Niners Nation
We believe the cream of the crop involves 3 NFC playoff teams. Breaking down the NFC playoff teams into 4 Tiers
In a pivotal NFC contest, the San Francisco 49ers handled business this past Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Niners are now a game over .500 and 3-3 in the NFC. The Bucs' loss dropped them to 12th in the conference and gave them an all-important conference loss.
If the playoffs started today, the Arizona Cardinals would be the only NFC West team to make the playoffs.
1) Detroit Lions: 8-1 (6-1 in the NFC)
2) Philadelphia Eagles: 7-2 (4-2)
3) Atlanta Falcons: 6-4 (6-2)
4) Arizona Cardinals - 6-4 (3-3)
5) Minnesota Vikings - 7-2 (3-2)
6) Washington Commanders - 7-3 (5-1)
7) Green Bay Packers: 6-3 (2-3)
8) San Francisco 49ers: 5-4 (3-3)
9) Chicago Bears: 4-5 (2-2)
10) Los Angeles Rams: 4-5 (3-4)
11) Seattle Seahawks: 4-5 (1-4)
12) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 4-6 (4-3)
We will ignore the Dallas Cowboys, New Orleans Saints, Carolina Panthers, and New York Giants. Let’s put the rest of the remaining teams in a tier.
These tiers are not based on record. It’s a combination of subjectivity from the team’s perceived delta, coaching, matchups, roster, playmakers, etc.
The Lions were in an impossible scheduling spot in Week 10. Off an emotional divisional road win in rainy conditions, Detroit traveled to Houston to face a playoff team without its Defensive Player of the Year candidate and left tackle. Oh, and their quarterback threw five interceptions.
To me, interceptions are as overvalued as missed tackles. Of course, five is egregious, and if your opponent doesn’t make you pay for those, it’s easier to mount a comeback.
We’re running out of options for ways the Lions can lose. They have speed on offense, can run the ball, stop the run, and convert touchdowns in the red zone while limiting you to field goals when you’re in their scoring territory.
Detroit is the cream of the crop in the NFC.
Packers
Vikings
Brock Purdy and Jordan Love are a cut above Sam Darnold, who is getting progressively worse as the season progresses.
The Vikings Week 10 score was as close as the 49ers game. Darnold threw three interceptions inside of the Jaguars 35-yard line. Minnesota outgained Jacksonville 402 to 143. They went 0-for-5 in the red zone.
As long as the Vikings have one of the best defenses in the NFL, with a group of pass catchers and a healthy Aaron Jones, they’re one of the top teams in the conference. But Darnold limits their ceiling, which is why I have them No. 4.
The two teams that can beat Detroit play in Wisconsin in Week 12. Anybody who watched Week 9 could tell that Love wasn’t 100 percent. He also missed a couple of games early in the season. Jaire Alexander has also been in and out of the lineup, along with...
