NFL Offseason Review: NFC East

The NFC East - the bright lights of the NFL shine on this division much more than any other. Many of the NFL's glamour teams reside here: America's Team, a two-time Super Bowl champion in the last decade, an offensive genius coming from the college ranks, and the electric RG3. The NFC East has it all, and especially has a lot of questions about each and every team. So lets take a look.

Dallas Cowboys

Tony Romo (Photo from espn.com)

Well, America's Team certainly had an interesting offseason. Between changing their defensive schemes to having a very interesting draft to say the least, let's see how Dallas measures up coming into this upcoming season. At quarterback, freshly-paid Tony Romo will have even more pressure thrown on top of him after signing a six-year, $108 million contract. Romo better lead the Cowboys back to the playoffs and win at least a game this year or the media will be all over the Cowboys and Jerry Jones for giving such a rich contract to someone who cannot win a big game come playoff time. Romo has to stop having his late season collapses to finally break his image as someone who cannot handle the pressure. Hopefully getting a full, healthy season out of running back DeMarco Murray this season will help. When healthy and on the field, Murray is a game changing back capable of taking a run to the house at any time. But, health is always an issue for Murray. The Cowboys do not have any great back-ups for Murray, so Murray better stay healthy or look for Romo to suffer the consequences. The receivers are a question mark for this team. They have talented - but pain in the neck - wideout Dez Bryant, and Miles Austin for Romo. Bryant is one of the best wideouts in the game if he is focused, but has constant outside distractions. Last year was his big break out season. I expect him to grow on that if he stays focused and in the game. Austin has to get back to his form from a couple years ago when he busted out because the depth behind them doesn't have very many proven players. Watch out for Cole Beasley. He's going to get a lot balls thrown his way this year. At tight end, the ageless wonder Jason Witten will have some assistance in this year's 2nd round pick Gavin Escobar. This duo will be a hard pair to cover and will cause many mismatches. Look for a great year from both. The offensive line should be better then last year with Tyron Smith getting another year of experience under his belt. With the addition of surprising first rounder Travis Frederick to anchor the line at center for Romo, they should not be as inconsistent as last years group who allowed 36 sacks, and couldn't get any push for any running back last year.

DeMarcus Ware (Photo from Dallas Observer)

The biggest change with the Cowboys is switching from there 3-4 attacking defense to a Cover-2 4-3 defense under the master Monte Kiffin. The defensive line should be solid with DeMarcus Ware being moved to defensive end in the scheme, allowing him to solely focus on rushing the passer without having to drop into coverage. Anthony Spencer had a solid year last year and should be just as effective this year with Ware rushing the passer full time. Tackles Jay Ratliff and Jason Hatcher will be solid up the gut in the middle against the run, but they will need to get pressure up the middle to be successful in the Tampa 2 scheme. Sean Lee, Bruce Carter, and Justin Durant make a fantastic group for Dallas to build around. Lee and Carter are both built for this scheme: rangy, athletic, and have great ball skills to excel in the Tampa 2 defense. The secondary will have to step up this year playing in mostly zone coverage. Morris Claiborne and Brandon Carr will have to play extremely effectively for this defense to stop anyone. Safeties Will Allen and Barry Church will have to play well this season for Kiffin's defense. The safeties need to be playmakers. The 'Boys will have it rough in the NFC East this season. I do not expect the Cowboys to play up to owner Jerry Jones' standards, and coach Jason Garrett to be let go. Six wins for America's team.

New York Giants

Eli Manning (Photo from Village Voice)

The Super Bowl Champions of two years ago are still fill steam ahead towards another Super Bowl run. But do the Giant's have enough to make it to another Lombardi trophy? The quarterback position for the Giants is all set with Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning at the head of the team. Solid, reliable, and efficient, Eli is the unquestioned leader of the Giants this year. The wide receiver position is set with the resigning of Victor Cruz, and the return to health of Hakeem Nicks. Keep an eye out for Rueben Randle to have a big year as well. The signing of Brandon Myers to play tight end was an under-the-radar pick up. Myers is a solid blocker and good in the passing game which should help Eli out tremendously. David Wilson had a break out last couple games in 2012 for the Giants, who are hoping that their first round pick from last year is going to break out like Doug Martin from Tampa Bay did last year. The depth chart behind him is a bit sketchy, but serviceable. The offensive line should be solid if not unspectacular. The addition of first round pick Justin Pugh should help with his versatility on the line if he does not win a starting job out of camp.

