Over the years, the NY Giants have formed a massive rivalry with each of their NFC East counterparts. While recently the Giants have arguably been the worst team in the division, things are looking up for 2022 and the G-Men will be ready to surprise plenty of people.
With that said, the Eagles, Cowboys and Commanders are three very talented sides. While these squads are all full of talent, there are no question some players who get a little too overhyped time and time again. This can lead to them becoming “overrated” in the eyes of some. With this, here’s a look at the most overrated player for Dallas, Philly and Washington.
3. Philadelphia Eagles QB Jalen Hurts
Some Eagles fans need to slow their roll on the way they talk about Jalen Hurts. While he’s an exciting, young talent, he’s still showcased plenty of flaws in his game. The Eagles have done him little-to-no service with his receiving core since he was drafted (prior to this offseason). However, Hurts plays behind one of the best offensive lines in the NFL, plus he now has weapons A.J. Brown (Philly traded for him on draft night) and DeVonta Smith.
While Hurts’ running stats from last year are very impressive (784 yards and 10 TDs), his passing stats are solid at best. Hurts threw for 3,144 yards, 16 TDs and nine interceptions. These stats are not bad by any means, but it’s not good enough for him to be considered a star signal-caller.
Does Hurts have the potential to be a great QB in this league? Absolutely. Will the acquisition of an elite receiver like Brown help his development? Of course. However, Hurts has a lot to work on before NFL fans overhype the young phenom even further.
Hurts had six games in 2022 where he failed to throw a TD, and there were nine games in which the young QB did not throw for over 200 yards. Despite this, Hurts did have several bright moments, such as in Week 1 where he threw for 264 yards and three scores. If Hurts can continue to develop his throwing ability, he has a chance to be a stud in this league. However, he’s got a lot to improve on before he’s considered one of the best QBs in the NFC.
2. Dallas Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliot
This will come as a surprise to few. While originally the choice of “most overrated” for the Cowboys was a toss up between Ezekiel Elliott and Trevon Diggs, Elliott’s massive contract and expectations helped put him over the edge here.
In September of 2019, Elliott signed a massive six-year, $90 million deal with the Cowboys to remain on the team. However, even at the time this deal was looked at as a mistake. In this RB heavy league, the position is too replaceable to give a player like Elliott that big of a contract.
Elliott is by no means a bad player. However, with the way Cowboys fans talk about him, combined with his massive contract, you’d think he’s at the level of Derrick Henry or Jonathan Taylor. In 17 games played this season, Elliott carried the ball 237 times for 1,002 yards and 10 TDs. He averaged 4.2 yards per carry and less than 60 yards a contest. Whoa.
When you compare this to Elliott’s counterpart in the backfield, Tony Pollard, you begin to see why signing Zeke to such a massive contract was a total head-scratcher. In 15 games this past season, Pollard ran the ball 130 times for 719 yards and 2 TDs, averaging 5.5 yards per carry. It’s worth noting that Pollard had more receiving yards than Elliott as well.
There is no doubt that in his prime, Elliott was arguably the best back in the league. However, that time is long gone now, and we have not seen that version of the RB in nearly two seasons. If Elliott does not turn things around, it may be time for the Cowboys to consider trading the once All-Pro RB.
1. Washington Commanders QB Carson Wentz
Looking at Carson Wentz’s stats would have you think he is a good-to-great QB. In 17 games last fall, he threw for 3,563 yards, 27 TDs and seven interceptions. However, watching Wentz play tells a different story.
Wentz was responsible for some of the most hilariously bad plays in the NFL last campaign, showing how much of an issue his decision making is. Wentz was also singlehandedly responsible for the Colts not making the playoffs, having a horrible four-game stretch to end the season.
After being traded to the Colts, it seemed as if Wentz’s best football was ahead of him, as he was placed behind an elite offensive line, with an elite RB in Taylor and very solid receivers. He was also reunited with Frank Reich. However, Wentz didn’t live up to the hype.
Now, after being traded yet again to Washington, Wentz is in a worse situation than Indianapolis and is playing under a whole new system. When you combine this with whispers of Wentz playing poorly in the Commanders OTAs, it is seeming likely that we will see another stinker of a season for the former Pro Bowl QB.
The Commanders have been without a top notch QB since Kirk Cousins. If Wentz can somehow manage to turn his poor play around, it would be huge for the team. However, not many people see this happening.