Turf Show Times
In late July I predicted the NFC playoff picture. In true NFL fashion, much has changed in a little over a month.
How much does Matthew Stafford’s back injury impact the outlook this season for the Los Angeles Rams? LA is attempting to thread a needle with a talented, young roster in what could be Stafford’s final year.
The Green Bay Packers also made a major shakeup this week with their blockbuster trade addition of Micah Parsons. This is an ascending team that, in theory, could be primed for a breakthrough. The fallout for the Cowboys makes it difficult to feel optimistic about Dallas, especially following a head scratching press conference from owner and general manager Jerry Jones.
This is how I thought the NFC playoff picture would look in July:
With the new information we have ahead of the regular season kickoff this upcoming week, here’s how I think the NFC will look at year’s end:
Simply put, this is one of the most well-rounded rosters in football. Green Bay lacked star-type players, but they are working on closing that gap with the addition of Parsons. The jury is still out—at least in my opinion—on Jordan Love. He’s capable of playing with the best; however, he can be frustratingly inconsistent and is one of the more inaccurate passers in the NFL.
The secondary looks shaky, especially at corner. The Packers seem to be borrowing from the Rams’ school of thought that an aggressive pass rush can help backend players by not asking them to cover as long.
No team has won the NFC East in back-to-back years for two decades. For this reason, I almost feel superstitious and am inclined to pick someone other than the Eagles. Still, the Cowboys seem to be a team in decline. The Washington Commanders are an old roster led by one the most promising young QB’s in all of football.
This is the defending Super Bowl champions’ division to win until it isn’t.
I was bullish on Arizona making the playoffs and not necessarily on them winning the NFC West. However, I don’t feel too confident in the Rams or San Francisco 49ers this year.
Stafford’s back is going to be an issue for LA, whether it causes him to either miss games or simply not look like himself. There’s almost zero possibility that we never mention his back soreness over a long 17-game season.
The 49ers have their own injury problems. They rely on older stars such as Trent Williams and Christian McCaffrey. Nearly every single one of their receivers were injured in training camp and Demarcus Robinson is suspended, leaving them to sign Marquez Valdes-Scantling.
Give me the...
