NFL Contenders and Pretenders: Breaking Down The Division Races in The NFC
Thanks to, well, Thanksgiving, Week 12 of the 2010 NFL season is already underway.
At this point in the season, as tends to be the case, the league's divisional races are taking much clearer shape, with the bottom feeders falling by the wayside to make room for the big boys.
The NFC's divisional races are particularly intriguing, with good teams and bad teams duking it out for playoff positioning.
With that in mind, let's have a look at how each division in the NFC is shaking out, and who has the edge to be crowned regional royalty in each case.
NFC East: Two Degrees of Separation
1 of 14
Let's begin in the East, where the battle for first is essentially down to three teams: the Eagles, the Giants and the Redskins.
Philadelphia currently has the edge with a 7-3 record after defeating the second-place Giants in Week 12. However, fans in Philly and New York alike would be unwise to forget about Washington, whose Redskins, at 5-5, are still hanging tough with NFC East veteran Donovan McNabb under center.
So will Mike Shanahan's squad find a way to sneak its way to the top in his first year at the helm, will the Eagles continue to soar, or will Eli Manning and the G-Men emerge victorious?
1. Philadelphia Eagles
2 of 14
Why They'll Win It
Year after year, Andy Reid seems to find a way to keep his Eagles in the thick of things in the East.
This time around, Philly fans owe him a cheese steak for taking a chance on a revitalized Michael Vick, whose athleticism and creativity, which would seemingly belie Reid's standard gun-and-gun offense, has worked beautifully to bolster both the team's playoff chances and Vick's likelihood of running away with the NFL's MVP award.
And with only two of the team's remaining six games against opponents with winning records, the "Iggles" are looking like a lock to come away with the NFC East crown.
Why They Won't
As dynamic and incredible as Vick has been this year, his style of play does not lend itself well to health on the field.
Should Vick take a tough hit or two outside the pocket, Andy Reid would have to hand the reigns of the team off to Kevin Kolb, who has been inconsistent under center while leading Philly to a 2-3 record in the games in which he has had significant playing time.
Certainly, the Eagles could do worse than Kolb as a backup, but in the midst of such a close race, losing a player of Vick's caliber would not bode well for Philadelphia in the East.
2. New York Giants
3 of 14
Why They'll Win It
Defense, defense and more defense. If the Giants come away with the NFC East title, they'll have their stellar defense to thank for it.
The G-Men currently sit at second in the NFL in total defense, allowing just over 280 yards of offense per game, good for second best in the league.
Not that New York's offense is anything to shake a stick at, with the likes of Eli Manning and Ahmad Bradshaw helping the Giants put up nearly 390 yards of offense per game, placing them third in the NFL.
Why They Won't
As great as the Giants are statistically, they have quite an uphill battle to the top of the division.
Tom Coughlin can't be too happy knowing that his team will play five games in its last six against teams with records of .500 or better.
Such a gauntlet will make it tough for New York to make up even a one-game deficit to Philadelphia.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
3. Washington Redskins
4 of 14
Why They'll Win It
If Washington has anything going for it at this point, it's experience.
Certainly, a 5-5 record and inconsistent play—with losses to Detroit, St. Louis and Houston—don't merit anyone singing the Redskins' praises.
However, with the divisional experience of Donovan McNabb and the winning touch of Mike Shanahan, the 'Skins just might have a shot this time around.
Why They Won't
The previously mentioned inconsistency is a good starting point for why Washington won't win the NFC East.
Injuries to McNabb and running back Clinton Portis don't help the 'Skins' case, either.
Add to that four more games against playoff contenders, including two against the Giants, and it's looking like folks in the Beltway may have to wait until Year Two of the Shanahan Era to take the division.
NFC North: Old Rivals Fight For Playoff Positioning
5 of 14
The Vikings were supposed to contend in the North again this season, but Brett Favre's ankle (and distaste for Brad Childress) had other plans.
That leaves the surprising Chicago Bears and the steady Green Bay Packers to duke it out for the crown.
Fitting, considering the long-standing history of animosity between the two clubs.
So who will come out on top?
T-1. Chicago Bears
6 of 14
Why They'll Win It
Head coach Lovie Smith and the Chicago front office spent a hefty chunk of money on free agents this past offseason to save their jobs, and it seems to be paying off, at least on the defensive side of the ball.
With Julius Peppers wreaking having all over the field, the Bears defense is looking like a force to be reckoned with once again.
Lovie's D currently ranks third in the league in yards per game allowed at just over 290, first in points allowed at 14.6, and has produced 25 takeaways thus far—good for second in the NFL.
And as the saying goes, defense wins championships.
Why They Won't
Of course, it'd help Chicago's chances tremendously if the offense could do something with all of those turnovers.
As good as the Bears defense has been thus far, the offense has proven to be just as bad, producing a paltry 19.1 points and 294.4 yards per game—both ranking toward the bottom of the league.
Add to that 22 giveaways by the offense, spearheaded by the enigmatic Jay Cutler (12 touchdowns, 10 interceptions), and one can't help but wonder how Chi-Town is going to overcome the likes of Philadelphia, New England, the New York Jets and Green Bay down the home stretch.
T-1. Green Bay Packers
7 of 14
Why They'll Win It
The Packers have been steady in just about every phase of the game this season.
