4 Horse Race In The NFC?

With the news of what some are calling a "devastating" knee injury today to Teddy Bridgewater at practice today, it seems like the Vikings would be all but eliminated as a real contender this year in the NFC. While admittedly premature (we don't know the extent of the injury yet but all signs point to "Bad"), losing him would be a massive blow to their chances.

Which leaves the Seahawks, Panthers, Packers and Cardinals vying for that #1 and #2 seed. I feel bad for Teddy and Vikings fans today but this does seem to suggest a 4 horse race in the NFC now. Yes, there's always that dark horse team every season but for all intents and purposes I think it stays a 4 horse race. Thoughts?

It sure looks that way on paper.
The Packers schedule is an absolute joke - and it just got a lot easier.
If I had to guess right now I would pencil them in for one of the top spots.
Of course things change - but sure looks that way now.

The Vikings were a fringe playoff team, not one of five horses to beat. They are well coached, and can run the football, two things that makes any team competitive. It's like when the Utah Jazz lost Dante Exum last year. He's a good young player, and it'll hurt his future prospects that he has to sit a season out where he could have further developed, but I don't think the Vikings will suddenly be much worse without him. They were a 9-7 caliber team with Bridgewater, probably something like a 7 or 8 win team without him. Although Shaun Hill is terrible, so I could be wrong.

2 words. Matt Cassell and the 2008 New England Patriots. After a season ending knee injury in the first game, Cassell came in and led them to 11-5 and just missing the playoffs. not that the 2016 Vikes are the 2008 Pats. Just sayin...

I am convinced the Panthers blew their load last year and won't see the top 3 seeds. Cardinals are the team for us to beat this year. Hopefully no splits but a sweep. We need to win our division this season flat out.

What my heart says:

Seahawks #1 Seed
Packers #2 Seed
Cardinals #3 Seed
Panthers #4 Seed

What my brain says:

Packers #1 Seed
Seahawks #2 Seed
Cardinals #3 Seed
Panthers #4 Seed

Aros":1g2uex45 said:

What my brain says:

Packers #1 Seed
Seahawks #2 Seed
Cardinals #3 Seed
Panthers #4 Seed

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If the Seahawks get the 2 seed, the Cards can't get anything higher than the five.

We need the one seed. Plain and Simple. Let's get it done boys!

Packers get a free pass on two games.

Arizona gets a free pass on two games.

Seahawks are gonna have to play their butts off.

Zero games played so far. No team has proven anything.

There's almost always 1-2 sleeper teams that are there come the end of the season. Maybe the Falcons, or one of the NFC East gems slide in.

PS Teddy wasn't a world beater and with that D, AP and an average QB you can't count them out.

Thought the Vikings were a 9-7 team with or without Teddy personally.

Packers will be tough to beat if they get homefield and their schedule suggests it's very possible. Four hour race sounds about right.

I have to agree the Packers appear set up for the #1 seed, although its a long season and things can happen. Seattle or Arizona at the #2 spot is what I'm thinking. I think it will come down to the last game to see who gets it. I believe Carolina will still get their division, but not dominant like last year. #3 seed tops. The Vikings could still be in the wild card race with AP and that defense, though.

Seattle > Arizona

I know you don't follow our roster, but our CB situation follows:

CB1: Peterson
CB2: TBD
CB3: don't need 'em

CB2 was Bethel, but had foot surgery, not totally healed and he missed all the offseason, so he is still raw (and may actually suck at CB)

don't worry, we brought in 3 vets to help out - one sucked, one strained his quad and is out on an injury waiver, the other tore his acl and to IR he goes

but we drafted 2 CBs, one a converted RB, the other a small school 6th round pick and brought in a Canadian (who is on IR) and an Australian (who just sucked)

So our starting CB competition is a ST ace with a bad foot, a converted RB and a second year kid who is PS material

But we have about 10 safeties, so many that we pretend we don't even need interior linebackers (we call them moneybackers) or additional CBs. So I'm certain that we will have a top 5 pass defense running our new 4-0-7 defense and take the NFC West. And that is sarcasm, in case I wasn't obvious.

Rat":1vwohst7 said:

The Vikings were a fringe playoff team, not one of five horses to beat. They are well coached, and can run the football, two things that makes any team competitive. It's like when the Utah Jazz lost Dante Exum last year. He's a good young player, and it'll hurt his future prospects that he has to sit a season out where he could have further developed, but I don't think the Vikings will suddenly be much worse without him. They were a 9-7 caliber team with Bridgewater, probably something like a 7 or 8 win team without him. Although Shaun Hill is terrible, so I could be wrong.

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I'm going to go out on a limb for conversation sake and say the Minnesota Vikings will do just as well with Hill. Maybe even a little better.

Aros":3a0jb7sr said:

I am convinced the Panthers blew their load last year and won't see the top 3 seeds. Cardinals are the team for us to beat this year. Hopefully no splits but a sweep. We need to win our division this season flat out.

What my heart says:

Seahawks #1 Seed
Packers #2 Seed
Cardinals #3 Seed
Panthers #4 Seed

What my brain says:

Packers #1 Seed
Seahawks #2 Seed
Cardinals #3 Seed
Panthers #4 Seed

Click to expand...

Pretty good post. I have a gut feeling ( all we have at this point) that the Panthers will regress following their humiliating SB loss. I think this is the year the Bucs surprise everyone in the division .

What Rat and English said.

I don't care what anyone says, when two difficult games suddenly become much easier that's huge. And, Minne isn't going to field any QB as good as Teddy.

Carolina also plays Minne in their third game but their schedule is still more difficult than last year.

If you are going just by schedule I see:

#1 seed: GB

#2 seed: Ariz

#3 - #4: Toss-up Panthers and Seahawks

Green Bay in January? Slap some ice on that Polar Bear's ass!

Rat":2fvazm33 said:

The Vikings were a fringe playoff team, not one of five horses to beat. They are well coached, and can run the football, two things that makes any team competitive. It's like when the Utah Jazz lost Dante Exum last year. He's a good young player, and it'll hurt his future prospects that he has to sit a season out where he could have further developed, but I don't think the Vikings will suddenly be much worse without him. They were a 9-7 caliber team with Bridgewater, probably something like a 7 or 8 win team without him. Although Shaun Hill is terrible, so I could be wrong.

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I'd disagree. They have the Packers in that division, and that's it. They don't have the toughest road to the playoffs, and who else in the NFC is going to challenge for the other Wild Card spot ? Atlanta ? N.O. ? Anyone from the NFCE ?

The most likely competition for that last playoff spot was Tampa Bay, and they face the NFCW and Carolina twice. They're a rising young team, but they have a tough schedule.

With no QB, yeah I'd say they're out. Word is that he has a dislocated knee, torn ACL and "other structural damage" which I'd guess was either MCL, LCL or PCL. Evidently there were Vikings players that vomited on the practice field after seeing how bad the injury was when it happened.

I'd say you're right Aros. Other than those 4, I can't think of anyone else that will challenge this year.

I feel really bad for Teddy. He is a heck of a nice guy. I would never want him as a QB of my team. He's a fair game manager. That being said, a replacment QB might not kill the Vikings playoff hopes. There will be players available. Like Largent said it's too early to make any calls.

seabowl":3ci2k0fp said:

There's almost always 1-2 sleeper teams that are there come the end of the season. Maybe the Falcons, or one of the NFC East gems slide in.

PS Teddy wasn't a world beater and with that D, AP and an average QB you can't count them out.

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And almost always one or two teams that perform surprisingly below expectations. I think that might be the Packers this year, not because of their offense, but their on-the-decline defense.