Updated divisional power rankings: NFC South is the best of the bunch
Earlier this season, I ranked the NFL divisions. We obviously now have more information with every team having played 15 games, while plenty of them only have a somewhat meaningless Week 17 contest before the playoffs begin.
For starters, how many wins does each division have right now and what is the total point differential after 60 combined games for each? Those answers are below, but there is also an eyeball test here before the final decisions are made.
| Division | Wins | Point Differential |
|---|---|---|
| AFC East | 31 | -91 |
| AFC North | 27 | -45 |
| AFC South | 25 | -112 |
| AFC West | 28 | -6 |
| NFC East | 30 | -4 |
| NFC North | 32 | +44 |
| NFC South | 35 | +149 |
| NFC West | 32 | +65 |
Some observations:
The NFC South, a division that could very well be on the cusp of putting three teams into the playoffs, stands alone at the top here. Unfortunately, there isn’t a whole lot of argument on this matter. Not only are New Orleans, Carolina, and Atlanta considered Super Bowl contenders, but as bottom-feeder teams go, Tampa Bay is one of the league's "best" in this regard.
Clearly the NFC is far more impressive overall than the AFC. The AFC is top heavy with New England and Pittsburgh, but there's a lack of true contenders on this side. Making the AFC look even worse is that three of the four worst teams in football are in this conference.
Going into the 2017 season, many looked at the AFC West as the NFL's most powerful division. Clearly, that hasn’t been the case, as Denver and Oakland have not lived up to expectations. Still, when comparing the AFC West to the other divisions, it's held its own even though the win total is not impressive.
Final Ranks
1. NFC South
As mentioned above, this was an easy decision.
(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)
2. NFC West
Seattle is a little down by its recent standards, but the Rams certainly make up for it. Arizona had a tough season, but remains difficult to play against. But the key here is that San Francisco has revitalized its season since inserting Jimmy Garoppolo into the starting lineup.
3. AFC West
As mentioned, this is still a still a very solid foursome. Denver is really down, but still ranks above teams like Cleveland and Indianapolis on the bottom-feeder meter. If only the Chargers had a kicking game …
4. NFC East
The loss of Carson Wentz really hurts this division's cause and to me, makes a Super Bowl title coming out of the NFC East a real long shot. Dallas was playing very well before being eliminated last week, while the Redskins are basically the definition of a league-average team. The Giants are only a year removed from being considered a strong club and could have had a much better year if Odell Beckham wasn't injured. With a healthy Wentz, the NFC East would easily be second on this list.
5. NFC North
The Bears swept the AFC North and aren't an easy out as far as poor teams go. The Lions are mediocre, as are the Packers without Aaron Rodgers, but the Vikings are possibly the NFL’s best team and certainly the one with the fewest holes. If Rodgers had been healthy all year, this division probably could have been second, or at least third, on this list. Judging the NFC East vs. NFC North was tough, as Minnesota gets an edge over the Eagles and Chicago over the Giants, but the middle two teams favor the East by a greater margin.
6. AFC North
The Steelers are on par with New England and the Ravens should end up in the postseason. The Browns are obviously winless, but that team has more talent than their awful 0-15 record. The Bengals were once again very up and down, but also have a better roster than their record indicates.
7. AFC East
The Patriots are pretty much who they always are, but their front seven on defense looks to be very problematic. Meanwhile, the Bills and Jets far exceeded expectations (most of us thought they'd compete for the first overall pick in the draft), but there isn’t a lot of talent on those two squads. Miami remains middling.
8. AFC South
Jacksonville is for real and is a great story. That defense should keep the Jaguars extremely competitive in the postseason. But sorry, AFC South, Houston and Indianapolis are simply awful. And to be honest, Tennessee gets more and more disappointing by the week. Picking this division for the last spot on this list wasn't difficult.
Matt Williamson is a former scout for the Cleveland Browns and spent 10 years at ESPN as a scout and co-host of "The Football Today Podcast." Find him on Twitter @WilliamsonNFL.