Justin Tuck (left) and Jason Pierre-Paul (right) (Photo from nj.com)

The Giants' defense is going to have to rely on their front four to carry the weight this year, because the line backers are unproven and the secondary has talent but needs to step up and show maturity and play up to potential. Losing Osi Umenyiora in the off season hurts the depth of the defensive line, but if Jason Pierre-Paul and Justin Tuck can get back to playing to their ceilings, the line will be fine. JPP especially needs a bounce back after his down season last year. I fully expect both defensive ends to get into the 10+ sack territory. The tackles should be solid, especially with drafting Jon Hankins in the 2nd round this year. They have depth and talent at the position. It won't be a worry for the team. The line backers are lead by... well, no one really. There is no stand out talent in the line backing core, just a bunch of average fellas who won't scare anyone. Secondary outlook for the Giants is they have young talent in Prince Amukamara and a veteran presence in Corey Webster, which should be a solid pairing if Prince can live up to his first round pick in 2011. He has the talent and the size, but has yet to put together a solid showing. The safeties, lead by Antrel Rolle, are solid but unspectacular. As long as they are not being beat by the big play, the safety position will be fine. I see an eight win season ahead for the New York Football Giants.

Philadelphia Eagles

Chip Kelly (Photo from emory.edu)

I am having a real hard time deciding how the Eagles are going to end up this year with so many questions about the team. Chip Kelly becoming head coach and bringing his uptempo offense to the NFL, Mike Vick being healthy and in a QB competition with Nick Foles,  and the defensive switch to the 3-4 brings up a lot of interesting questions. Let's start off at quarterback with Vick and Foles. I fully believe Vick will be the starter coming out of camp, but with his history of injuries, watch for Foles to close out the season. If healthy, in this offense, Vick will be an extremely dangerous man with the option and the weapons he has around him. With LeSean McCoy being back and healthy, if the option is going to be used, look for the Eagles to possibly even out pace the 49ers with the running game this year. This offense could be scary, but until they get on the field no one knows. Bryce Brown will be a solid back-up to McCoy this year, as long as he can get his fumbling under control. The receivers and tight ends will be solid with Jeremy Maclin and DeSean Jackson on the outside, and new pick up from Tampa Bay Arrelious Benn in the slot. Zack Ertz and Brent Celek will be a fantastic duo of tight ends for Vick. Both are big athletic targets who will be dangerous in the end zone. With the return of Jason Peters to health and selection of Lane Johnson with their first round pick this year, this offensive line should be one of the top lines in the year.

DeMeco Ryans (Photo from philly.com)

The Eagles are switching from a traditional 4-3 to a 3-4 this year, and I believe that they will have a fantastic front seven to anchor the team. Up front on the defensive line, Fletcher Cox, Clifton Geathers, and free agent signing Isaac Sopoaga will be a good front three to hold the line with plenty of depth behind them. The line backers are the bright spot of the defense, with another free agent signee Conner Barwin brought in to rush the passer alongside converted defensive end Trent Cole. they should make a formidable duo on the outside. DeMeco Ryans and Mychal Kendricks in the middle are a fantastic athletic pairing who should excel this season with running backs being funnelled their way. Both are good in coverage as well. The secondary will be the big question, with the entire starting secondary being overhauled. Until training camp begins, I can't really give to many predictions about how they will perform together. But nothing can be worse then last year, so expect a better showing this year with a big bounce back year from Patrick Chung. I see a seven to eight win season out of the Eagles. They are a solid team that might need another year to contend for playoff spot under Chip Kelly.

