In Blink of an Eye NFC will be Wide Open

Flamma

Well-Known Member
Messages
21,800
Reaction score
18,665
Tampa isn't the biggest problem. It's the Rams.

Matt Stafford is an elite quarterback who was stuck in hell in Detroit. Now he has McVay, weapons, an offensive line, and a defense.

Stafford could very well get the MVP this season.

I know he's a good quarterback. I know his career was wasted in Detroit. But Tampa is still a way bigger problem.
 

chagus

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,693
Reaction score
2,579
It's the Not-For-Long League, as we know. Especially now in the NFC.

Could the conference open up wide, and open up suddenly for some surprise team? I say it happens. Let's look around a bit at the top NFC teams of recent years:

-Yes, the Rams got a new QB but their roster is paper thin. They not only lost their best safety and a starting corner to free agency...they lost their defensive coordinator. Last year they were one of the luckiest teams in terms of games-lost-to injury. That rarely repeats.

-Green Bay's QB will be a guy named Jordan...or a pouty Rodgers.

-Seattle did absolutely nothing to improve their team in draft or FA, and Wilson did a fair bit to dump on his teammates this offseason. Don't see them being great.

-Tampa Bay has everything, but what if they suddenly don't have Tom. We've all settled onto the notion that TB12 is immortal. He isn't. He'll enter the new season at 44! The end for Brady will come out of the blue, and come with finality. A bad hit, or the arm just falls off.

-The most consistently good NFC team over the past decade, the Saints...ain't got a quarterback anymore. Their roster has been in decline as they are in cap hell and haven't been drafting so well in recent years.

-The 49ers might be the cherry of the NFC, but they lost two prized backups (for the year) already in training camp. Bosa can't seem to stay healthy. Will Trey Lance be ready when Jimmy gets hurt again? He's mighty raw.

The conference is going to see new teams arise and do so quickly. Will it be Arizona? WFT? Cowboys? Vikings? Bears? Even an unlikely team such as the Giants? We are about to see some surprise team(s) bust out. Mark it.

All good points... great post!
 

T-RO

Well-Known Member
Messages
14,824
Reaction score
16,341
Tampa isn't the biggest problem. It's the Rams.

Matt Stafford is an elite quarterback who was stuck in hell in Detroit. Now he has McVay, weapons, an offensive line, and a defense.

Stafford could very well get the MVP this season.

Stafford will be an upgrade, but that defense lost 2 of it's top 6 players, and it's def. coordinator. Didn't (couldn't) do much anything in draft or free agency
 

ghst187

Well-Known Member
Messages
15,515
Reaction score
11,351
It’s pretty much the Packers and Bucs then everyone else

Unless the Pack suddenly don’t have Rodgers and then they may not even contend in their own division. And if Rodgers does get traded, can’t see it being to a NFC team like the Saints.
Thought it was a lock that Rodgers would end up in Denver since that seems like an Elway thing to do and Denver has enough capital. But now I’m not so sure…sounds like Watson wants to go to Denver and I’ve read some good rational cases where Las Vegas makes the trade for Rodgers.
Even with Rodgers, we SHOULD be better than GB if we do and play how we’re supposed to
 

T-RO

Well-Known Member
Messages
14,824
Reaction score
16,341
Unless the Pack suddenly don’t have Rodgers and then they may not even contend in their own division.

The Pack not only needs Rodgers, they need him there in non-disgruntled form. And in prepared form. The lack of summer reps with his receivers could be an issue. And as he pouts it's an open question if he is keeping up with his conditioning.
 

EST_1986

Well-Known Member
Messages
10,188
Reaction score
14,647
Unless the Pack suddenly don’t have Rodgers and then they may not even contend in their own division. And if Rodgers does get traded, can’t see it being to a NFC team like the Saints.
Thought it was a lock that Rodgers would end up in Denver since that seems like an Elway thing to do and Denver has enough capital. But now I’m not so sure…sounds like Watson wants to go to Denver and I’ve read some good rational cases where Las Vegas makes the trade for Rodgers.
Even with Rodgers, we SHOULD be better than GB if we do and play how we’re supposed to
You can pretty much say that about any team contending that looses a QB.

If our defense is half *** respectable we can easily compete with GB but half *** is a stretch when you look at last seasons historically bad unit
 

T-RO

Well-Known Member
Messages
14,824
Reaction score
16,341
This all begs the question: who is most poised to step into the void? Let's look at some of the candidates, starting in Arizona.

The Cardinals added a diminished but still impactful JJ Watt and solid corner Malcom Butler. They traded for an effective center, Rodney Hudson They also get stout pass rusher Chandler Jones back from injury. FA Losses? Three or four solid players, nothing elite.

In the draft they got a massive linebacker who can run, Zaven Collins...and one of the draft's best slot receiver candidates, Rondale Moore.

The Cardinals almost made the playoffs last season, and they got notably better this offseason. They absolutely look ready, but will be perpetually tested hard in the West, by far the strongest division in the NFC.

Dallas faces Arizona at home, Week 17.
 

75boyz

Well-Known Member
Messages
7,963
Reaction score
9,599
After scrolling through I just noticed how good of an OP discussion you've made here. I really like your speculative reasoning based on what's being made public ie the Rodgers/Watson situations.
I also enjoyed how your tone seems very fair and objecive to basic roster improvement, stagnation or regression of the other NFC teams mentioned.

Very balanced approach. Not the biggest fan of the CZ Jones team pollyanna crowd.

