Former 11-year National Football League player Garry Cobb, who is now a analyst for FOX 29 in Philadelphia, spoke to OnlineCasino.ca recently to give his thoughts on the upcoming 2022 NFL season.
Here are his thoughts on the NFC.
Will the Philadelphia Eagles surprise once again and get better in the NFC East?
I definitely think so. I have been out there at practice pretty much every day and I see a team that is ready to take a step up. They have added some key players on offense and the defensive side of the ball. James Bradbury, they were able to get him in from the Giants at cornerback. They already have a top level cornerback in Darius Slay, so they have two Pro Bowl-level cornerbacks. They brought in Hasson Reddick, pass-rushing linebacker, so he is going to be able to help them get pressure on the quarterback.
If you can defend the pass – as I have said often, this is a passing league –I think they are going to shock some people. Jalen Hurts, he is fired up. He has been looking great out there at practice. In his first preseason game, he was 6-for-6, and marched them all the way down the field for a touchdown.
I think the Eagles are ready to shock some people, and I expect them to win the division. I think they are better than the Cowboys, but they are going to have to go out there and show everybody. They have added A.J. Brown, a top level receiver, to add to former Heisman Trophy winner DaVonte Smith as the other wide receiver. So Jalen Hurts has the weapons, and I think he has an outstanding offensive line: they can run the football, they can throw it, so I think they are going to be very disappointed if they don’t win the division and beat Dallas.
Can any team challenge the Packers or Buccaneers in NFC North/NFC South?
The big thing for both of those teams is staying healthy. Both of those teams are in good positions, as long as they keep everybody healthy, especially their quarterbacks. If they lose those quarterbacks, then they are in trouble: they are going to be fighting. Look at the way Brady played last year: he led the league in passing yards, and through for over 5,000 yards. He has weapons there, and they are going to be lighting it up, because the referees protect the quarterback now. He is going to get protected, and he has a good line, even though they have suffered some injuries. Their offense is very potent.
With Aaron Rodgers, you are going to get the same thing. There have been some changes they have made, but they are still very, very, potent. The big thing you are going to see is, which one of these teams is going to get off to a fast start: that is why I feel good about the Eagles.
But I wonder with both Tampa and Green Bay, if they get off to a fast start, those divisions are pretty much going to be a done deal. Those teams are able to steal games even if they don’t play well, because they have Hall of Fame quarterbacks. A lot of times, Rodgers or Brady will come back in a game which they really should lose, and they steal it at the end of the game by scoring a late touchdown. That is the reason they have a 12-5 record, which is kind of what I expect out of those guys.
What does the NFC West look like to you?
You have to say the Rams are the favorite, just because they bring pretty much everyone back from a Super Bowl team. They have maybe the best defensive player in the league, in Aaron Donald, and they have the guy I thought was the best offensive player in the NFL last year, Cooper Kupp. He had a year with what he was able to accomplish.
Cooper Kupp might have had the greatest season ever for a wide receiver. How many receivers do you see that have that kind of year, then win MVP of the Super Bowl? He has that kind of connection with his quarterback that you rarely see. He is the son of a quarterback, so he thinks like a quarterback, which is the reason he always runs the routes and is where he is supposed to be at the right time: I think that was one of the reasons he had such success last year, and I expect another great year out of him.
But once again, the key is going to be, how healthy does everybody stay?
Which could be a team like the Cincinnati Bengals that come out of nowhere to challenge?
Looking through the league, a team that might shock some people might be the Saints. They are a team with an outstanding defense: they had an outstanding defense last year. But the whole thing is going to come down to Jameis Winston. Jameis Winston has shown promise, but he has not lived up to the player that many thought he was going to be coming into the league. But I thought last year, we started to see some things like that of a seasoned veteran. Because he had to sit on the bench for a while, it seems like he is a lot more settled. He knows the offense now. New Orleans is a team I would watch out for, because they have that strong defense, and they were able to grab Chris Olave in the draft, they have Jarvis Landry, and Michael Thomas is coming back.
If Jameis Winston plays well, I think the New Orleans Saints can make some noise. It is hard for me to say this, because I played my whole career in the NFC, but I think the AFC is a much better conference, mainly because of the quarterbacks. But I think the NFC, that is why a team like New Orleans could be some trouble for some teams.
Which team(s) might surprise the other way, and not live up to expectations?
