Divisional Power Rankings: NFC West #1/ NFL.com

[RamBill]

Divisional power rankings

By Chris Wesseling
Around the NFL Writer
Published: March 26, 2015 at 02:53 p.m.
Updated: March 26, 2015 at 03:36 p.m.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap30...ivisional-power-rankings?campaign=Twitter_atn

Around The NFL has generated Division Power Rankings going back to the 2012 offseason. For the third consecutive year, the NFC West came out on top.

This year's vote was closer than ever, due in large part to the questions surrounding the San Francisco 49ers, formerly an NFC superpower. Buoyed by the Jimmy Graham blockbuster, the Seahawks are once again viewed as the league's strongest team.

When the votes were cast and the numbers tallied, the results came out as follows:/

Divisional power rankings Rk Division Votes Notes
1 NFC West 5 The Seahawks top our team rankings. Rams, 49ers could go either way.
2 AFC North 8 Three playoff squads. Browns could put up a fight.
3 NFC North 9 Packers are biggest threat to Seahawks. Lions, Vikings frisky.
4 AFC East 16 Patriots remain favorites, but other three teams hit big in free agency.
5 NFC East 20 House of cards. Each team could tumble with just one unfortunate injury.
6 AFC West 23 Broncos aren't quite as dominant. Raiders still a tomato can.
7 NFC South 25 Panthers, Saints better than advertised. Falcons, Bucs works in progress.
8 AFC South 31 Andrew Luck is the only proven quarterback in the division.

» With Gregg Rosenthal as the lone exception, the voters believe there is a monster-sized gap between the top six divisions and the two "South" divisions. Rosenthal expects the NFC South to bounce back from last year's embarrassing showing. The AFC South carries the millstone of two perennial doormats and a third team with quarterback issues.

» While the NFC West and AFC North were the consensus top two divisions, there wasn't much distance separating No. 3 (NFC North) from No. 6 (AFC West). Ultimately, the voters believe the Broncos are no longer dominant, the Chargers and Chiefs remain mediocre and the Raiders are years away from relevancy.

» The AFC East has made the biggest jump from the end of the season, with the Bills, Jets and Dolphins all making dramatic impact moves. That said, nobody is buying talk of the Patriots falling back to the pack.

» The AFC North, on the other hand, is the most unchanged division since January. The Browns made the most cosmetic moves, but are they tangibly closer to the three 2014 playoff teams?

» I was surprised to see the NFC East above the AFC West. Despite the Cowboys' loss of DeMarco Murray and the Eagles' dramatic makeover, the voters believe those teams remain rock solid. There is also a belief that the Giants were the league's strongest six-win team in 2014.

» Even with the acknowledgment that the Lions and Vikings are potential wild-card teams, the NFC North's third-place ranking reflects respect for the Packers as the primary threat to the Seahawks' NFC hegemony. Nobody knows what to think of Chicago, mirroring the Bears' puzzlement at quarterback.

» As Rosenthal pointed out in the past, conventional wisdom in March often looks foolish by November. One of those top three divisions is going to take a tumble.

 

[theramsruleUK]

Is it weird that there's a strange sense of pride that we play in the toughest and most physical division in football? Am I alone in this?

 

[Jumava1968]

Is it weird that there's a strange sense of pride that we play in the toughest and most physical division in football? Am I alone in this?

Nope,when we do turn that corner and go to the playoffs this team will be battle tested and that's going to help us a lot IMO.

 

[CoachO]

and yet, teams like Indianapolis are touted as Playoff contenders every year playing in the WORST division year in and year out. Not saying I would prefer that situation, but can you imagine how the fate of THIS franchise would have been dramatically different with that sort of schedule?

Think we would be talking about relocation if there were 4 or 5 more Playoff appearances in the last decade?

 

[Mikey Ram]

Nope,when we do turn that corner and go to the playoffs this team will be battle tested and that's going to help us a lot IMO.

I don't think the Rams get any bonus points for playing there...I also think most other teams don't get dissed simply because they don't play in the toughest division...I would prefer to have some pride in the fact that the Rams had made the playoff a few times in the past 12 years (or whatever the current tally is)

 

[Rams Until I Die]

Is it weird that there's a strange sense of pride that we play in the toughest and most physical division in football? Am I alone in this?

Nope I love it. My dad told me growing up "to be the best you have to beat the best". It will only make us stronger.

 

[CGI_Ram]

and yet, teams like Indianapolis are touted as Playoff contenders every year playing in the WORST division year in and year out. Not saying I would prefer that situation, but can you imagine how the fate of THIS franchise would have been dramatically different with that sort of schedule?

Think we would be talking about relocation if there were 4 or 5 more Playoff appearances in the last decade?

I'm with you, coach. Interesting to think about it that way.