Uncertainty is what has driven the NFC East over the past several years and the division was hit with another dose when favorite Dallas saw its prized running back slapped with a six-game suspension. If the other teams needed a boost, they got it. And the Philadelphia Eagles are poised to make a move. Philly did some soul searching this offseason and upgraded its receiving corps for Carson Wentz, then addressed its need in the back of the defense by acquiring Ronald Darby in a deal with the Bills. The Eagles got much closer to being division champs than most realize.
NFC East Opening Odds at BookMaker.eu
Dallas Cowboys +185
New York Giants +189
Philadelphia Eagles +265
Washington Redskins +445
Why the Philadelphia Eagles Will Win the NFC East
Dak Prescott wasn’t the only rookie quarterback to make noise in the NFC East last season. The Eagles used the second overall pick on Wentz and he was thrown into the fire when Sam Bradford was dealt for a load of draft picks. While the Eagles didn’t have as much success in the win column as Dallas, Wentz proved to be the franchise quarterback.
And to keep their QB happy, the Eagles spent lavishly in the offseason to upgrade the pieces around their young leader. With a group of receivers that could be considered mediocre at best, Wentz was able to set an NFL rookie record with 379 completions for 3,782 yards. The offense should be immensely better, which will make up for some holes on the defensive end.
New to the Eagles are Alshon Jeffery and Torrey Smith on the outside. Jeffery dealt with injuries while Smith played in a system in San Francisco that didn’t produce many yards, so the numbers didn’t look so appetizing. Still, the addition of these two pass-catchers is a vast improvement over what Wentz was throwing to last season.
The Eagles also added LeGarrette Blount to help out the run game and will have steady lineman Lane Johnson for (hopefully) a full season after he missed 10 games due to a suspension. Wentz worked tirelessly on his mechanics in the offseason and management did the same to get him some playmakers, making the offense a whole lot better.
Philly addressed its biggest need on defense by acquiring cornerback Darby from the Bills. The secondary had issues last season and lost Nolan Carroll and Leodis McKelvin. As a whole the group wasn’t terrible, but the secondary needs to be better to give the Eagles any chance of dethroning Dallas.
Why the Philadelphia Eagles Won't Win the NFC East
The biggest concern facing the Eagles in their quest for a division title is that the team just may not be ready. Wentz had a strong season in 2016, but his play tailed off over the course of the year and the Eagles were worse at the end of the season. They won only seven games and they’ll need to reach double figures if they are to get past the Cowboys and Giants.
On paper the offense appears to be much improved. Wentz has playmakers around him that he didn’t have last season. But those targets have to prove themselves. Jeffery has played in just 21 games over the last two seasons while Smith has seen his reception total decrease in each of the past three years. The line has little depth after the starting five and could become an issue when the injury bug hits.
And defensively, the Eagles did little other than to trade for Darby to upgrade a unit that ranked in the middle of the pack in most key statistical categories. Philly needs plenty to go just right in order to claim a division title and it might be too much to ask for from this group.
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