With five new defensive backs, will the secondary be improved from a year ago?
The Giants' defense had an outstanding pass rush in 2005, led by a combined 26 sacks by defensive ends Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora, yet they did not have one interception by a defensive corner in 2005. This simply was not a ball-hawking secondary, but the Giants concentrated on defense in the offseason. They brought in five new defensive backs, and six of their eight draft choices were defensive players, along with eight free agents. You always worry about a new group gelling, and defensive coordinator Tim Lewis will expect them to play some aggressive man-to-man schemes; but this D is much better than last year's version, which will allow the Giants to go back to their exotic zone blitzes in an effort to confuse and challenge offenses.
What is wrong with the Giants' red-zone offense?
Of 59 possessions in the red zone in 2005, the Giants scored only 27 touchdowns. They were third in the league in scoring, but if they'd been better in this area, they could have led the NFL in TDs. Part of the problem is that young quarterback Eli Manning has a tendency to lock in on a receiver in the red zone, even on third down, allowing defenders to really jump routes and close on the ball. Although he has big targets who can go up and elevate, Manning tends to throw off his back foot, so the ball will sail on him in the red zone -- and that's where some of his interceptions occur. He needs to do a better job in 2006 of reading his progressions and hitting his second and third options in the red zone, or even checking down to a back. He has great targets, with size and athleticism, and simply needs to make better decisions and not force the ball to one guy.
Will rookie wide receiver Sinorice Moss become an impact player?
Moss is different than the Giants' other receivers because he is small and explosive; his game is all about speed. At 5-foot-8, he looks nothing like Plaxico Burress or Amani Toomer, but he could become a huge vertical weapon in the Giants' passing game. With all the other options available for Manning, it will be difficult for defenses to double-team Moss. With his speed and ability to accelerate, he could make a lot of big plays versus single coverage. He is also outstanding at converting yards after the catch, and it is likely the Giants will give him a package of short passing plays so he has the opportunity to convert some underneath plays into long gains. He will battle veteran Tim Carter for the No. 3 receiver position, but he could make a contribution early in nickel and dime packages.
Can running back Julius Jones hold up physically for a full season and give Dallas a ball control offense?
With Dallas going to a one-back offense, where Jones has the freedom to pick holes and create on his own, he should have more success and take less hits than he has the last couple of years. This formation will allow him to make some presnap reads and identify the defensive schemes. You get the feeling the Cowboys are starting to sour on Jones a little bit because he has only been active in 21 of 32 career games, and it is important for him to get through the 2006 season with better durability than he has shown in the past. If Jones struggles, we may see backup Marion Barber getting more carries, because he is more physical between the tackles. However, Barber is not as nifty and lacks the big-play threat of Jones. The only negative thing about this new offensive formation is that with two tight ends as a part of your basic set, we may see defenses put eight defenders in the box, which could make it a little tougher for Jones to find those holes.
Can kicker Mike Vanderjagt and the special teams unit be the difference between a good Dallas team and a legitimate playoff contender?
Absolutely. The Cowboys lost three games in 2005 because of marginal production with their kicking unit, and that is the difference between 9-7 and 12-4. Their cover teams are excellent and they hope to get a big shot of adrenaline from rookie return specialist Skyler Green. Vanderjagt, the most accurate kicker in NFL history, will give them those game-winning kicks they have missed in the last few years. This is a team that had nine games decided by four points or less in 2005, and three of those nine games wound up being losses.
Is this team a legitimate Super Bowl contender?
Owner Jerry Jones has spent $70 million in signing bonuses over the last two years to remake this team and put the players on the field Bill Parcells wants. The Cowboys have eight new free agents in 2006, and they have better depth than they have had at any time in Parcells' tenure. With former offensive coordinator Sean Payton gone, Parcells will likely go back to calling the plays himself, and it will be interesting to see how innovative he is, and if he takes some chances. Interestingly, Parcells took the Giants to the Super Bowl in his fourth year in New York and the Patriots to the Super Bowl in his fourth year in New England. Now he is in his fourth year in Dallas. History tells us even though this division is very competitive, Parcells has his best chance to take this Cowboys team to the Super Bowl.
Has the window closed on the Eagles, or are they still a playoff team?
Although injuries played a huge factor in 2005, the Eagles did not record one win in the NFC East last year. The Eagles have an outstanding quarterback in Donovan McNabb, and while they have a variety of weapons in the passing game on offense, they no longer have anybody who scares you or forces you to change a game plan. Defensively, they are still aggressive and have made dramatic improvements up front, but age is starting to be a factor, and this group needs to stay healthy to be a dominant force. The biggest challenge, as always, will be to have some kind of offensive balance. There is not much of a chance for the Eagles to have a legitimate running attack, so ball control will have to come from the short passing game. It is conceivable that the Eagles could improve and still finish last in a division that has three other teams that also got better in the offseason. Even if Philadelphia is competitive going into December, it has a three-week stretch at Washington, at the New York Giants and at Dallas -- a brutal way to wind down the season.
After a down year in 2005, can the Eagles return to a dominating pass defense in 2006?
Ironically, three of the four starters in the secondary went to the Pro Bowl two years ago, but everything seemed to fall apart in 2005; a lot of that had to do with injuries, especially to cornerback Lito Sheppard. But this group just didn't make very many plays in 2005 and gave up 24 touchdown passes, although a lot of it was due to a marginal pass rush up front. Free safety Brian Dawkins is 32 and may have lost a step, but he can still play at a very high level. Strong safety Michael Lewis hits like a linebacker, and this duo intimidates anyone who comes over the middle. They are also great blitzers. Defensive corners Sheldon Brown and Sheppard can still cover man-to-man and play the blitz-happy schemes that defensive coordinator Jim Johnson loves to utilize. There is also good depth in the secondary, and with an improved pass rush up front, look for the Eagles' pass defense to return to elite status in 2006.
Will the Eagles generate a pass offense good enough to offset the departure of T.O.?
While the Eagles' chemistry, especially the offense, will be dramatically improved with Terrell Owens now residing in Dallas, the fact is the Eagles do not have a go-to guy in the passing game or an offensive weapon that really scares defenses. The closest thing is undersized running back Brian Westbrook, but he is not really a deep threat, and opponents can handle him with some bracket coverages by safeties and linebackers. None of Philadelphia's wide receivers are proven big-play guys, and there isn't really a vertical component to this passing game; so the reality is that Philadelphia's pass offense will rely on a committee approach, with McNabb spreading the ball around to a variety of targets. Although the coaching staff likes young wide receiver Reggie Brown, he is certainly not Owens and he won't require double-coverage schemes. The biggest problem with this group right now is that defenses can line up and play very straight coverage schemes and get the job done without many adjustments.
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