The NFC South has a combined 16-35-1 record and no team with more than five wins through Week 14. The NFC South’s .317 winning percentage is threatening the 2008 NFC West’s .344 winning percentage for the worst by a division in NFL history (according to Elias).
NFC South Standings This Season
Since the playoffs expanded to 12 teams in 1990, only one team with a sub-.500 record has made the postseason – the 2010 Seahawks won the NFC West despite a 7-9 record. The Falcons or Saints need to win out to avoid joining the 2010 Seahawks and reach 8-8 – a record with which nine other teams have qualified since 1990. Atlanta and New Orleans face off in Week 16, and the Falcons host the Steelers and Panthers, whereas the Saints travel to the Bears and Buccaneers to close the season.
NFC crowded at top
9+ Win NFC Teams This Season
This season marks the first time the NFC has had six nine-win teams through 13 games, one of whom will miss the playoffs. Season simulations from numberFire.com offer an 8.7 percent chance that all six NFC teams with at least nine wins finish with at least 11 wins. Since 1990, the only 11-win team to miss the playoffs is the 2008 Patriots, and nine 10-win teams have been on the outside looking in.
Though this is the first time the NFC has had six teams with nine wins at this point in the season, it’s happened in the AFC three times (2000, 1976 and 1975). In each of those instances, the eventual Super Bowl winner came out of that conference (2000 Ravens, 1976 Raiders and 1975 Steelers).
AFC North cleans up
AFC Divisions This Season
By 2014 NFC Division Opponent
The futility of the NFC South has even affected the AFC playoff race. The AFC North is 11-2-1 against the NFC South. No other AFC division currently has a winning record versus the NFC division it was scheduled against this season.
The AFC North’s combined .820 win percentage against the NFC South (11-2-1 record) is the highest by any division over another (with all teams playing each other) in the last five seasons. The Ravens, Bengals and Browns were a combined 10-0-1 against NFC South opponents this year (the Steelers lost at home to the Buccaneers and Saints).
Weakness of schedule
AFC North Teams This Season
By Opponent
According to Elias, this is the first season any conference has had at least 11 teams two games over .500 after 12 games. Considering the entire AFC North accounted for four of those 11, it would make sense to assume they played a difficult schedule.
The NFC South prevented that, however. Through Week 14, none of the AFC North teams have played a schedule ranked in the top half of the league in opponents’ winning percentage. After 13 games played, the Ravens (19th) were the only AFC North team that played a schedule in the top 20 in difficulty, despite the whole division being above .500.