Ruben's NFC Preview: NFC East!

New York Giants
Predicted Record: 10-6
Predicted Finish: NFC East Champions
The Skinny: I'm indifferent on the New York Football Giants. However, a good friend of mine, The Lowe, who tragically passed away this year, was the biggest New York Football Giants fan I know. So as much as I hate Eli Manning, I'm rooting for the G-Men this year. About the only question mark they have is wide reciever. They did lose Derrick Ward, but Jacobs and Bradshaw form a solid 1-2 punch at running back. Eli is Eli. They lack a 1a wide receiver. The defense is still stout, the defensive line was bad ass before they signed Chris Canty. They rush the passer like none other. Kenny Phillips is ready to take a leap. They should win the division. The playoffs? That's another question all together. If pressed for a prediction, I would say that I believe the Giants will win at least 10 games and take the division, but fall short of the NFC Championship when their lack of recievers shows.
Most Likely to Get Arrested This Season: The obvious choice here would be Antonio Pierce, who played A.C. to Plaxico's O.J. in the nightclub incident. But we're going to give Mr. Pierce the benefit of the doubt after his successful Grand Jury appearance. We're going to go with Ahmad Bradshaw, who was arrested while at UVA and Marshall in college. Old habits die hard.
What Peter King Would Say About Them: The food the Giants put out for the media during their training camp, is some of the most exquisite I’ve tasted over all the years of visiting training camps. The salted pork is particularly divine. If the food is any indication of the type of season Eli Manning is going to have, I say the Giants fans are in for one tasty morsel.

Philadelphia Eagles
Predicted Record: 9-7
Predicted Finish: Second in NFC East.
The Skinny: Well, their GM proclaimed them the best team in the league, and their middle linebacker promptly tore his ACL and was lost for the season. They signed a ex-con QB who hasn't played in two years to back up their already notoriously sensitive starting QB. Their midget RB just hit 30 (although they did replace him with Shady McCoy, who's going to be a stud). Their top three receivers are all under six feet tall (or barely six feet tall) run fast and shy away from contact. They lost their defensive captain to Denver. They lost their excellent defensive coordinator to cancer. I know everyone likes this team, but it just seems like they've got a lot of issues. Plus, in recent years, the Eagles don't make sense. When you think they're poised to win, the suck. When they have Jeff Garcia at QB, they make playoff runs. You do the math. I don’t like Brian Westbrook’s health and I don’t like McNabb to play healthy all 14 games. The Michael Vick move ruins any chance Kevin Kolb had. There are more questions than answers here.
Most Likely to Get Arrested This Season: Conventional wisdom would suggest Mr. Vick. But we're not conventional here at Operation Shutdown. We're gonna go with both of Andy Reid's sons. We just believe that a dog fighting addiction is easier to kick than an addiction to traffic accidents, shotguns, hollow point bullets, booze, marijuna, cocaine and heroin. Just sayin'.
What Peter King Would Say About Them: When I did my last USO Tour to Afghanistan, I shared a fantastic cup of tea, courtesy of the U.S. Army (don't worry Starbucks, it didn't compare to the Tazo English Breakfast), I spent time with Kevin Curtis for the first time, and he is a remarkable human being. Just spending 20 minutes with Kevin, I knew that this is going to be a special season for the Eagles. Call it a hunch.

Dallas Cowboys
Predicted Record: 8-8
Predicted Finish: Third in NFC East
The Skinny: The cliche is "addition by subtraction". This typically isn't a negative thing when Terrell Owens is involved. Also, Tony Romo is now single after having kicked Jessica Simpson and her floundering career to the curb. The trendy line is "who the fuck is Romo going to throw the ball to?". Well, they are basically replacing T.O. with Roy "The Legend" Williams. Sure, Williams gets hurt a lot, but does have number one wideout talent. Romo still has his boy Witten, and word out of camp is that Rapper/Tight End Martellus Bennett has looked sick. They've got three quality running backs in Marion Barber, Felix Jones and Tashard Choice. On the defensive side, they still have DeMarcus Ware. They replaced Chris Canty with Super Ukranian Jew Deluxe Igor Olshansky. It's a weird team. I keep thinking they fired Wade Phillips three years ago, but somehow he is still there. Somehow, I think they are in that 7-9, 8-8, 9-7 range which would put them on the outside of the playoffs and pushing the Eagles for second in the division. I like a huge Fantasy Year for Jason Witten and a jettisoning of Wade Phillips either during the season, or immediately after, followed by a Mike Shannahan or Bill Cowher hiring.
Most Likely to Get Arrested This Season: With Pac-Man Jones gone, we’re going to go with Tony Romo. Sure, he seems like a likable guy. He’s cute. He’s dated Carrie Underwood, Jessica Simpson and Nate from Gossip Girl’s real life sister. It’s about time Tony Romo takes a ride on the “jilted ex-lover” accuses him of something he did or probably didn’t do. (Editors note: this was written prior to Shawn Merriman alledgedly treating Tila Tequilla as an unprotected quarterback and possibly doing the Lights Out Dance over her bruised and battered body).
What Peter King Would Say About Them: There just seems to be a bad aura around Dallas these days. I don’t mean that in a nasty way, it’s just, I believe that America’s Team can do better. I think I think that Jerry Jones should take a cue from President Obama and institute some “change we can believe in”. I love that line. It makes me believe that once again America can be great as it’s always been. I think I think the Dallas Cowboys are the quintessential American story. They have a comeback in them. I’m just not sure it’s this year. Be patient Cowboy nation, change you WILL believe in is a coming.

Washington Redskins
Predicted Record:7-9
Predicted Finish: Last in NFC East
The Skinny: Well, they tried like hell to find someone to replace Jason Campbell and failed miserably. Now they have to try and convince Campbell that he is still the man. Clinton Portis remains incredibly underrated both on (doesn't take plays off) and off the football field (Coach Janky Spanky, Southeast Jerome). He was off to a smoking start last season before tailing off in the second half of the season. I still think Portis has 1-2 more solid years left in him. They brought in crazy Albert Haynesworth for crazy guaranteed money and drafted Brian Orapko (an ultimate boom-bust prospect) and converted Orapko to linebacker to help sure up the defense. While we do love Santana Moss and Antwan Randle-El, they have fucking midgets for wide receivers. Last year’s rookies Devin Thomas and Malcolm Kelly both failed to impress last year. In any other division, we’d like the Redskins a lot more, but they’re clearly the fourth best team in the division.
Most Likely to Get Arrested This Season: Chris Cooley. Listen, the guy's entertaining whether he's blogging, wearing daisy dukes, or hosting a fantasy draft. But let's face it, anyone who reads deadspin has seen his cock. It's just a matter of time before Cooley gets liqoured up in Adam's Morgan and whips it out for some unimpressed co-ed who is an Eagles fan, takes a picture with her iPhone, and Cooley ends up on The Smoking Gun.
What Peter King Would Say About Them: I keep waiting for Jason Campbell to take the leap I know that he is capable of, but it has yet to happen. The Redskins tried darned hard to replace him this year, and after talking to him, I think I think it’s pushed him to be the best darned QB he can be. I see a sneaky season where the Redskins hang around the playoff picture well into November behind a Pro Bowl caliber season from Jason. I think I think 23 touchdowns and 11 picks.