With AFC teams reviewed in part one of the week 4 roundup, attention now turns to the NFC. After the end of the first 4 weeks, which teams are emerging as the cream of the crop in the conference this season?
NFC WEST
Arizona Cardinals (3-0)
After having to endure the sting of failing to make the playoffs in spite of a 10-win season last year, the Cardinals have come back with a vengeance to start 2014. Making their unbeaten start all the more impressive has been the fact that two of their wins have been accomplished with backup QB Drew Stanton at the helm and stud WR Larry Fitzgerald fairly anonymous, with only 10 catches so far. Meanwhile, Michael Floyd is quietly emerging as a lead receiver, and Andre Ellington is performing at a high level even as he continues to play with a foot injury. On the defensive side, this is a top-5 lineup with balance between the front seven and the secondary.
Outlook: Watch this space. Though overshadowed by their division rivals, the Cardinals have the ability to outdo them this season.
Seattle Seahawks (2-1)
Defending a Super Bowl is never easy, and the Seahawks have had a tough run to open their season, facing Green Bay, San Diego, and then Denver. The schedule lightens up somewhat coming out of their bye week before a stretch of 5 out of 6 games against divisional opponents to finish the regular season. A top-3 rushing attack anchored by the powerful running of Marshawn Lynch remains the basis of this team’s offense, but a healthy Percy Harvin has opened up coach Pete Carroll’s playbook. Defensively, there is not much that can be said about Seattle that hasn’t already been said, and should they be able to retain their impressive road form from last season (6-2), they will be in the final reckoning.
Outlook: There hasn’t been a back-to-back Super Bowl winner in 2 decades, but Seattle is a strong contender to repeat the feat.
San Francisco 49ers (2-2)
Denied from a 2nd successive Super Bowl by Seattle last season, the 49ers entered this season with a chip on their shoulder and have promptly sputtered out of the gate after an impressive opener against Dallas. Only a 2nd-half comeback against Philadelphia, with Frank Gore rolling back the clock in turning in a vintage performance, prevented a 1-3 start. Colin Kaepernick enjoys a good rapport with receivers Anquan Boldin and Michael Crabtree, but has shown a tendency to force throws into coverage. Plays like that have a tendency to become turnovers, and the 49ers will want to avoid that. Though not as intimidating as it has been in recent seasons, the defense is still a force to be reckoned with, particularly with Justin Smith leading the pass rush and Perrish Cox leading the ball-hawking secondary.
Outlook: Kaepernick is still a very capable scoring threat running the read-option, and if coach Jim Harbaugh gives him free rein, they will be a contender.
St. Louis Rams (1-2)
A season built on so much promise unraveled quickly for the Rams when the injury bug hit. As things stand currently, Brian Quick remains the only viable threat on an offense that has had to play from behind far too often to allow Zac Stacy to be an effective runner. This team provides a statistical anomaly, as they rank in the top 12 on both sides of the ball so far. Playing in arguably the league’s toughest division does not help matters, but if Chris Long is able to hit the ground running when he returns from his injury, it should provide this young defense a shot of confidence to finish the season strong.
Outlook: This is probably year 1 of a 2-3 year project before the Rams become true contenders.
NFC EAST
Philadelphia Eagles (3-1)
Give credit to the Eagles: even with superstar RB LeSean McCoy struggling so far (70-192, 1 TD), they have not lost any stride and have shown plenty of heart in 3 come-from-behind wins. In fact, only an inexplicable breakdown on offense in week 4 against the 49ers ended their bid for a perfect start to the season. Chip Kelly’s favored high-tempo offense is probably a good fit for this team, given their defensive vulnerability in surrendering an average of 391 yards per game so far, in spite of Malcolm Jenkins’ (league-leading 3 interceptions) best efforts. While Nick Foles was never going to be able to replicate his 27:2 touchdown-interception ratio from 2013, he continues to put up gaudy numbers. With Darren Sproles as another dual-threat RB (and a special-teams menace), a healthy Jeremy Maclin, and emerging WRs Riley Cooper and Jordan Matthews, Foles has no shortage of options.
Outlook: In a down year for the division, the Eagles have emerged as early favorites for a playoff run.
