Is the AFC just that bad?

[Iconic]

Are they just not as strong as their NFC counterparts? I mean honestly, is there any team in the AFC that could've actually beat the grade A performance given by the Seahawks last night? I really don't think so...

[Baby Lee]

The Seahawks are just that good.

49ers match up with them because they live for that matchup, so people think they're the 2nd best team in the league, but I don't think they would be as dominant or perhaps even beat an AFC foe.

[Rausch]

Denver has a horrible D and that offense is built around manning.

They were only half a team...

[Just Passin' By]

The two best teams in the AFC were hard hit by injury (and some stupidity). In comparison, Seattle was missing Browner, but was pretty much whole.

Give the Patriots Gronk, Wilfork, Kelly, Mayo and a healthy Amendola, and they kill the Broncos on the way to a much better SB matchup against Seattle.

Give Denver their #1 center, #1 LT, Dumerville and their bribing drug taker, and that's also a much better matchup, since they could have held up better against the pass rush and probably gotten more pressure on Wilson.

[Mama Hip Rockets]

Yes, the NFC was a much, much better conference this year. There was no complete team in the AFC. The Seahawks, 49ers, Panthers, and Saints all could have taken the Broncos, in my opinion.

[KC_Connection]

NFC is significantly better than the AFC, yes.

[BlackHelicopters]

NFC is better this year.

[AndChiefs]

NFC was very top heavy. They were some AWFUL teams in the NFC this year. AFC was more balanced in my opinion.

[GoChargers]

No way the Chargers, Chiefs, or Pats get thoroughly punked and exposed like Denver was. None of them would likely win though.

[mnchiefsguy]

I think Seattle and San Fran are significantly better than the rest of the NFL right now, regardless of conference. The real Superbowl was the NFC title game.

[The Franchise]

I think Seattle and San Fran are significantly better than the rest of the NFL right now, regardless of conference. The real Superbowl was the NFC title game.

Seattle? Sure. San Francisco? Nope.

[In58men]

Last year AFC was better.

[Rausch]

Seattle? Sure. San Francisco? Nope.

The NFCW is the best division in football.

Hell, the 3rd best team in that division tied us at 11-5 and didn't make the playoffs.

Even the Rams have a ton of draft picks (including no 2) and could be the worst team in that division next year at 8-8...

[Iconic]

Taking the playoff picture as is, Colts, Chiefs, Bengals, Chargers, Bengals, and Patriots. There's not a single team from that list that jumps out and screams competition to the Seahawks. I think the entire AFC was doomed from the start.

[TEX]

Seattle? Sure. San Francisco? Nope.

I wouldn't be too sure about that. SF almost beat Seattle in their place in the NFC Championship game. SF controlled 3/4 of the game. That one could have gone either way.

[TEX]

I think Seattle and San Fran are significantly better than the rest of the NFL right now, regardless of conference. The real Superbowl was the NFC title game.

That was the case this year for sure.

[BlackHelicopters]

No one was going to beat the Seahawks yesterday

[GoChargers]

Seattle? Sure. San Francisco? Nope.

I agree. The Whiners are overrated and honestly it would not surprise me if they start to decline. They looked shaky for much of this year.

[Easy 6]

Man o man do we have our work cut out for us with Seattle next year.

Big, fast, mean, well coached... crikey.

[Discuss Thrower]

Man o man do we have our work cut out for us with Seattle next year.

Big, fast, mean, well coached... crikey.

And San Francisco. And Arizona.

Hell, St. Louis is due for a win against KC.

[BlackHelicopters]

Man o man do we have our work cut out for us with Seattle next year.

Big, fast, mean, well coached... crikey.

ForgotSeattle was on our schedule.

[Buehler445]

No way the Chargers, Chiefs, or Pats get thoroughly punked and exposed like Denver was. None of them would likely win though.

Agree.

Donks shit the bed, yes. But one thing that isn't talked about much is the officials let a lot of shit go that they hadn't most of the year, at least the games I watched.

I think the officiating was fair, and goddamn I wish all of the games were officiated this way.

But overall, if the officials called the game like they called most of the other Donk games, it wouldn't have been quite so fugly. They would have extended some drives and probably scored some more. Unless they called unnecessary roughness on every hit, Donks probably still lose, but officiating has a LOT to do with the outcome of games. And this game was definitely played to the hand of Seattle.

Again, I love it. I wish officials would let them play more, but it still had quite the effect on the outcome.

[GoChargers]

Man o man do we have our work cut out for us with Seattle next year.

Big, fast, mean, well coached... crikey.

The Chargers and Chiefs at least lucked out by getting them at home. The Donks have to play them in Seattle next year LMAOLMAOLMAO

[BigMeatballDave]

I wouldn't be too sure about that. SF almost beat Seattle in their place in the NFC Championship game. SF controlled 3/4 of the game. That one could have gone either way.

Division rivals. Completely different dynamic.

[TEX]

Division rivals. Completely different dynamic.

True, but they were also pretty stout down the stretch. Remember, they went to Carolina and pushed their shit in pretty easily. Conference rivals who played once before - different dynamic??

[BIG_DADDY]

San Francisco and Seattle are the best two teams in football. Their game was the Superbowl.

[TEX]

San Francisco and Seattle are the best two teams in football. Their game was the Superbowl.

I think so too. That super Bowl was MUCH closer, BUT I LIKED Yesterday's MUCH BETTER!

[Just Passin' By]

Taking the playoff picture as is, Colts, Chiefs, Bengals, Chargers, Bengals, and Patriots. There's not a single team from that list that jumps out and screams competition to the Seahawks. I think the entire AFC was doomed from the start.

