NFC East: The Pre-Preseason 2008 NFL Preview
by Bodog Sportsbook | Jul 29 2008
NFC EAST
Dallas CowboysBEST MOVE: Signing free agent Zach Thomas. Thomas is a seven-time Pro Bowler and will immediately improve the entire defensive with his leadership and intelligence.
WORST MOVE: Not moving Roy Williams will once again haunt Dallas. Williams cannot do what is asked of him in this defensive scheme, and while they probably tried to include him in every phone call since the season ended it appears that most teams feel he won’t grasp their system either. Until he finds one that fits him, he’ll probably be hanging out at the Pro Bowl. Again.
2008 CRYSTAL BALL: The Cowboys will again be in the hunt to play in the Super Bowl. This team that Jerry Jones and Bill Parcells assembled is built to win, and win now.
MOST LIKELY TO BE PRAISED LIKE HE SAVED A CHILD FROM A BURNING BUILDING: Adam Jones. If the guy has any success, Jerry Jones will look like a genius. If he returns to the “Pacman” we all hate, he’ll get cut and quickly forgotten. Until the next time he “makes it rain.”
MOST LIKELY TO BE BEATEN LIKE HE OWES MONEY ON MONDAY MORNINGS: Roy Williams. Poor Roy. He’s a complete liability on passing downs and continues to disappoint fans. Why has no one got this guy to gain some weight and just play linebacker? He can still be dominant up near the line of scrimmage.
New York Giants
BEST MOVE: Drafting Kenny Phillips. This exciting young safety has the ability to be the leader of this defensive in a few years.
WORST MOVE: Trading Jeremy Shockey. The one that got away. It was tough that the team won the Super Bowl without him. It was tough for Shockey to watch, and it will end up being tougher for the Giants in the long run. Because now they feel like they are a better team without him. They’ll find out that they’re not. Shockey’s ability to open up the offense will be sorely missed by Week 3.
2008 CRYSTAL BALL: The playoffs are a possibility, but never underestimate the power of the Super Bowl hangover.
MOST LIKELY TO BE PRAISED LIKE HE SAVED A CHILD FROM A BURNING BUILDING: Eli Manning. After his coming out party last season, Eli is finally getting the respect from NYC.
MOST LIKELY TO BE BEATEN LIKE HE OWES MONEY ON MONDAY MORNINGS: Eli Manning. Who’s kidding who? It’s New York. What have you done for me lately?
Philadelphia Eagles
BEST MOVE: Trading for Lorenzo Booker. Booker is an elusive back and will be a dangerous option for Donovan McNabb out of the backfield.
WORST MOVE: Signing free agent Asante Samuel. New England will take other teams’ castoffs and make them into Pro Bowlers. Unfortunately it doesn’t work the other way around. Willie McGinest, Ty Law, and Deion Branch never experienced the same level of success once they moved on.
2008 CRYSTAL BALL: Something is rotten in Philly. The Donovan McNabb drama that has come and gone over the last few years seems to be still brewing. At some point it’s going to boil over. The question is what week will it happen?
MOST LIKELY TO BE PRAISED LIKE HE SAVED A CHILD FROM A BURNING BUILDING: Brian Westbrook. McNabb may be the face of this franchise right now, but Westbrook is their most valuable player. Philly better give in and sign him to a new contract and keep him happy.
MOST LIKELY TO BE BEATEN LIKE HE OWES MONEY ON MONDAY MORNINGS: When receivers like 6-foot-3-inch Terrell Owens, 6-foot-5-inch Plaxico Burress, and 6-foot-3-inch Malcolm Kelly get to play against him twice a year each, 5-foot-10-inch Asante Samuel and his $57 million contract are going to be discussed and debated on many a Monday morning. They should have just paid by the inch.
Washington Redskins
BEST MOVE: Trading for Jason Taylor. He is a six-time Pro Bowler that would have been an instant upgrade over Phillip Daniels before he was lost for the season.
WORST MOVE: Trading for Jason Taylor. They waited too long and paid too much for the same guy they could’ve gotten on draft day for a 3 and a 7. Then they say they’re going to put him on the left side of the line to expose the one weakness in his game: run-stopping.
2008 CRYSTAL BALL: First time head coach and an unproven quarterback play. Taylor may regret leaving the woeful Dolphins if he ends up on a team with a worse record than Miami’s.
MOST LIKELY TO BE PRAISED LIKE HE SAVED A CHILD FROM A BURNING BUILDING: LaRon Landry. Landry showed flashes of his potential last year, but look for him to start putting strings of games together instead of plays when he takes his game to the next level.
MOST LIKELY TO BE BEATEN LIKE HE OWES MONEY ON MONDAY MORNINGS: Jim Zorn. The NFL may want to give Zorn a hotline to Cam Cameron. There could be more tearful middle-of-the-night calls than a blindsided ex-girlfriend.
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Philadelphia Eagles
