NFC EAST
DEZ
BRYANT
ELI
MANNING
SAM
BRADFORD
KIRK
COUSINS
COWBOYS’ SEASON COULD GO
EITHER WAY
PLENTY OF NEW FACES IN NEW
YORK
QB BATTLE BREWS IN
PHILLY
SKINS HAND THE BALL TO KIRK
COUSINS
Coach: Jason Garrett
2015 Record: 4-12
If flashy wide receiver Dez Bryant is
not running routes and Tony Romo
isn’t throwing the ball to him, the
Cowboys have problems. An aging
and apparently fragile Romo remains
just one of the big questions in Dallas.
Their defense could possibly improve,
if not for suspensions to multiple
players. If No. 4 overall draft pick
Ezekiel Elliott even approaches his
running back potential and Romo and
Bryant stay healthy, this offense will
give opposing teams fits.
Coach: Ben McAdoo
2015 Record: 6-10
Two-time Super Bowl winning
coach Tom Coughlin is out, leaving
quarterback Eli Manning to adjust
to Ben McAdoo’s system. Perhaps
change is just what he needs along
with having receivers Victor Cruz and
Odell Beckham Jr. on the field at the
same time. Still, the Giants ranked
eighth in offense in 2015 while their
defense ranked last, so plugging
holes via the draft and free agency
was a priority for McAdoo as he
approached his first season.
Coach: Doug Pederson
2015 Record: 7-9
The story in Philly remains centered
on the quarterback position, where
Sam Bradford is expected to start.
Bradford initially pitched a fit about
the Eagles trading up to the No.
2 slot and drafting North Dakota
State’s Carson Wentz. Apparently
the job is Bradford’s to lose but given
his injury track record we may see
Wentz sooner than later, regardless of
where he is on the depth chart behind
Bradford and journeyman Chase
Daniel.
Coach: Jay Gruden
2015 Record: 9-7
In Kirk Cousins the Redskins believe
they have found their quarterback of
the future. There’s a void at running
back as leading rusher Alfred Morris
departed to Dallas. Still, Cousins has
a collection of young and veteran
receivers to throw to. But winning the
division in 2015 may have happened
by default. We’ll find out about that
this year if the divisional competition
remains healthy and the Skins
defense can withstand the potent
offenses of New York and Dallas.
NFC WEST
CARSON
PALMER
TODD
GURLEY
RUSSELL
WILSON
CARLOS
HYDE
CARDS THINKING SUPER BOWL
ALL THE WAY
RAMS RIGHT AT HOME
IN L.A.
SEAHAWKS STILL A TEAM TO BE
RECKONED WITH
CHIP KELLY ERA BEGINS IN
FRISCO
Coach: Bruce Arians
2015 Record:13-3
As long as Carson Palmer stays
healthy at quarterback, this team is a
Super Bowl contender. Led by Palmer,
the league’s best offense in 2015
serves up as good of a supporting
cast as a field general could ask for
in running back Chris Johnson and
wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald. The
fifth ranked defense remains intact
and this team is built to win now. They
do, however, play in an increasingly
competitive division.
Coach: Jeff Fisher
2015 Record: 7-9
If the Rams can overcome the fanfare
of moving from St. Louis back to Los
Angeles, they should be an improved
team. Jeff Fisher continues to tinker
with the defense even though he let
a number of players depart via free
agency while adding to the offense
via the draft. He’s got the league’s top
pick in California quarterback Jared
Goff, who’ll have second year running
back Todd Gurley to give him some
breathing room.
Coach: Pete Carroll
2015 Record: 10-6
Some say that Seattle is a team on
a downward spiral. Tell that to the
teams on their schedule. It’s true that
the team that went to two straight
Super Bowls is having their defense
picked apart thanks to free agency.
However, with Russell Wilson on the
field anything is possible and nobody
is better than Pete Carroll at keeping
the ship upright. Carroll plans to fill
the shoes of retired running back
Marshawn Lynch by committee.
Coach: Chip Kelly
2015 Record: 5-11
The Chip Kelly show comes to the
Bay Area where his fast-paced style
just may resurrect the career of
mobile quarterback Colin Kaepernick,
assuming he beats out Blaine Gabbert
for the starting job. Kelly plans to use
running back Carlos Hyde as a key
offensive component. In the draft he
focused his attention on defense,
including taking defensive end DeForest
Buckner with the seventh overall pick
from his former employer, Oregon.
Divisional opponents highlight a tough
schedule.
pg 6 2016 NFL PREVIEW