The NFC Playoff Race is going to be amazing

[Messiah]

The AFC is looking like it will be fun too, especially the AFC West with the Raiders, Chiefs, and Broncos scrambling for the division crown. But I really think the only position spot I could see changing is the Ravens. Neither the Dolphins or Bills will leapfrog the Chiefs/Raiders/Broncos for a wildcard spot. Chargers maybe, I like them a lot, but they have dug themselves a hole.

NFC, on the other hand, looks WIDE open. You could make an argument that every division outside of the NFC South is legit up for grabs. There are 9 teams within one game of the #6 seed. The NFC North is basically a 3 way tie. Cowboys have the Giants right on their tail. This conference has the makings of one hell of a finish.

[Everlong]

Everyone is equally shitty this year except the Patriots and maybe the Cowboys.

[DBSoT]

I like Oakland, New England, Dallas and Atlanta. The rest are a crap shoot. I do still think Arizona, Seattle and Minnesota have the pieces to be dangerous, but they need to put it together. Carolina looks to be getting better, but no where near where they were last season. Detroit and Green Bay seems to be in a similar situations but with varying results. They have the pieces to compete (especially on offense), but key injuries and bad coaching have hurt them. Washington and Philly have shown flashes, but need more consistency to be taken seriously. New Orleans defense is just to much crap to believe they are a threat. The Rams have Jeff Fisher and .500 syndrome. The rest of the NFC is playing for the draft at this point.

[Messiah]

Everyone is equally shitty this year except the Patriots and maybe the Cowboys.

Chiefs and Raiders are very good teams. Broncos have proven they have the defense to stifle just about anyone (despite the game tonight).

Patriots are the AFC favorites but I don't think it's going to be a cake-walk for them like people think. Brady has looked like a machine, but it isn't like they have really played anyone. Bengals for example had plenty of chances to beat them but just shot themselves in the foot, allowing the Pats to eventually pull away.

Raiders/Patriots would be a great AFC Championship game. Raiders have the rushers to give Brady hell, especially if Aldon Smith is reinstated.

[The Legend]

I think the wild card races will be fascinating, but the divisional races to me are pretty predictable. There's a clear best team in six of the eight divisions and the other two divisions suck. Patriots, Steelers (once Ben is fully healthy), Raiders, Cowboys, Vikings, Falcons will all run away and hide over the next month or so. Who wins the NFC West or the AFC South is a crapshoot, but either of those teams will be one and done in January.

[Messiah]

1. What makes you think the Vikings are going to run away with the division? Lions have been the best team in that division for the last month. They have the best quarterback in the division.

2. What makes you think the Raiders are going to run away with the division? The Chiefs are 6-2 and the last time the Raiders and Chiefs played, the Chiefs beat them and it wasn't even close. And the Broncos are still 6-3.

[Everlong]

Lol yeah the Vikings have looked like utter garbage. They're not running away with anything.

[DBSoT]

The Vikings offense is a mess. The Lions were without Darius Slay, DeAndre Levy and Haloti Ngata. That is 3 of their top 4 defensive players, on a team with very little defensive depth. Yet, the Vikings could only muster 16 points. Also look at their next 4 games.

- @Redskins - Playing on the road against a desperate team. Diggs vs Norman isn't good for a struggling offense.

- Cardinals - Who exactly are they going to throw to against Arizona?

- @Lions - Going on the road to face a team that they just lost to at home. Close game, but if the Lions beat Jacksonville, that crowd could be hot. Especially if it is a game for the division lead.

- Cowboys - The Cowboys are clearly the better team right now.


Lose 3 out of 4 of those and the Vikings are 6-6 and have to win out to get to 10 wins. Not that 10 wins necessarily will win the NFC North.

[The Legend]

1. What makes you think the Vikings are going to run away with the division? Lions have been the best team in that division for the last month. They have the best quarterback in the division.

2. What makes you think the Raiders are going to run away with the division? The Chiefs are 6-2 and the last time the Raiders and Chiefs played, the Chiefs beat them and it wasn't even close. And the Broncos are still 6-3.

The Chiefs will fade down the stretch, they are pretenders.

The Vikings are the most talented team in that division and will get their issues straightened out.

[Messiah]

The Vikings are the most talented team in that division and will get their issues straightened out.

How? Their offensive line is, by far, the worst in the NFL and the least talented. They have no RBs. They have an average at best quarterback. No receivers other than Diggs, who isn't that special. They are a lost cause on offense.

I have seen people try and bring up the Broncos from last year to defend them but three things:

1) Broncos are the exception, not the rule

2) Broncos had a dependable running game (13th in Y/A and they turned it up even more down the stretch with 4 games out of 7 over 130+ and 100+ in all but 1 game) whereas the Vikings don't (32nd in Y/A).

3) Broncos had a reliable kicker.

[Chewy]

Browns are going to make things interesting, they're my dark horse.

[Everlong]

The Vikings are the most talented team in that division and will get their issues straightened out.

Not even close. The Packers are by far the most talented team in the division, and one of the most talented teams in the league. They're just run by incompetent morons.

[DBSoT]

The Vikings are the most talented team in that division and will get their issues straightened out.

Not even close. The Packers are by far the most talented team in the division, and one of the most talented teams in the league. They're just run by incompetent morons.

This

[The Legend]

The Vikings are the most talented team in that division and will get their issues straightened out.

Not even close. The Packers are by far the most talented team in the division, and one of the most talented teams in the league. They're just run by incompetent morons.

We may be splitting hairs in calling talent and other things, but bottom line is this over the past 16 games the Green Bay Packers and Aaron Rodgers have as many 300+ yard passing games as the Cleveland Browns and their endless string of QB's. When I saw that stat yesterday it clarified just how done the Packers are, whether it's a talent issue (I think their weapons are vastly overrated) or another issue.

[Messiah]

Vikings are finished.

[DBSoT]

The Lions now have a 2 game lead on Minnesota and Green Bay with only 5 games left. Please don't blow this division again. I know it can still happen, but please don't fucking do it.