Yesterday, I covered the chances the teams in the AFC have of reaching the Super Bowl and as promised, today, I’ll discuss the NFC. If you missed yesterday’s post, don’t worry, you don’t need to read it before you read this. Before I get to the teams, I would like to make a comment about the NFC v. the AFC. For whatever reason (and I won’t get into which conference is better) any team from the NFC could reach the Super Bowl in my opinion. In the AFC, I would be utterly shocked to see the Bengals, Patriots, or Ravens in the Super Bowl. If my number six team in the NFC made the Super Bowl, I would not be surprised. At all.
6. Arizona Cardinals: I would have put them here even if Anquan Boldin was healthy. Of a strong pool, they’re the obvious weak link to me. The injury to Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie is far more detrimental to the Cardinals than is the injury to Boldin. With Boldin hurt, you can focus on Beanie Wells trying to pick up the load offensively by rushing and Steve Breaston by receiving. In the defensive secondary, no one can fill the hole left by Rodgers-Cromartie should he not be 100%. I expect him to play, but not at full capacity. The Cardinals are a true wild card (even if they’re a division champion). They could get blown out by the Packers in Round 1 or they could run through the Packers and Vikings/Saints/Cowboys/Eagles.
5. New Orleans Saints: Reactionary? Perhaps. But I don’t see a team losing 3 consecutive games (including one to the Tampa Bay Yuckaneers…at home no less) heading into a huge game against a Super Bowl contender having a whole ton of momentum. All year long, there have been questions. Can they run the football consistently? Can they pass block? Is their defense as good as the statistics indicated? A few of those questions have been answered, as far as I’m concerned. They can’t run the football consistently against good defenses. Pierre Thomas is their best option and he’s nicked up and has been for a while. The offensive line is not nearly as bad as they looked against Dallas, but they’re not top shelf. And the defense, especially with Charles Grant done, is not above average. The secondary can be exposed and will in their first matchup, which will undoubtedly come against an explosive passing team.
4. Green Bay Packers: There’s a bit of magic with the Packers. They’re the Chargers of the NFC, coming in very hot (despite the Pittsburgh loss a few weeks back) and they’re healthy. Mark Tauscher is back at right tackle and that means a lot to Aaron Rodgers’s protection. We saw what happened in the Minnesota games. The Packers lost because they could not protect Rodgers and he is not an aware enough passer yet to avoid the rush properly. The one big drawback to this team is Ryan Grant’s ability to be a showcase runner. If the Pack have an NFC title game in the weather (which would only happen against the Eagles at Lambeau) do you have any faith in Grant to rush for 100 yards? Me neither. I don’t even know if I have faith in him to rush for 75 in a dome.
3. Philadelphia Eagles/Dallas Cowboys
2. Philadelphia Eagles/Dallas Cowboys: I promise you, I’m not drunk. Yesterday, I was confident that the Eagles were the best team in the NFC, but I’m not as sure anymore. I don’t think you can take a single thing away from the Cowboys victory on Sunday. I do think the Eagles were confident in their ability to win on the road (all the while likely not having to contend with weather) and gave up in the second quarter, ceding the division title to the Cowboys and perhaps playing opossum. The Eagles are dangerous. DeSean Jackson is one of my least favorite players in the NFL, but also a top 3 gamebreaker. I love Brent Celek, Jeremy Maclin, LeSean McCoy, etc. They can score points. The defense might not be what it used to be, but it’s still formidable. As for Dallas, are we that sure that they’ve shaken off all the December rust from year’s past. Keep in mind, the last time they won a playoff game, I was in middle school. Trust me, that was a while ago. But they’re playing great defense right now, with Anthony Spencer and DeMarcus Ware the best bookend linebackers in the game. Offensively, I love Miles Austin’s big-play potential and you can’t count out Jason Witten. Right now, I’m torn between the Eagles and Cowboys in Round 1. It should be a great game.
1. Minnesota Vikings: I’ve said it before in this spot and I’ll gladly repeat it: They are solid in every single phase of the game. Every one. Their biggest flaw? Coach. I don’t believe in Brad Childress. The Vikings are in this spot because they are the best all around team on paper. The loss of EJ Henderson is a big one, but I like what I’ve seen from rookie Jasper Brinkley. And with Brett Favre never having to play a game outdoors until the Super Bowl, I think they’re set up for a run into February. But as I said earlier in this post, I wouldn’t be surprised by anything I see in the NFC. As it stands at this moment though, expect the Vikings and Colts to be meeting in the Super Bowl in a month.
Mid-Atlantic Bias 