NFC capsules: Eagles heavy favorites to win East

Last season: Magical.

Over/under wins: 10.5

Most interesting non-divisional game: vs. Jacksonville in Week 8 in London.

Three things: Doug Pederson is 20-12 in his first two regular seasons, same as Chip Kelly was in his first two. That's just about where the similarities end. … Rookie Dallas Goedert hopes to become the ninth player from South Dakota State to catch a pass in an NFL regular-season game. The most notable is Pete Retzlaff, who had 452 catches with the Eagles and another (for 41 yards) in the 1960 title game. The most famous relatively recent SDSU football alum is Adam Vinatieri. … Of the previous 19 Super Bowl winners, eight failed to make the postseason the following year, two lost in the wild-card game, five lost in the divisional round, one lost in the conference championship, two lost in the Super Bowl, and one repeated (New England (2003, 2004).

Key number: 0. Number of playoff games 36-year-old Jason Peters, a likely first-ballot Hall of Famer, has played in and won (in three attempts). How's that for post-Super Bowl motivation?

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Last season: Went 3-13, the worst season in the Eli Manning era.

Over/under wins: 7

Most interesting non-divisional game: Week 1 vs. Jacksonville. New coach Pat Shurmur's tenure starts at home against a Jags team that nearly made the Supe last year.

Three things: Penn State running back Saquon Barkley is the most heralded Giants rookie since Lawrence Taylor was drafted in 1981. Yeah, no pressure there. … Rebuilt the offensive line most notably by signing Nate Solder from New England, moving Ereck Flowers from left tackle to right and drafting left guard Will Hernandez in the second round. … Mercurial wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., who missed the final 12 games after breaking his ankle in Week 4, was described as "explosive" by all-pro cornerback Darius Slay after a joint practice against the Lions in mid-August. "He's never going to lose that," Slay told the Bergen Record, "except when he's 50, I suppose."

Key number: 0. Number of Giants rookie running backs who have run for a thousand yards in a season.

Last season: 7-9, missed playoffs. Nine starters were on IR by season's end.

Over/under wins: 6.5

Most interesting non-divisional game: Week 5 at New Orleans.

Three things: That Saints game is a Monday nighter and the first for which New Orleans running back Mark Ingram will be eligible to return from suspension. Washington was last against the run in 2017. New Orleans led the league in rushing TDs last year. … Switched quarterbacks by trading for Kansas City's Alex Smith, which finally ended the Kirk Cousins franchise-tag dramas. Smith is 2-1 in his career at Lincoln Financial Field, but hasn't started a game here since 2013. The Redskins visit the Eagles for their other Monday night appearance in Week 13. Washington hosts Philadelphia in Week 17. … Adrian Peterson was signed to help the running game, which has been hit by numerous injuries. Second-round pick Derrius Guice, who had expected to contend for the lead RB job, tore an ACL in August and will miss the season.

Key number: 5. Jay Gruden, entering his fifth season, is the longest-tenured Redskins coach since Dan Snyder took over as owner in 1999. Gruden has one winning season with Washington.

Last season: Went 9-7 and missed the playoffs

Over/under wins: 8

Most interesting non-divisional game: Week 1 at Carolina.

Three things: Who's going to catch the ball with Jason Witten retired and Dez Bryant waived? Terrance Williams is the leading returning receiver (53 catches, 0 TDs), but he's unproven as a No. 1. Dallas also added former Ram Tavon Austin and former Jag Allen Hurns. … Taco Charlton has looked good in the offseason and would be another valuable weapon on a d-line that already includes DeMarcus Lawrence, who was second in the league last year with 14.5 sacks. Lawrence had just three sacks over his final seven games. … Hard to see Jason Garrett remaining the head coach if the Cowboys don't make the playoffs.

Key number: 86.6. Dak Prescott's passer rating last season. In 2016, it was 104.9.

Last season: 13-3, blown out by Eagles in NFC championship game after miraculous win previous week.

Over/under wins: 10

Most interesting non-divisional game: Week 13 at New England.

Three things: Minnesota also plays at the Rams and at the Eagles in Weeks 4 and 5. The Rams game is a Thursday nighter. … Wide receiver Stefon Diggs was a freshman in high school when his father passed away in 2008 from congestive heart failure. Before he passed, Aron Diggs, 39, asked Stefon to look after the family. "I'm happy that I can look at my mom and tell her everything is OK," Stefon Diggs said earlier this summer after getting a contract extension that included a $15 million signing bonus. … Kirk Cousins replaces Case Keenum at quarterback. Cousins went 4-3 against the Eagles while with Washington, including 0-2 last season.

Key number: 4.8. Yards per carry through four games last season for Dalvin Cook before he ripped up his knee. He'll be fine for the season opener at Arizona.

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Last season: 7-9, things went south when Aaron Rodgers broke his collarbone in Week 6.

Over/under wins: 10

Most interesting non-divisional game: Week 8 at L.A. Rams.

