NFL teams everywhere should be reevaluating themselves at the mid-season point. 8 games shouldn’t tell the story for everyone, we still have a lot of football to be played. What does the NFL landscape look like right now.
The 2015 Super Bowl Contestants:
Denver and Carolina seem to be on opposite sides of the spectrum but I’m here to tell you they may be closer than people think. Denver currently sits at 6-3 but it is becoming clear that their offense is a problem. Team’s are starting to figure out their offense and the loss of C.J. Anderson has hurt more than I expected. While Denver does have a nice lead in the AFC Wildcard race I would be shocked if they didn’t have some problems towards the end of the year. The Panthers sit at 3-6 but I kind of like their chances. The Panthers are only 1.5 games out of a wild card spot. Don’t be surprised if they get back into the mix. Cam Newton can ring off 6 in a row right?
The Wild NFC:
The NFC East is probably the most competitive in football right now as all four teams have a realistic chance of making the playoffs. Dallas is probably a shoe in to go to the playoffs right now at 7-1. The other 3 teams are tough to say. The Giants, Redskins, and Eagles will be in the mix for a playoff spot until the end. Neither of the 3 are Super Bowl contenders.
In the NFC North things are starting to get interesting. I would say at this point the Lions should probably be the favorites. I’m not sure anyone is playing better at the quarterback position than Matthew Stafford who has 34 touchdowns and 6 picks over his last 16 games. The Vikings are slowly falling a part. It’s clear the Sam Bradford trade was a horrible idea and aren’t real contenders. I’d be shocked if they made the playoffs let alone win that horrible division. Green Bay sits at 4-4 and are a mess. It has become obvious that either Mike McCarthy or Aaron Rodgers has to go. The two simply can’t work together any longer.
The rest of the NFC can be combined. Tampa Bay could be a team to sleep on. They sit at 3-5 but they have a bunch of really great young players who will improve over time. Jameis Winston has the look of a franchise quarterback. Maybe 2017 is their year. Then we have New Orleans, Los Angeles, and Arizona. The Cardinals probably have the best chance of that bunch. Bruce Arians is an offensive genius and just needs better play from Carson Palmer to get back into the race. New Orleans probably doesn’t have a shot with their 31st ranked defense, while LA can’t score. Maybe it’s time to see if Jared Goff can play. Seattle and Atlanta seem to be legit contenders.
The Weak AFC:
Overall the AFC is the weaker conference. The one clear contender is New England, that’s about it. The AFC West has proven to become a factor as well with Oakland and Kansas City looking like serious threats. Outside of that I’m not sure anyone can say they aren’t in the mix. By the way don’t knock Kansas City. They have the best record in football over the last 16 games.
The winner of the AFC North looks like a first round playoff exit unless Pittsburgh can get their act together. It might be time to evaluate Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh frankly isn’t a disciplined team did you not see that failed onside kick a week ago? Baltimore and Cincinnati are not serious contenders even if they find a way to win the division.
The rest of the AFC is a bit of an unknown in so many ways. Can the Dolphins seriously make the playoffs? The same goes for Rex Ryan’s Bills. The AFC South is a complete disaster top to bottom. In my opinion it’s New England, Oakland, and Kansas City. Everyone else in the AFC is irrelevant at the moment.
