NFL Conference Contrast: NFC Parity vs. AFC Dominance

In a league highlighted with breaking news over the actions of individual players, the intense story lines of contentious divisional battles, and the decisions and controversy surrounding the state of the league as a whole, perhaps one of the more intriguing, yet less covered, anomalies is the comparison between the two conferences.

The contrast between the AFC and the NFC symbolizes what makes this game great. The AFC has illuminated the continued franchise dominance in a league known for advocating equality. On the flip side, the NFC represents the evident parity which seems to both captivate and frustrate fans each season.

The AFC has been under the supreme reign of three successful franchises over the past 11 seasons. The Pittsburgh Steelers, Indianapolis Colts, and New England Patriots have a stranglehold on their conference and have not allowed anyone else to enjoy nearly the same level of success as they have over the past decade. Amazingly, since the 2001/02 season, only once has a franchise, the Oakland Raiders, represented the AFC in the Superbowl. Perhaps even more extraordinary, the past nine seasons have belonged exclusively to these three teams.

The NFC reveals an opposite reality. Over the past 11 seasons, 10 different franchises have had the honour of representing the NFC in the big game. It was only earlier this week that the New York Giants were able to call themselves the lone multiple Superbowl participants since 2002. Had it not been for a pair of Kyle Williams’ bloopers, we could have witnessed a different NFC Superbowl team 11 years running. The NFC is harder to predict each and every year; while the AFC appears to spin like a broken record.

To get an even better understanding of how these two conferences differ, we can also take a look at who has earned first round byes over the past 11 seasons. In the AFC, only nine out of the 16 franchises have earned a top-two spot heading in to the playoffs; with the Bengals, Browns, Jaguars, Texans, Jets, Bills, and Dolphins failing to do so. Ironically, the AFC West, which has been dubbed one of the weakest divisions in the entire NFL, has seen all four teams secure a first round playoff bye at least once over the past decade.

In the NFC, the conference of ultimate parity, only the Lions, Cardinals, and Redskins have not secured a first round bye over the past 11 seasons. Even with this statistic, the Cardinals did play in the Superbowl against the Steelers just a few seasons ago. I’m sure fans of the Lions and Redskins will let out a sigh of agony after taking a second to think about that. Furthermore, I don’t think anyone would be too surprised to see Detroit contend for a bye within the next couple seasons.

Why is there such a stark contrast between the AFC and NFC? Are Tom Brady, Peyton Manning and Ben Roethlisberger just that good? Have Belichick, Dungy, and Cowher/Tomlin created an unbeatable blueprint for success?  I think there are many ways to look at this and I’m sure there is an array of diverse opinions as to why the NFC can’t seem to filter out a couple consistently dominant teams.

The AFC on the other hand, does not appear to be allowing a turnover in power. The Patriots will be dominant for years to come. The Steelers, albeit getting old on defense, are still always a Superbowl threat. The Colts, certainly in disarray right now, may very well be able to regain their supremacy over the AFC South if their quarterback situation plays out smoothly. It is tough to see anyone taking a run at the throne from underneath them.

My pick would be Houston if they can sustain their stellar defensive play and keep Matt Schaub and Andre Johnson healthy. Both the Jets and Chargers, the models of unfulfilled hype, continue to tread in the water of mediocrity. Baltimore, if they can play consistently at home and away, may potentially break the status quo as well.

Whether or not this trend continues is pretty irrelevant to the overall success of the league. The ‘Big Three’ in the AFC are by no means deteriorating television ratings for CBS. In the NFC, fans have reason to be optimistic that their team can go from worst-to-first in their respective division within a couple seasons. Although the AFC is not as competitive, young players such as Andrew Luck, Arian Foster, Tim Tebow, AJ Green, and Ray Rice will continue to grab the attention of both the media and fans for years to come. This Superbowl seems very fitting since the most successful team from each conference over the past decade will be contending for the Lombardi trophy.