NFC vs AFC

[NorthCoast]

NFC is a bunch of pretenders. The games today prove it.

[hawaiiansteel]

NFC is a bunch of pretenders. The games today prove it.

the Cowgirls sure crashed and burned today.

always brings a smile to my face to watch Jerry Jones losing.

[NJ-STEELER]

bills were the biggest upset of the day.

raiders lost to a 2-6 team today.

bengals lost their 2nd in a row.

bad week for the overall for the "top" teams

[feltdizz]

Rams lost to the Titans


Definitely looks like the NFC is down this year but teams like GB and AZ are still legit when healthy.

Tampa as well although their secondary is traaaaaaash

[Northern_Blitz]

Rams lost to the Titans


Definitely looks like the NFC is down this year but teams like GB and AZ are still legit when healthy.

Tampa as well although their secondary is traaaaaaash

Maybe it's because I have an AFC bias (because I watch more AFC games).

But it seems to me that this is usually how it is.

The NFC has more teams that look to be top tier, but way more terrible teams too.

The AFC seems to be more competitive overall.

I know it's rare, but it always seems to be NFC teams that make the playoffs with losing record (or are just on the border).

[flippy]

Rams lost to the Titans


Definitely looks like the NFC is down this year but teams like GB and AZ are still legit when healthy.

Tampa as well although their secondary is traaaaaaash

Is GB’s D all of a sudden good?

And did Ten inject all their defender’s with their coach’s stem cells or something?

Teams start fast every year and then fall apart. Seems that’s happening all over the place this year.

[steeler_fan_in_t.o.]

Is GB’s D all of a sudden good?

And did Ten inject all their defender’s with their coach’s stem cells or something?

Teams start fast every year and then fall apart. Seems that’s happening all over the place this year.

I think that this year, more than any other year in recent memory, we learn a lesson from the Atlanta Braves. The teams with the shot at winning it all are not the "best in the league" but it will be one of the many good teams who plays their best football starting around December.

[NorthCoast]

Is GB’s D all of a sudden good?

And did Ten inject all their defender’s with their coach’s stem cells or something?

Teams start fast every year and then fall apart. Seems that’s happening all over the place this year.

My thought is that the first month of the season is usually teams just trying to figure out which players are good at what, especially new guys on the team. Preseason is ok but not like an actual game. And while they might gameplan they also throw a bunch of guys on the field in various situations to evaluate their strong and weak points. Saw it early this season with the Steelers secondary, and also the offense. November is the time when team identities are set. They know what they are good at and where they are not so good. And they know what they want to do under different game scenarios. This is why games seem to get a whole lot more competitive around this time of year.

[feltdizz]

Is GB’s D all of a sudden good?

And did Ten inject all their defender’s with their coach’s stem cells or something?

Teams start fast every year and then fall apart. Seems that’s happening all over the place this year.

No, I don’t think GB’s defense is “good”.. I think KC’s offense is “BAD”

I put bad in quotes because I think its bad in relation to what we are used to seeing from KC. Its been this way all year too.

I also think there are matchups that change how games play out. Pretty sure this Tennessee defense also pit the clamps on Seattle in the second half and turned a loss into an OT win.

I think people saw losses early in the year and tried to define a teams whole season. I know we thought it was a wrap after the 1-3 start.

[flippy]

I think that this year, more than any other year in recent memory, we learn a lesson from the Atlanta Braves. The teams with the shot at winning it all are not the "best in the league" but it will be one of the many good teams who plays their best football starting around December.

The Braves are more like NHL champs than NFL champs imho. Granted, the MLB deadline is earlier than NHL, but the Braves were under 500 at the deadline and the guys they added ended up being the guys that won the WS for them a la hockey trade deadlines.

Not that all the trade deadline guys were world beaters, but that team stunk prior to rebuilding the whole team past the mid season. Not like Pirate stink of course, but compared to top teams they were mediocre at best.

[flippy]

No, I don’t think GB’s defense is “good”.. I think KC’s offense is “BAD”

I put bad in quotes because I think its bad in relation to what we are used to seeing from KC. Its been this way all year too.

I also think there are matchups that change how games play out. Pretty sure this Tennessee defense also pit the clamps on Seattle in the second half and turned a loss into an OT win.

I think people saw losses early in the year and tried to define a teams whole season. I know we thought it was a wrap after the 1-3 start.

I think the key takeaway from your point and NC’s point is the 1st quarter season is mostly meaningless.

And I agree to an extent, but it’s a killer if you lose your first 2 or 3 games. So you can be mediocre but not bad. And with that I get the worry about the Steelers’ start.

[Northern_Blitz]

Is GB’s D all of a sudden good?

And did Ten inject all their defender’s with their coach’s stem cells or something?

Teams start fast every year and then fall apart. Seems that’s happening all over the place this year.

It's almost like the Steelers aren't the only team in the league that will sometimes lose in games where they are favored.

[feltdizz]

I think the key takeaway from your point and NC’s point is the 1st quarter season is mostly meaningless.

And I agree to an extent, but it’s a killer if you lose your first 2 or 3 games. So you can be mediocre but not bad. And with that I get the worry about the Steelers’ start.

I think the extra game gives a bit more wiggle room.

It really comes down to how well you team is overall. Carolina started 3-0 and they are 4-5

Granted the numbers usually trend a certain way but I don’t think 3 losses in the first 4 games is a death sentence if you can string together a few wins.

[steeler_fan_in_t.o.]

The Braves are more like NHL champs than NFL champs imho. Granted, the MLB deadline is earlier than NHL, but the Braves were under 500 at the deadline and the guys they added ended up being the guys that won the WS for them a la hockey trade deadlines.

Not that all the trade deadline guys were world beaters, but that team stunk prior to rebuilding the whole team past the mid season. Not like Pirate stink of course, but compared to top teams they were mediocre at best.

True, baseball has no comparison when it comes to trade deadline acquisitions impacting a team without the fitting into a new system like each of the other sports. I'm talking more about there not being any team right now that stands above the rest of the league. Arizona the only team with only one loss, and not too many people talking about them being the best team in the league. From the beginning, the teams who seemed like they could be the favorites have been: KC, Tampa Bay, Buffalo, LA Rams, Arizona, Green Bay, Baltimore, Tennessee. Even today I heard two guys debating if (after yesterday) the Cowboys are still the team to beat in the NFC. I didn't think they ever were.

This year I don't think anyone will step forward for at least another month or so, and still there may not be any consensus top contender.

[NorthCoast]

No, I don’t think GB’s defense is “good”.. I think KC’s offense is “BAD”

I put bad in quotes because I think its bad in relation to what we are used to seeing from KC. Its been this way all year too.

I also think there are matchups that change how games play out. Pretty sure this Tennessee defense also pit the clamps on Seattle in the second half and turned a loss into an OT win.

I think people saw losses early in the year and tried to define a teams whole season. I know we thought it was a wrap after the 1-3 start.

I think KC's offense has been found out. Look at the last month of last season, their SB loss, and now this season. The template is out there for any decent defensive team to use. KC is no longer blowing anyone out. They spent a ton of money to revamp their OL and it hasn't paid off.