Breaking Down the Best Teams in the NFC
Joe Johnson
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The playoff picture for the 2020-21 NFL season is beginning to take shape, and the National Football Conference (NFC) is in a tight race to see what the final seedings with be.
In this unique season, there seems to be no telling as to who will dominate the NFC, and there’s still no lock as to who will make it out of the NFC in the hopes of winning the Super Bowl. The competition in the conference remains exciting and unpredictable which means great entertainment for football fans around the world.
While there is still no definite team that reigns supreme over the entire conference, a number of teams have proven to be ahead of the pack. These teams are the teams who have proven that they’re ahead of the curve in relation to the entire conference, and show much hope for their respective futures.
Green Bay Packers
Image courtesy of Vikings.com
The Green Bay Packers remain one of the best teams not just in the NFC, but also in the entire NFL. With their current 11-3 record, they were able to clinch a second straight division title, as well as vault into the top seed of the conference.
Head coach Matt LaFleur has been stellar considering that he’s only been in Green Bay for two years, and Aaron Rodgers remains one of the best QBs in the game.
Despite the Packers’ mediocre performance in the 2020 NFL Draft, the club still has a solid core, as evidenced by its current record and its dominance over the NFC North. The Packers have proven that they belong to the cream of the crop of the NFC, and the only question left is whether or not they would be able to sustain their stellar play heading into the postseason.
New Orleans Saints
Brett Favre shows off his ankle months after the Saints cheated in the 2009 NFC Championship. Never forget.
New Orleans has one of the most stacked rosters in the league, and boasts of one of the greatest quarterbacks of his generation in Drew Brees.
While Brees has unfortunately suffered a collapsed lung and fractured his rib, Taysom Hill was able to take over the reins of the offense for the meantime and has done enough, together with the entire squad, to keep the Saints competitive in the absence of Brees.
With the New Orleans currently holding a 10-3 record and Brees set to return to the field, the Saints are about to become even more dangerous, and the Saints can still make a push to take the number 1 seed in the NFC.
Seattle Seahawks
SEATTLE, WA – OCTOBER 16: Running back Christine Michael #32 of the Seattle Seahawks rushes against defensive tackle Grady Jarrett #97 and defensive tackle Ra’Shede Hageman #77 of the the Atlanta Falcons at CenturyLink Field on October 16, 2016 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)
The Seahawks have had an electrifying season so far, to say the least. Seattle has managed to tally a 9-4 record thus far in the season, with most of their 9 wins coming in dramatic fashion.
It’s easy to doubt Seattle because of the team’s defense, which ranks at the bottom levels of the league. However, the Seahawks offense is powerful enough to erase those deficiencies in defense and prevail over other teams nonetheless.
Russell Wilson’s MVP trophy remains elusive, but he continues to prove to be one of the best quarterbacks in the game. With weapons like DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett at the offense’s disposal, the Seahawks will remain to be one of the league’s greatest threats at the offensive end, which may be enough to keep Seattle hanging around with the big boys of the league.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Vikings Plunder Buccaneers – by Matt Engstrom
The Bucs made headlines earlier this year when they signed future Hall of Famer QB Tom Brady. In his first year at Tampa Bay, Brady has been able to keep the Bucs relevant in the NFC and they currently sit with an 8-5 record and the team seeks to land at least a wild card berth after not making the postseason since 2007.
Brady may be at the tail end of his illustrious career, but Tampa Bay has supplied him with a solid stash of weapons on the offense, including a familiar running mate in Rob Gronkowski. The Bucs might not be at the top of the NFC, but should they make the postseason, it’s not unlikely for Brady to prove once more why he’s one of the greatest of all time.
Los Angeles Rams
Image courtesy of TheRams.com
Coach Sean McVay overhauled the Los Angeles Rams coaching staff, and it has produced results. The Rams have one of the most suffocating defenses in the league and this has the squad sitting atop the NFC West as they look to secure a playoff spot.
The defensive pressure that the Rams put on their opponents will definitely have even the brightest stars of the league on their toes, and there’s no telling how far the deep Los Angeles squad can go in the postseason.
Arizona Cardinals
Image courtesy of Vikings.com
Arizona is not short on talent at all. The Cardinals squad has former number one pick quarterback Kyler Murray and star wide received DeAndre Hopkins, who, by themselves, are already must-see television.
When the Cardinals are in their groove, they can hang with any team in the NFL, and they surely will bring their A-game as they look to secure a wild-card berth. While their shot at success this season seems to be dwindling, the roster is not short on potential and with some consistency and savvy front office moves, Arizona can find itself among the best teams not just in the NFC, but also in the entire NFL.
Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings are on the ropes as the season approaches its end, and are looking to play their best football for the remaining weeks of the season if they wish to make it to the playoffs. After a 1-5 start to the season, the Vikings went on a surge to win five wins in six games to make a dramatic turnaround in their season, but that wasn’t enough to give them the comfort of a clinched playoff spot.
Regardless, whether the Vikings defy the odds and secure a wild-card berth or not, there is a lot of hope in Minnesota, and this season should only be a glimpse of what the squad can be capable of.
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