Here’s something for American Football fans. ESPN did a survey that asked people to name their favorite division in the NFL. For those of you who don’t know, the NFL is divided into two conferences (the NFC and the AFC) and those two conferences are each divided into four region-based divisions (East, South, North, and West). So, there are eight divisions. The most popular is the NFC East, which has the Philadelphia Eagles, the Dallas Cowboys, the New York Giants, and the Washington Redskins.
You might think that the voting would follow population density. There are a lot of people living in the I-95 corridor between New York and DC, so that might explain why the NFC East is the most popular. I don’t think the numbers really bear that out, though. For example, the AFC East ranks third, not second. In any case, the rankings pretty much follow how I would rank them.
Anyway, this is my list.
1. NFC East– (Cowboys, Eagles, Giants, Redskins)- this is the home of my team, the Giants. But every rivalry in the division is great and the teams all have rich histories. Collectively, this division has won 12 Super Bowls.
2. NFC North– (Bears, Lions, Packers, Vikings)- The Packers are just a flat-out cool franchise. They’re so small-market, they’re publicly-owned, they have Lambeau Field, and Vince Lombardi. The Bears-Packers rivalry is one of the coolest in all of sports. If the Lions and Vikings still played outdoors, this division might top my list. Collectively, this division has won 5 Super Bowls.
3. AFC North– (Bengals, Browns, Ravens, Steelers)- like the NFC East, these teams all play outdoors. And they all play in cold, windy conditions. These are gritty towns with real working class fans. It’s too bad that the two Ohio teams have been bad for so long, although the Bengals made the playoffs last year. The Steelers are one of the greatest sports franchises, and the Ravens have developed a great brand as a fearsome defensive team. Collectively, this division has won 7 Super Bowls.
4. AFC East– (Bills, Dolphins, Jets, Patriots)- I only really have positive feelings about the first three divisions. Fourth place was a close call because I don’t really like any of the teams in the AFC East. But the Jets-Patriots rivalry is strong and the Bills and Dolphins have strong histories. Collectively, this division has won 6 Super Bowls (seven, if you include the Baltimore Colts win in 1971). And the one team that hasn’t won one, the Bills, once lost 4 Super Bowls in a row. This is probably the most balanced division in football, historically speaking.
5. AFC West– (Broncos, Chargers, Chiefs, Raiders)- I liked this division better when it contained the Seattle Seahawks, who have since left for the NFC West. The Oakland Raiders are one the most storied franchises in the NFL with the most colorful (and menacing) fans. The rivalries are fierce and the weather conditions in Kansas City and Denver can be harsh. All the teams play outdoors, too, which helps. They’ve always had some great quarterback play, and with Peyton Manning joining the Broncos, that will continue to be the case. Collectively, this division has 6 Super Bowls.
6. NFC South– (Buccaneers, Falcons, Panthers, Saints)- This is a division filled with teams known for being perennially bad. But when they were put all together in one division, someone had to win every year and make the playoffs. Since then, the division has had some successes. Ever since Drew Brees and Katrina showed up in New Orleans, their team has been compelling. The Bucs have shown flashes, and the Falcons have been good now and then. Cam Newton looks like he’ll keep the Panthers exciting for years to come. I don’t like that there are two dome teams in this division, yet, for southern teams, they at least come from cities I like. Collectively, the division has won 2 Super Bowls.
7. AFC South– (Colts, Jaguars, Texans, Titans)- I’ll be honest. I’m not a fan of any of these cities. I don’t like how the Colts left Baltimore in the dead of night. It’s an uncompetitive division that has been dominated by Peyton Manning for a decade. The Jaguars are the worst franchise in any major sport. There’s nothing to like here. This division has one Super Bowl, although the Colts won a second one when they played in Baltimore in the East.
8. NFC West– (49ers, Cardinals, Rams, Seahawks)- this is the worst division in football. It was nice to see the 49ers play well last year because prior to that this division was having trouble fielding a single team with a winning record. The 49ers have a rich and successful history, but that was in a totally different division. The rivalries are weak and unestablished. There is a tremendous distance between the cities. If the level of play were better, I’d rank them ahead of the AFC South simply because I like the cities and teams better. Collectively, (a version of) this division has 6 Super Bowls.
Predictions for next year: watch out for the Buffalo Bills. They’ve built a very talented team. The Giants are great but I’ve never seen a tougher schedule. After the first few games, every team they play is very good. Will Cam Newton break out? Could be, but the team still needs more pieces. I can’t wait for training camp to start.
