With the NFL season passing the halfway point after this week’s games, it’s time to take a look at each division and see who is positioning themselves for a playoff run.
The New York Giants seemed to have a stranglehold on the NFC East after jumping out to a 5-0 start. Three consecutive losses have dropped them to third in the division though. Eli Manning’s play has people questioning the severity of his injury, while the pass defense has been absolutely atrocious.
The beneficiaries of New York’s downfall have been the Dallas Cowboys and the Philadelphia Eagles. Dallas is on a three-game winning streak, while the Eagles made a statement with their 40-17 thumping of the Giants. These two teams meet on Sunday Night Football, with the winner grabbing sole possession of first place.
Love him or hate him, Brett Favre has the Minnesota Vikings sitting atop the NFC North at 7-1. Despite their record, the world continues to wait and see if Favre will fall apart down the stretch, as he did last season with the New York Jets. In addition to Favre, the Vikings have a very balanced team with Adrian Peterson on offense, Jared Allen on defense and game-breaker Percy Harvin returning kicks.
The Green Bay Packers are kicking themselves for losing to the Vikings twice. Not only did they let Favre beat them, but they also most likely lost any shot at an NFC North title. Like the Packers, the Chicago Bears sit at 4-3, needing to earn a wild card spot to make the playoffs.
Then there is the Detroit Lions, who were out of it when last season started, let alone at the start of this season.
The NFC South simply belongs to the New Orleans Saints. Their 7-0 start and propensity for points has people thinking of the 1999 St. Louis Rams. The Saints should coast in this division and will be battling it out with the Vikings for home field advantage.
Atlanta put forward in a solid effort against the Saints this past Monday but fell 35-27. A potential wild card team, the Falcons could be 6-3 heading into a key game with the Giants on Nov. 22.
Football’s worst division is the NFC West. Again. The defending NFC Champion Arizona Cardinals lead the division at 4-3, but it is hard to be sold on them. They defeated the Giants on the road 24-17 but then lost at home to the Carolina Panthers by 13.
The San Francisco 49ers are the main competition for Arizona. But the 49ers have so many questions on defense, at quarterback and in the backfield that it is hard to be scared of them. Most football fans have to wonder how long Alex Smith can hold up.
Tom Brady returns, and all is well in New England. After some early season struggles, they hold a two-game advantage in their division. They have defeated their last two opponents by a combined score of 94-7, forcing people to remember that this is the NFL, not college football.
The New York Jets looked great after they started off the season 3-0 with wins over the Patriots and the Tennessee Titans. But now, that win over the Titans doesn’t look so great and they have spiraled to a 4-4 mark. They will look to regroup during their bye week while the 3-4 Miami Dolphins play at New England on Sunday.
Pittsburgh definitely has some competition in the AFC North thanks to the Baltimore Ravens and the upstart Cincinnati Bengals. The Bengals and Steelers both share 5-2 marks, but this week could tell us a lot about all three teams.
The Steel City takes on the Denver Broncos on Monday Night Football. Meanwhile, a key showdown will take place between the Bengals and the Ravens. Cincinnati went into Baltimore earlier in the year and escaped with a 17-14 victory. Baltimore will now try to return the favor and avoid dropping to 4-4.
Who says there is no parity in the NFL? The AFC South looks identical to its NFC counterpart, as the Indianapolis Colts have raced off to a 7-0 lead. Their second-half schedule will really test them, starting with a home date against the Houston Texans on Sunday.
Houston was right on track for their usual 8-8 season, before they overcame three turnovers to defeat the Buffalo Bills, 31-10. This week’s game will show if they have really taken that next step.
Everyone refused to believe in the Denver Broncos, even after their 6-0 start. A 30-7 loss to the Ravens has people thinking that the Broncos have finally come back to earth. They have a chance to show they are permanently for real this week against Pittsburgh on national television and reestablish themselves as the AFC West powerhouse.
The San Diego Chargers were expected to win this division by about four games. That hasn’t worked out however, and their next three games against the Giants, Eagles and Broncos could determine the fate of their season.
No one can say anything is for sure this year and there is still a lot of football left to play. The first half of the NFL season has gone by too quickly, but with half a season to go, enjoy it while you can.
You can reach this columnist at sports@theeagleonline.com.
