AFC vs NFC

     Coming into this season, when analysts looked at the two conferences in the NFL, the NFC looked to be the supreme conference over the AFC. However, at the midway point the AFC is actually looking stronger than the NFC.

     Prior to the start of the season, people saw that the NFC had Sean Payton coming back in New Orleans for the Saints, Seattle making improvements on the offensive side of the ball by adding Percy Harvin to go along with the daunting defense lead by Richard Sherman. There was also the return of RG3, and the reigning MVP Adrain Peterson coming back with lofty goals of going over 2,500 yards! Along with the best running in the league the NFC also boasted arguably the best receiver in Calvin Johnson (while also having Dez Bryant and Larry Fitzgerald), the best quarterback in Aaron Rodgers (while also having Drew Brees), and the best tight end in Jimmy Graham. They also had the loudest player in the NFL who also happened to be the premier corner in Richard Sherman. On paper, how could you bet against the NFC?

     However as the season has gone on, the AFC is the conference that is showing their supremacy. Peyton Manning is making his MVP case with a legendary start to the season yet with a 7-1 record they are SECOND in their division. The biggest surprise of the year, the Kansas City Chiefs are the lone undefeated team in the NFL. Last season the NFC went 39-25 versus the AFC. At the midway mark this year, the AFC boasts a 22-16 record over NFC opponents.

      It goes further than that. The NFC’s elite teams have lost games to AFC opponents this year. The Seahawks, who have just one lost, suffered the defeat at the hands of the Indianapolis Colts. The Packers and 49ers have also lost to those pesky Colts. The Saints, who also have one lost just one game, lost a heart breaker to the New England Patriots. On the other hand, the Chiefs have yet to lose. The Broncos lost their one game to the Colts, a fellow AFC opponent. The New England Patriots have lost two games, against the Cincinnati Bengals and the New York Jets, also both AFC opponents. The Colts have lost to the Dolphins and the Chargers, once again, two AFC opponents.

     If last year is any indication, it show the regular season supremacy has little effect in the big picture as the Baltimore Ravens went on to win the Super Bowl, while the NFC dominated the AFC in the regular season. Prior to the Super Bowl last year, the Saints, Packers, and Giants(twice) represented the NFL’s best 4 out of 5 seasons by winning the Super Bowl.

     So although it may not be a big deal and interconference games don’t have a big effect, it is just an interesting thing to think about and keep track of as we begin the second half of the NFL season.