The Two-Minute Drill: NFC Division Check-ins
By Brendan Nordstrom
The NFC early on in the 2022 season has felt surreal. At first glance, it may seem like everything is status quo, but the longer you look at the standings, the more unsettling it becomes. The NFC has become a power vacuum over time. The dominance of Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady has been toned down with their lack of resources, while younger talent, such as Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Justin Herbert and Lamar Jackson, all found homes in the AFC.
With Week 6 concluding on Monday, we are one-third-way through the NFL season. No team is truly eliminated, especially in the wide-open NFC, but certain teams have shown flashes of potential early on that could translate to becoming a contender. Here’s how the NFC divisions stack at this point in the season.
NFC East
NFC East, or NFC Beast? If one were to look at preseason divisional rankings, the NFC East was ranked in the bottom half of the league. The Cowboys have survived Dak Prescott’s injury, the Eagles buffed up and the Giants made a quick turnaround.
Early on in the season, the Eagles are the only undefeated team remaining in the league. Their two biggest wins include handing the Vikings their only loss of the season, and maintaining the top of the division with a win over the Cowboys.
Following Week 1, it was common to write off the Cowboys after Prescott went down with a fractured thumb. Backup Cooper Rush stepped in and won four games in a row, only to fall to the division-leaders this past Sunday night.
The Giants are the most surprising of the bunch, as they currently sit in second place at 5-1. New head coach Brian Daboll has turned the team around in his first year at the helm, and while some still question if the Giants are genuine contenders, their recent wins against the Packers and Ravens add legitimacy.
With the Commanders being negligible at 2-4, the Eagles have the most potential to walk away with the title. However, don’t be surprised if either the Cowboys or Giants make a push for the crown.
NFC North
The Packers were expected to dominate the NFC North, as they have for the past three years. However, the division as whole got weaker. Rodgers lost his favorite target Davante Adams, the Bears entered a rebuild, the Vikings cleared house and the Lions, well, are the Lions.
Six weeks into the season, the Vikings have created a lot of separation. Sitting at 5-1, none of their wins have been all that impressive. However, it is hard to deny their two game cushion over the division.
The rhetoric around the Packers has quickly shifted from contender to disappointment. Rodgers retirement rumors started up a few months earlier than usual, despite his monster $150 million extension this offseason. With back-to-back losses to the MetLife Stadium duo Giants and Jets, the Packers find themselves at .500 and need to bounce back quickly before the gap widens.
At the bottom, the Bears are struggling to create offense with Justin Fields, which could lead to another horse in their never-ending quarterback carousel. The Lions on the other hand can’t seem to win games, despite a high-powered offense.
With Rodgers as signal-caller, it is impossible to count out the Packers, but as of right now, the Vikings have the division in their hands.
NFC South
The South was another division whose winner was decided prior to the season. However, Brady’s struggles have thrown a dent in the plans.
Brady has a lot going on outside of the football world, which seems to have an impact on his play and attitude. Already he has broken a tablet and ranted at his O-line. These frustrations have resulted in a mediocre 3-3 start for the Buccaneers.
The Falcons, who entered a rebuild this past offseason, are currently tied with the Bucs at the top. The Saints have suffered from Jameis Winston’s fractured back, sitting at 2-4. Meanwhile, the Panthers have already fired their head coach, Matt Rhule, and began their rebuild yard sale following an abysmal 1-5 start.
Knowing Brady and the Buccaneers, they will turn it around with the talent they possess. Their only competition is the Falcons, who will struggle to keep pace. However, if Brady keeps self-imploding, there could be an upset winner in the division.
NFC West
Last season, the NFC West was hailed as one of, if not the most, competitive divisions in the NFL. This season, it is still competitive, but not because of high skill levels.
As I touched on last week, the Rams currently look like a shell of their former selves at 3-3. To add to their trouble, one of their top backs, Cam Akers, wants to catch the first train departing the City of Angels.
The 49ers made the crucial decision to start Trey Lance over Jimmy Garoppolo in the offseason. However, Lance went down in Week 2. The 49ers look promising with dominant performances over the Seahawks, Panthers and Rams, but also look fallible with losses to the Bears, Falcons and Broncos.
While the Rams and 49ers are disappointing at 3-3, the Seahawks being at .500 is a pleasant surprise. Their QB1, Geno Smith, currently ranks in the top-10 of four major QB stats (yards, touchdowns, interceptions and quarterback rating), and their offense is the seventh-most efficient in the league.
The Cardinals are in last place, but are far from out of it at 2-4. The problem lies in their glaring 0-3 record at home and losses to their division rivals, the Rams and Seahawks.
This division is wide open, but will ultimately come down to the 49ers and Rams. The Rams have the talent, but have been unable to put it together. Meanwhile, the 49ers have been unpredictable. With the 49ers defensive talent, I give them the edge, but it will neck-and-neck to the finish line.