Bucky and Jeremiah rank NYG last in NFC East

[DaveBrown74]

Let's not forget Dal also has an AP returning to thier secondary this season; they still have AP/PB level talent on both sides of the ball. 

Exactly.

I feel like every year many people believe Dallas will fall off, and I wonder if some of that has to do with their postseason futility leaving a bad taste in everyone's mouth going into the offseason. The reality with Dallas is that they're very talented, and they draft well pretty much every year, but they have a QB who is only good and not great. As anyone who has been watching this sport with an objective lens for the past 15-odd years will have observed, it is all but impossible to win a Super Bowl in the modern NFL with just a "good" QB (Dak, Cousins, etc) on second or third contract money. That doesn't mean the Cowboys are not still a very good regular season team though.

[MightyGiants]

@DaveBrown74 and @kingm56

Remember last year when everyone ignored the Eagles' losing both their OC and DC and predicted a repeated trip to the Super Bowl? The Cowboys lost their very talented DC this past offseason (along with a number of veteran starters). Those sorts of losses tend to go under the radar but are often the most impactful.

[kingm56]

@DaveBrown74 and @kingm56

Remember last year when everyone ignored the Eagles' losing both their OC and DC and predicted a repeated trip to the Super Bowl? The Cowboys lost their very talented DC this past offseason (along with a number of veteran starters). Those sorts of losses tend to go under the radar but are often the most impactful.

Yet, they still won 11 games and made the playoffs.   This place went crazy when we won 9 games; so, I don't see 11 wins as a failure, despite how they finished.

If OC/DC were the primary issue, they would have struggled out the gate as players were learning the new systems; however, the reverse happened.  Even good teams go through spells; it happens all the time.  Regardless, I suspect they'll win double-digit games again this season, but will wait until Aug to make any real predictions. 

[MightyGiants]

Yet, they still won 11 games and made the playoffs.   This place went crazy when we won 9 games; so, I don't see 11 wins as a failure, despite how they finished.

If OC/DC were the primary issue, they would have struggled out the gate as players were learning the new systems; however, the reverse happened.  Even good teams go through spells; it happens all the time.  Regardless, I suspect they'll win double-digit games again this season, but will wait until Aug to make any real predictions. 

Matt,

I am confused.  The expectation for the Eagles (and this seemed to be a strong consensus) was that they would be returning to the Super Bowl.  How does putting up 11 wins (and making the playoffs) while suffering an embarrassing end-of-season loss to the Giants and immediately getting booted from the playoffs in a butt-kicking by the Bucs suggest the Eagles met expectations?

[AYM]

@DaveBrown74 and @kingm56

Remember last year when everyone ignored the Eagles' losing both their OC and DC and predicted a repeated trip to the Super Bowl? The Cowboys lost their very talented DC this past offseason (along with a number of veteran starters). Those sorts of losses tend to go under the radar but are often the most impactful.

They replaced Dan Quinn with Mike Zimmer who is probably just as good a DC.

[MightyGiants]

They replaced Dan Quinn with Mike Zimmer who is probably just as good a DC.

Maybe, but he's 67 and spent the last couple of seasons kicking around the college ranks as an analyst/consultant.   At his prime, I would say you are correct, but it almost seemed like he was in semi-retirement and now is coming back.  Such returns are not always certain.

[kingm56]

Matt,

I am confused.  The expectation for the Eagles (and this seemed to be a strong consensus) was that they would be returning to the Super Bowl.  How does putting up 11 wins (and making the playoffs) while suffering an embarrassing end-of-season loss to the Giants and immediately getting booted from the playoffs in a butt-kicking by the Bucs suggest the Eagles met expectations?

Expectations by whom?

[MightyGiants]

Expectations by whom?

I said the consensus expected the Eagles to return to the Super Bowl.  What is the purpose of your question?  Are you disputing the consensus expected a Super Bowl repeat?  Do you want me to list a bunch of people who made that prediction so you can go to Google and most people who didn't predict the Eagles would return (even though consensus means the majority is not unanimous)? 

Can't you acknowledge that the Eagles fell far short of expectations?