Yesterday, I previewed the AFC. You can find that here.
20 years ago, the NFC was in the midst of a dominating run, which saw the conference win 13 straight Super Bowls.
The streak was broken in 1997, from which point the AFC ripped off eight of the next 10, before the Patriots, coming in as overwhelming favorites, lost to the Giants, who came out of nowhere and, to the delight of many, toppled what had appeared to be one of the greatest teams of all time.
Football is a brutal sport, and as a result, the playoffs aren’t decided in seven-game series, where the better team can be expected to prevail.
It’s single elimination, and one bad game, one improbable series of last-second laterals, missed sacks, or one football wedged between a hand a helmet, can be the difference between immortality and a footnote.
The NFC was able to win, after spending more than a decade as the AFC’s weak sister. Will the conference build on that, or will 2008 be another example of one conference’s dominance over the other?
NFC EAST
Washington 7.5 W, O (-140) U (+110) Proj. 8-8
Jason Campbell is that guy that was anointed as popular back in grade school and carries that all the way up through graduation, even though he’s really done nothing to deserve it.
Ask anyone and they all say the same thing: “I like Jason Campbell.” “I think he’s going to emerge as a good pro someday.” I say the same things myself.
Next thing you know, he’s tossing a game-killing interception and the week after he gets injured, some 36-year old I’ve never heard of is leading his team on a four-game winning streak and into the playoffs.
New York *OFF* Proj. 9-7
The dreaded “Off board”
DAMMIT!
*Composes self*
If there’s one disappointing development that the Giant’s Super Bowl win has brought to light it’s the evolution of the average fan. After the playoff run, I thought Manning would slip himself into the top 10 and people, as a whole, would over value the Giants. But other than Giants fans, nobody is falling for it. Poor Eli isn’t even a consensus draft pick in 10-team leagues.
(Tonight, take the points, but the Giants win a close one.)
Philadelphia 8.5 W, O (-180) U (+120) Proj. 11-5
Have you seen Quintin “George” Mikell hit? He’s fantastic, the anti-Dawkins if you will. While we’re on the subject of Brian Dawkins, isn’t it time we drop the charade that he’s an elite player?
I’ve got two enduring memories of him over the last few years: Jeff Garcia bowling over him for a game-tying touchdown four years ago, and Santonio Holmes making him look so bad this preseason that Bob Pompeani openly changed his opinion of Dawkins from one of the best safeties in the game to someone who’s showing that “13-year slow.”
Dallas 10.5 W, O (-150) U (+120) Proj. 12-4
I’m still convinced that Nick had Romo on his fantasy team, and Jessica, as one final “screw you”, started dating him. When Nick didn’t seem to care, she showed up to the Philly game in order to knock him out of the playoffs.
What’s that you say?
Why is she still dating him?
Do You Know ain’t going to sell itself...
(It’s out next Monday.)
NFC NORTH
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