The A.F.C.’s power lies largely with its thrilling younger quarterbacks: Josh Allen, Joe Burrow, Justin Herbert, Lamar Jackson, Patrick Mahomes, the quickly rising Lawrence and others.
The N.F.C. is residence to Brady and Aaron Rodgers, future Corridor of Famers grouchily fortifying their positions among the many league’s all-time pantheon, adopted by a crowd of acquainted veterans with well-established limitations. Jalen Hurts of the Eagles is the one younger N.F.C. quarterback taking part in effectively proper now, although Kyler Murray of the Cardinals retains issues fascinating.
Most A.F.C. groups additionally aggressively improved themselves within the low season: playoff hopefuls just like the Dolphins and Broncos via daring trades, weaklings just like the Jaguars, Jets and Houston Texans via a number of first-round draft picks. Consequently, the A.F.C. boasts a deep, intriguing pool of second-tier contenders and upstarts. The N.F.C. is downright feudal by comparability.
Look previous the Buccaneers, Packers, Rams and Eagles and also you’ll discover:
The two-1 Dallas Cowboys, whose acquainted foibles make them inconceivable to take critically;
The two-1 Minnesota Vikings, the pre-owned late-model sedan of N.F.L. groups;
The 1-2 San Francisco 49ers, whose finest offensive participant up to now this season has been punter Mitch Wishnowsky;
The 1-2 Arizona Cardinals, a parking-lot pickup crew with a playbook of stapled-together cocktail napkins;
The two-1 Chicago Bears, whose video games seem like colorized footage from the Nice Despair;
The 1-2 Atlanta Falcons, whose salary-cap state of affairs is a ghost story instructed by accountants across the campfire;