NFC North 2011: The Best Division In The NFC

The NFC North will have a little different look next year. For the first time in as long as I can remember (besides the one year with the Jets) Brett Favre will not be playing football in this division. Also if the Packers win this Sunday, it will be the first time since 1997 that the NFC North is home to the defending champion.

This division is starving for a Super Bowl win, the Packers have waited 13 years, Bears 24, the Vikings and Lions, well they're still waiting. But in the 2011-2012 season the NFC North will get three teams into the playoffs.

Yes, three.

The Other Divisions

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SEATTLE, WA - JANUARY 02: Quarterback Sam Bradford #8 of the St. Louis Rams signals to his teammates during their game against the Seattle Seahawks at Qwest Field on January 2, 2011 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)

It was a stretch that this division had one playoff team this year. Yes, the Seahawks upset the Saints, but that doesn't mean suddenly this conference will boast four winning record teams next season. St. Louis Rams will probably represent the NFC West in their 4 versus 5 seed game.

NFC East

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LANDOVER, MD - NOVEMBER 15: Michael Vick #7 of the Philadelphia Eagles celebrates with team mate Mike McGlynn #77 after throwing his teams first touchdown against the Washington Redskins on November 15, 2010 at FedExField in Landover, Maryland. (Photo b

This division is no stranger to sending three teams to the playoffs. However, teams caught on to Michael Vick toward the end of the season, the Dallas Cowboys still have areas to address, and the New York Giants underachieve. The Washington Redskins have no forseeable plan at quarterback that isn't Rex Grossman. Cowboys, Giants, and Eagles beat up on each other next season with the Eagles barely winning the division.

NFC South

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ATLANTA, GA - JANUARY 15: A detail of the Atlanta Falcons logo is seen at the 50 yard line against the Green Bay Packers during their 2011 NFC divisional playoff game at Georgia Dome on January 15, 2011 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty

This was the best division in all of football this season. The Falcons will win it again, but the Saints will finish with a strong 10-6 type of year. Look for the Buccaneers to have a surprising letdown year and the Carolina Panthers to maybe improve to four wins.

NFC North

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IRVING, TX - FEBRUARY 02: Head coach Mike McCarthy of the Green Bay Packers talks to the media on February 2, 2011 in Irving, Texas. The Green Bay Packers will play the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XLV on February 6, 2011 at Cowboys Stadium in Arlin

The Packers will win the NFC north next season. In fact, I think they will finish two or three wins better than they did this season. However, they will lose once to the Bears and once to the Lions.

The Bears will pull together another 11-5 season winning games they should have won this year, but losing others that they overachieved in.

The Vikings will have a rough four of five win season including an 0-6 mark against the division.

Which brings me to the Lions.

Actually, the Lions get their own slide...

Detroit Lions Will Get The Sixth Seed

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TAMPA, FL - DECEMBER 19: Defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh #90 of the Detroit Lions warms up prior to the start of the game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium on December 19, 2010 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by J. Meric/Getty Images)

Believe it or not, the Lions will be a legitimate team next season. Before you laugh this off, look at the facts.

This year the Lions went 6-10, ending the season on a four game winning streak. They did this using primarily second and third string quarterbacks

Seven of those ten losses were by eight points or fewer.

Two of those losses included an extremely questionable call against the Bears and a late game comeback drive by the Jets.

At the end of the season they proved they could go on the road and win games, something they previously couldn't do.

Give them a loss against the Packers and Bears. Give them two more losses in the likes they play a Patriots/Steelers/Falcons. Then give them two other losses in games they probably should have won.

I think they find a way to win the six games they did this year, plus four other games to turn their record around to 10-6.

2011-2012 Playoff Picture

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DETROIT - NOVEMBER 07: Detroit Lions team doctor Kyle Anderson checks the right shoulder of Matthew Stafford #9 of the Detroit Lions after leaving the game during the third quarter of the game at Ford Field on November 7, 2010 in Detroit, Michigan. The Je

1. Atlanta Falcons

2. Green Bay Packers

3. Philadelphia Eagles

4. St. Louis Rams

5. Chicago Bears

6. Detroit Lions

Who Will Be In The Hunt For The Sixth Seed

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GREEN BAY, WI - DECEMBER 26: Eli Manning #10 of the New York Giants throws against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on December 26, 2010 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

The New York Giants, Dallas Cowboys, New Orleans Saints, and Detroit Lions will all enter the final week of the season with around 8 to 10 wins.

The Giants with 9, Saints with 10, Lions with 9 and Cowboys with 8. The Bears will have locked up the fifth seed or at least the sixth by entering the final weekend with 11 wins.

Why It Won't Be The Cowboys or Giants

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GLENDALE, AZ - DECEMBER 25: Quarterbacks Tony Romo and Jon Kitna #3 of the Dallas Cowboys talk on the sideline during the NFL game against the Arizona Cardinals at the University of Phoenix Stadium on December 25, 2010 in Glendale, Arizona. The Cardinals

The Cowboys will come out next season the way they played right after Wade Phillips was fired. They will start out 4-0 or 3-1 then cool off drastically in the middle. At some point they'll be 5-7 then rally to win their final four games and looking like a dangerous first round match-up. Problem is, pieces won't fall into place and they will be outside looking in at 9-7.

New York Giants will do the reverse of this season and lose their final game costing them a playoff birth.

Why It Wont Be The New Orleans Saints

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SEATTLE, WA - JANUARY 08: Drew Brees #9 of the New Orleans Saints gets up after a play against the Seattle Seahawks during the 2011 NFC wild-card playoff game at Qwest Field on January 8, 2011 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Image

After the Bears blew out the Seahawks, the Seahawks upset of the Saints seemed a little more Saints looking bad than Seahawks looking good.

If the schedule works out this way, I see the Lions first big win being against the New Orleans Saints. This will be important with both of them finishing at 10-6.

Since the Lions won the head to head, they sneak in for the sixth seed.

Why This Could Be Wrong

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CHICAGO, IL - JANUARY 23: Quarterback Jay Cutler #6 of the Chicago Bears looks on while taking on the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Championship Game at Soldier Field on January 23, 2011 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

The Packers are a lock to make the playoffs.

The Bears have an aging defense and could possibly experience a drop next season.

The most difficult part is justifying the Lions who have not won 10 games in a very long time as the sixth seed. If the Saints win 12 games, there's no way both the Bears and Lions will finish ahead of them.

A Vikings win over either the Bears or Lions could be enough to keep them out of the playoffs at the end of the season.

NFC North Best Division In NFC

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DETROIT - NOVEMBER 25: Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots is sacked by Ndamukong Suh #90 of the Detroit Lions on November 25, 2010 at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

Even if they only send two teams, having your top three be the Packers, Bears, and much improved Lions puts the NFC North at the top of the divisions in the NFC.