The List: Top four divisions
In this week's version of The List, Joe Theismann takes a look at the top four divisions in the league.
One of the great things about the NFL is its parity. Every year it seems a new team that no one picked in the offseason makes the playoffs or gets close. All it takes to turn a loser into a winner is a little bit of luck, good drafting and good moves in free agency. But there are some divisions that are tougher than others to make a run in. Here is a look at the four best divisions in the league.
1. AFC South: This is a deep division from top to bottom with good quarterback play and very good defenses to complement the offenses those quarterbacks helm. The Colts are obviously the kings of the castle, but Tennessee behind Vince Young is knocking on the door and Jacksonville is consistently on the cusp of being a great team. The weakest team in this division is Houston, but the Texans made some changes during the offseason that could lead to their being more competitive than in years past.
2. AFC East: The best team in football (New England Patriots) resides here so you know the East is going to be high on this list. But it isn't just the Patriots' presence that makes this conference so good. The AFC East also has the resurgent Jets who made the playoffs last year and a Miami Dolphins team that could surprise this year with Cam Cameron leading the way. Also, the Bills could very well be a surprise contender this season.
3. NFC East: Most times the NFC East is easily the most competitive division in the league, especially when you look at the amazing coaching talent that has inhabited it in the past. This season the teams still have great coaching, but I think the talent level is a tad down compared to years past. All four teams do have a shot at the playoffs and are very intriguing, but they all have quarterback issues that could doom them.
The Eagles have a burgeoning quarterback controversy with Donovan McNabb coming back from an injury again and having to deal with the Eagles' drafting a quarterback early. The Cowboys have Tony Romo, but he didn't play well down the stretch of 2006 and now he's going to have to get used to some new offensive ideas with the departure of Bill Parcells. The Giants have the Eli Manning situation as he still seems to be trying to settle in as the quarterback under the glare of the New York media and under the weight of the Manning name. And then there's Washington, which has a young guy in Jason Campbell who showed flashes of having the kind of skills and confidence that coach Joe Gibbs thought he saw when he drafted Campbell.
This could very well be the best conference in the league by the end of the season because of the potential of every one of these quarterbacks, or it could be in shambles because of the youth and possible controversies.
4. NFC West: This is one of the more interesting divisions because it has the potential to be a dogfight. Seattle is not that far away from a Super Bowl appearance, but the Seahawks have shown some fragility in recent years culminating in injuries to Shaun Alexander and Matt Hasselbeck last season. This season the Hawks can't afford to lose either of their big two for any period of time because the San Francisco 49ers, St. Louis Rams and Arizona Cardinals all have the offensive firepower to overtake them. The 49ers in particular have the goods this season with the offseason moves the organization made to transform the Niners into a playoff team. Also, coach Mike Nolan is one of the best defensive minds in the game and he has a defense that could be devastatingly good.
- Schefter: On the Saints and Colts
- Rumors: Eagles plan to get nasty
- Millman: How to bet football
- Tools: PickCenter | Game Predictor
- Draft: Mel's Big Board (11/25) | NFL draft blog
