09-05-2021 Ravens Preview - Flipbook - Page 44
NFL2021
NFC East
DALLAS
COWBOYS (6-10)
Projected 2021 win
total: 9.5
LAST YEAR: QB Dak Prescott’s seasonending ankle injury in Week 5 derailed a
team that was already underachieving
with first-year coach Mike McCarthy.
A three-game winning streak late kept
the Cowboys in the playoff race until
the final weekend in the weak NFC East.
McCarthy dumped his most important
hire, defensive coordinator Mike Nolan,
after Dallas gave up a franchise-record
473 points (29.6 per game).
IMPORTANT ADDITIONS: LB Micah
Parsons (No. 12 overall draft pick), CB
Kelvin Joseph, S/LB Keanu Neal, S
Damontae Kazee, DE Tarell Basham, DL
Osa Odighizuwa, DL Chauncey Golston.
IMPORTANT LOSSES: QB Andy Dalton,
S Xavier Woods, CB Chidobe Awuzie, DE
Aldon Smith, C Joe Looney, DT Antwaun
Woods, LB Sean Lee, Nolan.
NOTES: The focus will be on what new
coordinator Dan Quinn is doing to fix a
defense that appeared beyond repair at
times a year ago. The Cowboys drafted
their most defensive players (eight) in
the seven-round era, so camp could go a
long way toward determining how many
will have an impact as rookies. If healthy,
the offense is the known commodity
with Prescott, running back Ezekiel Elliott
and a trio of receivers in Amari Cooper,
CeeDee Lamb and Michael Gallup. The
top three offensive linemen are returning
from injuries: RG Zack Martin, LT Tyron
Smith and RT La’el Collins.
EXPECTATIONS: The heat will be on
McCarthy in a hurry if the Cowboys start
slowly again in his second season. From
owner Jerry Jones on down, the front
office is at least three years into believing
the franchise has the pieces to end a
25-year stretch without even appearing
in an NFC championship game since its
fifth Super Bowl title. The offense has
proven it is among the best in the NFL
with a healthy Prescott, who signed a
$160 million, four-year contract in March.
A merely mediocre defense might be
good enough. This unit has a long way to
go to reach that low standard.
WASHINGTON
FOOTBALL
TEAM (7-10)
Projected 2021 win
total: 8
LAST YEAR: After Dwayne Haskins
was benched, Kyle Allen got injured and
Washington started 2-7, Alex Smith took
over to help the team win five of its final
seven games behind a strong defense
and capture the NFC East. With Smith
unable to play in the postseason, Taylor
Heinicke impressed but Washington
ultimately lost in the wild-card round to
eventual Super Bowl champion Tampa
Bay.
IMPORTANT ADDITIONS: QB Ryan
Fitzpatrick, CB William Jackson, WR
Curtis Samuel, WR Adam Humphries, LB
Jamin Davis, OT Sam Cosmi, WR Dynami
Brown, G Ereck Flowers, OT Charles Leno,
EDGE Shaka Toney, DB Benjamin St-Juste,
LS Camaron Cheeseman.
IMPORTANT LOSSES: QB Alex Smith,
OT Morgan Moses, LB Kevin Pierre-Louis,
CB Fabian Moreau, EDGE Ryan Kerrigan,
LB Ryan Anderson, OL Geron Christian,
WR Dontrelle Inman, TE Jeremy Sprinkle,
LS Nick Sundberg.
NOTES: Coach Ron Rivera regretted
not having a quarterback competition
in 2020 when Dwayne Haskins was
essentially handed the starting job early
in camp, so that competition is definitely
happening this time. Fitzpatrick goes
in as the frontrunner, but Heinicke and
Allen will be in the running. There’s a
hope Defensive Rookie of the Year Chase
Young rounds into form quickly and takes
a leading role for that unit after skipping
some voluntary offseason workouts.
A new-look offense also needs to
coalesce.
EXPECTATIONS: Rivera will undoubtedly
try to lower expectations after winning a
weak division under .500. Moves made in
the offseason weren’t necessarily setting
up Washington to win now, and a step
back is possible. But with the Giants and
Eagles now potentially further away from
contending and the Cowboys a bit of
an unknown getting Dak Prescott back,
Washington should be in the race for a
playoff spot, either as a division winner or
NFC wild card.