I can see maybe Arizona taking a step back. I wouldn’t be surprised if San Francisco takes a step back, because they have the young quarterback, Trey Lance, that is going to be leading their team.
I don’t really understand all they are doing. I wouldn’t have told Jimmy Garoppolo that he is not going to play there anymore. I understand about Trey Lance, and you drafted him so highly, but I think you have to make a guy prove that he is good enough to play. I wouldn’t just give a guy the job.
Look at where San Francisco was last year at the end of last year: they were in the NFC Championship Game. Now, how do you just take the guy’s job from him, just because we drafted another guy high. I don’t see that. I don’t think that is good for a football team. I really think San Francisco is going to take a step back. They are not a great team, but they have a lot of good players. I think they are a team that a lot of people regard highly, but I think they are going to take a step back.
Now, I don’t know what Trey Lance is going to do, but he has no experience. I know he is a great athlete with a great arm, but quarterbacking in the NFL is about a lot more than being a great athlete and having a great arm. You have got to learn the game. That is why I wouldn’t have been so quick to promote him, because everybody on the team knows you gave him the job: he did not go out and take it from Garoppolo. I don’t think that is good for a team when you do that. I think you should have brought them to camp, made Trey Lance go out and prove he is the best quarterback on the team, then everybody feels good about it.
Right now, the other guys on the team are saying: “Wait a minute. We were in the NFC Championship Game.” You have guys on the team that are not kids, and they have to be thinking that they can’t understand how you can take Jimmy’s job, and give the starter role to Trey. I think this is above the coach’s head: most coaches do not make a move like that. They want to see you show it on the field: they don’t want to be babysitting a kid. It seems like an owner move, or it feels like the owner is doing that kind of thing, because you drafted a guy that highly and he has the bonus or whatever, and maybe they didn’t like what they were paying Garoppolo, so you don’t want to have both those guys. I know they told him to try to work out a trade when he came into camp. But that is not the way champions win: you don’t arbitrarily give guys jobs, especially the quarterback, after a guy goes to the NFC Championship Game.
It doesn’t make any sense! How do you rectify that? Look, everybody knows Jimmy Garoppolo is not the best quarterback in the NFL. But, Jimmy Garoppolo made the throws he had to make well enough to get to the NFC Championship Game. And if you are in the NFC Championship Game, you are one of the last four teams left.
That is a problem, and a lot of the players – they might not say it publicly, but you can believe when they are sitting there among themselves – they are saying that this does not make any sense.
Now, the NFC, when you look, that is why people say the AFC is so much better right now. You look over at the NFC, I think Philadelphia is going to be a good football team. I see the Packers in the North, but I am not afraid of the Bears, Vikings, or Lions. That division is horrible. You look at the NFC South, the Falcons are hurting, Carolina, they don’t know who is going to play quarterback there. The Saints might be a good team, and then you have the Bucs.
In the West, the Cardinals are decent, but I don’t think they can win a championship. The Rams are going to be in the hunt. San Francisco, I am sorry, Trey Lance hasn’t shown us anything yet.
So I think the Eagles are going to be able to make some noise, because there are not a lot of great teams in the NFC. You have the Bucs and Rams: they are the two teams that are sure. I don’t think you can say any of the other teams are sure, quality teams – even the Packers, because Davante Adams is not there anymore. I don’t see how they let him go, and Green Bay might not be the same team we saw for years.
I think the Eagles have a chance to make some noise, but you have to say the Rams are the favorites.
Who are the best teams in the NFC conference, and who wins the conference title?
Now, the NFC, when you look, that is why people say the AFC is so much better right now. You look over at the NFC, I think Philadelphia is going to be a good football team. I see the Packers in the North, but I am not afraid of the Bears, Vikings, or Lions. That division is horrible. You look at the NFC South, the Falcons are hurting, Carolina, they don’t know who is going to play quarterback there. The Saints might be a good team, and then you have the Bucs.
In the West, the Cardinals are decent, but I don’t think they can win a championship. The Rams are going to be in the hunt. San Francisco, I am sorry, Trey Lance hasn’t shown us anything yet.
So I think the Eagles are going to be able to make some noise, because there are not a lot of great teams in the NFC. You have the Bucs and Rams: they are the two teams that are sure. I don’t think you can say any of the other teams are sure, quality teams – even the Packers, because Davante Adams is not there anymore. I don’t see how they let him go, and Green Bay might not be the same team we saw for years.
I think the Eagles have a chance to make some noise, but you have to say the Rams are the favorites.