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Pastimes : The NFC East -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Eric L who wrote (3729)	2/28/2018 10:20:10 AM
From: Eric L	Respond to of 3790

NFC East: How will Redskins QB Alex Smith impact the NFC East? (ESPN) As the NFL turns its attention to the draft and free agency, Dallas Cowboys reporter Todd Archer, Washington Redskins reporter John Keim, Philadelphia Eagles reporter Tim McManus and New York Giants reporter Jordan Raanan look to the 2018 season with a series of questions this week. Tuesday's question: How will Alex Smith's addition to the Redskins impact the division? >> How will Redskins QB Alex Smith impact the NFC East? ESPN February 27, 2018 espn.com Tuesday's question: How will Alex Smith's addition to the Redskins impact the division? John Keim (Washington Redskins reporter): The Redskins internally say they've upgraded at quarterback. Of course, that could be justification for going in a different direction -- toward Smith and away from Kirk Cousins -- as not everyone in the NFL agrees with them. But for part of the season Smith was in the MVP discussion, and if nothing else, he and Cousins are at a comparable level. Smith offers the ability to make more off-schedule plays -- it's how he helped the Chiefs beat Washington last season, and that's always a plus. But here's the biggest plus for Washington: Smith is a lot cheaper. And that's how he'll impact the division. The only way Washington could have retained Cousins was via one of the tags. Let's say it opted for the transition tag, the cheaper of the two. Washington would have paid Cousins $28.8 million. Smith will count $17 million on the cap this season. So the Redskins will have around $34 million to spend on other players rather than just $23 million, giving them the ability to retain some of their own free agents, extend young players or sign others. Smith's presence alone isn't enough, but his ability plus the extra cap room will allow the Redskins to build -- if they spend wisely. Tim McManus (Philadelphia Eagles reporter): I don't think it moves the needle drastically in either direction. They aren't identical in their playing style, but Smith and Cousins are similar. They are both quality quarterbacks capable of winning (and even winning big) in the right system with a strong supporting cast, but in a tier below the magic-making QBs who can throw a franchise on their shoulders. Smith has completed 67 percent of his passes with an average of 20 touchdowns to seven interceptions over his last three seasons; Cousins also has a 67 percent completion rate over that span while averaging 27 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. Cousins is more aggressive as a passer, and Smith is a bit more active with his legs. It's close to a wash in my view. If anything, Washington may have weakened itself at quarterback considering Cousins has more upside at this stage and is 29 years old. Smith is 33. The Redskins have a chance to find success under Smith -- and who knows, maybe he'll be a better fit for coach Jay Gruden -- but the move from Cousins to Smith heightens the urgency to find the quarterback of the future. Jordan Raanan (New York Giants reporter): Not much. He's a competent quarterback no doubt but a downgrade in my estimation from Kirk Cousins. Smith is going to be 34 years old by the start of the season. This will be the homestretch of his career and he's never thrown 30 touchdown passes in a season. He doesn't strike fear into opposing defenses, especially with his limitations throwing the ball deep downfield. The Redskins can win with Smith if they have the right pieces around him. But do they? They need a running back. They need a No. 1 wide receiver. They need to keep tight end Jordan Reed healthy. They need to upgrade their defense. If they can do most or all of those things in the next year or two then the Alex Smith move can make waves in the NFC East. Otherwise it seems like a shortsighted move for an above-average quarterback in his final few productive seasons. The rest of the division should barely pay it any attention right now. Todd Archer (Dallas Cowboys reporter): From a Cowboys' perspective, seeing Cousins out of the division isn't a good thing. He had some big passing days against the Cowboys but a 1-6 record. To me, Smith can be more dynamic than Cousins because of his ability when things break down. Yes, he is older, but he has not shown a signs of unwillingness to leave the pocket to make plays. He is also risk averse. In his five-year run with the Kansas City Chiefs, he did not have more than eight interceptions in a season. His best season was 2017, with more than 4,000 yards passing, 26 touchdown passes and five interceptions. But he won't have Travis Kelce, Tyreek Hill or Kareem Hunt around him. Coach Jay Gruden wanted Cousins to pull the trigger more, especially down the field. It will be interesting to see if Gruden will get frustrated by Smith in the same manner. First, the Redskins will have to give Smith more skill players, especially at receiver, where they were still waiting for Josh Doctson to break out. If tight end Jordan Reed can stay healthy, that would help. And an improved running game would also help. Smith isn't a carry-the-load type of quarterback like, say, Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers, but he can win games. << - Eric L. -

