Pigskin’s NFL Divisional Projections

September 12, 2022

Better a bit late than never? I certainly hope so. Here are thumbnail projections for every NFL Division coming out of Week One. Please remember as Cowboys fans are well aware (again) that injuries can blow any/all projections out of the water.

NFC East

EGALES   GM “Trader Howie” was a busy boy all off-season juggling and improving his roster. The 2022 Draft  really inflated their Play-Off chances for this season. With an extra Round One Pick HOWIE hopped on the phone with Titans GM ROBINSON, and the next thing you know A.J. BROWN was an Eagle… he and his team leading 63 catches last season for the run-happy Titans. Roseman had already signed solid ZACH PASCAL as a VFA. Stir them in with DeVONTA SMITH and QUEZ WATKINS and developing QB JALEN HURTS has a solid, perhaps even explosive receiving corps. When healthy their OL is solid. My only concern Offensively is at RB where top man MILES SANDERS is talented but has a problem staying healthy. On D they added at least 5 impact players in Rookies JORDAN DAVIS/DT & NAKOBE DEAN/LB, both from the vaunted GEORGIA football program; Edge Rusher HASSON REDDICK; vet DB JAMES BRADBERRY &  C.J. GARDNER-JOHNSON. This looks like the Beast of the EAST to me.

COWBOYS    Despite the snake oil JERRY JONES has been trying to sell us, again, the Cowboys got caught in Salary Cap issues after last season and their roster is packed with 11 Rookies out of their 53.  Some of them are going to contribute early but they had to let guys like WR/COOPER, ER/GREGORY, OT/LA’EL COLLINS go to stay within Cap restrictions. They have young stars like MICAH PARSONS, CEE DEE LAMB, TREVON DIGGS, but not enough to overcome vet departures. And now DAK has an injury to his throwing hand that could keep him out well into October. This team will have to fight like hell just to get a Wild Card spot.

GIANTS      Not reacting too strongly to their opening game victory, but I think they have their best Head Coach since Coughlin in BRIAN DABOLL, who may just be able to salvage QB/DANIEL JONES as their QB. New GM Joe Schoen is also looking solid and has not been afraid to juggle personnel on the team’s roster. If JONES performs well in concert with Daboll’s Offense then it should become clear that their biggest task lies in improving their receivers group with more talent. Their D looks improved when FLOTT & BELTON get more playing time as the season progresses. 10 Rookies and 12 new vets dot their 53-man roster, and more new blood may be picked up in-season. They have a chance to edge ahead of the Commanders.

WASHINGTON FOOTBALL TEAM     Yeah, I know they have a new nickname (see above) but I despise it. I also don’t care for HC Rivera’s choice of anew QB to lead his Offense in Carson Wentz, who choked down the stretch last season with the COLTS.  The good news is that SAM HOWELL looks like the real deal for the future. He had the highest QB rating in the entire NFL for the pre-season. But for now they have an adequate (maybe) OL, a good young receiving corps and a solid RB room, especially once BRIAN ROBINSON (R) returns from his bullet wounds. Their D is above average, especially when CHASE YOUNG comes off IR in 4 weeks to bolster the pass rush. Their overall D is also young. They have only 2 players on D who are 30 or older, and neither of those is a starter. But they will battle the G-Men to avoid the bottom of the NFC East.

Biggest question in this Division right now is how long will DAK be out for the Cowboys? Can he come back soon enough to lead them to a Wld Card slot, or could injuries derail the Eagles title hopes. This group may be very competitive and upsets might abound.

AFC East coming up by Wednesday.

Cheers

Pigskin