NFC South and AFC South Vs. AFC West and NFC West
Come on, Andy. I don't want to argue over this, you gotta admit that's a HUGE difference in talent.
Not really.
NFCS isnt real impressive. The NFCW had this years SB team.
Which teams in the NFCS would you expect that we wouldn't beat with either our 07 or 08 team? I see none.
AFCS vs AFCW. You actually have to look at the entire conference schedule because we play one from the other divisions
Last year
SD loss
INDY loss
Pitt loss
Den
KC
Oak
This year
Indy
Tenn
Bmore
Den
Jax
Houston
How is that substantially tougher? You think we would have lost more than 2 of the 5 that werent indy?
To say that the 09 schedule is a lot tougher is to say we would have lost at least 3 games to Tenn, Balt, Jax or Houston. That is silly.
Or to say we would lose to Atl, Carolina, NO or Tampa. I guess your opinion of those 4 mediocre teams, or of the Pats is very different than mine.
Note that 'strength of schedule' is a lot more appropriate gauge for an 8-8 team that SB contender. It doesn't make much difference if you are playing a bunch of 8-8 teams or a bunch of 3-13 teams when you are the Patriots, because you arent losing to bad teams OR mediocre teams.
Above all, things change so dramatically year to year that schedule analysis is useless.
A year ago the NFCS was considered horrible. The NFC is a weak conference. That creates mediocre teams such as Atlanta or Arizona being able to look 'tough' but they really aren't. The NFC has the Giants, some awful teams and then a whole bunch that are 8-8 teams disgusied as anywhere from 5-11 to 11-5 based on how the ball bounces. Then of course they all have gains and losses in the offseason.
Project that over a conference and I can guarantee you which NFC conferences are considered strong or weak today will be dramatically different 12 months form now.