Loading ...Each year, the focus of every team is primarily on winning their own division, then competing to seeding in the post season. Thinking about this process has me wondering: how tough will the road to the Superbowl be in The NFC?
Despite the fact that the defending champs reside in The NFC, I do believe it is the weaker of the two conferences. With The Colts in The AFC, that conference is always a tough road. Any team wishing to make it to the big game will likely have to beat Peyton Manning in his own building. Sure it has been done before, but its not easy. Factor in the ultra competitive AFC East and AFC North divisions, and grabbing a wild card spot will be very tough in The AFC. There are three teams in both the north and east who could be considered playoff teams this coming year (Jets, Ravens, Steelers, Dolphins, Bengals, and Patriots). In fact, each of those teams had an outside shot at the post-season in 2009 with two weeks to go.
Then of course there are The Houston Texans, another very strong team.
What will make this conference so tough is the gauntlet of talent- saturated teams (such as Houston, The Jets, and Miami) combined with teams loaded with post-season experience (like Baltimore and Pittsburgh), topped off with the reigning AFC Champion Colts, led by the tremendous Peyton Manning.
Each pose a threat to make a run in their own respect.
In The NFC, The Vikings (with Favre) and The Saints still represent the two top teams in the conference. The Cardinals are sure to take a fall after losing all- pro quarterback Kurt Warner along with Karlos Dansby, Antrel Rolle, and Anquan Boldin.
If Green Bay doesn’t knock off Minnesota as division champions, they will likely secure another wild- card birth. This leaves the NFC East winner and one other wild card spot open.
I do not feel as if any team in The NFC South other than The Saints are complete enough to make a run. The Falcons and Panther have tough teams with a great attitude, bu Matt Moore’s lack of experience and Atlanta’s lack of defensive talent will hurt both of those teams.
The NFC East will be its usual chaotic self, with Philadelphia taking a fall this year. The most important thing that Donovan McNabb brought to to the table for Philly was that he was the glue that held all of the young talent on that team together. Their immaturity will come out in 2010.
The key to this conference is Brett Favre, and New Orleans.
Why New Orleans?
Well, in 2007 and 2008 they were 8-8 and 7-9 respectively. They could prove to be a one hit wonder and have another down year this year (they did get some absolutely insane breaks late in the year in 2009).
If they struggle and Favre doesn’t come back, The Packers, Cowboys,and Giants look to have the best shot at getting to The Superbowl.
The Giants Perspective
Speaking for The Giants, I love the spot they are in. Right now, Dallas is penciled in as NFC champs, with The Giants flying very far under the radar. No one expects much from The Giants after a terrible 2009.
This is where The Giants thrive.
Quietly, The Giants have made what is maybe the upgrade of the entire offseason in getting defensive coordinator Perry Fewell combined with a healthy Kenny Phillips and Antrel Rolle.
Fewell led a talent- bereft Bills defense to a very solid year, sporting the 2nd best interception total in The NFL, the best red zone defense in The AFC (Giants were the leagues worst last year), and The Bills themselves had a better yards per play average than did The Minnesota Vikings, who ranked 4th in The NFL in total defense.
Those upgrades alone, combined with having a more experienced receiving core for Eli Manning to work with will help get The Giants back to form, even if little else goes right for them.
Lets hope it leads to another playoff run.
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I think washington will surprise as well. If I had to pick three others I d go with atlanta, lions, and the 49ers.
Don’t agree with your assessment of the NFC
1. the Cowboys will be a force — DeMarcus Ware is the best DE in the game; their D-Line is the best overall unit – yeah they got issues in the back but still with a great D-Line u cover up a lot of problems in the back — i.e., Giants ’07
they have an explosive offense – the only weakness people can highlight is LT – that might hurt, but they still have a lot of fire power
Dallas will be in the hunt for the division title right to the end
2. Philly will battle for the division as well if, but only if, Cobb is the real deal and Andy Reid does not go pass bezerk. We’ll see about that. I agree their defense will be potentially a weak spot — still running an all or nothing philosophy – it always seems to work against the Giants, but other teams seem to know how to exploit it
3. The skins are still owned by Daniel Snyder and that hurts. Shananhan showed very little as the head guy in Denver once Elway retired so whether he turns the team around I don’t know. Offensively, they still lack a proven O-Line, they are weak at WR, and they have the largest stable of aged and discarded RB’s ever assembled. McNabb is a huge upgrade over Campble so he might single handedly carry the team, but he is not as loaded or protected as he was in Philly
NO — not the real deal? Shame on you! Their offense is as real as it gets. Their defense is suspect I’ll admit and that could prove fatal, but they have one of the best QB’s in the game, complimented by one of the best HC’s — a HC who thoroughly outcoached his counterparts on the Colts last February. Pencil them in for the South.
Atl — could make noise depending on Ryan’s continued development. Defense an issue.
SF — maybe but isn’t Alex Smith still the QB? until I see a complete season, I can’t get excited
Minny, GB, Chic — here is the real interest. Favre had no business playing as well as he did last year and I can’t believe he’ll be able to replicate that in 2010 if he plays (did I say IF?) — without him the offense sputters as there is no real backup planGB — Aaron Rodgers continues to impress but they seem to turn over personnel quite rapidly on the defensive side and it is hard to know what you are getting season to season
Chi – made a lot of off-season moves, but suffer with a physically talented head case for a QB — their season rides on whether he has a hot magical year
Then there is the NY Giants ………..
