Any dark horse NFC teams this season?

[beware_d-ware]

Green Bay is my pick. The talent level on that defense is good if not elite, and Love looked pretty good in his one start last year. If the stars align, they could blow through the NFC North and make a run.

 

[beware_d-ware]

Expanding on the above... this is my "state of the NFC" right now. It's not too good.

• ATL - spinning their wheels. No QB and no long term plan. Arthur Smith is a stooge and owes his job to Mike Vrabel.
• NO - gut job.
• TB - gut job.
• CAR - very interesting team. They played far better after Rhule got canned. That team has potential, but I wouldn't call it NFC-winning potential.

• DET - super fun team, with some legit pieces on offense. But I don't think that defense is ready, and Jared Goff is Jared Goff.
• MIN - they are going to regress so hard.
• CHI - nowhere to go but up.
• GB - explained above.

• SEA - same story as ever for the last decade. A mediocre roster maximizing its 8-win potential with excellent coaching. Carroll was vindicated for not letting Russ cook.
• LAR - McVay is king of the ashes.
• AZ - they are going to be a REALLY bad team.
• SF - Ready for another Niners season, which means another NFC championship game. Loaded roster and masterful coaching with question marks at QB. Same as ever.

• DAL - 9-10 wins and a quick playoff exit has been the drill for years now. Go Cowboys.
• PHI - brain drain hit, but their roster is stacked.
• NYG - genuinely a well coached squad, but I don't think they have the horsepower yet.
• WAS - they have some pieces, but not NFC championship level pieces, and their QB room is rough.

 

[Cowboys1966]

Eagles, 49ers, Cowboys - likely one of these teams will represent the NFC in the super bowl this season.

 

[Hadenough]

Detroit and Seattle will be much better.
The question is which of the top 3 teams is most likely to fall to an upset. I hate to say it but Dallas is probably the most likely candidate.

 

[TheCritic]

Detroit and Seattle will be much better.
The question is which of the top 3 teams is most likely to fall to an upset. I hate to say it but Dallas is probably the most likely candidate.

That's fair. I think it depends on what happens with the whole Dak-MM revamp. I realize that Dak and Moore were not a good fit for each other. I do believe that MM will put Dak in a place of high-percentage style of offense and the turnover issue will be taken care of. But aside from that, I do think at least for the Eagles, they did more this off-season than any other team in the NFC to improve. Having 2 first round picks had a lot to do with it. And fortifying the trenches the way they did was the best possible thing they could do.

 

[jazzcat22]

ATL - Depends on development of QB Ridder
NO - I say they are the favorites right now, but not by much
TB - Hard to say
CAR - Hard to say

DET - Most improved team last half of the season last year. I think they win the division
MIN - Hard to what direction they are going. They will go a cousins goes most likely
CHI - Should improve, but enough to make a playoff push, hard to say
GB - Depends on QB and his development. I will say it is possible they finish last in the division

SEA - I don't see why so many are high on them. It depends if Geno takes a step forward or back
LAR - Will probably finish 3rd but guy on GMFB thinks they make the playoffs
AZ - They will be competing for the 1st overall pick in 2024
SF - I think they take a step back this year. They lost around 9 players in FA, both OC & DC, QB is in question. But they have a great HC and are still talented, and will win the division

DAL - Can very well win the division and go further in the playoffs. But it depends upon how well Dak plays. Cut down the INT's in the playoffs
PHI - I say they take a step back also, as the lost players as well, and also both OC & DC. However since they are the division champs, I can't go against them to be so again
NYG - DaBoll did a great job last year. But still not quite there for me to say they will compete for the division.
WAS - At times they look good, at times they look bad. Also depends on the QB. But they can be good enough to be spoilers as well

My dark horse team is Detroit. But since many expect them to be better, are they a dark horse then?
I will take a chance, and say Ridder develops, the rookie RB plays very well. And the will push for a playoff spot. But will not get a WC, but could win that very weak and unpredictable division.

 

[StarOfGlory]

ATL - If Ridder is not the answer, look for a 6-win season
NO - Carr is good enough to get them to 9 wins then fail in the playoffs
TB - Wirfs moving from RT to LT tells you that they are shoring up weak spots. Can't see them any better than 3rd
CAR - After Rhule left, the team looked like a playoff team. Neck and neck with the Saints for the division

DET - Goff looks like a different QB in Detroit, excellent o-line, will take the division, need defense for the playoffs
MIN - Stuck on the Kirk Cousins treadmill, defense just fails in the playoffs year after year. Last year, had more 4th quarter comebacks than any team. Will regress to the mean.
CHI - Fields will run them to 8 wins this year
GB - Defense will have to be the rock until Love proves to be the man. If not, 7-8 wins.

SEA - Which Geno Smith shows up? If he regresses, Seattle won't make the playoffs again.
LAR - Still have too many holes to plug
AZ - Will be getting the 1st or 2nd pick next year
SF - The defense will lead this well-coached team into the playoffs again. The QB situation may bounce them out again. Excellent roster.

DAL - Has the talent to take the division. Underrated by some of the fan base. Can Dak take the next step and win consistently in the playoffs? History says no, but it's a new season...go Cowboys!
PHI - Cheat code-stacked roster on offense returning 10 of 11 players. If Hurts is the real deal and the rookies and 2nd year players on defense step up, probably another trip to the Super Bowl. Will struggle early!!! You heard it here.
NYG - Last year was similar to Minny, with all those under 7-point wins and 4th quarter comebacks. Their luck runs out this year unless Jones can carry the team for a stretch.
WAS - Will be a pesky team to deal with. RB's are healthy for now. A better o-line gets them to 9 wins...next year. Need another year to rebuild.

I think Detroit is the team most likely to be the dark horse to get to the NFCCG, where their defense will do them in.

