2013/2014 NFL Thread: Attack of the Matts

[NewYorkSpider]

I wouldn't say the NFC East is a hard division. In actuality, 2 teams every year just seem to always be evenly matched. Last year, it was Cowboys/Redskins. Before that, Giants/Cowboys. And so on and so forth.

When a division is unpredictable between all 4 teams, then it's tough. The NFC South was like that for some time. The last 4 years in the NFC East, each team has won it. There's no solid bet on who will win this division. It could be any one of them.

I honestly think it is the toughest division in football at the moment.

 

[DoomsdayApex]

How many divisions are tougher than the NFC?

I'm not saying it's the toughest but c'mon.

West (Seahawks, Cardinals, Rams, 49ers) and South (Saints, Buccaneers, Falcons, Panthers), and a case could be made for North (Bears, Vikings, Packers, Lions) -- although The North is also overrated.

 

[Rowsdower!]

How many divisions are tougher than the NFC?

I'm not saying it's the toughest but c'mon.

A 4-12 team, an 8-8 team, a 9-7 team and a team with a QB who just had serious knee surgery.

The NFC East isn't that tough.

 

[MessiahDecoy123]

The NFC East has a dynasty team (Giants) and two other teams who can win the division each year.

Most other divisions have 2 competitive teams, 2 scrubs, and zero dynasties.

So I'd give the NFC East the slight edge over 80% of other divisions.

 

[Rowsdower!]

Eh, I'd put the NFC East as a division on par with the other "2 and 2" divisions.

The Giants may be a dynasty, but they also have a bad habit of following a good year with a disappointing one (and sometimes a dreadful one). They're not one of those consistently good teams year-after-year like the Patriots (which is really ironic, considering who they've beaten in their last two Super Bowls). So I wouldn't rank them any higher than "competitive" at this point.

The 'Skins, if they play like they did last year, would be your other competitive team in the NFCE. Although with Dan Snyder still running the ship, fans of this team should always expect disaster at any given moment.

The Clownboys not only will never win a Super Bowl with their current lineup and coaching staff, but they'll always struggle to even make the playoffs. There's talent there, but not enough to win anything, despite what their fans might believe.

I see the Eagles being horrible for a while. Classic case of a team that thought they could win the Super Bowl in the offseason and went after a bunch of big names that apparently couldn't play together. It didn't work for two straight years and now to "fix" the problem, they brought in a big name college coach. It might work or it might run the team even deeper into the ground. I'm betting on the latter.

 

[MessiahDecoy123]

There are only one divisions with two ”elite” teams.

The AFC North with the Ravens and the Steelers (though not last year).

So it's not like there are alot of tough divisions.

 

[TheBat812]

NFC West has two stronger teams than the AFC north. The niners/Seahawks will be much more successful this year than ther of those two teams. I also feel the vikes/packs will be better than the ravens/steelers as well.

 

[Rowsdower!]

There are only one divisions with two ”elite” teams.

The AFC North with the Ravens and the Steelers (though not last year).

So it's not like there are alot of tough divisions.

It pains me to say it, but I can't call the Steelers elite until they start acting like it. They were pathetic last year, and the year before they let Tim Tebow beat them in the playoffs. A lot of people believe they'll struggle to be competitive this year, and I'm worried that they're right.

It'd be nice to be wrong though...

 

[Warhammer]

^Ugh. I can't wait for Pittsburgh to lose to a team like Oakland again.

 

[Zeus]

I miss football

 

[DoomsdayApex]

The NFC East has a dynasty team (Giants) and two other teams who can win the division each year.

Most other divisions have 2 competitive teams, 2 scrubs, and zero dynasties.

So I'd give the NFC East the slight edge over 80% of other divisions.

80%? In what dimension? The Redskins wouldn't survive in the West and South. Horrible match-ups in those divisions for Washington. As of this moment:

West > South > North > East

 

[Matt]

^Ugh. I can't wait for Pittsburgh to lose to a team like Oakland again.