Three things: That visit to the Rams starts a brutal stretch of four road games in five weeks in which they zigzag across the country. Have to go to Seattle in Week 11 for a Thursday night game after hosting Miami the previous Sunday. … New defensive coordinator Mike Pettine, who played for his dad at C.B. West, lost linebackers Jake Ryan (torn ACL) and Oren Burks (shoulder) for the season. … Tight end Jimmy Graham, who will be 32 in November, had 10 touchdown catches last season for Seattle. His NFL quarterbacks have been Drew Brees, Russell Wilson, and now Aaron Rodgers.

Key number: 35. Aaron Rodgers' age on Dec. 2.

Last season: 9-7, missed the playoffs and fired coach Jim Caldwell.

Over/under wins: 8

Most interesting non-divisional game: Week 3 vs. New England.

Three things: New coach Matt Patricia gets a shot against mentor Bill Belichick in the third game of the season. Patricia was an assistant for the Patriots the last 14 years, including the last six as defensive coordinator. … Used a second-round pick on Auburn's Kerryon Johnson and signed LeGarrette Blount to try to bolster a rushing attack that was last in the league for the second time in three years. … Injuries along the O-line also sabotaged the run game. Drafted Frank Ragnow, a center from Arkansas who was second-team all-SEC, in the first round and moved him to left guard.

Key number: 2,104. Total receiving yards for Marvin Jones (1,101) and Golden Tate (1,003), the only teammates with 1,000 in 2017.

Last season: 5-11, fourth consecutive year with 10+ losses.

Over/under wins: 7

Most interesting non-divisional game: Week 7 vs. New England. Tom Brady is 2-0 at Soldier Field, though his last start there was in 2010.

Three things: Made a huge splash by acquiring stud pass-rusher Khalil Mack from the Raiders on Saturday. Mack immediately upgrades a defense that was ninth in points allowed and 10th in yards in 2017. … Matt Nagy, a former Delaware quarterback who broke into coaching as an Eagles intern in 2008, is the Bears' new head coach. His offensive coordinator is Mark Helfrich, a Chip Kelly protégé who succeeded Kelly as head coach at Oregon. … The Bears think they have a quarterback to build around in Mitchell Trubisky, the second overall pick in 2017, which is half the battle in the NFL. New wide receivers include Allen Robinson (Jacksonville), Taylor Gabriel (Atlanta) and second-round pick Anthony Miller (Memphis).

Key number: 63. Career catches for new tight end Trey Burton, who should get many more opportunities than he had here when his biggest contributions for the Eagles generally came on special teams and throwing legendary TD passes in the Super Bowl.

Last season: 11-5, ended a run of three consecutive 7-9 seasons for their first division title in six years. The playoff loss at Minnesota, though, is the only thing most people remember.

Over/under wins: 9.5

Most interesting non-divisional game: Week 11 vs. Eagles. This was very nearly the matchup for last year's NFC championship game.

Three things: RB Alvin Kamara and CB Marshon Lattimore were the first teammates to win offensive and defensive rookies of the year since Detroit FB Mel Farr and CB/P Lem Barney in 1967. The Lions went 4-8-2 in 1968. The Saints will win more than four games this year. … New Orleans was fifth in the NFL in rushing last season, its first top-5 in that category since Drew Brees became quarterback in 2006. (Of course, when Drew Brees is your quarterback, three yards and a knee burn isn't the right offense to be running.) … Running back Mark Ingram will miss the first four games with a PED suspension.

Key number: 1,496. Number of passing yards Brees needs to break Peyton Manning's career record of 71,940. Probably looking at Week 7 at Baltimore or Week 8 at Minnesota. He almost surely will have the record by the time New Orleans plays the Eagles on Nov. 18.

Last season: 10-6, lost in wild-card game to New Orleans.

Over/under wins: 9

Most interesting non-divisional game: Week 7 at the Eagles.

Three things: Lost three times to the Saints in 2017. Will play them in Weeks 15 (home) and 17 (road). … Ron Rivera is still the head coach, but changes were made at all three coordinator positions — Norv Turner will run the offense; Eric Washington, the defense; and Chase Blackburn, special teams — and in ownership. David Tepper took over for Jerry Richardson, who was forced to sell after reports of lewd behavior. … Tight end Greg Olsen looks good again after missing more than half of last season with a foot injury. His health figures to have a direct correlation to the key number below.

Key number: 58.5. Cam Newton's mediocre career completion percentage. Turner wants it up around 65 percent this season. Newton's career high is 61.7.

Last season: 10-6, lost at top-seeded Eagles in final moments of divisional round after impressive win at L.A. Rams in wild-card round.

Over/under wins: 9.5

Most interesting non-divisional game: Week 1, at Eagles.

Three things: Matt Ryan is 1-4 in starts at Lincoln Financial Field, including a loss in last season's thrilling divisional playoff game. … Vic Beasley is back to being a full-time defensive end. He was a DE in 2016 and had 15.5 sacks. He was moved partially to linebacker last year and had five. "That's where he's best," coach Dan Quinn said, "playing defensive end all the time." … Julio Jones did not get a long-term contract as he had hoped, but a restructuring of his deal resulted in a $2.9 million raise for 2018 and a pledge to revisit things after the season, according to ESPN.

