Entering Week 10, there were nine teams at .500 or better in the NFC. Ten teams are at least .500. The 5-3 Lions and Bears were not in the playoffs.
Five teams have two losses, but no single team is standing out, leaving lots of room for debate on who might be the No. 1 team in the NFC. So, “FOX NFL Sunday” did just that as we enter the second half of the NFL season.
How Packers, Rams, Lions and Eagles shape the NFC’s dominance 💪🏻
Bradshaw’s thoughts: “I love the Rams. I love the way they’re playing. Matthew Stafford, right now, would be — with [Jonathan] Taylor, the running back of the Colts — would be my frontrunner for MVP in the league. Right now, the Rams are the most impressive [team] to me.”
Arguably, no team is more well-rounded than the Rams this season. Los Angeles ranks in the top five in both offensive DVOA (third) and defensive DVOA (fifth). They’re eighth in the league in scoring and second in scoring defense entering Sunday’s game against the San Francisco 49ers.
But what might put the 6-2 Rams above the rest of the NFC is their quarterback play. As Bradshaw mentioned, Stafford’s put up MVP numbers. He leads the league in passing yards per game (268.4) and passing touchdowns (21) entering Sunday, while also ranking sixth in passer rating (113.2). He and the Rams have done it with star wide receiver Puka Nacua missing some time in recent weeks as well.
Strahan said: “[The Rams] were one of my picks. But you’ve got to knock the champ off — Philly, Philly.”
The Eagles had a weird two-game stretch in October where they looked far from their usual selves and, in typical Philadelphia fashion, it felt like the sky was falling. But they’ve since rebounded, winning their last two games to give them a 6-2 record ahead of their Monday night matchup against the Green Bay Packers.
Philadelphia might not be as well-rounded as Los Angeles, but it made one of the biggest moves ahead of Tuesday’s NFL trade deadline to try and shore up the defense. The Eagles added Miami Dolphins edge rusher Jaelan Phillips, who has three sacks this season (all in the last month) and 25 total tackles. He’s 11th at his position in pressures (32), per Pro Football Focus, giving the Eagles 23rd total ranked defense so much-needed help.
Offensively, Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley have looked better as of late following some early-season woes. The quarterback has 20 total touchdowns this year to just one interception, while the star running back rushed for 150 yards and scored two touchdowns in the Eagles’ Week 8 win over the New York Giants.