With Aaron Rodgers (95.7 QB rating, 19 touchdowns) guiding the offense and Clay Matthews and Charles Woodson as enforcers on defense, Green Bay currently leads the NFL in point differential with a 106-point advantage over its opponents.
Such bodes well for Mike McCarthy's squad, even with a tough slate of games to close out the season.
Why They Won't
Then again, that advantage could fall apart if Green Bay's injury woes continue.
The Packers have endured a rash of injuries to key players this season, including right tackle Mark Tauscher, running back Ryan Grant, tight end Jermichael Finley and linebacker Nick Barnett, among a host of others.
Should the Packers' top players continue to drop like flies, the team's hold on first place in the division could prove to be more tenuous than previously imagined.
NFC South: Three's A Crowd
8 of 14
Repeating as Super Bowl champions is always a tall order, but no one could have imagined it would be this difficult for the New Orleans Saints.
If Drew Brees and company are to bring the Lombardi Trophy back to the Big Easy, they'll have to overcome the Atlanta Falcons and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to win what is arguably the best division in the NFL.
Can they pull it off?
1. Atlanta Falcons
9 of 14
Why They'll Win It
Chief among the Saints' competitors is Mike Smith's team in Atlanta.
The Falcons currently boast Top 10 rankings in scoring offense and scoring defense, and, last anyone checked, teams that score points and don't let their opponents score win games more often than not.
Of course, it helps to have Matt Ryan (92.9 QB rating, 18 touchdowns to only five interceptions) and Michael Turner (86.4 yards per game, six touchdowns) playing so well.
Oh, and Atlanta sports a plus-10 turnover differential.
This could go on for a while.
Why They Won't
Frankly, the Falcons have few weaknesses and are currently in prime position to win the NFC South.
Atlanta does have some challenging contests left on the docket, with games against New Orleans, Tampa Bay and Seattle left after Week 12's game against Green Bay.
However, if the Dirty Birds continue to play as they have in recent weeks, they should come away with a top seed in the NFC.
2. New Orleans Saints
10 of 14
Why They'll Win It
Because they're the Saints, and they're defending Super Bowl champs, and they've been there before.
And they have Drew Brees, who is on pace for another season with at least 4,000 yards passing and 30 touchdowns.
And the "Who Dat?" defense ranks sixth in the league in both yards (306.7) and points (17.9) per game.
And, well, they're the Saints, so they've got America rooting for them.
Why They Won't
Because New Orleans' sporadic running attack averages less than 100 yards per game.
And, with their last three games being at Baltimore, at Atlanta and home against Tampa Bay, the Saints will need a more effective ground attack to balance out the offense against three of the league's best scoring defenses.
3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
11 of 14
Why They'll Win It
Tampa Bay has taken seemingly everyone by surprise this year.
Thanks in large part to the play of up-and-coming quarterback Josh Freeman (92.0 QB rating, 14 touchdowns to only five picks), the Buccaneers are in the thick of the chase for the NFC South title.
Raheem Morris' Bucs also tout a turnover differential of plus-7, which bodes well for winning ways.
Why They Won't
Aside from a lack of experience and five out of their last six games against teams with records of .500 or better, the Bucs defense is merely middle-of-the-pack, ranking 16th out of 32 teams.
Unfortunately, the offense has fared even worse, clocking in at a less-than-stellar 23rd.
The point? Tampa Bay's record may very well turn out to be a mirage.
NFC West: Does Anyone Want to Win It?
12 of 14
It would be one thing if the NFC West turned out to once again be a one-trick pony, as it has been for the last five years.
But, without a team over the .500 mark, it's looking like the West will go to the least of four evils.
So who will turn out to be the best of the mess in the West?
1. Seattle Seahawks
13 of 14
Why They'll Win It
Not much was expected of the Seattle Seahawks this year, what with Pete Carroll replacing Jim Mora Jr. as the head coach and all.
Yet, Matt Hasselbeck's cohort has done just enough, at 5-5, to find itself atop the NFC West after 10 games.
With only the young St. Louis Rams to contend with, the Seahawks might just win the division by default.
Why They Won't
Statistically speaking, Seattle is currently a bottom-five team in both offense and defense.
Does a team with that distinction really deserve a spot in the postseason?
2. St. Louis Rams
14 of 14
Why They'll Win It
The resurgent Rams, under the guidance of former Tom Coughlin assistant Steve Spagnuolo, have only the flightless Seahawks to contend with for the Western division crown.
Add to that the surprisingly steady play of rookie quarterback Sam Bradford (14 touchdowns, nine picks), the punishing runs of Steven Jackson and only two games against teams with winning records down the stretch, and St. Louis may yet sneak its way into the NFC playoff picture.
Why They Won't
At 4-6, the Rams really should not be in contention for a playoff spot.
Imperatives aside, St. Louis currently sports a point differential of minus-21, due in large part to one of the league's worst scoring offenses at 17.7 points per game.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
.png?w=480)
.jpg?w=600 "Post-June 1 Trade Candidates ☎️")
.JPG?w=600 "TO Talks Cowboys Relationship")
.jpg?w=600 "Taylor Heinicke Retiring")
.jpg?w=600 "49ers OC Hypes Mike Evans 🤩")