subject: Nfl Tickets - Dallas And Green Bay In The Mix In The Nfc In '10 [print this page] While defending champion New Orleans brings back another talented team ready to compete for a Super Bowl title in 2011, there are a few up-and-coming teams ready to take the next step in their development, making for an interesting season in the NFC. Here's a look at how the season might work out for the best teams in the conference.
NFC East: Dallas Cowboys.
Though I really like the Giants to make the division interesting, the Cowboys seem to have too much going for them. True, they didn't look very good in the preseason, but that's also a time when coaches don't use their real schemes and the Cowboys should be just fine once the regular season starts. With a very good rush defense and a top-tier passing offense, the Cowboys have the pieces to make some real noise in the NFC. After winning 11 games in 2009, the Cowboys should be even better in 2010.
NFC West: San Francisco 49ers.
Even if there aren't any stalwarts in the division this year, it should be a battle all season. Under quarterback Alex Smith, the 49ers appear to be moving in the right direction and have now surrounded Smith with plenty of talent. Second year receiver Michael Crabtree appears to be a bona fide number one wideout and Vernon Davis is one of the best pass-catching tight ends in the league, leaving Smith not much of an excuse if he can't get the job done this year. Frank Gore is also still one of the more productive backs in the league and gives the 49ers a nice balance on offense. Defensively, the 49ers are led by Patrick Willis, who has quickly established himself as an elite middle linebacker. With the Cardinals somewhat in disarray at quarterback and the Seahawks and Rams struggling to get their franchises moving in the right direction, the 49ers should be able to take down the division with nine or 10 wins.
NFC North: Green Bay Packers.
Though Brett Favre may be the biggest seller of NFL tickets in the division, Aaron Rodgers is now the best quarterback. Even with a fairly atrocious offensive line last year, Rodgers still was able to make the Packers one of the most explosive offenses in the league. With the Packers making a serious effort to protect Rodgers in the draft, the Packers seem to be in great shape to benefit from his rise to the elite level of quarterbacks. The Vikings should still be there but the Packers seem to have more upside this season.
NFC South: New Orleans Saints.
Contrary to popular belief, this division is far from a slam dunk. Everyone has heard about the Super Bowl hangover for title-winning teams, and for good reason. The Saints still have a great quarterback in Drew Brees, but bringing the magic back for a second season is always easier said than done. If Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan is back and healthy and he can once again team up with a healthy Michael Turner, the Falcons could very well be a scary team. Even with Turner and Ryan missing significant time in 2009, the Falcons went 9-7 and nearly snuck into the playoffs. The Saints still have more overall talent but if they falter at all, the Falcons could be in great position to step in and take home the division.
Wildcards: Atlanta Falcons and Minnesota Vikings.
With good quarterbacks, strong running games and good defenses, both the Vikings and Falcons should be in great shape to reach the playoffs. Brett Favre's return to Minnesota makes the Vikings a title contender, though I'm not sold on his ability to repeat his performance from last year. Still, the Vikings have too much talent on paper not to be a favorite to at least reach the playoffs and the Falcons also project to be one of the better teams in the conference. The Falcons should have one of the most balanced offenses in the league and will likely be able to utilize both Michael Turner and Roddy White to keep defenses on their heels.
NFC Champion: Dallas Cowboys.
The easy pick would be either the Saints or the Vikings, but I think both the Cowboys and Packers have the talent to get to the Super Bowl. Both teams won 11 games last year, have top-tier quarterbacks and plenty of playmakers. I give the edge to the Cowboys here due to their depth at running back and the pure dominance of DeMarcus Ware, who may be the best pass-rusher in the entire league.
