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2006 NFC East Preview

In an eight-part series, sports handicapper Dwayne Bryant previews the 2006 NFL season. In Part One, Dwayne gives his thoughts and predictions on the NFC East.

Teams are listed in their predicted order of finish.

1. DALLAS COWBOYS

OFFENSE: The biggest news in Big D this offseason is the addition of receiver Terrell Owens. Owens’ presence immediately makes the Cowboys offense extremely potent. His ability means single coverage for Terry Glenn and more space over the middle for tight end Jason Witten. It also means more running room for running backs Julius Jones and Marion Barber. The Cowboys drafted Notre Dame tight end Anthony Fasano with the plan to eliminate the fullback role and go with a two-tight-end offense. Bill Parcells likes the idea of being able to use that package on all three downs to keep the opposing defense guessing. The only question on this offense is whether or not the offensive line can protect quarterback Drew Bledsoe. Dallas added some depth along the line by signing tackle Jason Fabini and also added guard Kyle Kosier to replace Larry Allen.

DEFENSE: Dallas’ switch to the 3-4 went rather well last season. The Dallas D ranked 12th in points allowed and 10th in yards allowed. OLB DeMarcus Ware, despite a mid-season slump, had a good rookie season, tallying eight sacks. Look for that number to improve in 2006. Second-year ends Marcus Spears and Chris Canty will rotate with Gregg Ellis to give the Cowboys good pass-rushing ability. Mammoth Jason Ferguson clogs the middle of the line. The LB corps will be improved by the additions of rookie OLB Bobby Carpenter and ILB Akin Ayodele. The secondary remains solid with cornerbacks Terence Newman and Anthony Henry and SS Roy Williams.

SPECIAL TEAMS: With all the TO talk, many overlook the signing of kicker Mike Vanderjagt. Vanderjagt is currently the most accurate FG kicker in NFL history. He won’t be kicking indoors anymore, but his career statistics show him to be equally successful kicking outdoors. Speedster Tyson Thompson broke franchise records for kickoff returns (57) and yards (1,399), but has yet to take one all the way.

PREDICTION: The offense will be more explosive and the young defense will show continued improvement in year two of the 3-4 scheme. The Cowboys are among the three best teams in the NFC and could very well end up in the NFC Championship game.

2. NEW YORK GIANTS

OFFENSE: QB Eli Manning made great progress last season and should take yet another step forward in 2006. RB Tiki Barber had a fantastic 2005 season, leading the NFL with 2,390 yards from scrimmage. If Barber holds up (he’s a member of the “Over 30 RB Club”), the Giants offense should be lethal once again. WR Plaxico Burress had a good first season in the Big Apple, totaling 1,214 yards and seven TDs. Rookie Sinorice Moss could overtake Amani Toomer as the team’s #2 WR. And let’s not forget TE Jeremy Shockey, who accounted for seven TDs in 2005. If Shockey can stay healthy, which is a big “if”, he could reach double-digit TDs in 2006.

DEFENSE: The Giants pass defense was poor in 2005, ranking 27th in passing yards allowed. One certainly can’t pin the blame on the defensive line. Ends Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora combined for 26 of the team’s 41 sacks. CBs Sam Madison and R.W. McQuarters and safety Will Demps have been brought in to help solidify the secondary. LB LaVar Arrington has also been added to improve the front seven. The Giants recorded 37 takeaways last season (3rd best in the league) and will look to improve on that number with the talent they’ve added.

SPECIAL TEAMS: Forget the Seattle game, which is easy to do unless you’re a Giants fan. Jay Feely connected on 35 of 42 FG tries in 2005 with a long of 52 yards. Feely led all NFL kickers with 148 points last season and should see plenty of scoring chances this season as well. Chad Morton is a dangerous return man who can swing field position in the Giants’ favor every time he touches the ball.

PREDICTION: Manning will continue to improve and the offense will continue to produce. The question is the defense. Even with the players they’ve added, it’ll take some time for that secondary to gel as a unit. Expect the G-men to battle for second place in the NFC East and also for a Wildcard spot.

3. WASHINGTON REDSKINS

OFFENSE: Does QB Mark Brunell have anything left in the tank? After a great start to the 2005 season, Brunell faded badly and one has to wonder when the keys will be turned over to Jason Campbell. The ‘Skins brought in receivers Brandon Lloyd and Antwaan Randle El to take the heat off Santana Moss. TE Chris Cooley emerged as a red zone threat, scoring seven TDs last season. The focal point of the offense is RB Clinton Portis, who improved his numbers in year two as a Redskin. Portis rushed for 1,516 yards and scored 11 TDs last season. With even average QB play, this offense has some potential.

DEFENSE: The ‘Skins added Andre Carter in an attempt to improve their pass rush. Carter, who played OLB in the 49ers 3-4 scheme, has great quickness and will be an upgrade to this unit. It’s unlikely that will be enough to generate a solid pass rush from the front four. Defensive coordinator Gregg Williams will still have to use aggressive play-calling to pressure opposing QBs. The LB corps will be minus LaVar Arrington, but is still a solid group that should keep the ‘Skins respectable defensively. The strength of this defense is in the secondary. Shawn Springs is a solid cover corner and the safety tandem of Sean Taylor and Adam Archuleta should keep Washington among the NFL leaders in pass defense.

