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New York Giants near top of NFC East Power Rankings

By TJ Wengert

Dec 22, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning (10) huddles up his team against the Philadelphia Eagles during the first half at Lincoln Financial Field. The Philadelphia Eagles won 24-19. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 22, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning (10) huddles up his team against the Philadelphia Eagles during the first half at Lincoln Financial Field. The Philadelphia Eagles won 24-19. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /
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Dec 26, 2016; Arlington, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) and running back Ezekiel Elliott (21) and wide receiver Dez Bryant (88) during the game against the Detroit Lions at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 26, 2016; Arlington, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) and running back Ezekiel Elliott (21) and wide receiver Dez Bryant (88) during the game against the Detroit Lions at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports /

The Dallas Cowboys:

Coming in as my number one team in the NFC East are the Cowboys. That season, they were all the hype in the league as they went 13-3 and got a first round. They lost in their first playoff game against the red hot Aaron Rodgers, and the Green Bay Packers.

Free agency was rough for America’s team as they lost two of their tops corners, in Morris Claiborne and Brandon Carr. Claiborne signed a one year deal with the Jets and Carr left and signed a four year deal with the Ravens. The Cowboys also lost both of their starting safeties from last season, Barry Church and J.J. Wilcox. Church signed a four year, $26 million deal with the Jaguars, and Wilcox signed a two year deal with the Buccaneers.

In response, the Cowboys used their second and third rounds picks on cornerbacks Chidobe Awuzie and Jourdan Lewis. That gives the Cowboys two rookie corners, Nolan Carroll, Anthony Brown and injury prone Orlando Scandrick. Last season the Cowboys finished 26th in passing defense and if this season’s defensive back field, besides Bryon Jones, appears to be even worse, teams with a high powered passing game will caused serious problems for the Boys.

Two X factors on defense for the Cowboys are Taco Charlton and Jaylon Smith. Charlton looks to be the replacements to Demarcus Lawrence.

Lawrence over three seasons has only collected nine sacks, and the best way to find a weak secondary is to have a strong pass rush. Charlton had 9.5 sacks and 13 tackles for loss his senior year at Michigan, and was named to the first-team All-Big Ten team.

Smith missed all of last season after tearing his ACL and MCL in his left knee, in his final college game, the Fiesta Bowl against Ohio State. Smith was a projected top five pick before the injury and was a consensus All-American and Butkus award winner.

If Smith can come back and play at the high level he could before the injury then the Cowboys are set with a very good linebacking core of Sean Lee, Anthony Hitchens, Smith and Damien Wilson.

Then looking at the offense, you see the best offensive line in football, one of the best receiving corps in the league, a future Hall of Famer tight end (Jason Witten) , last season’s Offensive Rookie of the year (Dak Prescott), and the runner up for that same award (Ezekiel Elliot).

Clearly one of the best offenses in the NFL and if Dak has another year like last season (3,667 yards and 23 touchdowns to four interceptions) the Cowboys are likely the front runner in the NFC.

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