A lot of people (and writers) like to get excited about undefeated teams. There's a lot of buzz around which teams are still undefeated and who is most likely to remain in that state the longest. The excitement isn't lost on me, it can be an indicator of a strong team ready to make a push for the SuperBowl.
However, today I want to bring the focus onto a different stat that is a little more under the radar. I'd like to bring to your attention a stat that indicates the toughest and weakest divisions in the NFL. It's an overly simple stat found by asking one question... and it goes like this:
What division has the most winning teams and on the flip side, who has the most losing teams?
By winning we mean a team that is over 500. A team that has more wins than it does losses. A division with more winning record teams signals the strength of that division and conversely a division with fewer winning teams (or more losing teams) signals a weak division.
Right now in the NFL there is only one division that has all winning teams, so they get the nod as the toughest division in the league right now.
(Remember this is just as things stand right now as we go into week 6. Obviously things will change and teams that have had byes can skew this some, but in general this rule holds true.)
TOUGHEST
The NFC North
The NFC North is the only division in the NFL right now with all 4 teams boasting a winning record. The NFC North is packed with good Defenses and arguably one of the best quarterbacks in the league in Aaron Rogers.
Full disclosure I'm a die hard Vikings fan and find this stat to be rather satisfying despite my team being dead last in the division. This is a tough division Vikings fans, it's an uphill battle even with a winning record.
WEAKEST
1. The AFC North
As things stand right now, the AFC North has only 1 team with a winning record while all 3 other teams in the division have losing records. Despite the talent in this division and the Steelers typically being the team to beat, things are changing rapidly in this division.
The Browns and Ravens have young QBs turning things around for their teams. The Steelers are without Big Ben right now, and the Bengals are one of four remaining teams in the league that have yet to get their first win. In a division with so many changes going on, it's easy to see how instability can weaken a division.
On a personal note, I'm rooting for the Browns in this division.
What do you think about this overly simplified stat?
Does it hold any weight or truth?
I was going to say Afc east has the lowest due to two team 0 wins so far.
Bills and Patriots made the clan looks better.
kudos for seing another football fans in here.
Will Vikings scare anyone this year ?
You're exactly right, the AFC East is also weak.
They're just not the weakest in terms of the stat I'm focusing on (teams over .500 vs under .500).
Actually, the AFC East is currently the 3rd weakest division.
Which does make you wonder about the Patriots success this season.
Are they that good or just in a weak division making them look good?
The Vikings keep showing flashes of greatness but are inconsistent.
They likely don't scare anyone right now! Haha!
Thanks for the comments @pouchon4sports! 👍
Nice post man. The Vikings division looks killer right now for sure. The Lions are very surprising. Good luck to your Vikings! The AFC North most years is super strong but as you say its totally the weakest this season. So strange. The whole league feels wide open this season, especially with KC losing last week! The Patriots still seem problematic but even they dont look quite as sharp as usual.
I see you've been using Sportstalksocial! Awesome! You should log into the site, I bet you've got a nice little collection of tokens waiting for ya. But its up to you of course.
Nice post man! I wonder how your NFC North will finish, its a very interesting division. Steem on.
Thanks man! It's a wild year for sure.
I agree the Patriots aren't looking like the team they usually do. Interestingly, they're sitting in the 3rd weakest division in all of the league (at present time) so that makes them look better!
I keep meaning to checkout SportsTalkSocial but keep forgetting! :)
Thanks for the comments @dadapizza!
I definitely don't wanna seem pushy about Sportstalk. Just want you to get those earnings! hahaha you can always convert it to Steem straight away as well if you want.
Yes the weak division of the Patriots may be a huge secret to their dominance. That division has been weak for as long as I can remember. They pretty much can chalk up approximately 6 easy wins a season and worry about the 10 other games. Of course some seasons MIA, NYJ, and BUF produce a respectable team, but I think you know what I mean. Their chances at home field and a bye are so much higher every post season. It's crazy!
No problem! Love seeing your NFL posts :D Steem on.
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