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While arguably the league’s
weakest division, it also may be its
most competitive, as any of the four
teams could come out on top if
their seasons break the right way.
NEW YORK
GIANTS (6-10)
Projected 2021 win
total: 7
LASTYEAR: Despite the devastating injury
to RB Saquon Barkley in the second game
of the season and a 1-7 start under rookie
coach Joe Judge, the Giants went on a
four-game winning streak and went 5-3 in
the second half of the season. They were
in first place until losing to the Cardinals,
Browns and Ravens in December. DL
Leonard Williams, who was franchised last
season, had a breakout year to lead Patrick
Graham’s unexpectedly good defense.
QB Daniel Jones was inconsistent, but
provided a much-needed spark with his
legs.James Bradberry gave New York a
shutdown cornerback.
IMPORTANT ADDITIONS: WR Kenny
Golladay, CB Adoree Jackson, rookie WR
Kafarius Toney, TE Kyle Rudolph, DE Ifeadi
Odenigbo, DT Danny Shelton, QB Mike
Glennon, RB Devontae Booker, WR John
Ross, rookie LB Azeez Ojulari, LB Ryan
Anderson, LB Reggie Ragland, FB Cullen
Gillaspia, G Zach Fulton, G Jonotthan
Harrison.
IMPORTANT LOSSES: DT Dalvin
Tomlinson, G Kevin Zeitler, WR Golden
Tate, LB Kyler Fackrell, OT Cam Fleming,
QB Colt McCoy, LB David Mayo, RB Wayne
Gallman.
NOTES: While free agency and the draft
filled many of the missing pieces for
Judge, there are major question marks.
Can Barkley again be a dominant player
coming off an ACL injury? Jones will be
under the microscope heading into his
third season.
EXPECTATIONS: Despite being fourgames under .500, the Giants had a
chance to win the weak NFC East on the
final day of the season. A second-place
finish behind Washington only raises
the ante for Judge’s second season,
especially with GM Dave Gettleman
getting busy an aggressive approach
in free agency and the draft. New York
traded down in the first round and got
Toney. Many observers have put a target
on Jones to produce. The real key for the
team will be Barkley bouncing back from
the injury.
PHILADELPHIA
EAGLES (4-11-1)
Projected 2021 win
total: 7
LAST YEAR: A last-place finish in the
lowly NFC East got coach Doug Pederson
fired despite three consecutive playoff
appearances the previous three seasons,
including the franchise’s first Super Bowl
title. Carson Wentz had the worst season
of his five-year career, got benched and
was eventually traded to Indianapolis,
forcing the Eagles to absorb a recordhigh $33.8 million cap hit.
IMPORTANT ADDITIONS: WR DeVonta
Smith, LB Eric Wilson, DE Ryan Kerrigan, S
Anthony Harris, QB Joe Flacco, DT Milton
Williams, CB Zech McPhearson, S Andrew
Adams, RB Kerryon Johnson, CB Josiah
Scott.
IMPORTANT LOSSES: Wentz, S Jalen
Mills, P Cameron Johnston, DE Vinny
Curry, LT Jason Peters, DT Malik Jackson,
WR DeSean Jackson, WR Alshon Jeffery.
NOTES: Three-time Pro Bowl TE Zach
Ertz expected a trade or release but
remains on the team going into the final
season of his contract. It’s uncertain
whether he’ll stick around through
training camp. Right guard Brandon
Brooks and right tackle Lane Johnson
are two of the best when healthy but
they’re returning from injuries and are in
their 30s. Second-year quarterback Jalen
Hurts has to officially beat out Flacco for
the starting job.
EXPECTATIONS: Rookie head coach
Nick Sirianni and a young staff lead a
rebuilding club with low expectations.
The Eagles have talented players who
haven’t lived up to their potential yet and
plenty of question marks throughout
the roster. The biggest is whether Hurts
can be the answer at quarterback. If not,
GM Howie Roseman is armed with extra
first-round picks in 2022 and could make
a push for Deshaun Watson.
— Associated Press