Credit: Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports
The Seattle Seahawks hold the best record in the NFL, but the Broncos and Chiefs have been the leagues’ most dominant so far. Where does this put the crown for the NFL’s most dominant conference? It’s the AFC vs NFC for top dog as Dan Salem and Todd Salem tackle this week’s sports debate head on. Two brothers from New York yell, scream and debate sports.
TODD:
For years and years, the best division in football was the NFC East. This is obviously no longer the case. So where does that distinction now fall? I think there are a number of solid options.
NFC South
Contains two of the top four teams in the conference both in terms of record and point differential. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have also taken some huge strides here in recent weeks, proving they aren’t the pushover they were earlier in the year. However, the collapse of the Atlanta Falcons really hurts this division’s cause.
AFC North
They don’t really qualify but, at certain points, all four teams have looked pretty damn good. They just can’t get on the same page at the same time of year. It ends up making the division appear mediocre rather than good. No bad teams here though, we can admit.
AFC West
Has the two best teams in the conference as far as record and point differential. There are no pushovers either with Oakland bringing up the rear. The strength here is that the division goes three deep with potential playoff teams. This is clearly the best division in the AFC. But, San Diego’s point differential barely cracks zero and they have a horrid defense. The cream of the AFC West might be the best, but the depth does not quite measure up to…
And the winner is:
NFC West
Has the best team in football in the Seattle Seahawks. It also has the best third place team (Arizona Cardinals) and the best fourth place team (St. Louis Rams) in both record and point differential. The only knock on this division could be that the San Francisco 49ers aren’t as good as people expected them to be. But the numbers say otherwise. They are the fourth best team in the conference, and their four losses all came against the three NFC teams ahead of them, as well as the AFC South leading Indianapolis Colts. This team is even better than their record currently indicates. And to top it all off, all four NFC West teams are still in the playoff picture, with three having a legitimate shot at making it.
DAN:
Remind me again when the last time the NFC East was the best division in football? The Dallas Cowboys haven’t been good in nearly a decade. The Washington Redskins had one good season, last year, but the five years before hand? I’ll give you the New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles, but in all seriousness, that division is way past its prime.
Last year found the NFC West as the top division, but this season? No, no, no. I’m on board with the Seahawks bandwagon and San Fran is formidable, but I’ll take the AFC West please and ride my money straight to the rich man’s vacation home.
What makes for a top division? Its having the league’s top teams. At least two of them, with a formidable lineup of other teams at its bottom. The Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs are the top teams in the NFL. Sorry Seahawks, you may hold the best record, but you’re not better than Denver or Kansas City. And the San Diego Chargers? Watch out. If they don’t make the playoffs they’ll be playing spoiler down the stretch.
I’ll take Denver and Peyton Manning over Pete Carroll’s squad any day. And the Chiefs would crush the 49ers. That pits the Cardinals against the Chargers, which based upon both teams’ showing this past weekend, they are even Steven. I’ll give you St. Louis over the Oakland Raiders, but who cares about a division’s worst team. AFC West all the way.
I’m also leaning heavily AFC now as the best conference, with easily three of the top teams in the NFL after thirteen weeks. I love predictions. Which conference will end the season as most dominant?
TODD:
Saying the AFC is better than the NFC is ludicrous. Even if I grant you that the two West divisions are a wash (which they are NOT, but even if I grant you that), the rest of the National is way better than what remains in the American.
Here are the next four big boys in each conference:
NFC has
Carolina Panthers (+128 point differential)
New Orleans Saints (+82)
Detroit Lions (+39)
Dallas Cowboys or Philadelphia Eagles (I personally prefer Philly +19 at the moment)
AFC has
Cincinnati Bengals (+76)
New England Patriots (+61)
Indianapolis Colts (+11)
Baltimore Ravens (Probably the second wild card favorite at the moment at +14 point differential)