1. NFC West: The San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks are two of the top three or four teams in the league. That makes for a top heavy division and an incredible rivalry. It's easy to forget about the St. Louis Rams but no one should. It was the Rams that had the best division record last year. Jeff Fisher has the Rams moving in the right direction. The Arizona Cardinals are in a tough spot being at the bottom of the top division. Maybe new coach Bruce Arians and quarterback Carson Palmer will revive this frequently struggling team.
2. NFC North: I want so much to put this division at the top. This is the only division in the NFL that has sent all four teams to the playoffs in the past three seasons. If the Detroit Lions hadn't dropped off so much last year, this would be the top division. I think that all four teams have a real shot at the division title this year. No other division can truthfully say that.
3. AFC North: Super Bowl champs in the Baltimore Ravens, consecutive playoff appearances from the Cincinnati Bengals, and the nearly always strong Pittsburgh Steelers. This is a top division. If the Steelers rebound from a down 2012 season, this might be the top division. The Cleveland Browns have a ways to go but they have some playmakers in Trent Richardson and Josh Gordon.
4. NFC East: It always seems like this division is either great or bad. Except for the immediate emergence of Robert Griffin III, Alfred Morris, and the Washington Redskins last season would have been horrible. The New York Giants struggled after a title. Everything went wrong with the Philadelphia Eagles. The Dallas Cowboys were wildly inconsistent. There is real nice talent on every team.
5. NFC South: Like the NFC East, the NFC South could be at the top of this list or about here. The Atlanta Falcons are a whisper from the Super Bowl. They just have to get through that playoff wall. They finally won a playoff game last year but they have to win more than one in a season to get where they feel that they belong. If the New Orleans Saints can get their defense in proper shape, they'll be a threat again. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers looked like they were on the right track in the middle of last season but then they fell apart. They added some high-priced players, Darrelle Revis and Dashon Goldson, to a very weak secondary. THe Buccaneers are a talented team. The Carolina Panthers could emerge in Cam Newton's third season.
6. AFC South: The Houston Texans are terrific but they have to be terrific in the playoffs for it to matter. The Indianapolis Colts are headed in the right direction with Andrew Luck. The Tennessee Titans and Jacksonville Jaguars have a lot to do to catch up.
7. AFC West: The Denver Broncos are easily the class of this division. Last year, the Kansas City Chiefs were one of the most talented shitty teams that I've ever seen. New coach Andy Reid and quarterback Alex Smith might be enough to bring the best out of the talent that was already there. New coach Mike McCoy hopes to make similar changes with the San Diego Chargers. The Oakland Raiders have a ways to go.
8. AFC East: The New England Patriots offseason has been a disaster. It's still hard to imagine them not being around at the end. The Miami Dolphins could be the surprise team this season. The New York Jets are a mess. The Buffalo Bills might thrive under new coach Doug Marrone but I see them as a season away.
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