To: Eric L who wrote (3729)	2/28/2018 10:36:41 AM
From: Eric L	Respond to of 3790

NFC East: Will Eli Manning change with a new coach and GM? (ESPN) As the NFL turns its attention to the draft and free agency, Dallas Cowboys reporter Todd Archer, Washington Redskins reporter John Keim, Philadelphia Eagles reporter Tim McManus and New York Giants reporter Jordan Raanan look to the 2018 season with a series of questions this week. Wednesday’s question: Should we expect a different Eli Manning with Pat Shurmur as the coach and Dave Gettleman as the GM in New York? >> Will Eli Manning change with a new coach and GM? ESPN February 27, 2018 espn.com Wednesday’s question: Should we expect a different Eli Manning with Pat Shurmur as the coach and Dave Gettleman as the GM in New York? Todd Archer (Dallas Cowboys reporter): Shurmur went 9-23 in his two years (2011-12) as the Cleveland Browns' head coach, which, looking at the Browns' results over the last couple of years, maybe should have earned him an extension. Gettleman put together a Carolina Panthers team that went to a Super Bowl and has been a relatively consistent playoff contender. The Giants aren't as bad as their 3-13 record indicated. It was a confluence of events that triggered their downfall. Based on what Shurmur got out of Case Keenum last year in Minnesota, he should be able to help Manning. Manning’s interception rate has been too high, not only late in his career, but for most of his career. The return of Odell Beckham Jr. will help, but Gettleman can help Manning the most by improving the offensive line. The biggest reason for the Giants' struggles in recent years has been their line play. They have not been able to protect Manning well enough or long enough, and the running game has not been very successful either. The Giants have to look to the future at quarterback with Manning entering his 15th season, but Shurmur might be able to coax out one more solid season from the veteran if Gettleman can put some pieces in place. John Keim (Washington Redskins reporter): Maybe. But we were supposed to get a different version of Manning the last couple years and that really hasn’t materialized. In fairness to Manning, injuries last fall robbed him of his weapons, notably receiver Odell Beckham Jr. And the line continues to need help. That’s the tough part about grading Manning. How much of his decrease in productivity stemmed from his decline and how much was it the talent (or lack thereof) around him? The good thing for Manning and the Giants is that Shurmur has a good reputation working with quarterbacks and fitting a system to signal-callers' strengths. Gettleman is a respected general manager. Because of that, and assuming better health around him, Manning should improve. The question then becomes by how much? I don’t think it will be enough. Tim McManus (Philadelphia Eagles reporter): I certainly don’t expect the 15-year veteran to change his spots, but new leadership will provide a short-term jolt for Manning, assuming Gettleman and Shurmur follow up on their commitment to fortify the offensive line. Shurmur is a bright offensive mind with a small ego who has been exposed to a myriad of offensive schemes in his travels. He’ll create a system that pulls from those experiences and caters to Manning’s strengths. There’s also a good chance that competition is added to the quarterback room, whether that’s via the No. 2 overall pick in April’s draft or free agency. That should get Manning’s competitive juices flowing. It’s no secret that he is in the twilight of his career. If the season doesn’t get off to the desired start or the front office grows anxious to usher in a new era, Manning might not last the year as the Giants’ starter. But, at 37, he still has some gas in the tank and will respond to the regime change and the threat of losing his job by stepping up his game. Jordan Raanan (New York Giants reporter): It seems a flawed approach to believe that a quarterback who will turn 38 before the end of the season will magically revert to the form from his prime that brought a pair of Super Bowl titles. Manning has been in serious decline the past two seasons and showed in 2017 that he is no longer capable of carrying a team, even for a limited period. Now, it doesn’t mean that Shurmur, who works well with quarterbacks, shouldn’t be able to coax a useful season or two out of Manning. He worked wonders the past two years with Sam Bradford and Case Keenum. He should be able to get average play out of an aging Manning (see 2016 with 26 TD passes and 16 INTs), especially with Gettleman committed to drastically improving the offensive line around him. The question is what is the Giants’ goal: Get a year or two of respectable play out of Manning or build for the future with Davis Webb or potentially the No. 2 overall pick? The likelihood is the Giants’ next Super Bowl will not be with Manning at quarterback, and it’s not coming this season following a 3-13 campaign. << - Eric L. -

