Weekly NFL Playoff Picture: Week 4 Edition

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NFC Division Winners (byes and seeding detailed below)

Green Bay Packers (4-0, bye)
Carolina Panthers (4-0, bye)
Arizona Cardinals (3-1)
Dallas Cowboys (2-2)

The Packers haven’t faced a team with a winning record yet this season, but that doesn’t take away from just how impressive Aaron Rodgers and his teammates have looked this season.

Rodgers’ fourth best completion percentage in the NFL (72.4%) opens up opportunities for the league’s third best rushing offense, which in turn lets the defense rest and allow the third fewest points in the league so far (17.8).

When you have that kind of combo and your next two games are at home against the Rams and Chargers before their big encounter with the Broncos in Denver, then your future as a team is very bright.

The Panthers have a spotless record and one hell of a ballhawk in Josh Norman, who leads the league with four interceptions in four games so far. That also explains why Carolina is alone at the top with eight interceptions as a team as well.

In other words, Norman has as many picks as the rest of his team and as many or more than 24 other squads in the NFL. Stunning start, to say the least.

The Seahawks look vulnerable and await them in Seattle next Sunday before they host the Philadelphia Eagles and the Indianapolis Colts.

Tough schedule, but with a defense like theirs anything is possible.

Meanwhile, the Cardinals fell from the ranks of the undefeated after losing to the Rams at home. That is bound to happen when you are 1-for-5 in the red zone and your opponent scores 17 of its 24 points off of your three turnovers.

On the bright side, they screwed all that up and still only lost by two. A visit to the winless Lions in Detroit next Sunday should cure what ails them.

Last but not least, the Cowboys are 2-2 overall but 0-2 without its star quarterback Tony Romo.

However, they cling to a division lead tied with the New York Giants and Washington Redskins not because of a faulty offense, but rather because of a suddenly sketchy defense.

That defense followed up allowing 25 unanswered points against Atlanta with wasting a beautiful game-tying drive by Brandon Weeden to end regulation by allowing an 80-yard touchdown pass from Drew Brees to running back C.J. Spiller on a simple wheel route in overtime.

Dallas is averaging 24 points per game so far without Romo and Bryant, so it is time for its defense to step up. Their schedule only gets harder as the Cowboys get ready to face New England at home, head to the Meadowlands to see a Giants team thirsty for revenge and redemption before they host the Seahawks.

It seems likely that a promising 2-0 start to the season will turn into a 2-5 nightmare soon enough.

Next: Who is the greatest QB in NFL History?

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