2008 Woodie Awards
NFC Just Second Best
Jose Ortiz
Issue date: 12/2/04 Section: Sports
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With the Philadelphia Eagles clinching their division this week and Atlanta only a game or two away from doing the same, it has become obvious that the NFC is a weaker conference. There are analysts all over TV who are saying that the Broncos must win this week in San Diego just to keep their hopes of a division title alive; Denver's record is 7-4! That's a better record than the NFC West-leading Seahawks. The AFC has a combined record of 95-81; the NFC's combined record is 81-95. In head to head matchups, the AFC has a 32-18 record against their NFC counterparts. The AFC sports two of the three 10-game winners; the NFC sports the only 10-game loser. It's obvious that the AFC is far stronger overall.
With the playoffs coming up quickly, the AFC postseason picture is still fuzzy. New England and Pittsburgh are virtually a lock to make the playoffs, but their division titles are still up for grabs. The Jets are only two games back on the Patriots, and the Ravens are only three games behind the Steelers. Most would expect the Eagles or Atlanta to make a Super Bowl run, but no one can honestly guess who will represent the AFC on Super Bowl Sunday. Pittsburgh, New England, and Indianapolis could all find themselves playoffs for the Lombardi trophy; let's not count out the Broncos, Chargers, and Ravens, either. The AFC Wildcard race looks to be a tight one, while it's almost a lock in the NFC.
Minnesota or Green Bay will take one wildcard spot, and the Rams will most likely take the other. Mathematically, everyone but the 49ers are still in the hunt, so that last spot may come down to whoever has the easiest schedule over the next five games.
It's no fluke that the Eagles have made it to the last three NFC Championship games; the NFC is just a weaker conference. Ultimately, though, what matters is the Super Bowl, and over the last six or seven years, we've seen a momentum shift. The NFC owned the Super Bowl in the 80's and 90's, winning 13 straight over the AFC. However, since John Elway won his first Super Bowl in 1998, the AFC has bested the NFC in five of seven Super Bowls. One of those NFC wins (the 2000 Super Bowl) came down to a single yard. This year looks to perpetuate this power shift. The Pats and Steelers continue to roll, and no one seems to be able to stop Peyton Manning. It would appear as though an NFC Championship is about all the Eagles, Packers, Vikings, and Falcons can hope for. The great thing about the NFL, though, is how unpredictable it can be. If a team gets hot, there's no telling how far they'll go.
With the playoffs coming up quickly, the AFC postseason picture is still fuzzy. New England and Pittsburgh are virtually a lock to make the playoffs, but their division titles are still up for grabs. The Jets are only two games back on the Patriots, and the Ravens are only three games behind the Steelers. Most would expect the Eagles or Atlanta to make a Super Bowl run, but no one can honestly guess who will represent the AFC on Super Bowl Sunday. Pittsburgh, New England, and Indianapolis could all find themselves playoffs for the Lombardi trophy; let's not count out the Broncos, Chargers, and Ravens, either. The AFC Wildcard race looks to be a tight one, while it's almost a lock in the NFC.
Minnesota or Green Bay will take one wildcard spot, and the Rams will most likely take the other. Mathematically, everyone but the 49ers are still in the hunt, so that last spot may come down to whoever has the easiest schedule over the next five games.
It's no fluke that the Eagles have made it to the last three NFC Championship games; the NFC is just a weaker conference. Ultimately, though, what matters is the Super Bowl, and over the last six or seven years, we've seen a momentum shift. The NFC owned the Super Bowl in the 80's and 90's, winning 13 straight over the AFC. However, since John Elway won his first Super Bowl in 1998, the AFC has bested the NFC in five of seven Super Bowls. One of those NFC wins (the 2000 Super Bowl) came down to a single yard. This year looks to perpetuate this power shift. The Pats and Steelers continue to roll, and no one seems to be able to stop Peyton Manning. It would appear as though an NFC Championship is about all the Eagles, Packers, Vikings, and Falcons can hope for. The great thing about the NFL, though, is how unpredictable it can be. If a team gets hot, there's no telling how far they'll go.