Daniel has already delivered to you his predcitions for the NFC West, the NFC North and the NFC South. Next up, he's taking a look at the NFC South.
Washington Blueskins:
Having scooped up Ryan Fitzpatrick during the off-season, Washington looks to improve on what turned out to be a divisional crown, when all was said and done at the end of the 2020-2021 campaign... but as things stand, it might be hard to duplicate that success.
With games against the AFC championship-caliber Bills, the treacherous Seahawks, the Mahomes-led Chiefs and the up-and-coming Chargers, the Blueskins will have to hope that the infusion of speed that their recent draft class exhibited on the collegiate level, translates quickly to the pros. Or else, there’s a good chance we see the same old Fitzpatrick story play out: a hot start, followed by a few perplexing performances... and then the slow slide into obscurity, as injuries and coaching decisions move everyone’s thoughts to next season.
The silver lining? Their defense should be sneaky good, and their division was pathetically terrible last season...so it’s not impossible to imagine them hanging around and making week 17 count, but only time will tell.
Best case scenario, 10-7 Worst case scenario is 6-11
Dallas Cowboys:
Different year, same Cowboy delusions. People seem to forget that the hype-machine/football franchise that Jerry Jones has created, lives for the off-season. I know, it’s a boring time of year for us non-billionaire types... but for people like Jerry and his crew, this is when the Superbowl-narrative seeds are planted, and really set their roots.
Ever wonder why they’re called “America’s Team”? They trademarked it. Ever wonder why they get so much press? Jones pays millions of dollars to networks for exposure. And yes, Dak is a very popular player, but that’s not because Jones is a publicity genius or because the team is any good (as if I needed to tell you that), it’s due to the fact that he’s humble and charismatic and has an incredible life story.
Never forget that Jerry didn’t pay for his massive new stadium in 2009... that was on the tax-paying dupes of the city of Arlington (a typical technique used to finance NFL stadiums, look it up!)
All that being said, Dak Prescott is coming back after a gruesome injury and everyone should avoid drinking the “playoff-bound” Koolaid. Yes, they’ll be in contention come December, but don’t forget: we’re talking about the “Accident Waiting to Happen” as Steven A. Smith would put it.
That means that their best case scenario is 10-7, and their worst case scenario is 8-9.
New York Giants:
There are no more excuses for Danny Dimes to not thrive this year, when one takes into account the plethora of pass-catching weapons he has at his disposal (Evan Engram, Kenny Golladay, Sterling Shepard, Darius Slayton, Kyle Rudolphe, John Ross and the newly-signed Kadarius Toney)... not to mention the return of running back extraordinaire, Saquon Barkley from his season-ending injury.
To top it all off, their schedule is pretty soft compared to the rest of the league. This means that if the Giants experience a slow start in what needs to be a “make-it or break-it” year for their young quarterback, it’s highly likely that the front office decides that the only piece that’s missing to make them a championship-caliber team, is a competent signal-caller.
But where to find one, should this situation arise? Next year’s draft is looking pretty bleak, QB-wise... Maybe a vet in search of a final shot at glory in the Big Apple’s media-friendly spotlight?
One thing’s for sure: this is going to be a very interesting season for New York.
Best case scenario is 9-8, worst case scenario is 5-12.
Philadelphia Eagles:
This one could go either way, considering last year was basically a waste. The pandemic and Doug Pederson’s locker room drama basically killed any chance of Philly being competitive, even in an absolutely terrible division. Now there’s a new coach in town, a respectable receiving corps (finally!) and Jalen Hurts can do more than just try to survive, when he lines up under center.
The schedule is easy enough and injuries/trades can obviously change up this prediction, but even having said all that, the Eagles defensive line and scrambling QB should keep them alive is most games. Plus, the majority of their divisional games come during the last few weeks of the season, meaning that even if they start slow, the division figures to be bad enough to keep them in contention until the weather turns and the home-field advantage starts to kick in.
Could this eternally-mocked team possibly be playing for a home playoff berth, come week 17. If this year is anything like last, they should be viewed as dark horse favorites.
Best case scenario is 9-8, worst case scenario is 6-11.