Washington Redskins

Robert Griffin III (Photo from espn.com)

Here is the team I am fully expecting to run away with this division this year - Robert Griffin or not. RG3 should be fine coming back from ACL surgery since he's already back on the field practicing with his team. When healthy, we all know he is a dynamic player who is a game changer. But if he can't get on the field, Kurt Cousins will be a fantastic replacement. I believe Cousins will be a starter very soon in this league. So if RG3 goes down, the Redskins will barely miss a beat. Alfred Morris had a breakout year last year in his rookie season, coming from nowhere to be the next in a long line of Mike Shanahan running backs to be the man. The depth behind Morris is solid with Roy Hulu and Evan Royster. The receivers for the Skins are solid veterans with the ability to create big plays. Santana Moss is ageless. Pierre Garcon and Josh Morgan are big play guys. Fred Davis is a great all around tight end who is a great pass catcher and blocker. I expect him to bust out this year and put up close to elite tight end numbers. The offensive line is solid with Trent Williams protecting the left tackle position. The rest of the line is just ok. As long as they can hold up and protect RG3, they are the position that will decide how RG3 plays and if he gets injured.

Brian Orakpo (Photo from blog.redskins.com)

The front seven of the Redskins is great. Barry Cofield, Stephen Bowen, and Jarvis Jenkins are a solid big front three who are space eaters, and good against the run. The line backers are the stars of this team, with All-Pro Brian Orakpo returning from injury and Ryan Kerrigan gaining another year of experience. These two make a deadly pairing rushing the quarterback. The quarterbacks of the NFC East should be shaking at Orakpo's return. The ageless wonder London Fletcher is back and is manning the middle again for the Skins. He has always been underrated and I think he's a future hall of famer. Fletcher is a tackling machine and with another solid tackler Perry Riley beside him, this line backing core is a favourite of mine with every member of the squad being solid. The weak part of the defense is the secondary with DeAngelo Hall being the star of the secondary. Josh Wilson is a solid starter beside him at the corner position, with Brandon Meriweather and Reed Doughty being average starters at safeties. Both are unspectacular with their play, but solid all around players. I expect the Redskins to win 11 and easily win this division.

Three NFC divisions down, one more to go. Up next another storied division, including the frozen tundra of Lambeau Field, the Monsters of the Midway, the reigning NFL MVP, and ... a bankrupt city. Last but not least, it's the NFC North next time.

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Brett's 2013 NHL Playoff Conference Semifinals Predictions

Alright, so the first round didn't go as well as my NBA predictions. At the end of the day, I got five of the eight series correct. Not that bad, considering lost Game 7. Then again, I couldn't have been more wrong with the Ottawa and San Jose wins.

Now, I'm writing this with a heavy heart after my Toronto Maple Leafs blew Game 7 last night. It'll take some time to recover, but I've accepted the fact now. It was a much better result than I had anticipated going into the series.

Anyways, let's get on to the teams that are still actually playing hockey at this point. Conference Semifinals time!

Eastern Conference
(1) Pittsburgh Penguins vs. (7) Ottawa Senators
The media is going to have a field day with this series. Having Matt Cooke play against the Ottawa Senators mere months after slicing Erik Karlsson's Achilles. While that will give people something to talk about, the action on the ice could be even better. Pittsburgh won all three games played in the regular season, but they were all close games. The first round series exposed a problem for the Penguins in net. Marc-Andre Fleury started to play like did in last year's defeat against the Philadelphia Flyers, so much so that Tomas Vokoun has taken over the starting goalie spot - at least for Game 1. On the opposite side of the ice, Craig Anderson was brilliant against Montreal. He has been one of the league's most consistent goaltenders. How much can a hot goalie mean to a playoff series? Jaroslav Halak stole a series from the Penguins two years ago. Will it happen again this year? I don't think so. Crosby and Malkin are playing exceptionally, the Penguins have more depth, and Vokoun just has to be steady. The Pesky Sens have had a fine season, but it ends here.
Pittsburgh wins the series 4-2.

(4) Boston Bruins vs. (6) New York Rangers
This series hurts a little, knowing how close the Leafs were to being in this spot. Anyways, during that series, the Bruins showed two teams: one which was physical, fast, and intimidating and another that was slow, old, and had problems scoring. Boston will need production from all lines. At the end of the first round series, Patrice Bergeron and his line showed some life. Moving Jagr up to join Bergeron and Brad Marchand added a needed offensive spark to the team, giving them a second offensive threat. They'll need every bit of it to beat the Rangers and Vezina-nominated Henrik Lundqvist. It's hard to overestimate his worth to the Rangers in the first round, considering there were four games New York scored a goal or less. In order to beat Boston, the Rangers will need a much better effort from their offense. They showed some offensive spark in Game 7, shutting out Washington 5-0. No matter how good Lundqvist plays, it's hard to see the Rangers scoring enough goals on Tuukka Rask and the Bruins defense. It'll be a close, low-scoring series, but Boston takes it.
Boston wins the series 4-3.