Wow guys, when I was referring to Tiki and how he has been off the field I wasn’t even considering his cheating on his wife. I could careless about that. I was reffering to the disruption he caused on the field with undermindeding Eli and then calling out his team and coach right after retirement. I’m sorry I just think that was really disrespectful and should have stayed behind closed doors.
I was a huge fan of Tiki’s even when he was still having fumble issues. I won’t forget what he did for that team. He just used the Giants to help boost his media career and his book. Obviously that didn’t work out so well, but I know i’m not alone when it comes to how I feel he betrayed his teammates and the Giants Organization.
As far as using more then one back, I completely agree we are a better offense when we use our three backs. I just think Gilbride and Coughlin shouldn’t under estimate the ability Bradshaw has. I think he is do for a break out year and unless Jacobs starts getting 4-5 yards a carry instead of gain 5 loose 3 they need to re-evalute how he is used.
njm0m
We have a tendency to just plain go OFF, right in the middle of a thread.
A small reality dose usualy snaps us out of it :)
Tiki was a wonderful back. He threw the team under the bus in the name of
(supposed) journalism. As life has a way of doing, he is getting his trun under that same bus. And he is not a popular as “he” thought he was going to be.
He could also be turning into an embarasment for NBC.
One factor that’s often overlooked in the ongoing Jacobs/Bradshaw debate is their relative skills as pass blockers. In fact, I’m kinda surprised that I haven’t seen it addressed here.
Despite his flaws and declining skills as a runner, Brandon Jacobs is a devastating pass blocker. He’s probably better at picking up the blitz and laying out rushers than any running back in the game today. OTOH, this aspect of Bradshaw’s game leaves a whole lot to be desired. Although I forget which game it was last year, I do recall Eli directing some uncharacteristic on-field anger toward AB after he badly whiffed on a blitz pickup.
Don’t discount this factor when handicapping who the starting Giant RB will be in 2010. Remember we have a head coach who’s shown himself all too willing to sit the more physically talented player in favor of the guy who executes all of the “little things” and plays the game “the right way.” Moreover, if the Giants offensive focus continues to trend more to an aerial attack, Jacobs’ far superior pass blocking skills will undoubtedly win him more playing time.
And, finally, let me offer my own belated welcome to njm0m – the Jacqui Robinson of G101.
New Orleans Norm. Eli blew a gasket. And someone did bring up the pass blocking. I think Jim Stoll. And you are right.
But if Bradshaw does comes into his own as a blocker, he’s the man.
Jim, the best thing about sports, is that two people, looking at the exact same thing, rooting for the exact same thing, can come to such completely opposite conclusions!
I think your last sentence says it all.
Its just that your outlook looks eerily similar to last year, and the NFL just doesn’t normally shake out the same way season after season.
Cowboys-IMO overrated line, overrated defense (great d-line, but overrated cbs, saftiers, and lbs… thats 7 of the 11 that I would take any one of my giants 1 on 1 vs), overrated overrated overrated QB overrated.
Great point on the Skins great point, Dan snyder is the BP of the NFL! But the one thing that Shannahan did without Elway was produce O-lines and RBs… both of which the Skins just completely overhauled. They have two GREAT TEs and their WRs shouldnt be asked to do too much. Can you name one WR not named Ed McCafery that Shannahan ever produced? Me neither. I can however remember Shannon Sharpe getting Recept after recept…I made a point the other day, each day that Dan Snyder doesnt make a decision, is one day the Skins are closer to being in contention.
The Eagles, well I think Kolb is a great addition to an Andy Reid run passing attack, and we will see what happens there, I like your outlook on them, I am just afraid they will be good too.
NO- again great point about their offense, it will have something to say about their season, I just think they got lucky with injuries last year on defense, and this year will be a rude awakening. And IDK about you, I dont really trust the Colts HC but your 100% right, Payton outcoached the S outta the Colts.
Your description of the North sounds spot on, and I can see any one of those teams, other than the lions, making some noise.
and the Giants, what do you think about the Giants?
UPDATE UP TOP
I appreciate the input and concern about this stuff today. It’s a difficult decision, for sure. In the fall, when I start grad school, I only need 25-30 hrs of work thanks to some grants and fellowships I qualified for which will, alongside a student loan, pay my tuition, my rent and some books/labs costs. Basically, I wanna work to pay my utilities. Target has been good to me (sorta) but it’s beginning to wear on me. Withholding my raise, preventing me from advancing and a whole host of other issues have created an increasingly intolerable work place. Add on the fact that we won’t be doing any meat cutting in-house anymore, and I just don’t want to be involved anymore. It’s a risk, and I wish I had a better option that this pizza place, but it pays more, is incredibly convenient and is one of the more financially prosperous ones in the company. Hopefully Target improves itself.
But if it doesn’t there’s always this–the cooler at Red Brick is like 1/8th the size of the one I got stuck in at Target. Real easy exit access and no obstructions on the floor. It’s pretty much a dream come true for a moron like me!