When did we stop? Steelers always lose to the bad teams.The Steelers, like no other team in the NFL, plays at the level of their competition. It is why they consistently beat the Pats, Ravens, Colts, etc but lose to the likes of the Browns and Raiders.

 

[The Incredible Hulk]

The NFC East has a dynasty team (Giants) and two other teams who can win the division each year.

Most other divisions have 2 competitive teams, 2 scrubs, and zero dynasties.

So I'd give the NFC East the slight edge over 80% of other divisions.

On what planet and by who's whack definition are the Giants a dynasty? Two Super Bowls in a five year span is not a dynasty by any definition of the term.

Outside of that the NFC East is mostly media hype who's in love with the Northeast US and anything the Cowboys do. As evidenced by their one playoff qualifier last year who went right into the toilet in their first game.

 

[MessiahDecoy123]

On what planet and by who's whack definition are the Giants a dynasty? Two Super Bowls in a five year span is not a dynasty by any definition of the term.

Outside of that the NFC East is mostly media hype who's in love with the Northeast US and anything the Cowboys do. As evidenced by their one playoff qualifier last year who went right into the toilet in their first game.

If the Giants aren't a dynasty then who is? The Patriots?

lol

 

[runawayboulder]

I'm a huge Giants fan and I wouldn't consider them a dynasty. They laid an egg in the playoffs after their first SB win (during the Eli era) then missed out completely after the second.

They've been the most successful team in the division for the past 10 years.....but not a dynasty.

 

[Warhammer]

When did we stop? Steelers always lose to the bad teams.The Steelers, like no other team in the NFL, plays at the level of their competition. It is why they consistently beat the Pats, Ravens, Colts, etc but lose to the likes of the Browns and Raiders.

 

[Rowsdower!]

The Steelers really need to fix that. I have never understood why they seem to play worse against teams they should beat. Especially awful teams like the Raiders, a team that NO ONE should ever lose to. Hell, I think some college teams could beat them. Maybe even a few high school squads too.

 

[Warhammer]

I remember about a year ago to the day, I was in here boasting about how Pittsburgh's schedule was so easy, they were going to have at least an 11-5 season. Come December, I was sure looking like a real McAssh***.

 

[Rowsdower!]

Eh, we all do that. It's good to have confidence because occasionally it pays off. And you never know. I mean, in 2008, Pittsburgh statistically had the toughest schedule (at least according to stats at the start of the season) and a lot of people picked them to take a dive. They responded by winning the Super Bowl. So sometimes it can work out.

However, with their current roster and ESPECIALLY with their current head coach... I have my doubts that we'll even sniff a Super Bowl for a while.

 

[runawayboulder]

Since when did Mike Tomlin become a bad head coach?

 

[MessiahDecoy123]

How long will the Steeler suck?

3 years? 10 years? 15 years?

Anything is possible. Look at the Cowboys.

 

[Rowsdower!]

Since when did Mike Tomlin become a bad head coach?

Since always.

He's a great coach when he inherits a team comprised mostly of guys who have recently won a Super Bowl. But if you look at the people that he's brought in through the draft and free agency in recent seasons, as well as some of his boneheaded decisions on the field and the fact that the Steelers have the SAME problems year-in and year-out (no running game, Swiss chees pass defense, the worst offensive line in the universe) you have to conclude that he's not as good of a coach as sportswriters would have you believe.

 

[Darthphere]

Mike Tomlin is the Erik Spoelstra of the NFL and thats disrespectful to Erik Spoelstra.

 

[runawayboulder]

I wasn't aware that he was basically the GM too.

 

[Matt]

I wasn't aware that he was basically the GM too.

Of course he is. That is always how Kevin Colbert has run his ship. He lets the coach make personnel and player decisions, meanwhile he finds a way to implement what the coach wants and make it happen.