Very Early Look at the NFC

This morning might have an odd feel to it as it pertains to the blog. This is the morning that our “Guys Guide to the Cowboys” articles are due on the boss’s desk. I was asked to write a little something about the other contenders for the Super Bowl in the NFC. So, I must table all of the non-stories involving Terrence Newman’s groin and the Rangers inactivity at the trade deadline to address this.

So, who are the main threats to the Cowboys efforts to go to the Super Bowl in Tampa? In my estimation, they are as follows:

1. New York Giants – Obviously, they will be extra annoyed at how little respect they have received during this offseason, but it was once explained to me that Super Bowl rings are far more important than respect anyway. Were the Giants the best team in football last year? Not even close. But, they were the hottest at the right time, and they took a near-impossible road in the playoffs so they won it fair and square. I am still not convinced that Eli Manning is going to dominate the NFL at any point, and I think that losing Michael Strahan will really affect the defense far more than we think. He demanded a double team, which surely made other’s jobs far easier. I think the Cowboys have demonstrated that they can handle the Giants, but the Giants can make the similar case back the other way. This is a fabulous rivalry filled with hate, and in the 2 or 3 meetings this year, there shall be high drama and high venom. I place them as the biggest threat due to the division proximity.

2. New Orleans Saints – There is something that still makes me think the Saints can get things right despite the tough year they suffered in 2007. Adding Jeremy Shockey and getting some key players back health-wise should make quite a difference for them. Also, don’t underestimate the advantage of playing in an extremely soft division. While Minnesota and Green Bay hammer each-other, and while the NFC East bruises each-other, the Saints should be able to skate through their division fairly easily.

3. Green Bay Packers – Let’s see…I can’t swear I have heard much of their off-season. What a colossal mess! Never has a franchise screwed up the good feelings of a 13-3 season quite like the Packers seem to have. And now, they must face the reality of living up to the check that their management wrote, which claimed that an unproven QB, Aaron Rodgers – whose last meaningful game had him getting buried by Texas Tech in the Holiday Bowl – can outperform a Hall of Fame QB who was coming off one of the greatest years of his career. How they would not welcome Brett Favre back is a mystery to even me, and an example of stubborn egos that are out of control. Meanwhile, they have a brutal schedule, and it all adds up to a possible slim divisional win, but nothing more.

4. Minnesota, Washington, Philadelphia, Seattle – This group is known as the field. Either they have QB issues, Playmaker issues, or they just don’t appear as strong as the top 3. All 4 of these teams will have solid years, but just not the quality of a 12-win season. I will offer the one exception that should Seattle be able to secure home-field advantage, then they obviously would be a very difficult out in January. But, I just don’t trust them in the post-Shaun Alexander era.

Rush tries to play Rush on Rock Band



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