BREAK DOWN YOUR NFC TIERING OF TEAMS

[Bretsky]

I know this is too early for this, but it'd be fun to give your breakdown of who you consider to be the Super Bowl Favorites at this point, the playoff hopefuls, and the teams that are just too far away.

While the news is a bit lacking this might lead to some spirited debate. Here is my take.

TIER ONE of NFC Teams I think are a notch above the rest in no order

NY Giants (very solid team)
Dallas Cowboys (still might be the favorites)
Seattle Seahawks (seemed to make some free agent moves to move up)


Tier TWO of NFC Teams that have a decent shot at the playoffs

Green Bay Packers
NO Saints
Washington Redskins
Philadelphia Eagles
Tampa Bay

Tier THREE of Teams (tried to post in order) with an outside playoff shot

Minnesota (A QB puts them in a higher tier)
Arizona (not sold yet)
Chicago
Carolina
Detroit
St Louis
San Fran
Atlanta

[KYPack]

Your ranking seems pretty well thought out. I don't know if the SeasChickens are ready to roll or not. I'd put GB and Sea about even.

Two teams that could shock like NO did a few years ago would be Tampa and SF. Both teams could flop, but if everything breaks right, they could shock ya. SF has some great players on D and Mike Martz could straighten Alex Smith out. Tampa is also real active on D also and has a shot to gel and do some damage.

(Had to edit. Couldn't spell "would" correctly. No, I didn't spell it "wood")

[HarveyWallbangers]

I know this is too early for this, but it'd be fun to give your breakdown of who you consider to be the Super Bowl Favorites at this point, the playoff hopefuls, and the teams that are just too far away.

While the news is a bit lacking this might lead to some spirited debate. Here is my take.

TIER ONE of NFC Teams I think are a notch above the rest in no order

NY Giants (very solid team)
Dallas Cowboys (still might be the favorites)
Seattle Seahawks (seemed to make some free agent moves to move up)

Tier TWO of NFC Teams that have a decent shot at the playoffs

Green Bay Packers
NO Saints
Washington Redskins
Philadelphia Eagles
Tampa Bay

Tier THREE of Teams (tried to post in order) with an outside playoff shot

Minnesota (A QB puts them in a higher tier)
Arizona (not sold yet)
Chicago
Carolina
Detroit
St Louis
San Fran
Atlanta

Didn't the Giants lost a few guys? They lost 2/3 of their linebacking corps and a very good safety.

Right now, I'd have to say Dallas is in tier 1. Bump the Giants and Seattle into tier 2. The rest I won't quibble with. If there were a tier 4, then I'd say Detroit, San Fran, Atlanta, and Chicago are in that group. Tier 3 would include Minnesota, Arizona, Carolina, and St. Louis--teams that I wouldn't be shocked if they made a playoff run.

[PaCkFan_n_MD]

The only one I might adjust is moving St. Louis a tad higher. Last year they got hit hard with injuries and they still have lots of talented players. Plus they are picking at number three in the draft which will help them. I would fear St. Louis this year more than the Bears or cards IMO. I see the Bears doing nothing.

[b bulldog]

My top would be Seattle, Giants and my top overall in the NFC is Dallas. I think the potentail signing of Pacman would be a huge hit PR wise for the boys but Jones is a very good DB and an excellent return man.

[]{ilr]3]

TIER ONE of NFC Teams I think are a notch above the rest in no order


1-2 Dallas Cowboys
1-2 Green Bay Packers
1-2 Seattle Seahawks


Tier TWO of NFC Teams that have a decent shot at the playoffs

1- Philadelphia Eagles
2- Tampa Bay
3- St Louis
4- Washington Redskins
5- NY Giants (will fail)

Tier THREE of Teams (tried to post in order) with an outside playoff shot

Minnesota
Arizona
Chicago
Carolina
Detroit
NO Saints
San Fran
Atlanta

I think the Gaints will be the next SB winner to not make the playoffs the next year be I rated them 2nd tier simply because they are the current champs.

I still think the Packers are going to be great even without Favre

I think the Rams will be suprising next year.

[BF4MVP]

Packers still belong in the first tier..

You'll see. You'll ALL see! 8-)

[DonHutson]

Isn't Holmgren in a lame duck year for the Seahawks? I've seen that show before. No good will come of it.

I guess you have to put Tampa in as a playoff contender, but frankly I don't know how they won last year.

[texaspackerbacker]

I know this is too early for this, but it'd be fun to give your breakdown of who you consider to be the Super Bowl Favorites at this point, the playoff hopefuls, and the teams that are just too far away.

While the news is a bit lacking this might lead to some spirited debate. Here is my take.

TIER ONE of NFC Teams I think are a notch above the rest in no order

NY Giants (very solid team)
Dallas Cowboys (still might be the favorites)
Seattle Seahawks (seemed to make some free agent moves to move up)


Tier TWO of NFC Teams that have a decent shot at the playoffs

Green Bay Packers
NO Saints
Washington Redskins
Philadelphia Eagles
Tampa Bay

Tier THREE of Teams (tried to post in order) with an outside playoff shot

Minnesota (A QB puts them in a higher tier)
Arizona (not sold yet)
Chicago
Carolina
Detroit
St Louis
San Fran
Atlanta

All in all, this isn't too far off. Just the same, improvements can be made.