Dallas Cowboys (3-1)
“Much-maligned” would be a kind way to describe the Cowboys’ defense heading into the season, and yet, they currently stand as one of the league leaders in interceptions and passes defended. While that may be chalked up to the sheer volume of passes this team has faced (271 yards per game), the big plays are what they need to remain competitive. After a disastrous 3 interceptions of his own in the first 27 minutes of the season, Tony Romo has settled down and put in steady performances. One reason he is not lighting up the stat sheet yet is because RB DeMarco Murray is, to put it simply, having an otherworldly season to date. Behind an improved offensive line, Murray has already surpassed the 500-yard mark and looks well on the way to a career season, health permitting. Should Dallas be in a pass-first situation, Dez Bryant will be more than ready to have the ball come his way.
Outlook: This has been an encouraging start for the Cowboys, but while improving, the defensive issues leave room for doubt about their prospects.
New York Giants (2-2)
With last season’s 0-6 start firmly left behind in the rearview mirror, the Giants could actually be somewhat happy with not just a .500 record so far, but with a 2-game win streak to turn around an 0-2 start. Other positive signs are developing, with Eli Manning appearing to have found a new favorite red-zone target in tight end Larry Donnell, Rashad Jennings productive in the run game, and Prince Amukamara among the league leaders for DBs in passes defended, interceptions, and tackles. If a true 2nd receiving option emerges opposite Victor Cruz, the Giants could get right back on track to winning ways.
Outlook: Improving, but still several steps away from getting back to their recent glory days.
Washington Redskins (1-3)
Even before Robert Griffin III went down with injury, the calls were growing increasingly louder for Kirk Cousins to be given the helm. After 2 encouraging starts, however, Cousins came crashing back down to earth with a 4-interception outing against the Giants. What that did to his confidence remains to be seen, and tough matchups against Seattle and Arizona loom on the horizon. That only further underscores the need for Alfred Morris to continue his current run of form, especially with Niles Paul having suffered a concussion and with WR threats DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon underwhelming so far. Ryan Kerrigan leads a defensive front seven that has been very impressive against the run so far.
Outlook: They are perhaps unfortunate to not be at .500 at least, but they have their work cut out for them to be at that mark when their bye week comes up in week 10.
NFC NORTH
Detroit Lions (3-1)
Golden Tate’s arrival in Motor City was met with great excitement, as the addition of a viable 2nd WR opposite Calvin Johnson was expected to open things up for the Lions’ passing game. So far, the early returns indicate the move has been a success, with both putting up top-10 receiving numbers so far. The ground game is of some concern, with Joique Bell currently recovering from a concussion and Reggie Bush yet to gain more than 61 rushing yards in a game. No such concerns exist on the defensive side, as Detroit has been the league’s best defense so far.
Outlook: A more consistent running game will take some pressure off Matthew Stafford. Strong contender for the NFC’s best start.
Green Bay Packers (2-2)
Aaron Rodgers and Co. have been met with some stiff tests in the early going, with 3 of their first 4 games matching them up against top-6 defenses. The top-heavy nature of their schedule should work in their favor, as their schedule looks a lot lighter from here out. Were it not for DeMarco Murray’s superlative start to the season, Jordy Nelson would be making a case for early-season MVP, as he is already flirting with the 500-yard receiving mark. The rushing game on both sides make up the primary concerns for the Packers, as Eddie Lacy has been more grinding than good, while their defensive front seven is giving up a league-worst 176 rushing yards per game.
Outlook: This team may win shootouts with talent like Rodgers and Nelson, but they can’t count on their defense to keep them in games.
Minnesota Vikings (2-2)
Of all the big shoes in the NFL to fill, Matt Asiata had perhaps the biggest of them all, becoming a starter after Adrian Peterson’s off-field issues necessitated his taking leave from the team. After struggling early on, there is hope that week 4 will represent his breakthrough game, having scored 3 TDs. If not, then rookie speedster Jerick McKinnon is waiting in the wings. A Matt Cassel injury led to Teddy Bridgewater assuming the reins of the offense, but in truth, that was probably going to happen sooner rather than later anyway. Bridgewater has been impressive, but his own current injury may hamper his development. This is a middle-of-the-road defense, and is probably why the Vikings have looked inconsistent, losing badly in defeats and winning games in fairly convincing fashion.
