NFC Playoff Picture Clearing Up

[TommyD4207]

I think people are really jumping the gun on the Rams. They've beaten

Tolzien's Colts
Winless 49ers
Palmerless Cardinals
Devastated, hapless, 1-7 Giants
Inconsistent Jaguars
Cowboys

I get that you can only beat who's on your schedule, but that's not exactly taking out Murderer's Row.

This. People forget an average-at-best Seahawks team went to Los Angeles and beat them up pretty good.

 

[TommyD4207]

Minnesota scares the crap out of me if Bridgewater comes back healthy.

 

[PatriotsNumero1Fan]

I think it has cleared up a bit.

My thoughts on all the main teams.

Philly - They are a lot like the Cowboys of last year. A strong up and coming team but too young. They are arguably the best NFC team just like the cowboys were but they have no playoff experience. nearly anywhere on the team. I think they will get a top 2 seed but not make the super bowl.

Dallas - as I figured they are coming down a bit from their great year last year. Missing Elliot 6 games will hurt but they will be in the playoffs again. Even though they had a rockier road this year and a worse record I think they will be in a better spot to make a run with this team will all the trials they are going through this year and last year's experience. They will be dangerous.

Minn - Again the D is legit and they have a bit more on the offensive side this year compared to last year. Still their offense will not be good enough to carry them to the promised land. They could knock off a good team thought.

Carolina - They are somewhere between the 2015 panthers and the 2016 panthers. A hot and cold offense with a good defense. They will get in but the lack of consistency will hurt them.

New Orleans - This team is not being talked about like it should be. For the first time in a while the Saints have something amounting to a defense and that has put them back on the map. Brees is right now the 2nd most dangerous QB in the league after Brady (all respect to the young guns). This is a threat and could circle around the "get one more for Brees" wagon.

Seattle - The OL sucks but a QB like Wilson is the right kind of guy to handle such an OL. Even with that issue the D is still a forced and the offense is capable of having a few great games in a row.

LAR - Everything I said about Eagle goes even more for the Rams. They are another young up and coming too but seem less consistent and have proved less with their competition.

In order of threat level I'd rank them...

#1 Dallas
#2 New Orleans (Yes we beat them... KC beat us... I think both games should have been more competitive).
#3 Seattle

There is a drop off after these 3.

#4 Philly - If a young team could challenge it be them
#5 LAR
#6 Carolina - I still don't buy them being consistent enough on O to make the SB.
#7 Minn - They need an O.

I am not even looking at any other team. Maybe if Atlanta goes on a run or GB is about to slip in and get Rodgers healthy.... besides that I don't see another team worth worrying about.

No way the jags defense's overrated especially their pass defense. They hardly allow someone to get over 300 yards. Their defense's legit. I rather the titans get in even though they have mariota.

 

[PatriotsNumero1Fan]

I echo Kontra’s thoughts. Since the Saints OL have come back from injury, they have:

An elite two headed running game
An efficient passing offense
A pretty good pass rush
A great secondary since they inserted Crawley at CB2
A HOF QB playing great football

If I had to predict a SB matchup today I think I would take Brady v. Brees for an all-time classic. That Saints team has very few flaws.

I would like to see a rematch against Carolina or a matchup with the young eagles.

 

[mosi]

This. People forget an average-at-best Seahawks team went to Los Angeles and beat them up pretty good.

Man, the Rams would beat Seattle when Seattle was good! Those two always have hard fought games.

 

[mgteich]

PHI vs NO should be a great conference championship game.

I echo Kontra’s thoughts. Since the Saints OL have come back from injury, they have:

An elite two headed running game
An efficient passing offense
A pretty good pass rush
A great secondary since they inserted Crawley at CB2
A HOF QB playing great football

If I had to predict a SB matchup today I think I would take Brady v. Brees for an all-time classic. That Saints team has very few flaws.

 

[mgteich]

Minnesota scares the crap out of me if Bridgewater comes back healthy.

I think that PHI and NO have much better teams, and much better quarterbacks that Bridgewater.

 

[Joey007]

Honestly won't rule out Detroit still being in the running for a spot due to their favorable schedule.

 

[captain stone]

Honestly won't rule out Detroit still being in the running for a spot due to their favorable schedule.

I don't think that more than one team from the NFC Central will make the POs this year, so they would have to win the division…which I hope doesn't happen…because they blew it last week vs PitsDirt…so Feck them…and Caldwell…and Stafford too.

 

[pherein]

PHI vs NO should be a great conference championship game.

That would be so great if really happens, Love to see Brees finally get a defence and run game again. Think Jacksonville, Minnesota defences are for real, and Jags might have the best pass rush in the game. Never seen any front 4 that dominate for some time. NO defense has tainted stats because of the 0-2 start and so many young guys trying to find their place, much like NE defense I think. If those 2 games are gone we look pretty good, and some points like the TB game where Snead fumbled a punt on the 10 to give TB 7 with a 30-10 score or the 2 ints Brees threw in GB in the red zone are not helping the stats for D.
But its the truth to say that NO D or we call them "you get the NOD defense" has won 3 of the games without offense, and this is truly astounding sense 2006, I've never seen anything like it. Pretty speechless.

I am measuring this: Saints play
Bills
Redskins
Rams

next, If the Saints do 2-1 in these 3 games and keep the loss close its safe to say that NO has a team that competes for a SB.

When we got to the big show once the Saints were on fire and then the end was brutal hard fights, very close.
This seems to be the opposite where the Saints are starting off Brutal and ugly, but if Brees starts to play better than above average could end up very strong in the end.
Alot depends on our run game and OL, and if the defensive secondary can keep it going.
Maybe but im looking at those 3 games. Though Kamara 41 runs like everyone else is in slow motion.

 

[Deus Irae]

The NFC is still pretty wide open, with only 6 teams realistically out of it.

Definitely still in it:

Eagles
Cowboys
Redskins
Vikings
Lions
Panthers
Saints
Falcons
Rams
Seahawks


Realistically done:

Giants
Packers
Bears
Bucs
Cardinals
49ers

And, if the Cardinals were to find a way to beat the Seahawks this week, they'd have to be added back into the playoff mix.

 

[captain stone]

The Falcons might be mathematically definitely still in it, but in reality they're definitely not in it.

 

[Joey007]

Interesting for Detroit:



A team that should probably be 6-2 right now, idk they seem very well alive in this. Vikings might want to make sure they don't get caught up with.

 

[brdmaverick]

Obviously it's way to early to talk about potential Super Bowl opponents, but we're fans......so what the heck.........

The thing that I most want to see in our Super Bowl opponent is a pocket passer. I was actually glad to see the Pats play Matt Ryan last year as opposed to Dak Prescott or Russell Wilson. Yes, I realize we beat Wilson in the Super Bowl too, but I just think running QBs present more problems for us. I'd much rather face a team quarterbacked by Brees, Cousins, or Stafford as opposed to Prescott, Wilson, or Newton. I don't even think Newton is all that great, but it adds another element for the D to focus on.