The AFC is Not the Dominant Conference Anymore

Remember when the AFC was leading the league with the Patriots, Steelers, Colts, Ravens, and even the Chargers? And the NFC was just the Eagles and their disappointing runs to the NFC Championship games? Well those days are over; the NFC is now the dominant conference and it’s not even close.

The thing that defines a great conference starts with the Quarterback position. The AFC still has Brady, Peyton, Roethlisberger, and Rivers, but they are on the back end of their careers (Manning and Brady) or are just not living up to their potential (Rivers). When you go over to the NFC, you see the Quarterbacks of the future and in their prime. Eli, Rodgers, Brees, Stafford, Ryan and even the young stars like RGIII and Cam Newton, all reside in the NFC. They are all in their prime or are lighting up the league at a very young age.

You can see that the AFC is losing its luster just by looking at the records of the teams. Only two teams in the entire division are above .500, which are the Ravens and the Texans. Both of these teams have their flaws. The Ravens have lost their defensive identity and may struggle the rest of the season, while the Texans have some holes in the secondary and have had question marks at Quarterback. But the rest of the Conference is average at best.

When you look at the NFC, it’s not only the Quarterbacks that are leading the teams, it’s the defense. The 49ers have maybe the best defense in football, while the Giants, Bears, Seahawks, Packers, Cardinals, Vikings and Falcons all are playing some of the best defensive football in the league. Defense is what wins Championships (Or at least that’s what they say).

Overall it’s looking as if the NFC will be the dominant conference for at least the foreseeable future. It’s up to players like Andrew Luck, Andy Dalton, and other young players to try and take the AFC back to the top.