Great job.
 
Last edited:

T-RO

Well-Known Member
Messages
14,824
Reaction score
16,341
Next on the horizon: the Horn Blowers of the North.

Easy to dismiss as a top '21 threat because they weren't great last year, and you, know, Cousins. But Kirk is, in truth, a top 14 QB and he has two elite receivers in Jefferson and Thielen. Dalvin Cook might be the best RB in the NFC.

Vikings were 7-9 last year and 10-6 in 2019.

Here's the stunner you won't believe: Vikes gave up more points last year than the Cowboys! That's crazy as under Mike Zimmer they are typically a lock for a top-12 defense. Clearly the D is item #1 for that's what they've got to turn around. They had a couple of covid opt-out players, but the big problem in Viking country is a lot of attrition of their best defensive players the past few years.

To fix things they signed stout Dalvin Tomlinson, and once-elite-but aging Patrick Peterson. A big question with Minn is their star Edge Danielle Hunter, who is disgruntled with his contract. I'm not seeing a sudden Viking rise, but with Zimmer's ability to cook up a defense, it wouldn't surprise me.
 

T-RO

Well-Known Member
Messages
14,824
Reaction score
16,341
Meant to include in my previous post:
Cowboys play @Vikings, with their incredible fan noise...Week 8.
 

garyo1954

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,704
Reaction score
4,470
Minnesota was the opposite of Dallas in pass/run defense.
While the Cowboys gave up 158 a game, the Vikes held backs to 125.
Meanwhile they gave up 263 passing yards a game while Dallas held passers to 258.
They gave up two points more 475 to 473 on the season.
Some of the defense's problems were loss of Hunter and inconsistent play.

This year they get the NFC West and play the 5th toughest schedule in the league.
They also get Baltimore, Cleveland, Pittsburgh and Denver.

When it rains it pours. They're most like Dallas, until you see them on the field, you don't know what you've got.
 

T-RO

Well-Known Member
Messages
14,824
Reaction score
16,341
This year they get the NFC West and play the 5th toughest schedule in the league.
They also get Baltimore, Cleveland, Pittsburgh and Denver.

Ouch! Good info, didn't know that. That'll make it very tough for them. They'll likely need to dominate their own division, which will most likely depend on a Rodgers departure.
 

speedkilz88

Well-Known Member
Messages
35,996
Reaction score
21,855
Next on the horizon: the Horn Blowers of the North.

Easy to dismiss as a top '21 threat because they weren't great last year, and you, know, Cousins. But Kirk is, in truth, a top 14 QB and he has two elite receivers in Jefferson and Thielen. Dalvin Cook might be the best RB in the NFC.

Vikings were 7-9 last year and 10-6 in 2019.

Here's the stunner you won't believe: Vikes gave up more points last year than the Cowboys! That's crazy as under Mike Zimmer they are typically a lock for a top-12 defense. Clearly the D is item #1 for that's what they've got to turn around. They had a couple of covid opt-out players, but the big problem in Viking country is a lot of attrition of their best defensive players the past few years.

To fix things they signed stout Dalvin Tomlinson, and once-elite-but aging Patrick Peterson. A big question with Minn is their star Edge Danielle Hunter, who is disgruntled with his contract. I'm not seeing a sudden Viking rise, but with Zimmer's ability to cook up a defense, it wouldn't surprise me.
Michael Pierce is the vikes NT, they want Dalvin Tomlinson to play 3T.
 

T-RO

Well-Known Member
Messages
14,824
Reaction score
16,341
Michael Pierce is the vikes NT, they want Dalvin Tomlinson to play 3T.

Yup. Pierce was one of the guys who opted out. So they'll have two solid guys in middle of the D whom they didn't have last season.

Pierce carries 340 pounds on a 6'0" frame. :omg:
 

TexasHillbilly

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,303
Reaction score
3,184
It's the Not-For-Long League, as we know. Especially now in the NFC.

Could the conference open up wide, and open up suddenly for some surprise team? I say it happens. Let's look around a bit at the top NFC teams of recent years:

-Yes, the Rams got a new QB but their roster is paper thin. They not only lost their best safety and a starting corner to free agency...they lost their defensive coordinator. Last year they were one of the luckiest teams in terms of games-lost-to injury. That rarely repeats.

-Green Bay's QB will be a guy named Jordan...or a pouty Rodgers.

-Seattle did absolutely nothing to improve their team in draft or FA, and Wilson did a fair bit to dump on his teammates this offseason. Don't see them being great.

-Tampa Bay has everything, but what if they suddenly don't have Tom. We've all settled onto the notion that TB12 is immortal. He isn't. He'll enter the new season at 44! The end for Brady will come out of the blue, and come with finality. A bad hit, or the arm just falls off.

-The most consistently good NFC team over the past decade, the Saints...ain't got a quarterback anymore. Their roster has been in decline as they are in cap hell and haven't been drafting so well in recent years.

-The 49ers might be the cherry of the NFC, but they lost two prized backups (for the year) already in training camp. Bosa can't seem to stay healthy. Will Trey Lance be ready when Jimmy gets hurt again? He's mighty raw.

The conference is going to see new teams arise and do so quickly. Will it be Arizona? WFT? Cowboys? Vikings? Bears? Even an unlikely team such as the Giants? We are about to see some surprise team(s) bust out. Mark it.
The question is: Who can stay healthy throughout a 17 game season. The way these guys are pampered, the answer is nobody.
 
Top