Key number: 59.5. Catch percentage for Julio Jones (88 receptions, 148 targets), his lowest since he was a rookie in 2011.

Last season: 5-11; five-game losing streaks aren't good, and the Bucs had two of them.

Over/under wins: 6.5

Most interesting non-divisional game: Week 4, at Chicago, should be Jameis Winston's debut.

Three things: Winston is suspended for the first three games for violating the league's conduct policy. He'll miss the trip to New Orleans in Week 1 and home games against the Eagles and Steelers. Ryan Fitzpatrick, a weed in your garden that just won't go away, will start in Winston's place. … Jason Pierre-Paul, who had eight sacks with the Giants last season, was brought in to help a defense that was last in 2017 with just 22 sacks. … Wide receiver DeSean Jackson has formed a bond with D.J. Myers, a Florida teenager who was paralyzed last summer. ESPN did a nice story on the pair. 

Key number: $20.9 million. Amount due to Winston in 2019 if the Buccaneers decide to keep him. He is not signed beyond 2019.

Last season: 11-5, division title was sullied a bit by a disappointing home loss to Atlanta in the wild-card round.

Over/under wins: 9.5

Most interesting non-divisional game: Week 15 vs. Eagles. The Rams lost to the Birds in Week 14 last season when the Nick Foles' run started.

Three things: Best quote about defensive lineman Aaron Donald's holdout came from Ndamukong Suh after Suh signed a one-year deal for $14 million: "He deserves more than what I got, so I'll kind of leave it at that." Donald, the best defensive lineman in football, got a $135 million extension with $87 million guaranteed, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. … In addition to Suh, the Rams also traded for stud cornerbacks Aqib Talib (Denver) and Marcus Peters (Kansas City). Sounds like the makings of a Dream Team. … Brandin Cooks, last seen getting flattened by Malcolm Jenkins in the Super Bowl, was signed to a five-year, $80 million contract that included $20.5 million guaranteed.

Key number: $45 million. Amount of Todd Gurley's four-year, $60 million extension that is guaranteed. Gurley had 361 touches last season, counting the playoff loss.

Last season: 9-7, missed playoffs for first time since 2011.

Over/under wins: 7.5

Most interesting non-divisional game: Week 11 vs. Green Bay. This will be Aaron Rodgers' first visit to Seattle since the Packers blew that playoff game after the 2014 season.

Three things: The Seahawks are rebuilding, especially in the secondary where Earl Thomas held out the entire preseason and Richard Sherman was cut and ended up in San Francisco. … Twins Shaquill Griffin (cornerback) and Shaquem Griffin (linebacker) are part of the young defense. Shaquem, who had to have his hand amputated as a child because of a birth defect, is an inspiration. … Close the season with four home games in the final five weeks. Seattle was 6-2 at CenturyLink Field, which remains one of the toughest places to play in the NFL

Key number: 15. Career receptions for Nick Vannett, a third-year player expected to be the Seahawks starting tight end now that Jimmy Graham is in Green Bay.

Last season: 6-10, but one of the most unusual 10-loss seasons ever.

Over/under wins: 9

Most interesting non-divisional game: Week 1 at Minnesota.

Three things: San Fran started 0-9, which included an NFL-record five straight losses by three points or fewer. Closed with five consecutive wins when Jimmy Garoppolo was the starting QB. … Took Penn Charter grad Mike McGlinchey with the ninth overall pick and immediately made him the starting right tackle. He'll move over to the left side whenever Joe Staley, 34, retires. Staley played at Central Michigan for Brian Kelly, who was McGlinchey's coach at Notre Dame. … Week 13 is at Seattle where new 49ers cornerback Richard Sherman played for seven seasons.

Key number: 962. Number of receiving yards last season for Marquise Goodwin, more than double the career best for the now-six-year veteran.

Last season: Went 8-8 after losing star running back David Johnson, who dislocated his left wrist, in the opener. It was a killer for fantasy players.

Over/under wins: 5.5

Most interesting non-divisional game: Week 6 at Minnesota.

Three things: Steve Wilks, who was Ron Rivera's defensive coordinator in Carolina, is the new head coach. He took over for Bruce Arians, who at 49-30-1 is the winningest coach in franchise history. The Cards have been around since 1920. You'd think somebody could have won 50 for them. … At last check, Johnson's average fantasy draft position was fourth in ESPN leagues. … Rookie Christian Kirk, a second-round pick from Texas A&M, is worth watching as the Cardinals try to find a reliable second wide receiver.

Key number: 15. Barring calamity, Sam Bradford will become the 15th quarterback to throw a touchdown pass to Larry Fitzgerald. Jerry Rice had 14 guys throw him TDs, including running backs Terry Kirby and Harry Sydney.

Odds and win totals via William Hill-US/Ocean Resort, Atlantic City