 

[Teague31]

Expanding on the above... this is my "state of the NFC" right now. It's not too good.

• ATL - spinning their wheels. No QB and no long term plan. Arthur Smith is a stooge and owes his job to Mike Vrabel.
• NO - gut job.
• TB - gut job.
• CAR - very interesting team. They played far better after Rhule got canned. That team has potential, but I wouldn't call it NFC-winning potential.

• DET - super fun team, with some legit pieces on offense. But I don't think that defense is ready, and Jared Goff is Jared Goff.
• MIN - they are going to regress so hard.
• CHI - nowhere to go but up.
• GB - explained above.

• SEA - same story as ever for the last decade. A mediocre roster maximizing its 8-win potential with excellent coaching. Carroll was vindicated for not letting Russ cook.
• LAR - McVay is king of the ashes.
• AZ - they are going to be a REALLY bad team.
• SF - Ready for another Niners season, which means another NFC championship game. Loaded roster and masterful coaching with question marks at QB. Same as ever.

• DAL - 9-10 wins and a quick playoff exit has been the drill for years now. Go Cowboys.
• PHI - brain drain hit, but their roster is stacked.
• NYG - genuinely a well coached squad, but I don't think they have the horsepower yet.
• WAS - they have some pieces, but not NFC championship level pieces, and their QB room is rough.

Seattle is far from having a mediocre roster.

 

[Motorola]

they also got gibbs who I thought was the best rb in the draft, so they might have a good run game to rely on.
I predict they make the playoffs.

Add ro that --- Gibbs was not used as a heavy duty \ workhorse player in his three collegiate seasons.
@ Georgia Tech:
2020 - 7 games \ starts__121 touches (89 rush, 24 rec, 8 KOR)
2021 - 12 games\ starts___201 touches (143 ruah, 35 rec, 23 KOR)
@ Alabma:
2022 - 12 games \ starts___208 touches ( 151 rush, 44 rec, 13 KOR)

 

[Risen Star]

Eagles, 49ers, Cowboys - likely one of these teams will represent the NFC in the super bowl this season.
But there are some others that intrigue. The Lions, the Falcons, for example. Maybe the Giants or Vikings? I'm looking for the NFC surprise team that will get all the way to the NFC championship.
I'm also on the record as predicting that the Jaguars will win the Super Bowl and it will be the of the most obnoxious Trevor Lawrence Worship Era you can imagine.
I'm just trying to wrap my head around which NFC team will be the Super Bowl runner up.

Eagles, 49ers. You only include the Cowboys in the top tier because of rooting interest.

The Cowboys belong in the next tier with the Vikings and Lions.

 

[Cowboys5217]

I don't see the NFC power structure changing all that much. The top 3 are a tier above all the other teams.

 

[SuperBowlz]

I'm worried about the 49ers. Hargrave right next to BoSa is gonna be a devastating duo. San Fran had a great DLine without Hargrave. Huge FA signing IMO

 

[DFWJC]

Since everyone in on the Lions bandwagon, I’ll go Saints

I cant find any “glaring” holes on the Saints roster.
Pretty stacked on both sides ofthe ball. Could use another TE

 

[75boyz]

1.Maybe the Giants. 7 of their 1st 9 games are on the road and against some of the best defenses tho. If they could pull off a 5-4 in the first 9, they might be able to surprise in the second half of the schedule.

2.Carr with the Saints is kinda interesting to me as well.

 

[SuperBowlz]

Eagles, 49ers. You only include the Cowboys in the top tier because of rooting interest.

The Cowboys belong in the next tier with the Vikings and Lions.

Maybe Dallas isn't as good as Philly or San Fran but Dallas is definitely top 3 and much better than Vikings or Lions.

 

[Motorola]

Since everyone in on the Lions bandwagon, I’ll go Saints

I cant find any “glaring” holes on the Saints roster.
Pretty stacked on both sides ofthe ball. Could use another TE

Although he has a been a fixture in various positions on the Saints defensive coaching staff in two stints covering dozen years, Dennis Allen's tenure as a Raiders HC was really bad (but one can say that about most of their HCs during the 21st century).
Perhaps in his 2nd chance in the top spot - with a franchise he knows very well -- Allen will succeed.

 

[diamonddelts]

Eagles, 49ers, Cowboys - likely one of these teams will represent the NFC in the super bowl this season.
But there are some others that intrigue. The Lions, the Falcons, for example. Maybe the Giants or Vikings? I'm looking for the NFC surprise team that will get all the way to the NFC championship.
I'm also on the record as predicting that the Jaguars will win the Super Bowl and it will be the of the most obnoxious Trevor Lawrence Worship Era you can imagine.
I'm just trying to wrap my head around which NFC team will be the Super Bowl runner up.

Dallas and Super Bowl should never be mentioned in the same sentence as long as GM leather face is in charge.

 

[CCBoy]

Dallas appears to expand adaptability to AFC teams, with the addition of this:

The Dallas Cowboys are adding a new staffer to their ranks who boasts plenty of experience with an AFC team.

According to ESPN's Seth Walder, the Cowboys are hiring John Park as their new Director of Strategic Football Operations. Park previous served as the Director of Football Research with the Indianapolis Colts and had been with the organization since 2016 with a focus on analytics.


https://thespun.com/more/top-storie...ring-away-longtime-indianapolis-colts-staffer

 

[CCBoy]

Maybe Dallas isn't as good as Philly or San Fran but Dallas is definitely top 3 and much better than Vikings or Lions.

Bring 'em both on and in the snow if wanted...

 

[CCBoy]

Dallas and Super Bowl should never be mentioned in the same sentence as long as GM leather face is in charge.

If one doesn't know enough about football or even pay attention to legitimate explanations, just continue having the barber trim one's beard.