NFL Contender Or Pretender: NFC Edition

The NFL season is flying by, with Week 6 already in the books. As OutKick’s Armando Salguero pointed out in a recent column, there are no “Super Teams” in the league this season. That means that many teams – especially those that no one saw coming – have an opportunity to make a move come January.

But who’s for real, and who’s just off to a great start but set to fade into mediocrity as the season rolls along? On Tuesday, we looked at the AFC. Today, we break down the NFC. 

NFC Contenders and Pretenders 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-1)

The Buccaneers are legitimate, and Baker Mayfield should be the front-runner for NFL MVP. He’s not, and that’s a travesty. Yes, the Bucs have had to come from behind in all five victories, including four wins after trailing in the fourth quarter. Like every team in the NFL this season, the Bucs aren’t perfect. Far from it. But given the wide-open nature of this season, there’s no reason to think Tampa isn’t a legitimate NFC Championship contender. 

Verdict: CONTENDER 

Green Bay Packers (3-1-1)

Green Bay started the season in impressive fashion, manhandling both the Lions and Commanders. Since then, though, they’ve lost to the Browns, tied the Cowboys and defeated the Bengals. Not very impressive. Still, there just aren’t many (if any) dominant teams in the NFL this season. The Packers have an elite defense, and that’s good enough to make them a contender. 

Verdict: CONTENDER 

San Francisco 49ers (4-2)

We’re three teams deep, and it feels like each one is similar. Each has good and bad qualities. Again, this speaks to the lack of dominant teams in the NFL this season. San Francisco has beaten the Seahawks and Rams, so that’s good. The loss to the Jaguars is bad, although the 49ers turned the ball over four times (and had zero takeaways) and only lost by five points. They also barely beat the Cardinals and lost to the Bucs. I don’t know. San Francisco might be good, it might not. 

Verdict: CONTENDER 

Philadelphia Eagles (4-2)

Like several other NFL teams, the Eagles started hot. They won their first four games, including quality victories over the Chiefs, Rams and Bucs. But they’ve lost back-to-back games against the Broncos and Giants. The offense has stalled, scoring 17 points in each of the two losses. For an offense that features Saquon Barkley, A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, that’s unacceptable. But who in the NFC is definitely better than Philadelphia? Perhaps no one. 

Verdict: CONTENDER 

Seattle Seahawks (4-2)

The NFC is so bunched at the top that some team has to be a pretender. I’m going with the Seahawks. They beat Pittsburgh, and that’s a good win. After that, though, their other three wins came against the Saints, Cardinals and Jaguars. Seattle has a nice schedule, so they are playoff contenders. But at the end of the day, I don’t trust Sam Darnold to take a team deep in the playoffs. 

Verdict: PRETENDER 

Detroit Lions (4-2)

Detroit has lost to the two good teams it has played – the Packers and Chiefs – and beaten all the bad teams it has played – the Bears, Ravens, Browns and Bengals. Interestingly, the Lions have simply feasted on the very weak AFC North. So why do I still believe in them? Mostly because of what I’ve been saying throughout this article: none of the teams in the NFC inspire much confidence. The conference is certainly deeper than the AFC, but the lack of elite teams is showing itself early this NFL season. With that in mind, the Lions remain one of the top contenders for league supremacy. 

Verdict: CONTENDER 

I’m buying the Detroit Lions and QB Jared Goff as a threat to win the NFC. 

(Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

Los Angeles Rams (4-2)

I’m buying the Rams as being at least as good as the other contenders in the NFC. Matthew Stafford is arguably the best quarterback in the conference, and the Rams should be 5-1 if not for a complete meltdown against the Eagles in Week 3. The defense is good enough, the offense is good enough and the Rams are a legitimate threat to win the NFC. 

Verdict: CONTENDER 

Atlanta Falcons (3-2)

The Falcons are a perfectly average NFL team. They’ve scored 100 points this season; they’ve also allowed exactly 100 points. The reason I can’t buy into Atlanta is Michael Penix. He’s still making too many mistakes and not enough big plays to vault the Falcons into contender status. 

Verdict: PRETENDER 

Minnesota Vikings (3-2)

Similar to Atlanta, the Vikings can’t count on getting enough great quarterback play to contend in the NFC. J.J. McCarthy showed flashes, but he’s battling injuries. He has also looked terrible at times, so even if he’s healthy there’s no guarantee Minnesota can keep winning. Plus, look at the schedule: the next four games are against the Eagles, Chargers, Lions and Ravens (which should have a healthy Lamar Jackson). It’s not inconceivable that Minnesota loses all four to drop completely out of the conversation. 

Verdict: PRETENDER 

Chicago Bears (3-2)

Unlike the Vikings, the Bears have a very manageable schedule (thanks to finishing last in the division last year) and I have much more faith in Caleb Williams than J.J. McCarthy/Carson Wentz. Actually, I’d take Williams right now over Penix, Bryce Young and (probably Sam Darnold). Because of that, I’m going to go out on a limb and give Chicago “contender” status. A playoff berth is not out of the question for the upstart Bears. 

Verdict: CONTENDER 

Carolina Panthers (3-3)

It’s somewhat crazy that the Panthers are even in this conversation, but hey, they’re 3-3! With the Jets up next, there’s a good chance they could move above .500. But that’s where the good news stops. After New York, five of Carolina’s next six games are against teams with winning records. Actually, it’s even worse than that. The only two games left on the Panthers’ schedule (after the Jets) that aren’t against a team currently with a winning record are the two matchups against the Saints. 

Verdict: PRETENDER 

Dallas Cowboys (2-3-1)

The defense is just so bad that the Cowboys cannot be considered a legitimate threat in the NFC. Dak Prescott is playing at an MVP level – as he often does in the regular season – but it’s not enough to overcome a defensive unit that can’t stop a nosebleed. Losing to the Panthers in Week 6 showed the litany of weaknesses on the Cowboys’ roster. 

Verdict: PRETENDER