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The 5 O’Clock Club: Poll Rewind - Friday double shot of James Dorsett - part 2 of 2

It’s 5 o’clock somewhere…and today you get a Friday double-shot of our finest James Dorsett, with his list of 2017 All NFC East passing game all-stars

By Bill-in-Bangkok and James Dorsett
Super Bowl LII - Philadelphia Eagles v New England Patriots Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images

The 5 o’clock club aims to provide a forum for reader-driven discussion at a time of day when there isn’t much NFL news being published. Feel free to introduce topics that interest you in the comments below.

This is part 2 of a special Friday double-shot. Click here to read Part 1.

Today we not only get James Dorsett in the 5 o’clock club — we’re serving up a double!

I invited James to partner with me on this article by putting together between 200 and 400 words, and he got to work. He loved the topic so much that he churned out 1,100 words of smooth golden prose that goes down as smoothly as a Ryan Grant ran pass route, so we’re serving it up as a double!

Here’s the second half of James’ finest.

Cheers!

Today we go back to the poll on 7 July 2017 which asked which NFC East team would lead the division in passing yards in 2017

The Results

Comments from James Dorsett

Let’s remember where we were at the end of part one

Somehow Eli Manning and the Giants still finished with over 300 more passing yards than the Dallas Cowboys did. Dez Bryant led division receivers in targets (132), receptions (69), receiving yards (838) and first downs (44), but that wasn’t nearly enough to carry the Cowboys who didn’t get much from the rest of their WR corps (114 receptions, 1,273 yards and 7 touchdowns total).

Bryant’s raw totals earn him a spot in my All-NFC East starting lineup with Alshon Jeffrey and Jamison Crowder. Agholor just missed beating out Crowder for the slot role, because he didn’t produce as much with more opportunities. I won’t quibble with anyone who would go the other way on this decision, though. Agholor joins Sterling Shepard and Ryan Grant on the bench in this hypothetical 2017 All-Division team.

and now, for part two

This isn’t your grandfather’s passing offense

Receivers typically are responsible for the bulk of a team’s passing yards, but wide receiver certainly isn’t the only position that can make a major impact on a franchise’s aerial attack. Here’s how I’d finish out the division’s top 2017 passing lineup among the skill positions.

Reviewing the best of the other receiving positions in the NFC East

Tight End

Super Bowl LII - Philadelphia Eagles v New England Patriots Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images

The nod has to go to Zach Ertz who led the entire division in receptions (74) and ranked second in yards (824) and touchdowns (8) behind only Dez Bryant and Alshon Jeffrey, respectively. No NFC East team got more production from their tight end position than the Eagles did and Zach Ertz’s breakout season was the main reason why.

Quarterback

Philadelphia Eagles v Los Angeles Rams Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images

Here’s another obvious one for you. Carson Wentz was on his way to winning the MVP award in just his second season in the pros, before he tore his ACL in Week 14. Wentz handedly led the division in adjusted net yards per attempt (7.43), passer rating (101.9), QBR (75.9), PFF grade (87.6) and DVOA (24.3%). Wentz was also the only QB in the division that was named to the Pro Bowl or to an All-Pro team, and -- interestingly — he also won the Bert Bell award (the Maxwell Football Club’s award for the player of the year). Basically, when he was healthy, he was the most dominant quarterback in the division — maybe the league.

Running Back

Minnesota Vikings v Washington Redskins Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images

We’re focusing on the passing game here, so Chris Thompson easily takes this spot. C.T. led all division running backs in receiving yards (510), first downs (22) and touchdowns (4), despite missing the final six games of the year. Thompson also led all 25-plus target backs in yards per reception (13.1) and yards per target (9.4).

The NFC East Passing Game All Stars

With that, here is your final list of 2017 NFC East Passing-Game All Stars:

QB: Carson Wentz

WR (Starters): Alshon Jeffrey, Dez Bryant, Jamison Crowder

WR (Bench): Nelson Agholor, Sterling Shepard, Ryan Grant

TE: Zach Ertz

RB: Chris Thompson

Eagles dominate 2017, but what’s in store in 2018?

Effective passing offenses are rewarded in the NFL, and that fact is evidenced by the number of Eagles who show up on this list.

Super Bowl LII - Philadelphia Eagles v New England Patriots Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images
  • But will the quartet of Wentz, Jeffrey, Agholor and Ertz lead Philadelphia to further glory in 2018?
  • Will the Cowboys get anything from a receiver not named Dez Bryant next year?
  • Will Odell Beckham bounce back from injury and lead the division in receiving once again?
  • Will Evan Engram or Jordan Reed steal Zach Ertz’s crown as the top tight end in the East?
  • Will Chris Thompson pick up where he left off with Alex Smith now at the controls?
  • Will the Redskins lead the division in passing yards for a third straight season?

And of course, free agency and the draft will change the complexion of the division even further.

New England Patriots v Miami Dolphins Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images
Los Angeles Rams v Tennessee Titan Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
CFP National Championship presented by AT&T - Alabama v Georgia Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images
Arizona State v UCLA Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images
Reese's Senior Bowl Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images

Poll

Which quarterback will lead the NFC East in passing yards in 2018?

This poll is closed

  • 71%
    Carson Wentz
    (156 votes)
  • 2%
    Nick Foles
    (6 votes)
  • 21%
    Alex Smith
    (47 votes)
  • 0%
    Dak Prescott
    (2 votes)
  • 3%
    Eli Manning
    (8 votes)
  • 0%
    A drafted rookie
    (0 votes)
  • 0%
    A different veteran passer
    (0 votes)
219 votes total Vote Now

Poll

Which quarterback will lead the NFC East in Quarterback Rating in 2018?

This poll is closed

  • 62%
    Carson Wentz
    (128 votes)
  • 0%
    Nick Foles
    (2 votes)
  • 34%
    Alex Smith
    (70 votes)
  • 1%
    Dak Prescott
    (4 votes)
  • 0%
    Eli Manning
    (0 votes)
  • 0%
    A drafted rookie
    (0 votes)
  • 0%
    A different veteran passer
    (0 votes)
204 votes total Vote Now

Poll

Pick the position of the player who will lead the NFC East in receiving touchdowns in 2018

This poll is closed

  • 58%
    Wide Receiver
    (119 votes)
  • 35%
    Tight End
    (73 votes)
  • 6%
    Running back
    (13 votes)
205 votes total Vote Now

Poll

How many NFC East teams will select a quarterback in the 2018 draft?

This poll is closed

  • 2%
    0
    (5 votes)
  • 25%
    1
    (53 votes)
  • 60%
    2
    (126 votes)
  • 10%
    3
    (23 votes)
  • 1%
    4
    (3 votes)
210 votes total Vote Now

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