AFCN: Still Strongest Division in NFL?

[FlocksGottaFeed]

Have We Dropped-Off and Fallen Behind the Rest of the League?

As recently as last season over 80% of NFL fans polled still declared the AFC North the 'toughest' division in football.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000648863/article/2016-nfl-division-power-rankings

This season there's a buzz going around the league that maybe...just maybe we've been a little too late in adjusting to the 'New League' rules and play. 'High Scoring, Pass Happy, Hurry-up Offensive, Quick Hitting Attack, etc.' are the mantras of the day. The only team getting some credit for building the prototype team for the future is Pittsburgh with 'high-octane' offensive possibilities. How does that translate inside the division?

The most unusual thing to me is that both of the last Superbowl teams' offenses during that game were strictly 'Ball Control' offenses that relied completely on their defenses. That said, is this 'New League' team model just window dressing, a mirage or a clever branding for marketing purposes?

Outside of Cleveland (which still have the potential to be formidable with just a few key players in place), the rest of the AFCN is still respected, but are we still as feared and respected as we've been over the years?

Edited November 5, 2016 by FlocksGottaFeed

[Rav'n Maniac]

The AFCN is just a shell of itself currently and may remain that way for the next 3 to 5 years. It's a cycle all divisions will go through as that is what the NFL wants with it's "parity". Our division will become strong and dominant again once it cycles back around. 

[FlocksGottaFeed]

My thought is when it all comes down to it (like what we've seen in recent SBs) offensive time of possession and defensive team sacks+tackles will win in the end. The AFCN needs to get back to this.

[FlocksGottaFeed]

6 minutes ago, Rav'n Maniac said:

The AFCN is just a shell of itself currently and may remain that way for the next 3 to 5 years. It's a cycle all divisions will go through as that is what the NFL wants with it's "parity". Our division will become strong and dominant again once it cycles back around. 

I'm just shocked at how quickly the AFCN dropped-off. If it's part of NFL 'parity' campaign it's the most effective plan they've ever executed. They never get anything right. I just can't believe it (although you're probably right admittedly). This 'parity' thing is putting fans to sleep lately. It severely lacks something...

[reed20]

It's not that strong this year which helps us stay alive right about now. 

[RaineV1]

Just like no team stays on top every year, no division can stay the strongest every year. I'm glad divisions go through cycles. It'd suck if one division stayed the top division and another stayed the bottom division every year.

[Willbacker]

Depends on what is meant by tough. Tough as in....good? or tough as in black and blue play? Right now we 1st in neither and that's just in the AFC.

Edit: read thread wrong but we far from the strongest.

Edited November 5, 2016 by Willbacker

[Inqui]

8 hours ago, Rav'n Maniac said:

The AFCN is just a shell of itself currently and may remain that way for the next 3 to 5 years. It's a cycle all divisions will go through as that is what the NFL wants with it's "parity". Our division will become strong and dominant again once it cycles back around. 

Basically this. Look at the NFCW five years ago and look at it now. It happens to all divisions (except the AFCS, it seems).

[52520Andrew]

46 minutes ago, Inqui said:

Basically this. Look at the NFCW five years ago and look at it now. It happens to all divisions (except the AFCS, it seems).

And the AFCE outside of a certain team.

NFC East is a good division this year as well, I think you could argue they are the best division in the NFL right now. 

[Steve0x]

No its the weakest division now. all four teams in AFCN aren't playing up to their potential. 

[Inqui]

2 hours ago, 52520Andrew said:

And the AFCE outside of a certain team.

NFC East is a good division this year as well, I think you could argue they are the best division in the NFL right now. 

There's just no fixing those Dolphins.  

I agree about the NFCE though, and that shows how cyclical the whole thing is given that division was pretty rubbish just a couple of years ago.

[52520Andrew]

1 hour ago, Inqui said:

There's just no fixing those Dolphins.  

I agree about the NFCE though, and that shows how cyclical the whole thing is given that division was pretty rubbish just a couple of years ago.

Yeah for years I have been calling that the most overrated division in the NFL and it has the NFC Least nickname. I think we might be calling it the NFC Beast though here soon

[frabbi]

It's AFC North, which has not just three playoff contenders but three ... Wow, how the mighty Ravens have fallen, they barely beat .... Take him away (and take andy away to be fair) and bengals are clearly more complete and talented roster and will be ..... They have the talent but haven't had the chemistry.

[JO_75]

Saw this on PFT this morning...

The combined record of the AFC North is 11-21-1.

Yep, AFC North has fallen off badly. Though the NFC West is right there with us at a combined 12-18-2 record. The strongest divisions are the AFC West and NFC East.

[FlocksGottaFeed]

On 11/7/2016 at 11:06 AM, JO_75 said:

Saw this on PFT this morning...

The combined record of the AFC North is 11-21-1.

Yep, AFC North has fallen off badly. Though the NFC West is right there with us at a combined 12-18-2 record. The strongest divisions are the AFC West and NFC East.

It's looking pretty bad. Maybe it'll look a little better in the 2nd half of the season.

[DomMcRaven]

AFC West is legit. Now imagine if the Chargers didn't master the art of choking away games and was able to close out most of these games. Every team in that division would be over .500. Crazy ain't it?

[FlocksGottaFeed]

On 11/8/2016 at 10:04 PM, DomMcRaven said:

AFC West is legit. Now imagine if the Chargers didn't master the art of choking away games and was able to close out most of these games. Every team in that division would be over .500. Crazy ain't it?

True. The AFC West has dominated the 1st half of the season. They are way ahead of other divisions in non-divisional games win. Most of their inner-division match-ups are packed together in the 2nd half of the season. We should see some win-loss separation once they play these up-coming inner-division games.

[Militant X 1]

The Cowboys "SWEPT" the AFC North this season. It's weak! 

[DomMcRaven]

2 hours ago, Militant X 1 said:

The Cowboys "SWEPT" the AFC North this season. It's weak! 

Exactly what we did against the weak NFC South in 2014.