Outlook: Lots of names to watch for the future in this lineup, especially playmaker Cordarrelle Patterson, but for this season, a rebuilding project.
Chicago Bears (2-2)
The 2nd year of Marc Trestman’s tenure in Chicago comes on the heels of an 8-8 finish last year that had flashes of excellence but ultimately doomed by inconsistency. Unfortunately for them, the same story appears to be developing this year. With offensive talent like Matt Forte, Brandon Marshall, and Alshon Jeffery at his disposal, Jay Cutler will have very few excuses if he is unable to lead this team to stronger finish than last season. Consistency on the defensive end will also be necessary, particularly something more in line with the excellent defensive effort that produced 4 turnovers against the 49ers on the road. Rookie DB Kyle Fuller has already proven to be an excellent addition to a secondary that needed bolstering.
Outlook: .500 is just as likely as a division crown for this team, such is their talent.
NFC SOUTH
Atlanta Falcons (2-2)
With perhaps the best WR duo in the league in Julio Jones and Roddy White, it should come as no surprise that Matt Ryan is leading the NFL’s top offense. A run offense that struggled last season is using a committee approach this year, and has done a great job complementing the pass attack, producing 5 touchdowns on the ground already. However, offense alone does not win games, and with a defense giving up more than 425 yards per game so far, there is much work to be done by head coach Mike Smith, because even in a pass-oriented era, no team can hope to simply win shootouts.
Outlook: Ryan’s road troubles and the weak defense aren’t very promising.
Carolina Panthers (2-2)
If you had asked most Panthers fans in the offseason if they would be happy at 2-2 with a share of the division lead after the first quarter of the season, most would have replied in the affirmative. However, the manner of capitulation in losing 2 straight after opening 2-0 impressively has to be of long-term concern. Luke Kuechly is an incredible talent in the heart of their defense, but last season’s #2 ranked unit has looked very ordinary in both of those losses, and definitely miss Greg Hardy in the pass rush. Kelvin Benjamin has proven to be a great pickup to help a WR corps that was decimated in the offseason, and Greg Olsen continues to be a dependable target for Cam Newton.
Outlook: Getting to their bye week (week 12) with a record close to .500 is imperative, as the remaining games on their schedule are all winnable and could be the difference in the stretch run.
New Orleans Saints (1-3)
Let’s be honest – very few people saw the Saints get off to this poor start, and yet, even as Drew Brees and Jimmy Graham continue to be a deadly combination through the air, even as rookie Brandin Cooks has shown flashes of the breakneck speed and ability that the team drafted him for, and even as Khiry Robinson has filled in admirably for Mark Ingram after the latter went down with with a broken hand, here they stand, already in need of a strong run the rest of the way to buck the historical trend of teams with losing starts not making the playoffs. There is nothing to note about this defense at all, which has looked ordinary or worse. What does it really say when 3 of the team’s leading 4 tacklers are defensive backs, including free agency pickup Jairus Byrd?
Outlook: Similar to Atlanta, this team simply has to pick up on the defensive side of the ball, especially against the pass (0.8 sacks per game, 0 interceptions).
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-3)
For the first 3 weeks of the season, the Bucs quite simply looked like the worst team in the league. Nothing highlighted this more than the embarrassing 56-14 loss at Atlanta. Somehow, they rebounded to pull off a win on the road at Pittsburgh. Now, moving forward, it may turn out that the injury to Josh McCown might have saved their season. With Mike Glennon under center, Vincent Jackson and Mike Evans should be able to count on more accurate passes thrown in their direction. If Doug Martin can regain his rookie form, they could actually threaten, but in the meantime, Bobby Rainey is doing a fine job starting in his place. Continuing the trend of subpar NFC South defenses, Tampa gives up just under 390 yards per game, and for a team not suited to playing from behind, this is an area of concern.
Outlook: One of the teams hotly tipped to be the most-improved this season, they now face the prospect of a 4th-straight losing season.