Western Conference
(1) Chicago Blackhawks vs. (7) Detroit Red Wings
Even though Chicago made quick work of the Minnesota Wild, two of the five games went in to overtime. The series could've been drastically different. Do I think the Blackhawks still would've won the series? Yes, they have far too much talent. Detroit presents an interesting challenge. The long-time top dog in the Central Division, the Red Wings only won one game in regulation during the first round. They showed some dominance over the Ducks last round, but allowed Anaheim to get back into games too often. Chicago will be able to take advantage of that as well, making it hard on the Red Wings to get any form of separation. During the season, Chicago won all four match-ups against Detroit, but three were in the shootout. Again, another indication of a close series, which I think it will be. Eventually Chicago takes the series and top dog spot in the Central, but Detroit will give them everything they've got.
Chicago wins the series 4-2.

(5) Los Angeles Kings vs. (6) San Jose Sharks
Another Western Conference series, another divisional match-up. The Kings showed what won them the Stanley Cup against the Blues in the first round: a combination of great defense and outstanding goaltending. Combined with timely scoring, it makes for a very successful playoff recipe. Jonathan Quick kept the defending champs in the series early, making huge saves. He stepped up his game from the regular season where some people were questioning the contract the Kings gave him. The Sharks are coming off of a great series against the Canucks, taking complete advantage of a team that was unable to score goals. It was a problem for L.A. in the first round, only scoring 12 times in six games against the Blues. San Jose has a Vezina-nominated goalie in Antti Niemi, which will make scoring a big issue for the Kings again. While it sounds obvious, the goalies will decide the series. I think Quick outplays Niemi, and the Kings return to the Western Conference Finals. The series goes seven games since San Jose doesn't seem to lose at home.
Los Angeles wins the series 4-3.

Well, there are my picks for the semifinals. I hope that I have a better percentage than the first round. If not, there's always another round.

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Why John Tavares Should Win the NHL's Hart Trophy

The NHL released the nominees for the Hart Memorial Trophy, given each season to the "player adjudged to be the most valuable to his team", this past Friday. Penguins captain Sidney Crosby and Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin - two former winners of the award - were both nominated this year. The third player? Fourth year forward and New York Islanders alternate captain John Tavares. While the easy choice is to give the award to Crosby or Ovechkin, the right choice is Tavares.

John Tavares (Photo from lastwordonsports.com)

It's very easy to make a case for either Crosby or Ovechkin, and both are deserving candidates. When Crosby had his jaw broken by a Brooks Orpik slapshot at the end of March, he led the league with 56 points. After missing the rest of the season, he still finished tied for third in the league. While those were impressive numbers, it helped negate his campaign for the Hart. With Crosby out of the lineup for April, the Penguins won eight of their final 12 games. His absence showed the depth Pittsburgh has in their organization. So, while he is arguably the best player in the world and valuable to his team, he isn't the MOST valuable.

A similar case can be made for Ovechkin, except he has a stronger claim for the Hart. Washington was floundering during the first half of the lockout-shortened season. The same could be said for Ovechkin, who many thought he wasn't the same player that won two previous Hart trophies. Then, he caught fire and quickly closed the gap in the race for the Maurice Richard Trophy, awarded to the player with the most goals in the league. As he closed that gap, the Capitals closed the gap on the Winnipeg Jets for the division crown. Both eventually overtaking the leader, with Ovechkin leading the league in goals (32 - the only player in the league to reach 30 goals) and the Capitals winning the Southeast Division title.

So, if I make a case like that for Ovechkin, how can I say that Tavares deserves the Hart?

To start, most  preseason predictions found the Islanders in the bottom third of the NHL. There were questions whether they could compete with the rest of the powers in the Atlantic Division. John Tavares made the team relevant this season, leading to their first playoff appearance in six years.

