Why can't the NFC keep up with the AFC?

Question

This question only pertains to the last 10 years. I know we can look back in time and the NFC has (with the exception of the Steelers) owned the AFC. But recently...take, for example, last year's six playoff teams and next two that didn't make it:

SD(14-2) vs. CHI(13-3): Any non-bear fan can tell that this would not be a good game. San Diego wins.
BAL(13-3) vs. NO(10-6): Up and down, the best matchup here. New Orleans takes it.
IND(12-4) vs. PHI(10-6): Much love for the champs. Indy wins.
NE(12-4) vs. SEA(9-7): Not a good on paper or the field. Patriots win.
NYJ(10-6) vs. DAL(9-7): I'll throw Romo-nation a bone here. Cowboys.
KC(9-7) vs. NYG(8-8): Depends on which version of each team shows up. I guess KC would win.
DEN(9-7) vs. CAR(8-8): Two teams that should have made the postseason last year. Still, Denver rolls on.
CIN(8-8) vs. GB(8-8): Okay, look. Brett Favre was the man. WAS. Cincinnati by 20.

So it's 6 to 2. I think I got my point -- and question across :)

Answer 1

Look at how the divisions stack up. Here's how I rate them, worst to best:

8) NFC North - with Brett Favre and the Packers on the decline, the Bears being the Super Bowl runner-up, the Vikings on the decline, and the Lions being the Lions, this pick was easy.

7) NFC West - an up-and-coming division with a lot of talent, but with Seattle taking it with a 9-7 record last year, this too was a no-brainer.

6) AFC South - only the Colts and Jags will compete. They are not enough to bring up the mediocrity of the Texans and Titans.

5) NFC South - the Saints will probably win, but the Panthers and Bucs have bounceback potential.

4) AFC East - the Pats and the Jets are highly competitive, and the Dolphins have high potential on defense. Only the Bills won't compete.

3) NFC East - this is possibly the most competitive division posted the maximum three playoff teams last year, but they are not good enough to compete with the remaining two.

2) AFC West - the Chargers coming off a 14-2 season have the best running back, tight end, and one of the best defenses in football, the Broncos could easily go 13-3, and don't count the Chiefs out.

1) AFC North - this division has Baltimore, looking like they will have a ferocious defense and an improved offense with Willis McGahee, the Bengals, who could very well take the crown if their players stay out of trouble, and the Steelers, who were WAY better than their 8-8 record indicated. Don't forget they were the THIRD best rushing defense in the NFL and still have most of the core team that dominated the AFC Playoffs and won in the Super Bowl. Even the Browns could compete should the other three stumble and beat up on each other.

The AFC has not only the top two divisions, but also the four of the top five and eight of the top ten teams in the NFL.

Answer 2

Okay..something i've noticed...the teams in the NFC have worse records mostly because the teams are all pretty much more balanced, does that mean the teams aren't as good? Yeah it could, but the NFC East last year was really beating on each other...the NFC South was the same way...the NFC North was the only run away division...the NFC West was actually quite close and will be again this year...

Look at the AFC...what team in the AFC East could have contended with the Patriots whenever they played? None...How many teams were able to slow the Colts offense down in the AFC South? How often did an AFC West team beat the Chargers?...Baltimore's loses were all kinda cases of just getting screwed over...but all of those divisions were run away divisions where one team was CLEARLY the favorite and just ran with it....that doesn't happen as much in the NFC, and that results in better records for the AFC. And the AFC wins the Super Bowls recently for the same reason, there are a few super teams and then a bunch of mediocre where the NFC is all fairly decent teams and they just beat the crap out of each other...

If the NFC had teams that dominated their divisions like the AFC did...the records would be the same...

Answer 3

It tends to go in cycles. Between the Raiders winning SB 18 in January 1984, and the Broncos winning SB 32 in 1998, there were 13 straight years the NFC took the title. 13! And a decade from now you may have the NFC being so strong again or you may have more parity. Who knows? It's not like one conference is doing anything differently then the other; it just so happens that a disproportionate number of the best teams are in the AFC right now.

It doesn't hurt that the 2-3 best QBs in the league (Manning, Brady, and maybe Palmer) are all on AFC teams, which basically ensures that 3 of the best teams every year are going to be in that conference. Also, many of the top coaches (Bellichick, Dungy, Cowher before this year, Fisher, and Shanahan) coach in the AFC. If you have the coaching and the QB, you're going to win in the NFL. Note that the only NFC SB champion since early 2000, Tampa Bay, was basically put together by Dungy too.

Answer 4

While your question is fine. You're argument is stupid. How would you sitting there deciding ho would win games make a point??? You may as well just make a power ranking and forget about the season.

But the reason for the difference comes down to coaching and ownership. Which are the reasons for the differences among all the teams anyway. The orginizations that are run the best do the best. The ones that skimp, are run by people with poor judgement, or something like that don't succeed, but they still make a profit.

That's not to say there aren't a few very good teams in the NFC. Philadelphia has everything it needs to be very good. Carolina could be very good if they would get rid of garbage Delhomme and start a legitimate QB. Same for chicago. And there are other teams that are up and coming.

Answer 5

NFC: Cowboys vs Buccaneers 27-24 Buccaneers AFC: Pats vs Browns 37-27 Pats

Answer 6

I think it has to do with offenses. The AFC seems to be more passing oriented, as a whole. Charges have rivers (had Brees), gates, and even LT caught 100 passes one year. Colts have Payton, NE got Brady, Jets use short passing.

KC, while it has LJ, it also had Green and Gonzales, and Denver had Elway.

The NFC is more of a running league. It's emphasis is on running the ball and chewing up the clock. Dallas had emmit, and now Jones and Barber, Skins have Portis, Bucs always ran with Alstott, Pitman and now Cadillac, GB had Ahman Green...

So in my opinion, it has to do with the style teams play. Why its divided like that, I don't know - but the NFL is a copycat league, so when an AFC wins with passing, I would guess other AFC teams that play them would mimic - likewise for NFC.

Answer 7

the bears will win that game but thats neither here nor there

all of this talent is like the NBA it goes in cycles. Eventually because the AFC is beating up on the NFC so badly these teams end up firing and hiring new coaches, and begin to spend money in order to be competitive give it about 5 years the league will balance out and the NFC will dominate again. Remember the 90's the COwboys and the 49ers destroyed the AFC. early 90's and 80's washington and the Giants destroyed the league.

Answer 8

There's no question the AFC has more talented teams, it just runs in streaks. The 80s and early 90s were dominated by the NFC. As far as the Bears, they are a lot healthier than late last year and they are a couple players better. You will find out in week one which team is better.

Answer 9

It is all a cycle. How many years was the NFC the top conference. They won super bowls from 1985 to 1996 and now the AFC is is the conference that is winning the super bowl. It will all come around again,

Answer 10

that's a dumb assumption to go based on. I think before we all climb on the bears jocks, they lost to the DOLPHINS!!!! It's sunday's any team any day (except the bills in the 90's man they couldn't catch a super bowl break, wide left, *** kicked, good game, *** kicked must have sucked)

The afc is superior because of better drafting decisions. If you look at the list the top 3 quarterbacks in the league are all in the afc (Palmer, Manning, Brady)
Also if you look alot of your better offensive lines are in the afc (chiefs, colts, pats, chargers, even the ravens)
There's just a higher quality of good drafting and decision making on the afc's behalf.