SPECIAL TEAMS: Kicker John Hall battled injuries last season, but still managed to make 12 of 14 FG tries. The ‘Skins were 11th in kickoff-return average last season and had two return TDs. They also ranked 28th in punt-return average. Expect Randle El to improve that phase of Washington’s special teams unit.

PREDICTION: Everything comes down to QB play. Brunell’s best days are behind him and Campbell lacks experience, which is why I place them third in this division.

4. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES

OFFENSE: With Terrell Owens out of the picture, look for the Eagles to return to their “spread the ball around” philosophy. There is no clear-cut #1 WR in this pass-happy offense. Reggie Brown had a good rookie campaign and shows great potential. Todd Pinkston and Greg Lewis are also viable options. The Eagles also have rookies Jason Avant and Jeremy Bloom in the fold. QB Donovan McNabb seemed to favor TE L.J. Smith (61 catches) last season. RB Brian Westbrook doesn’t get a ton of carries, but he’s a matchup nightmare in the passing game. If he and McNabb can stay healthy, this offense should produce quite nicely.

DEFENSE: This once-powerful unit plummeted to 27th in points allowed and 23rd in yards allowed in 2005. Even more startling, Jimmie Johnson’s blitz-happy unit only recorded 29 sacks on the season. Philly signed DE Darren Howard to improve the pass rush and drafted DT Brodrick Bunkley to solidify the interior of the line. The Eagles have some talent at linebacker and the secondary should be play better this season with improved line play.

SPECIAL TEAMS: David Akers battled an injury last season, but remains one of the league’s best kickers. Reno Mahe led the NFL with a 12.8-yard punt return average in a half-season’s work.

PREDICTION: I place the Eagles last in the NFC East, but they are capable of finishing much higher if all the pieces fall into place. In any other division, I’d have them placed above this spot.

FINAL THOUGHTS

The Cowboys are my choice to win the NFC East, but any team in this division could win it if the cards fall their way. Dallas appears to be heading to the top of the NFC. The Giants will battle for the division title with an improving Eli Manning. The Redskins could win it too, but will need solid QB play. And I don’t see that happening. The Eagles have a shot with McNabb back under center, but need better play out of their defensive line. This is definitely the toughest division in my opinion. Even though they each play six division games, I don’t see any of them finishing worse than 7-9.

Dwayne Bryant is the owner and sports handicapper of Bullseye Sports Handicapping Service. Dwayne has been handicapping since the mid-1980s. Bullseye Sports, online since 2000, provides guaranteed sports picks in NFL & college football, NBA & NCAA basketball, MLB baseball and NHL hockey.

In the past decade we’ve seen an explosion in the number and range of sports supplements and legal anabolics being use by bodybuilders and athletes of all types. The demand for sports supplements is growing larger everyday as competitive athletes of all types strive to reach the peak of their performance. Today’s supplements are increasingly designed to make use of athlete’s full potential.

Today’s legal anabolic supplements are much more targeted and effective than in the past thanks to increases in technology and understanding of the function of these compounds. Today you can find supplements that will increase size, strength, stamina and endurance. For this reason it’s important that athletes do their research to determine which supplement is most appropriate for their own personal goals.

If possible the supplements should have some background and testing so the athlete can determine if it is safe and effective for it’s intended use. Today’s legal steroids cover a broad range of categorizations and usages. The goal is to ensure that the athlete’s are able to safely and effectively increase their performance. Below is a list of the different types or categories of today’s sports supplements.

Anti-oxidant type supplements that provide protection from free radicals. Free radicals are created during exercise and they will cause both muscle damage and post workout soreness. Decreasing exercise induced soreness can improve the athlete’s ability to train hard and heavy.

Fat reducing supplements that are geared towards weight loss. These types of supplements can help an athlete lose body fat while maintaining his hard fought for lean muscle gains. Some examples are pyruvate, arginine and chromium. Other more potent examples include Ephedra. A separate sub-category are those anabolic substances that preserve strength and muscle mass while dieting or cutting body fat. This category includes supplements like Mega-TRN and Furazadrol.

Muscle building supplements to help the athlete increase his body weight, specifically the lean muscle mass. These are often called legal steroids by some and include such popular supplements as Superdrol, Phera-plex and Halodrol.

Supplements to decrease paid caused by muscle soreness like ibuprofen. Care should be taken with these as they can be damaging to the liver, especially if taken together with the muscle building anabolics listed above.

Today’s athletes are fortunate to have such a broad range of supplements to help them improve their natural performance. Please be responsible and learn as much as possible about the supplements you’re considering, especially those that could be considered as legal steroids.

The authors website provides more detailed descriptions of popular legal anabolics. In addition, you can find up to date sports supplement information at the blog there as well.