I see the Giants as a TOTAL FLUKE, and as somebody said, they have lost a couple of starters.

The Packers obviously lost Brett Favre--a not insignificant detail. However, I expect them to remain in the top tier--partially because the rising Aaron Rodgers is not that much of a step down from the slowly fading Brett Favre. Also, there is parity in the league right now, probably parity at a lower level than some times in the past.

I see only the Cowboys on that top tier with the Packers, and maybe not even them. It is that lower level parity that makes FLUKES possible--and thus could again this year.

I see Washington as legitimately second tier. Also, I don't think the Bears and Panthers are as bad as they played last year. Those 3 as well as the Giants, Tampa, and maybe Seattle would comprise my second tier.

I don't see the Eagles or Saints as that good. Minnesota also is a sleeper team to have a good year--good O Line, super RB, etc., If their QB situation shapes up and Berrian or somebody else emerges as a receiver, they could be tough.

[The Leaper]

Right now, I'd have to say Dallas is in tier 1. Bump the Giants and Seattle into tier 2. The rest I won't quibble with. If there were a tier 4, then I'd say Detroit, San Fran, Atlanta, and Chicago are in that group. Tier 3 would include Minnesota, Arizona, Carolina, and St. Louis--teams that I wouldn't be shocked if they made a playoff run.

I would agree. Dallas is in a class by itself, thanks to Favre's retirement. I think there is a large dropoff from the Cowboys to the rest of the NFC at this moment.

The 2nd tier is a huge group IMO. Tampa, Philly, NO, Seattle, Green Bay, New York, St. Louis, Minnesota, Arizona, Carolina, Chicago and Detroit are all teams with at least a slim chance of playoff hopes next year IMO. If I had to rank them between solid chance and flimsy chance:

Solid: NO, TB, SEA, GB, MN, STL
Flimsy: PHI, NY, AZ, CAR, CHI, DET

The 3rd tier are teams that look hopeless at this point for 2008. San Fran, Atlanta and Washington are teams I think really have no chance next year to reach the playoffs...even with a ton of luck.

[Bretsky]

Packers still belong in the first tier..

You'll see. You'll ALL see! 8-)


Do us all a favor and don't cheer too much for AROD; you've already did enough damage to Ferguson over the years :lol:

[Scott Campbell]

Packers still belong in the first tier..

You'll see. You'll ALL see! 8-)


Do us all a favor and don't cheer too much for AROD; you've already did enough damage to Ferguson over the years :lol:


Like your endorsement hasn't been the kiss of death for more than a few guys?


:lol:

[ND72]

I'm amazed by the love for the Seahawks. Personally, I don't think they're any better than they were last year, and I even didn't think they were THAT great last year.

Personal feeling I guess, just don't see it. Patrick Kerney was talked up after playing an undrafted rookie, their DB's are way overrated, and offensively....eh. WR? no OL? eh RB? big question mark. QB is their only stable position, and Matt isn't young anymore so eh....I donno.

[Bretsky]

Packers still belong in the first tier..

You'll see. You'll ALL see! 8-)


Do us all a favor and don't cheer too much for AROD; you've already did enough damage to Ferguson over the years :lol:


Like your endorsement hasn't been the kiss of death for more than a few guys?


:lol:



Exactly why I'm careful not to endorse key Packers :lol: although I was on the Grant and Hawk Wagon quite early

[BF4MVP]

Packers still belong in the first tier..

You'll see. You'll ALL see! 8-)


Do us all a favor and don't cheer too much for AROD; you've already did enough damage to Ferguson over the years :lol:
That's harsh :lol:

[Fritz]

Your ranking seems pretty well thought out. I don't know if the SeasChickens are ready to roll or not. I'd put GB and Sea about even.

Two teams that could shock like NO did a few years ago would be Tampa and SF. Both teams could flop, but if everything breaks right, they could shock ya. SF has some great players on D and Mike Martz could straighten Alex Smith out. Tampa is also real active on D also and has a shot to gel and do some damage.

(Had to edit. Couldn't spell "would" correctly. No, I didn't spell it "wood")

Sorry, KY, but here in Detroit everybody in the Lions organizations has thrown Martz under the bus - and driven it back and forth across him. EVERYTHING, it turns out, was his fault. No consistency in the play calling. Martz's lack of running the ball was why Tatum Bell sucked. He's why the offensive line sucked. He's even why the defense sucked - if they'd run the ball better the D wouldn't have to have been on the field all the time. He also, it turns out, was the reason they drafted Calvin Johnson instead of Joe Thomas or Adrian Peterson. I think it's also his fault that the mayor of Detroit is in so much trouble and the fishing has gone bad the last couple of years.

So to expect him to be able to fix Alex Smith...well, you can see that every bad thing that ever happened in Detroit was Martz's fault, so don't get your hopes up.