Training camp is still a few weeks away but that doesn’t stop the bookies in Vegas from projecting the win totals of the upcoming NFL season. This year, Vegas has the Philadelphia Eagles at 9.5 wins—behind only the Patriots, Steelers, Colts and Giants and tied with the Chargers.
A couple of interesting takeways from the early projections:
1.) That’s right, the Giants, a team the Eagles beat twice last season, are ranked higher than the Eagles despite losing Plaxico Burress. Apparently, the experts in Vegas know something that we don’t and think highly of the Giants offseason moves—or lack thereof.
2.) Overall, Vegas believes that the NFC East will be a dogfight this year. After the Giants at 10 wins and the Eagles at 9.5, the Cowboys are sitting at 9 and the Redskins at 8 wins. If those projections turn out to be accurate then the division would end up without sporting a losing record.
3.) If these projections turn out to be accurate, we are in for quite a bit of mediocrity next year. After the group at the top, there is a slew of teams bunched in the 7 and 8 win range and few more below that threshold. Some people call it parity, I call it mediocrity.
So it may only be July, but it is never too early to place your bets. What do you think: over or under for the Eagels on 9.5 wins?
Twitter Comment
Vegas puts the Eagles at 9.5 wins and the Giants at 10, surprising given the lack of moves from the GMen: [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
I”m still not sure why everyone, including Vegas, likes the Giants so much. Maybe they win more games, but they won”t go far in the playoffs. Just like last year.
Twitter Comment
Vegas thinks the Giants will be better than the Eagles this year: [link to post], What do you think?
– Posted using Chat Catcher
I believe that you are missing that the Giants filled their hole at receiver during the draft, taking Nicks in the first round and trading with us in the third to draft a Plaxico clone (Ramses Barden, who is built like Plax…that trade and pick got my dad upset because he “knew” the Giants would jump on this dude if he was there for them, yet we helped them do it). I believe that they only lost to us in the playoffs because they had no good receivers to go to, and now they have shored it up a bit. But I think the Eagles have gotten better since then so it is hard who to give the edge to. Since they won a Superbowl recently, it is okay to have them lead in the Vegas standings for now.
I”m excited about the Eagles this season (every season I am excited) so I would take the over. The divisional games are all going to be tough; this division is right up there with the AFC East and NFC South.
Scott, I am with you, the Giants seem to get undue credit but I relish the role of underdog–being the favorite makes me nervous.
Darryl, I hear you on the addition to the Giants roster but I don”t think two rookies are going to give you anywhere near the production that came from Plaxico. Nix is a nice player but not a game changer at this stage. As for Barden, I think the jury is still out. He certainly has the raw skills but there have been many a player to come out with that type of talent and flop. In short: I don”t think their offseason moves come close to making up for the loss of Plaxico.
Those Giants recieves are the new fast athletic type for sure but I don”t think they can step in and fill the shoes of Plax; especially in the red zone. Eagles will have a sense of desperation of that 2 year window closing with Donavan and will take care of business within the division. Love to see a compliment to Westbrook with another back – but I”ll 9.5 to da bank. 16 years of season ticket holders and everyear I am pumped – but always skeptical. this year I am little more confident for some reason..