In terms of numbers, the Mississauga-native put some up. Tavares lit the lamp 28 times this season. During his three 82 game seasons, he scored 24, 29, and 31 respectively. While he only had 19 assists this year, he made his line mates better. He assisted on 8 of Matt Moulson's 15 goals. That's not counting all of the goals that Tavares scored assisted by Moulson or other winger Brad Boyes. Taking his offense off of the Islanders would mean they miss the playoffs. Not taking away anything from Moulson or Boyes, but they wouldn't have come close to their numbers without Tavares either setting them up for finishing off their pass.

Now, you might make a similar argument about Ovechkin. But, he has legitimate help on the team. With  Mike Riberio, Nicklas Backstrom, and Mike Green to name a few, the Capitals can still make the playoffs with the roster they have. The Islanders would be in the bottom five without Tavares.

So, when the 2013 NHL Awards take place, John Tavares deserves the Hart Trophy. Whether he wins it or not, that's another matter all together.

Brett's 2013 NHL Playoff Conference Quarterfinals Predictions

About two weeks ago, I wrote my predictions for the 2013 NBA Playoffs and - apart from Denver - so far, so good.

Now, the NHL regular season has wrapped up and the playoffs are upon us. The Toronto Maple Leafs broke a nine year playoff drought. On the opposite end of the spectrum, the Detroit Red Wings continued their impressive run in the post-season, making the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the 22nd year in a row. And that's not even talking about the impressive seasons that the Chicago Blackhawks, Pittsburgh Penguin, and Anaheim Ducks have completed. Who will win? Here's my take:

Eastern Conference
(1) Pittsburgh Penguins vs. (8) New York Islanders
The good news for the Penguins is Sidney Crosby has been practicing with the team, wearing a funny looking jaw protector. Crosby, who broke his jaw at the hands of a Brooks Orpik slapshot in a game against the Islanders, is still waiting to be cleared by doctors before returning to the team. Pittsburgh won the season series between the two teams, including four straight wins. However, I don't believe that will be the main factor in the Penguins winning the series. They have an excess in playoff experience, adding even more after acquiring Jarome Iginla and Brenden Morrow. While it will be nice to see Islanders star John Tavares in the playoffs, it won't be a long visit. The Penguins have a lot of expectations and a lot to prove after last year's debacle.
Pittsburgh wins series 4-1.

(2) Montreal Canadiens vs. (7) Ottawa Senators
The Ottawa Senators won their final game of the season to cement this match-up in the first round. Not only will this be a great series, but it guarantees a Canadian team in the second round. Anyways, on to the series: this is a close one. Being division rivals, these teams are very familiar with each other. They split the season series, and I see more of the same coming. The Senators received a boost with the unlikely return of reigning Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson. The 22-year-old defenceman recently came back after a nasty Achilles injury suffered at the hands skate of Matt Cooke. However, they don't appear to be getting centre Jason Spezza back any time soon. When it comes down to it, I trust Canadiens goalie Carey Price in a seven game series more than Senators goalie Craig Anderson. Also, expect a double-OT game in this one.
Montreal wins series 4-3.

(3) Washington Capitals vs. (6) New York Rangers
These two teams have met in the last two playoffs. Last year, they met in a seven game thriller in the second round. While the Rangers came out on top last year, I think the Capitals will get the job done this time around. Capitals winger Alex Ovechkin has been the hottest player in the second half of the season, storming past Steven Stamkos to lead the league with 32 goals. Plus, he's scored some fantastic goals against the Rangers in his playoff history. Now, New York won't just lie down for this series. They have arguably the best goalie in the league in Henrik Lundqvist, who was responsible for 24 of the 26 games the Rangers won this year. He'll steal them a couple of games, but the offense isn't there for New York, which was surprising after they acquired Rick Nash from the Blue Jackets in the offseason. Ovi and the Caps will use their firepower to get by a stiff test from the Rangers.
Washington wins series 4-2.

