11-04-2015, 01:29 PM
(11-04-2015, 10:49 AM)djs7685 Wrote: Why does everybody always bring up the last decade, or the last 8 years or whatever random number they want to pick and choose when discussing the division since Andy has been here? WTF do the 2008 Ravens or 2005 Steelers have anything to do with Andy Dalton??
2011 - AFCN is likely the best division in the NFL. NFCN could be argued, but the AFCN gets it for sending 3 teams to the playoffs.
2012 - Easily could be argued as a push between the AFCN and NFCW. AFCN is hands down the best in the conference and have that year's SB champs.
2013 - We're the only team to go over .500 and make the playoffs, we don't even have the best division in the conference, let alone the NFL where the NFCW reigns supreme.
2014 - Back to another tough year where the AFCN sends 3 teams to the postseason where FOUR teams in the conference miss the playoffs at 9-7. What a crazy year for the AFC. Some of the other divisions like the NFCW still look good, but give it to the AFCN here again.
2015 - Womp womp, wooooooooommmmppppp. Baltimore sucks. Cleveland sucks. Pittsburgh is inconsistent as hell. Cincinnati is a top 5 team in the league. Not really a strong division, but I'll take being undefeated in a weaker division over being 9-7 in the ROUGH N TOUGH PHYSICAL AFCN!
People are silly trying to refute what I'm saying by posting links to something completely irrelevant to the conversation. Being realistic won't hurt you, I promise.
- You realize that when looking at just records that the strength of schedule IN THE DIVISION matters. Sometimes the AFCN teams beat up on each other record wise. I don't think it makes sense to weight their records the same way as most other divisions because the strength of the Steelers, Ravens, & Bengals is so high compared to the other teams in other divisions. How are the top 3 in the AFCN OUTSIDE of the division?
- If you want to evaluate things on just a per year basis, then you are correct. This year the teams have been up and down. The Steelers, in particular, have had key injuries or I think they would be MUCH better. I would argue that you could take a healthy Steelers & Bengals this year and put them in ANY division in football and they would contend or win it. You can't take the top 2 teams out of any other division and say that this year.
- If you want to look at things from a consistency and long term basis in terms of how strong is the AFCN in a particular era, than you are wrong.
I think that it is fair to look at the AFCN from 2000 to now. At the very least I would say the time Marvin Lewis came in with the Bengals to now. Why? Because compared to the rest of the NFL there has been incredible consistency: The Bengals, Steelers, & Ravens have had little turn over in management or coaching over that time compared to the rest of the divisions.
It's no different than acknowledging that the NFCEast was the toughest division throughout the 90's and (mayyyybe) early 2000's. It was because of the Eagles, Cowboys, and Giants.