Well, by the time the playoffs rolled around, the two best teams had already lost most of the players they were going to lose. The AFC was a two team conference this season, while the NFC had 2-4, depending on just how legit you thought NO and CAR were capable of being away from home. Health was a huge factor in the AFCCG. Health, and Manning's love of choking in the playoffs, also played a big factor in the SB.

I don't think the NFC is as far ahead as others seem to believe. Good offseasons can really help Baltimore, K.C., Indy and Houston, and that would make the AFC a much deeper and stronger conference.

[Easy 6]

And San Francisco. And Arizona.

Hell, St. Louis is due for a win against KC.

Things could be totally different next year, but as of right now Arizona and St. Louie don't really scare me.

ForgotSeattle was on our schedule.

They are looming up ahead like Bigfoot.

The Chargers and Chiefs at least lucked out by getting them at home. The Donks have to play them in Seattle next year LMAOLMAOLMAO

It'll fun to watch Seattle crush them like roaches again.

[BIG_DADDY]

I think so too. That super Bowl was MUCH closer, BUT I LIKED Yesterday's MUCH BETTER!

That pass was 3 inches higher the 9ers would be celebrating another SB victory. The pacific northwest needed something to be stoked about so it wasn't all bad. Yea, funny how badly they were beaten.

[scho63]

NFC is significantly better than the AFC, yes.

Wrong!

They were SLIGHTLY better

Non-Conference Record Standings:

Broncos 4-0
Chiefs 4-0
Bears 4-0
Cardinals 4-0
Chargers 3-1
Bengals 3-1
Patriots 3-1
Jets 3-1
Seahawks 3-1
Panthers 3-1
49ers 3-1
Rams 3-1
Ravens 2-2
Steelers 2-2
Colts 2-2
Redskins 2-2
Packers 2-2
Saints 2-2
Buccaneers 2-2
Browns 1-3
Dolphins 1-3
Bills 1-3
Titans 1-3
Eagles 1-3
Cowboys 1-3
Giants 1-3
Lions 1-3
Vikings 1-3
Falcons 1-3
Raiders 0-4
Jaguars 0-4
Texans 0-4
Conference records:

NFC 34-30
AFC 30-34

Division records vs other conference:

NFC West 13-3
NFC North 8-8
NFC South 8-8
NFC East 5-11
AFC West 11-5
AFC East 8-8
AFC North 8-8
AFC South 3-13

[Fritz88]

A running QB would have made this game a little more exciting.

[Amnorix]

I don't think any team in the AFC would've beaten either Seatle or San Fran, but this isn't the late 80s/early 90s, where half the freaking NFC was substantially better than any AFC team, and the Super Bowl was one curb stomping after another, more or less.

NFC won a bunch in a row, most by 10+ points

XXXI Jan. 26, 1997 Green Bay 35, New England 21
XXX Jan. 28, 1996 Dallas 27, Pittsburgh 17
XXIX Jan. 29, 1995 San Francisco 49, San Diego 26
XXVIII Jan. 30, 1994 Dallas 30, Buffalo 13
XXVII Jan. 31, 1993 Dallas 52, Buffalo 17
XXVI Jan. 26, 1992 Washington 37, Buffalo 24
XXV Jan. 27, 1991 N.Y. Giants 20, Buffalo 19
XXIV Jan. 28, 1990 San Francisco 55, Denver 10
XXIII Jan. 22, 1989 San Francisco 20, Cincinnati 16
XXII Jan. 31, 1988 Washington 42, Denver 10
XXI Jan. 25, 1987 N.Y. Giants 39, Denver 20
XX Jan. 26, 1986 Chicago 46, New England 10
XIX Jan. 20, 1985 San Francisco 38, Miami 16

[Red Dawg]

Yes

[Pasta Little Brioni]

Not at all. Afc held their own all season against them. Denver just shit the bed.

[Mama Hip Rockets]

Wrong!

They were SLIGHTLY better

Non-Conference Record Standings:

Broncos 4-0
Chiefs 4-0
Bears 4-0
Cardinals 4-0
Chargers 3-1
Bengals 3-1
Patriots 3-1
Jets 3-1
Seahawks 3-1
Panthers 3-1
49ers 3-1
Rams 3-1
Ravens 2-2
Steelers 2-2
Colts 2-2
Redskins 2-2
Packers 2-2
Saints 2-2
Buccaneers 2-2
Browns 1-3
Dolphins 1-3
Bills 1-3
Titans 1-3
Eagles 1-3
Cowboys 1-3
Giants 1-3
Lions 1-3
Vikings 1-3
Falcons 1-3
Raiders 0-4
Jaguars 0-4
Texans 0-4
Conference records:

NFC 34-30
AFC 30-34

Division records vs other conference:

NFC West 13-3
NFC North 8-8
NFC South 8-8
NFC East 5-11
AFC West 11-5
AFC East 8-8
AFC North 8-8
AFC South 3-13

All this proves is that the NFC East sucks. The playoff teams in the NFC were leaps and bounds better than the AFC playoff teams, as a whole.

[loochy]

NFC is probably better, but I think the SB result is more about that particular matchup favoring Seattle. Plus Seattle was just ready to play and Denver wasn't.

[scho63]

All this proves is that the NFC East sucks. The playoff teams in the NFC were leaps and bounds better than the AFC playoff teams, as a whole.

But that wasn't the question-overall the spread is a two game swing, that's it.

[Pasta Little Brioni]

Frauds