by David ElfinFiled under: Cowboys, Eagles, Giants, Redskins, NFC East
Some things don't change with the linebackers in the NFC East. Dallas' DeMarcus Ware led the way in sacks. Again. Washington's London Fletcher led the way in tackles. Again. Philadelphia's Stewart Bradley missed the end of the season and the playoffs with an injury. Again. New York didn't keep the same trio of starters. Again.If the linebackers are the heart and soul of a team's defense, then none of the groups in the division had a great year because all four teams finished in the bottom half of the league at job one: allowing points. The Giants (seventh) and Eagles (12th) did rank in the top half in yards allowed. The Redskins (31st overall) endured a rough transition in their first year with the 3-4 as their base defense while the Cowboys (23rd) plummeted from the NFL's elite to its dregs with virtually the same personnel that had played so well in 2009.
So let's take a closer look at how the NFC East's linebackers fared in 2010.
GIANTS: With the retirement of middle linebacker/captain/emotional leader Antonio Pierce because of a neck injury that he suffered during the disappointing 2009 season, New York had two new starters this season. Jonathan Goff, a fifth-round selection in the 2008 draft, succeeded Pierce while Keith Bulluck, who had played 10 years for Tennessee before being let go because of a knee injury that ended his 2009 season in December, replaced departed free agent Danny Clark outside. Michael Boley returned for a second year with New York after signing as a free agent from Atlanta in 2009.
Boley led the linebackers and was third on the team with 81 tackles, according to Giants statistics. Goff was close behind with 75. Each had a sack. Bulluck, who missed three games with a toe injury, managed just 30 tackles although he had both of the unit's interceptions. Boley made the biggest play by a New York linebacker, driving Tony Romo into the Cowboys stadium turf in Week 7 and ending Dallas' star quarterback's season with a broken left collarbone.
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Source: http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2011/01/14/demarcus-ware-london-fletcher-remain-atop-nfc-east-linebacker-c/
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