~~Achilles of Greece, champion of an empire then felled by an arrow. Homer's Illiad depicts Achilles' triumph over Hector of Troy, followed his tragic death via arrow to the tendon of his namesake. This excruciating scenario now represents the weakest characteristic of each NFC East franchise. In a division fraught with defensive inadequacy matched by offensive excellence, high scores will be thematic within many of these division games. With all three teams potentially made up of playoff caliber members, each team’s weakest spot will determine its standing come the end of the year. Will your team triumph like the Greeks, or be decimated like the city of Troy?

Dallas Cowboys

After allowing the 26th most points of any team last season with an average of 27 per game surrendered, things had to change on Dallas’ defense. To make this transition from abysmal to passable even more difficult, franchise middle-linebacker Sean Lee will miss the 2013 season due to an ACL tear.

Surely this team is reeling at linebacker, but the shortcomings there pale in comparison to a defensive line that garnered just 34 sacks in all of 2013.

In this new-fangled pass-heavy league, pressuring the quarterback is paramount to a team’s success. With Anthony Spencer laid up for an indefinite spell in the recovery room, new-signee Henry Melton must become the team’s most formidable pass rusher. That is horrid news for Cowboys fans as Melton was a less-than effective pass rusher last season in Chicago, and will do little to improve a run defense that allowed over 2,000 yards last season.

Assisting Melton on this imminent plane-ride to hell will be George Selvie , Jeremy Mincey, and Nick Hayden; none of whom strike fear into opposing teams. If Dallas cannot muster some sort of acceptable play from its defensive line, it will be another long year defensively for the Cowboys.

New York Giants

The Giants did their best impression of 2013 Super Bowl champion Seattle this offseason stacking their secondary with the likes of Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and self-proclaimed best slot-corner in the game Walter Thurmond. Unfortunately for the boys in blue, this will do little to cover up the vast crater of mediocrity that is the team’s line backing corps. Led by a has-been in Jon Beason and filled in by an aging veteran and a youngster who has shown little sign of his prime, the Giants’ linebackers are by far the weakest skill position group on a team midway through a rebuilding phase.

Jameel McClain will play weak side linebacker for the Giants this season after underperforming in Baltimore over the past few seasons. Opposite this tiring veteran will be Jacquian Williams who after battling for a starting position during the 2013 training camp, underperformed throughout the season.

Williams, Beason, and McClain will have to step up their game if they hope to aid a team that allowed over 5,300 yards last season matched with 383 points. The Giants also allowed the opposing team to score on 31% of their touches in 2013, ranking them 23rd in the league in that category. If this linebacking corps cannot play up to par, the Giants will once again find themselves near the cellar of the NFC East.

Washington Redskins

Last season’s punching bag Redskins team went 3-13, and their record was more a result of horrendous defensive play as opposed to a sophomore quarterback not playing up to par. Allowing 29.9 points per contest in 2013, Washington wrapped up its season after conceding 478 points to opposing teams ranking them 30th in the league.

To make matters worse, the Redskins ranked 20th in passing yards allowed, 21st in passing touchdowns allowed, 30th in net yards gained per pass attempt, 32nd in rushing touchdowns allowed, and 17th in rushing yards allowed. Someone better hand Brian Orakpo a bucket, because this team is sinking.

To highlight the worst part of this atrocious unit would be like picking out the worst thing Dan Snyder ever did for his franchise, there really is not glaringly correct answer. Veteran safeties expected to start Brandon Meriweather and Ryan Clark will do little to stem the rapid tide towards the back of the Redskins secondary, and DeAngelo Hall is long past his prime at cornerback.

Thus, the largest shortcoming of this horrendous unit is the secondary. Jay Gruden is a beacon of hope for this struggling franchise, but will not find success if his team’s pass defense does not improve drastically.

Philadelphia Eagles

Last season’s NFC Champion Eagles are poised for a repeat performance in 2013, assuming Billy Davis’ defense is ready for the long haul. Sure LeSean McCoy runs through defenders like a Trojan Horse through the gate of Troy (untouched and possibly unstoppable) his skill will mean zilch if this team cannot defend against the pass.

Ranked in the top 10 against the run last season, Philadelphia’s defense fell apart in passing situations as last season unfolded. No greater example of this existed than in the Eagles’ exit from the playoffs at the hands of the New Orleans Saints. Drew Brees exploited a lack of pass rush matched with ineffective play from the outside corners to lead his team on to the next round.

Billy Davis’ newly-implemented 3-4 set allowed the 29th most yards in football with 6,304, and the most passing yards with 4,636 given up. At the root of this yardage problem is the team’s lack of adequate pass rush. Connor Barwin is excellent in coverage and against the run, but struggles in pass pursuit.

Veteran edge-rusher Trent Cole had difficulty adjusting to his new role as an outside linebacker, netting just eight sacks on the year. If the Eagles’ cannot pressure opposing passers in 2014, their season will end similarly to their first with Chip Kelly: well short of the ultimate goal.