The day New York was introduced to football was the same day when the New York Giants were introduced, then called the New York Football Giants. This was done in the second half of the year 1925 when the team first played against the Frankford Yellow Jackets. Fortunately, the team stood long enough to reach the time when professional football was established.

The first owner of the team was Tim Mara who bought the Giants for $500. The team struggled financially during the first decade of its establishment but won their first title on their third season. However, the depression of the 30’s affected the way Mara handled the team so he gave the control to his two sons aged 22 and 14 at that time. Wellington Mara was the youngest owner of a football team and from then on, he contributed a lot to the team’s history.

World War II was hard for football owners, players, and fans alike. A lot of the able-bodied players were off to war and those who remained were players past their prime. This was the time when a lot of teams folded up, luckily the Giants were able to survive and continued on to win three NFL championship games. The 1950’s marked the time when the Giants played so well that football was becoming equal with other spectator sports. The team also produced some of the best players of all time during this period.

Just like any other team, the New York Giants experienced a period of mediocrity during the 1960’s. Injuries and retirements cost the Giants some of their most important games. The 1970’s was a period of transition for the team as they played their home games in four different stadiums and in three different states. They weren’t even able to play in a post season game. This was the era when strong teams gave way to newer and stronger teams like Dallas, Minnesota, and Pittsburgh.

By the middle of the 80’s, the Giants regained their composure and went on to their first Super Bowl appearance and their first world championship since the 50’s. The 90’s was another period of change though the Giants were still on top of the NFL. Coaching staff, players, and even ownership was changed during this time.

Ever since then, the Giants still managed to become consistent with how they play their games despite numerous changes in the head coach position. The year 2000 was when the Giants failed to win in a Super Bowl competition because they lost to the Baltimore Ravens. It was in 2004 when they hired the present head coach, Tom Coughlin, and from then on, played at the top of their field.

Presently, the Giants are performing outstandingly which goes to show that they are serious about living up to their name whenever they are out in the field. And they are not going to give way to any other team to show their fans that they will not regret giving them their support. The Giants are in a pretty good position to get more championship games under their belt with how they have conditioned their minds on winning each time they play.


Rick Grantham is an avid NFL fan. Most of Rick’s articles focus on New York Giants Merchandise. Many articles are related to Steelers gear and other sports related topics. Rick is a contributing author to BooYah Village

This is my video review for MLB 2k7 for the Xbox 360. I go through some of the features the game contains, and how the graphics are excellent. For more video reviews, previews, etc, visit www.cgaming.com

Philadelphia Phillies’ Matt Stairs’ response to a incredible two-run hit. Original video-http://www.thefightins.com/meechone/mlb-quote-of-the-year-matt-stairs/

One of the most important Baseball events the MLB All-Star week will bring its all-star game next July 15th at the Yankees Stadium where we will be able to see the gathering of many Hall of Fame players.

Some New York City Communities such as the Make-a-Wish Foundation and the Boys and Girls Clubs of America will receive one of the largest donations throughout their history as both the MLB and the NY Yankees will deliver more than $7 million dollars. 

“This year’s Major League Baseball All-Star community activities week will touch the lives of many New Yorkers,” said Commissioner Bud Selig. “We will be hosting the largest number of community and charitable activities, making the most significant financial investment in years and enlisting a record number of charitable partners to help us make this week an incredible success. Our All-Star Game gives us a unique platform to improve the lives of others and make a contribution to communities throughout New York City.”

The MLB All-Star week begins on Wednesday and will end next Saturday with the closing of the All-Star Game. The opening ceremony will be hosted by Bank of America; the NY Yankees team and the Little League Baseball; all funds will be given for the remodeling of the Castle Hill Field in the Bronx.

On Thursday the Yankee Stadium will hosted a league challenger game between the special care children from the Astor Little League of the Bronx vs. New Jersey District Little League. On Friday the donation of Starlight Starbright Children Foundation Fun Center entertainment unit will be given to the children at the Lincoln Bronx.

Additional events will take place until the 15th which is the closing day. During the All-Star game there will be more than 64 players as well as team managers of each league.

“The extraordinary support MLB provides for our clubs has positively impacted the lives of countless numbers of young people,” said Roxanne Spillett, president of the BGCA. “Together, we are teaching our nation’s youth the important values of teamwork and sportsmanship. The Boys & Girls Clubs members who will be a part of this year’s All-Star activities are in for the experience of a lifetime.”

Several awards will be handed to players for team spirit, responsibility, sportsmanship and general accomplishments.  Also, the MLB regional stars will be present at the main game and week events. 

The 2008 grand prize winner of Breaking Barriers Essay Contest - Amanda West and several other Make-A- Wish children will be present at the All-Star Game which was their life time dream. “This is just one example of the generosity that Major League Baseball and its 30 clubs show with children throughout the year,” said David Williams, president and CEO of the Make-A-Wish Foundation. “Whether it’s a wish to attend the All-Star Game or World Series, visit Spring Training to meet a favorite player, or spend the day as a ballplayer for their favorite team. Major League Baseball makes them feel like All-Stars every day.”

Ally White is a top senior copy writer on MLB games and sports action for the sportsbook www.instantactionsports.com/
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