NFL Betting: Breaking Down the NFC East for the 2018 Season
By Loot, NFL Handicapper, Lootmeister.com
The NFC East division was certainly a surprise last season, supplying the Super Bowl Champion in the Philadelphia Eagles. That was the only postseason presence coming out of this division, as the Cowboys and Redskins stumbled, while the Giants' season under-delivered in a major way. One should anticipate even more surprises this season. Some teams don't bounce back all that well from Super Bowl titles. The Cowboys, Giants, and Redskins all can make cases for becoming a threat in this division. Let's break down the pros and cons of each team and try to figure if they'll go over or under their projected wins total for the 2018 NFL season.
Dallas Cowboys (9-7 last season)
Pros:
Close to full-power in terms to roster availability
Added useful talent like Tavon Austin, WR Allen Hurns, and rookie WR Michael Gallup
Best RB in conference
Playmaking ability on defense
Interesting draft picks on both sides of the ball
Schedule eases up down the stretch
Won 9 games last season without a ton going right
Cons:
Did Prescott hit a wall?
Outside of Elliott, do they have the playmaking to make the offense better?
Can they avoid injuries and suspensions?
Aerial game took a step back last season
O-line regressed last season
Run-game suffered without ultra-dominant line
Prescott and Elliott not as good in second seasons
Williams only WR back with over 40 catches last season
Issues at linebacker and secondary
Pass-rush not where it needs to be
Need a powerful offense, do they have it?
Tough schedule to open
Loot's Pick for O/U Wins: Under 8.5 at -110. They could potentially get more out of what they have, but the offense seems to be receding and any number of things could soil their chances this season, in the form of injuries or suspensions.
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New York Giants (3-13 last season)
Pros:
New coaching staff could pay off
Interesting youngsters with Saquon Barkley, Will Hernandez, and others
Get some key guys back from injury
A lot of pieces remain from their big 2016 season
Defense could still be strong if personnel issues are at a minimum
With Solder and Hernandez, O-line could be better
Better O-line and run game could help Manning
Interesting youngsters coming around
With Barkley and Jonathan Stewart, run-game improves
New coaching staff offers promise
Talent in skill positions, but offense still a question mark
Cons:
Coming off one of the worst underachieving seasons ever
Special teams is comedic
Is Manning the same force of old?
Too many problem-guys in locker room
Has formula for success grown stale?
Is Manning declining or was there nothing around him?
Is OBJ too much of a distraction and too injury-prone?
O-line could be better, but still a work in progress
Will line undermine Manning and a seemingly-resurgent run-game?
No pass-rush, where will it come from this season?
Tough schedule for a team coming off a 3-13 season
Loot's Pick for O/U Wins: Over 7 at -125. Some of the things that made them good two years ago are still there and a dose of better overall fortune should have them near the .500 mark this season.
Philadelphia Eagles (13-3 last season)
Pros:
New winning tradition in the locker-room
Wealth at the QB position
Added Michael Bennett, Haloti Ngata, and Mike Wallace
O-line was dominant at times last season
Depth is evident when you win the Bowl with a backup QB
Roster has a lot of punch
Great run-game
Jim Schwartz returns as defensive coordinator and should be even better
Good defense
No apparent weaknesses, nothing fluky about title
Cons:
Super Bowl hangover possibility?
SB title led to a lot of coaching departures
Did they lose too many pieces?
Has winning formula been disrupted too much?
There have been some losses—Smith, Robinson, Celek, Allen, etc.
Schedule is going to be tough
QB controversy brewing?
Tough division and conference
Loot's Pick for O/U Wins: Over 10.5 at +120. To get an underdog price on a team this strong that can lose twice more than last season and still be a winner for the over looks to be a solid move, Super Bowl hangover possibility notwithstanding.
Washington Redskins (7-9 last season)
Pros:
New QB is Alex Smith coming off career-year
Smith 69-31-1 as a starter since 2011
Roster looks good on paper
Playmakers coming into their own
Added offensive spark with Paul Richardson
Youngsters on both sides of ball bound to improve
Nice addition in Scandrick on defense
Make or break for coaching staff, high urgency this season
Ton of issues due to injuries last season, could be healthier
Smith should give Redskins better turnover ratio
Less costly mistakes with Smith running offense
Schedule allows for potential for fast start
Cons:
Lot of weapons on offense, without any real difference-makers
Injury bug—already lost Guice and others
Lost some juice on defense
Can't stop the run or create their own ground-game
Missed Sean McVay on offense last season, need answers
Key guys injury-prone
Does Smith have playmakers to exploit aerially?
Is Smith cut out to work with deep threats on team?
Early bye in week 4
Toughest schedule in division
Loot's Pick for O/U Wins: Over 7 wins at +120. Smith is a winner and urgency is super-high with the Redskins, making one think at least a .500 record might be in the cards this season. Bet this for FREE by taking advantage of a massive 100% sign-up bonus on your first deposit of $100 to $500 at GTBets!
