Why 2011 NFL Season Finally Proved NFC Is Better Than AFC

There is still a rather large faction of football fans that still love an old-fashioned, defensive battle. 

However, it was made crystal clear in 2011 that the NFL is pass-happy, offensive-minded, quarterback-driven league. 

While Tom Brady and the improvisational Ben Roethlisberger reside on AFC teams, the NFC's quarterbacks ruled this season and were the main reason why the NFC is currently the NFL's best conference. 

Seven of the top ten rated quarterbacks were NFC signal-callers.

Seven of the top ten passing yard seasons were completed by NFC signal-callers. 

Sensing a trend?

The dominance by NFC quarterbacks isn't the only reason why the AFC was the inferior conference. 

Teams like the Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers and Houston Texans were among the the league's best defenses in 2011, but the top three pass-rushes were in the NFC. (Minnesota, Philadelphia, NY Giants)

Four of the five lowest-scoring offenses were AFC teams. 

Looking at the playoff teams, the Detroit Lions are a more formidable wild card club than the Cincinnati Bengals.

The No. 4 seed New York Giants certainly pose more of a threat than the struggling Denver Broncos who backed into the postseason behind an ugly stretch from Tim Tebow.

It just seems like the NFC has more overall depth, with seemingly any team capable of representing the conference in the Super Bowl.

While that's obviously possible in the AFC, too, it seems like the Patriots, Ravens and Steelers are leaps and bounds ahead of the rest of the teams in the playoff picture.  

With the league trending toward quick-strikes offenses capable of winning shootouts, it's easy to see that the NFC is the league's superior conference.