade P et al have any heart they'll learn from last year & be seriously motivated this year. A parallel would be the steelers a few years ago, they went 15-1 then lost to NE in the playoffs. Next year they go 11-5 & win it all. Hate it, but it seems possible.

[GTripp0012]

Originally Posted by TheMalcolmConnection

Same with Dallas. Everyone is acting like Pacman Jones is the missing piece of the puzzle. He doesn't make up for those safeties. Him and Newman can only cover two receivers at once. Their LBs are also a liability in pass coverage, but yet we're still hearing about how THEY'RE the new Super Bowl favorites.

I wish TO was out or suspended most of the season so we can see just how mediocre Romo is without TO taking the coverage that he did.

Philadelphia sure looks like a better team than Dallas at this point.

Dallas passing offense > Philadelphia passing offense, right now, but I would take Philadelphia in every other facet of the game of football right now.

Dallas also got a really good year from their rookie kicker last year, if he comes back to the average, thats another win that Dallas loses over last year.

[freddyg12]

I wouldn't say they've improved "tenfold" but they finished strong last year & looked like a playoff team. McNabb should come into the year fairly healthy & motivated. He's a solid vet qb & he & Ried know how to make that O work just enough to move the ball steadily w/out many big plays, though Westbrook is a big play guy.

Their D is always solid, but is certainly older & w/out as much athleticism. Samuel will help, but how much of an upgrade is he over a healthy Lito? I agree w/many that he's a bit overated.

I still see philly as a contender for the div. & playoffs. They are well coached & sadly remind me somewhat of Gibbs' old teams in that they can be overachievers w/the limited talent they have. I would be shocked if we swept philly and I don't see anyone else in the div. sweeping them either. They've played dallas well the past few years & always give them problems. I think they're better than the g-men & just a little better than us.

[skinsnut]

This is a blessing.
Remeber last year at this time...many publications had the Giants as coming in last in the NFC east....and they won the SUPER BOWL...
This is a good omen for the Skins.

...not to mention the Skins always win the Superbowl the year after the Giants do.

[TheMalcolmConnection]

So Philly bringing in one DB and McNabb being healthy makes them possible favorites for the NFCE? I just don't see it.

[GTripp0012]

Originally Posted by TheMalcolmConnection

So Philly bringing in one DB and McNabb being healthy makes them possible favorites for the NFCE? I just don't see it.

I don't even think McNabb matters. This year, we can just refer to him as "Philadelphia QB". Whomever it is McNabb/Kolb/Garcia, pretty much anyone but AJ Feeley will be successful in that offense. Successful as in above average, like last year.

Here's some interesting stats from last year:

FOOTBALL OUTSIDERS: Football analysis and NFL stats for the Moneyball era - Authors of Pro Football Prospectus 2008

Washington and Philadelphia had the exact same DVOA, the exact same strength of schedule, and were pretty much just as consistent from week to week. We split against them last year. The ONLY difference is that we won 1 more game than they did, despite that they had a bit better of a point differential (though that difference was pretty much just luck of the draw).

Point being: any 'gap' between the Redskins and Eagles last year is a figment of ones imagination. They were two equally matched teams.

Anyway, they were one of the youngest teams in the league last year, and we were one of the oldest. Which means that if all other things are equal, they will get better, and we will get worse.

Are all other things equal? Not really. They signed one of the best (albeit somewhat overrated) CBs in the NFL, which makes them even better. We didn't make any FA moves, and got a year older at every position but receiver.

Now, we do have an ace in the hole this year: Jason Campbell's development. He was an above average passer last year, if he can leapfrog McNabb and become one of the best ten passers in this league, we probably finish ahead of the Eagles anyway.

I don't want to crap all over McNabb: the guy is a good quarterback, but I think the Eagles realize that McNabb is already in or past his prime, and as long as he's their quarterback, they can't really improve any more on the offensive side of the ball. They can simply try to sustain.

The next time that the Eagles are out of the playoff hunt (Dec. 2009?), I think it will be Kolb's turn.

[TheMalcolmConnection]

I know a lot of people are referencing close games as how good the rest of the NFCE was last year, but you either have to take ALL of them into account or none of them, including the Redskins who were just a few away from winning them all except NE.

As goes the NFL, you're a play or two away from winning most of the time.

[EXoffender]

I noticed this too, but we've proven them wrong before.