(4) Boston Bruins vs. (5) Toronto Maple Leafs
It seems fitting that the Leafs would play the Bruins in their first trip to the playoffs in nine years. It was just three and a half years ago that Toronto gave up two first round picks for winger Phil Kessel. Of course, those picks ended up being Tyler Seguin and Dougie Hamilton, both of whom will play this season. This series will be a defining moment in Kessel's young career. In two series with the Bruins, Kessel was a point-per-game player in the playoffs. While he has been a very nice addition for the Leafs, he can't find his game against the Bruins. In his career against his former team, Kessel has nine points in 22 games. If Toronto has any hope of winning this series, Kessel will have to get back to his point-per-game level. However, even if that happens, it doesn't look good for the Leafs. Since the Kessel trade, Boston is 15-4-3 against the Leafs. The Bruins also won't be intimidated by the physical game Toronto likes to play with players like Zdeno Chara, Shawn Thornton, and Milan Lucic. Not to mention the offensive ability of Seguin, Patrice Bergeron, Jaromir Jagr, and others. As much as it pains me to say this, it will be a quick series for Boston. Toronto wins one at home, but that's it.
Boston wins series 4-1.

Western Conference
(1) Chicago Blackhawks vs. (8) Minnesota Wild
Many, including myself, believe that the Minnesota Wild won the 2012 offseason by signing both Zach Parise and Ryan Suter to identical 13-year, $98 million deals. While some questioned the contracts, it was apparent they would help the team during the 2012-13 season. And it helped to some degree. For the first time in five seasons, Minnesota made the playoffs - barely. They needed all 48 games, but they edged the Blue Jackets. Their reward: drawing arguably the best team in the league in the first round. Chicago has been on fire this season, winning the President's Trophy this season. Led by their two young stars Patrick Kane (55 points) and Jonathan Toews (48 points), the Chicago offense was clicking all year. The Blackhawks also finally got some solid goaltending this year from Ray Emery and Corey Crawford. Chicago is just too good for the Wild.
Chicago wins series 4-0.

(2) Anaheim Ducks vs. (7) Detroit Red Wings
It's not strange to see a first round series between the Ducks and the Red Wings. However, it's not too often that Detroit is the seven seed in the series. The Ducks have been strong all season after missing the playoffs last year. It's just so hard to go against Detroit, especially with the talent that takes the ice night-in and night-out. They have seemed to been getting their game back together later in the season. It was a big adjustment for the Wings this year, losing former captain Niklas Lidstrom to retirement. This will be another close series, and my gut is telling me to go with history. It doesn't hurt that history has players like Henrik Zetterberg, Pavel Datsyuk, and Jimmy Howard.
Detroit wins series 4-3.

(3) Vancouver Canucks vs. (6) San Jose Sharks
I think this series wil be closer than most people expect. San Jose has been one of the best teams at home this season, losing only twice in regulation. They still have most of the veteran core of Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau, and Dan Boyle. Logan Couture will have to have a great series to knock off the Northwest Division Champions. Speaking of the Canucks, the season has been followed by the Luongo vs. Schneider storyline. With Schneider looking to be the starter heading into the playoffs, it will be interesting to see if he can rebound after last year's shaky performance against the Kings. Offensively, Vancouver has the spark and talent with the Sedin twins, Ryan Kesler, and even Alex Burrows. It just didn't seem to click this season, as the team only scored 122 goals. If they are able to rebound, the Canucks win the series. Too bad for San Jose that Game 7 will be on the road.
Vancouver wins series 4-3.

(4) St. Louis Blues vs. (5) Los Angeles Kings
In another rematch of last year's Conference Semifinals, the Blues host the defending Stanley Cup Champions. It's been an up and down season for both teams. For a while, Brian Elliott couldn't get things done in net. Heading into the playoffs, he's the NHL's second star for the month of April. Defense hasn't been a problem for the Blues, but scoring has been an issue: only three players had more than 10 goals this season. As for the Kings, they swept the Blues last year during their march through the Western Conference. Much of their team remains unchanged from last year, but Jonathan Quick hasn't shown the second gear he demonstrated last year. Los Angeles seemingly found their game again at the end of the year. They'll be able to take care of Blues again, except less dominant.
Los Angeles wins series 4-2.

Well, those are my predictions for the first round of the playoffs. Do you agree or disagree? Let me know in the comments below.

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