Two Things:

[tiproast]

And perhaps that explains last year. But, I am referring to the four years prior to 2014 as well. They don't play a week schedule every year, but more often than not, the AFC North sends multiple teams to the playoffs.

This is also a good way to evaluate division strength, and you're absolutely correct, more often than not, the AFCN sends multiple teams to the playoffs. Since 2002 (13 years), the AFC North has had 23 teams in the playoffs, while the AFC East has had 17.

And yet another way to evaluate the strength of a division is what it does when it gets to the playoffs.

Since 2002, the AFC North is 21-20 in the playoffs. The AFC East is 24-14.

[Slapstick]

An excellent point.

[Slapstick]

And yet another way to evaluate the strength of a division is what it does when it gets to the playoffs.

Since 2002, the AFC North is 21-20 in the playoffs. The AFC East is 24-14.

Without the Patriots 18-8 playoff record since 2002, an astounding record to be certain, the rest of the AFC East is 6-6 since 2002...

Now that doesn't make the division look especially impressive...

[tiproast]

Without the Patriots 18-8 playoff record since 2002, an astounding record to be certain, the rest of the AFC East is 6-6 since 2002...

Now that doesn't make the division look especially impressive...

True, but you can also apply that logic to the AFC North.

Take out the Steelers (12-5 since 2002, also very impressive), and the rest of the AFC North is 9-15 in the playoffs.

Of course, that's twice as many games without the Steelers (24) as the AFC East without the Patriots (12), so that's worth a lot in the evaluation process, to me at least. Any season that results in a playoff appearance should be considered successful, because once a team gets in, lightning can strike.