The NFL’s 8 Divisions statistically ranked in order of all-time greatness
By Daniel
Sep 7, 2014; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Falcons defensive end Malliciah Goodman (93) pressures New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) in overtime of their game at the Georgia Dome. The Falcons won 37-34 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports
8. NFC South: Adjusted Score of 2.953
(Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Carolina Panthers)
Unlike in college football, the South is clearly not king of the professional game. The NFC South is historically the weakest division in NFL history — by far. Interestingly enough, all four teams have been to a Super Bowl (each team going to exactly one). But the division still lacks an overall consistency of greatness. The NFC South has won two Super Bowls in its history and lost two others. Drew Brees, Deion Sanders, Julius Peppers, and Warren Sapp are a few of the biggest names that have participated in this division. The NFC South currently has three relatively competitive teams and certainly has the potential to raise its score in the coming years.
Total Points: 440, Total Years in NFL: 149
Jan 19, 2014; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman (25) gets shoved in the face by San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Michael Crabtree (15) while trying to shake hands after an interception by Seahawks outside linebacker Malcolm Smith (not pictured) during the second half of the 2013 NFC Championship football game at CenturyLink Field. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
7. NFC West: Adjusted Score of 5.055
(San Francisco 49ers, Chicago/St. Louis/Phoenix/Arizona Cardinals, Cleveland/Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks)
One of the oldest combined divisions in the NFL is the NFC West. It has seen some amazing success (mostly by the 49ers). But the Cardinals and Rams are both extremely old franchises which haven’t been extremely successful overall. Those two franchise’s lack of success has brought down the division as a whole. Still, this division has won seven Super Bowls and lost five in its history. Seattle is the newest franchise to win a Super Bowl, while the Rams won one at the turn of the century. The Cardinals lost in their only appearance in the big game. A handful of the biggest names that have played in this division are Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, Steve Young, Eric Dickerson, and David “Deacon” Jones. Despite the low ranking on this list, the NFC West is currently stacked with three very good teams. Look for them to improve their score in the coming years.
Total Points: 1,370, Total Years in NFL: 271