To: Eric L who wrote (3729)	3/1/2018 10:08:35 AM
From: Eric L	Respond to of 3790

NFC East: With the Dak-Zeke tandem renewed, can the Cowboys contend in 2018? >> With the Dak-Zeke tandem renewed, can the Cowboys contend in 2018? As the NFL turns its attention to the draft and free agency, Dallas Cowboys reporter Todd Archer, Washington Redskins reporter John Keim, Philadelphia Eagles reporter Tim McManus and New York Giants reporter Jordan Raanan look to the 2018 season with a series of questions this week. Thursday’s question: What's the view on the Cowboys a year after Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott led them to a 13-3 record? ESPN March 1, 2018 espn.com Todd Archer (Dallas Cowboys reporter): The value of Elliott rose in 2017 because of how far the Cowboys and Prescott fell during the six-game suspension that shelved the running back for all but two of the final eight games. Dallas stumbled to 9-7 after its NFC East-winning 13-3 mark in 2016. I would have voted Elliott as the Rookie of the Year in 2016 over Prescott. That’s not to slight the quarterback, but Elliott was the engine of that team. In the second half of the 2017 season, Prescott threw for more than 212 yards in a game just once. He had nine of his 13 interceptions in that second half. But I don’t believe Prescott had a “sophomore slump.” It was more what happened around him than what he did or did not do. To me, there is no reason to think the Cowboys won’t compete for a playoff spot in 2018. Although Dallas has been to the playoffs just twice in Jason Garrett’s tenure, the Cowboys have been in contention for the NFC East title or a playoff spot every season but 2015. For the Cowboys to succeed again offensively, they need a full season of Elliott and Prescott benefiting from the looks Elliott gets from the defense. The formula Dallas followed in 2016 is a formula that can work again in 2018. John Keim (Washington Redskins reporter): A lot of skepticism. The troubling part last season was Prescott’s performance during Elliott’s six-game suspension. I liked Prescott a lot as a rookie -- he had terrific poise -- but he stumbled in 2017. However, the Cowboys' struggles were about more than just Elliott’s absence; they showed how reliant not just Prescott but also the entire offense was on Elliott. They need more from the receiver position to make this attack more multi-dimensional. Prescott and Dallas’ offense just weren’t good minus Elliott. In six games without him, Prescott threw five touchdowns and seven interceptions (as Dallas averaged 18.3 points), compared to 17 touchdowns and six picks when Elliott played (and 24.4 PPG). It’s really hard to know the direction Dallas is headed. The Cowboys’ defense, if it keeps DeMarcus Lawrence, continues to improve and could be the strength of the team next season. But what will Prescott do? Can Elliott not just bounce back but also have the same impact he did as a rookie? If they enter next season with Dez Bryant as their top receiver, 2018 will look a lot like 2017. Tim McManus (Philadelphia Eagles reporter): The formula for success seems to be pretty straightforward. When the Cowboys are able to lean on Elliott and that offensive line, everything else falls into place. Prescott gets put in better situations, the defense is less stressed, and victories are much easier to come by. When Zeke is not the centerpiece, the operation tends to get a little out of whack, as evidenced by Dallas’ 9-7 finish in 2017. With Elliott back, I’m sure the Cowboys will return to the blueprint that led them to a 13-3 record in 2016. It seems important, though, for the Cowboys to find a way to be less dependent on a single player, particularly in the wake of Elliott’s suspension last season. One way to cure that issue is for Prescott to take a step forward in his development. His numbers went down across the board in 2017 after a stellar rookie season. That’s somewhat understandable, given the turmoil surrounding the team, but now’s the time to get the arrow pointing back up. An infusion of young talent at the receiver and tight-end positions might help in that cause. As we’ve seen in the NFC East over the past decade-plus, a lot can change in a year. Although the Eagles appear to be well-positioned for a run of success, it’s quite possible that Dallas gets off the mat and makes a playoff charge this season. But that will happen only if Elliott shows maturity and Prescott delivers. Jordan Raanan (New York Giants reporter): The Cowboys are dangerous. They are poised for a bounce-back season with Elliott not suspended and Prescott having seen the adjustments that were made against him following a standout rookie season. The 2017 season was undoubtedly a shot of reality for Prescott. He’s maybe not quite as good as 2016 suggested, but he's probably somewhere in between his rookie performance (23 TDs, four INTs) and sophomore campaign (22 TDs, 13 INTs). Dallas’ defense is gradually improving its talent base, and if the Cowboys can add another serious weapon for Prescott in the passing game, they should be a really good offense with Elliott running behind that still-imposing line. The Cowboys went 9-7 during a 2017 season in which they had a tough schedule and didn’t meet expectations. They appear primed to improve this season if they can avoid any internal implosions, which always seems to be in play in Dallas, particularly with Jerry Jones as the owner and a Dez Bryant decision looming. << - Eric L -