Is the NFC East the best division in the NFL right now?
Generally, that's been the consensus and fans of the four teams involved certainly think that way. But the numbers might be there to back up that assertion.
With the help of SportsData LLC, Patrick Donnelly of Sporting News set out to answer that issue and determine the strength of the NFL's eight divisions in a recent article. Using a five-year time period, he used the following sets of data to create a point system:
- Winning percentage in non-divisional games
- Point differential in non-divisional games
- Number of playoff teams
- Playoff winning percentage
- Number of conference champions
- Number of Super Bowl champions
Out of a possible 48 points, the NFC East, according to Donnelly's scale, garnered a cumulative score of 46 points for first place, outpacing the AFC North (36), AFC East (30.5), NFC North (26.5), NFC South (25.5), AFC South (23), NFC West (16.5) and AFC West (12).
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Once a former NFL scout, analyst Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com ranked the league's quarterbacks by division. Eli Manning led the NFC East, followed by Tony Romo, Michael Vick and Robert Griffin III, in that order.
*"The QBs in this division are all must-see TV," Jeremiah wrote. "Manning has two Super Bowl rings and a growing reputation as a clutch performer. Romo had an excellent 2011 season that should quiet some of his critics. Vick started poorly last season, but he became more patient and efficient during the last quarter of the season. RG3 landed with the perfect coach to take advantage of his talents."
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