Unless your quarterback does not mind spending game days on his back seeing stars, it’s difficult to make a living as a passer in the NFC East.
In the East, it’s all about the pass rush.
Last season, teams from the East had the most sacks of any division, an average of 2.6 per defense in every game played. But NFC East teams were not satisfied.
The Redskins traded for Jason Taylor, who has more sacks this decade than any other player. The Eagles signed free agent pass rush specialist Chris Clemons and used their first draft pick on defensive tackle Trevor Laws. The Cowboys nurtured Anthony Spencer, their first-round pick last season, to the point where he looks like he could have double-digit sacks if he can take enough playing time from Pro Bowlers DeMarcus Ware and Greg Ellis.
The Giants, who led the league in sacks, are the only team in the division that has pass-rush concerns. They will be trying to replace 48 percent of their 53 sacks as a result of the season-ending injury to Osi Umenyiora (13 sacks), the retirement of Michael Strahan (nine sacks) and the free agent departure of Kawika Mitchell (3.5 sacks).
Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo might have to blitz more, but he is counting on two players to help pick up the slack. Justin Tuck of Notre Dame had 10 sacks last season playing mostly as a defensive tackle on passing downs. He will be the full-time left end. He notched his first sack of the season in Thursday’s win over the Redskins. And Mathias Kiwanuka is the right end after having been moved to linebacker last year.
The team also picked up former first-round pick Jerome McDougle after the Eagles let him go, reuniting him with Spagnuolo, a former Philadelphia assistant.
The Redskins acquired Taylor out of desperation when starting left end Phillip Daniels suffered a season-ending knee injury on the first day of training camp. The trade with the Dolphins raised antenna around the league because Taylor, at 246 pounds, is a very different animal than the 290-pound Daniels.
Based on the kinds of fronts Redskins defensive coordinator Greg Blache has played in the past, Taylor is not a good fit in his defense. Blache likes his defensive ends to be shaped like storage sheds. Taylor looks like a dancer, which he was on Dancing With the Stars.
What’s more, the team already had a similar end in 260-pound Andre Carter. But according to Redskins defensive line coach John Palermo, the team has changed its philosophy to accommodate Taylor. Blache likes to play his ends head up on tackles. To be most effective, Taylor needs to operate in space — he was an outside linebacker in a 3-4 defense for some of his career in Miami.
“We had to tailor a few things to help him,” Palermo said.
One of those things is to play him and Carter on both the left side and the right. Neither is a prototypical left end, and both have played on the right side for the majority of their careers.
Playing on the left, which is typically the strong side for the offense, has been a transition for both players. But the Redskins are hoping to turn it into an advantage.
“It’s tough sometimes for an offensive tackle if he has Andre lining up for three snaps, then he turns around and has Jason lined up for three,” Palermo said.
Both Taylor and Carter have been good soldiers about the situation. Carter doesn’t mind in part because he knows Taylor’s presence will bring blessings for all.
“It’s great having him because it opens things up for myself and the rest of the line,” Carter says.
If Taylor and Carter are allowed to do what they do best, the Redskins should be able to get pressure with a four-man rush and less blitzing than they did a year ago under former defensive boss Gregg Williams. But the bigger issue is how the Redskins will hold up against the run with two self-described “skinny” ends.
“I don’t think down after down [Taylor] is going to be able to line up against 300-pound tackles and physically win,” Palermo said. “But if we put him in the right situation at the right time, we can help him.”
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BREAKOUT PLAYER
COREY WEBSTER, GIANTS
Last season Corey Webster went from being the Giants’ second cornerback to being benched to being inactive. But the Giants needed him at the end of the season because of injuries, and he stepped up big-time.
In the playoffs, he shadowed Joey Galloway, Terrell Owens, Donald Driver and Randy Moss. If you take away a 90-yard touchdown Driver caught after Webster slipped and fell, he held the four star receivers to an average of 3.5 catches for 42.7 yards. They caught three touchdowns (including Driver’s long one) and he had two interceptions.
As a result, his confidence has blossomed and he appears ready to fulfill his potential. He worked hard in the off- season to take the next step and the Giants expect him to do just that.
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SCOUT’S TAKE
An NFL scout gives his views on the division.
“The Cowboys are the cream of the crop in this division. Tony Romo has matured and he has weapons to score points. Terrell Owens isn’t too old and Jason Witten is one of the top tight ends. Defensively, they have two of the better pass rushers and a very good secondary.
“It all starts with the quarterback and the running back for the Eagles, so they can finish second. Donovan McNabb is probably the healthiest he has been in a long time, and he is playing with a chip on his shoulder. Brian Westbrook is a big play running back. They are a little shaky at wide receiver though.
“The Giants have some holes to fill. They will miss the leadership on defense and in the locker room. Because of the pass rushers they lost, their secondary can be exposed. They’ll be pretty good offensively. Eli Manning is more sure of himself and more mature.
“I like the new coaching staff in Washington, but Jason Campbell is an unknown. They have a number of underachievers on offense. Santana Moss, Antwaan Randle El and Clinton Portis don’t always play to their abilities. Jason Taylor is a little older, so he won’t be the guy he was a few years ago.”
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IMPRESSIONS
Tony Romo has done everything but win in the playoffs. But he’s a young quarterback who still is developing. A lot of young quarterbacks have needed time before enjoying postseason success. Romo looks like he’s about ready.
Now that LaRon Landry is playing free safety instead of strong, he could establish himself as one of the NFL’s top safeties for the Redskins. A safety with more talent you will not find.
Eli Manning was wonderful late last season for the Giants. Now he has to show he can be wonderful for a whole season. Everyone forgets that before his hot streak began in the final week of the regular season, Manning had a five-game stretch in which his play was awful. Great quarterbacks don’t have stretches like that.
Three years later, the Eagles have yet to replace Terrell Owens. With Kevin Curtis injured, Donovan McNabb doesn’t have a wide receiver defenses fear.
With Terence Newman, Anthony Henry, Michael Jenkins and Adam Jones, no team is prepared better to defend against multiple-receiver sets than the Cowboys.
Most NFL fans could not pick out Chris Gocong, Stewart Bradley and Omar Gaither from a lineup, but the Eagles’ starting linebackers should come on strong this season.
The Giants might not have one running back who is a threat to lead the league in rushing, but they have four who can gang up on a defense and wear opponents down using different styles. Brandon Jacobs, Ahmad Bradshaw, Derrick Ward and Reuben Droughns are a nice combination, even if they aren’t of much use to fantasy football players.
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dpompei@tribune.com
