When somebody mentions Derek Jeter, people often associate him with the face of the MLB. He is a positive role model and a leader for his organization. On each NFL team, there is one player that stands out from the rest, just like Derek Jeter. That player is the face of the franchise. In this article, we will look at the faces of the NFC East.
Philadelphia Eagles: LeSean McCoy
This is LeSean McCoy’s sixth season with the Philadelphia Eagles, and he is in the prime of his career. He is known for his elusive moves and breakaway speed. He is one of the best running backs in the NFL, and some might even give him the top spot. Last year, he recorded over 1,600 rushing yards, over 500 receiving yards, and 11 total touchdowns. Clearly, McCoy thrived in Chip Kelly’s offensive scheme and he is poised to do that again this year. His Pro Bowl-caliber play forced defenses to concentrate on him, opening up the rest of the offense. He led the Eagles to a playoff appearance last season and he is a fan favorite in Philadelphia. Nick Foles might also be an intriguing option, but McCoy has proven himself throughout his career while Foles still needs to develop his game and prove himself as the franchise quarterback.
Dallas Cowboys: Tony Romo
Despite having arguably the worst defense in the league last year, Tony Romo never gave up on his team. He played very well all season, throwing for 3,828 yards, 31 touchdowns, and only 10 interceptions. It must have been excruciatingly painful to watch his team lose the division to the Eagles in Week 17 last year without being able to help. He put the team on his back (I guess his back just broke after 16 games), but it wasn’t enough. While his lack of postseason success frustrates some fans, he has won more games than most quarterbacks would with that defense. If the Cowboys surround him with a solid defense, look out. Jason Witten would probably be my second choice for the Cowboys, but Romo is ultimately the signal caller and the most important player on the Cowboys.
New York Giants: Eli Manning
Despite his recent struggles, Eli Manning is still the face of the Giants. As most people know, he was a big reason why the Giants won two Super Bowl championships. He delivered many clutch throws throughout the playoffs, including a beautiful pass to Mario Manningham on the Super Bowl-winning drive in 2012 that couldn’t have been placed in a better spot. During his Super Bowl runs, Eli threw 15 touchdowns and only 2 interceptions in the eight games combined. He deservedly won the Super Bowl MVP award during both seasons. It’s safe to say that Eli delivers when the Giants need him the most. Victor Cruz is another intriguing option, as he also helped the Giants win the Super Bowl in 2012, but he’s not quite on Eli’s level.
Washington Redskins: Robert Griffin III
As soon as the Redskins invested a huge chunk of their future in Robert Griffin III, he became the face of their franchise. He is an extremely talented and promising young man that should be the quarterback of the Redskins for a long time. The only possible intervention would be the injury bug, but he is getting healthier every day. He needs to be the face of the franchise, or the Redskins made another devastating blunder (even worse than Albert Haynesworth!). He has plenty of talented weapons on his offense and he should be able to have a great season. If he can figure out Jay Gruden’s new offensive scheme, he will be dangerous once again. My second choice for the Redskins would probably be Deangelo Hall, as he enters his seventh year with the Redskins. While Hall has been a great leader on the field and consistently played very well, he falls just short of his quarterback.
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