Let’s Go To The Movies – 2024 NFC East Preview

The NFC East was a mess last year. The cliff notes version of what happened is that if you made the playoffs, you were bounced early by a team that should have beaten. If you weren’t, then you were given a lottery draft pick for your troubles.

Disappointing? Sure but to quote Pittsburgh Steelers’ linebacker T.J. Watt, it’s “nothing I’m not used to.”

That said, it’s time to turn the other cheek. The sins from last season, while lingered on by rival fans have been repented.

Enough references – let’s talk football. Let’s breakdown the NFC East.

 

  Dallas Cowboys

Record in 2023-24: 12-5

Key Player: Ezekiel Elliott – Running Back

Player To Watch: Tyler Guyton – Left Tackle

Last year, the Cowboys were very reminiscent of a popular Ed O’Neill role. No, not the shoe salesman who once scored four touchdowns in one game for Polk High School. Rather, the local football hero who won a Heisman Trophy but was embarrassed by his younger brother in a Pee-Wee league game to determine who’d represent the town (coincidentally, also the Cowboys).

Dallas looked like a team that was poised to make a run in the playoffs, only to get snuffed out by a seemingly lesser team in the Green Bay Packers. This prompted owner Jerry Jones to make the proclamation of going “All In.” They shored up the offensive line through the draft and added valuable pieces like Linval Joseph and Carl Lawson to the defensive line.

The two major questions will have to solve are their running game and how their defense will do under new guidance. The return of Ezekiel Elliott and the potential rise of Deuce Vaughn should be fun but if they can’t be productive, then Jerry Jones may have cost his team. In the same vein, if the defense can’t rally behind new defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer at above or around the same level as the recently departed Dan Quinn, then this could be a long season for “The Boys.” Prediction: 11-6

 

New York Giants

Record in 2023-24: 6-11

Key Player: Daniel Jones – Quarterback

Player To Watch: Malik Nabers – Wide Receiver

The New York Giants are like Adam Sandler: there was once a time where it seemed like they could not do wrong, only to go into a cold spell where everything goes wrong. Every once in a while though, they remind that they can be a good team, only to blow it the next couple of years.

New York’s insistence on Daniel Jones being their franchise quarterback has yet to really pay off for them. Despite one playoff run in his tenure, he has looked inconsistent and has yet to really make an impact.

With a wide array of weapons including Jalin Hyatt, Malik Nabers, Darius Slayton and Wan’Dale Robinson: it’s now or never for Jones. He doesn’t have quite the ability or pedigree of Eli Manning so there’s no real life line for him. With rumors of New York wanting a quarterback in this past draft, if Jones can’t pull it together, then it may be curtains for the Duke product. Prediction: 5-12

 

Philadelphia Eagles

Record in 2023 24: 11-6

Key Player: Kellen Moore – Offensive Coordinator

Player To Watch: Bryce Huff – Linebacker

The Eagles’ defense was like the Justice League last year: it started off well enough, only to change directors and ruin it. A change in defensive play calling doomed the season, even leading them to not show up against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

After the failings of Sean DeSai and Matt Patricia, Philadelphia brought in the highly experienced Vic Fangio. His aggressiveness mixed with the raw power of Philadelphia’s front seven should wreak havoc in the league.

One other storyline to watch will be if newly named offensive coordinator Kellen Moore can get Jalen Hurts back to MVP form. While Hurts wasn’t bad last year, at times it seemed like his play had tailed off a bit.

Should Philadelphia get these issues resolved, then they should be able to pose a serious threat to San Francisco for the NFC crown. Prediction: 13-4

 

Washington Commanders

Record in 2023-24: 4-13

Key Player: Bobby Wagner – Linebacker

Player To Watch: Austin Ekeler – Running Back

Just like any cinematic attempt at making a Fantastic Four movie, the Washington Commanders can never seem to get it right. Even in times when the team looked like they were going in the right direction, they’d find a way to hit the wall.

Now with a new head coach with Super Bowl experience (Dan Quinn), a Heisman Trophy winning rookie quarterback (Jayden Daniels), a rebuilt offensive line with strong potential, and several new pieces on defense, this team hasn’t looked this good on paper in a long time. It’s now a question of if it can work out in practice.

Most of Washington’s pieces have time before they have to find success, but for someone like Bobby Wagner, he may try to kick start it. As long as they can develop this new culture right, they should be in prime position to surprise people next year. Prediction: 7-10