With the trade deadline passed, I will be looking at the current state of the NFC as well. The NFC isn't as competitive as I figured, but at least it's better than the AFC. Lets take a look

Top team in the NFC so far: Rams (8-0)- The only unbeaten in the NFL. A team chock full of talented blue chip level players. Sean McVay and Wade Phillips have done a tremendous job of getting all the egos acquired this offseason to coalesce together as one. The offense is tearing defenses a new one. The only concern right now is the amount of points surrendered by the defense against better offenses

Other contenders: Saints (6-1): The Saints have shaken off the stunning week 1 upset loss to the Bucs and are on a tear. Drew Brees is having a heck of a year, but what makes this team scary is that they are winning even Brees isn't a statistical juggernuat. The defense has improved and the running game is scary good. This may be the most complete team in the NFL

Panthers (5-2): The Panthers are so far breaking their trend of even-year struggles and are challenging the Saints for the NFC South crown. Cam Newton is having his best year in 3 years and the defense is overall playing well enough for them not to blow it

Playoff contenders: Redskins (5-2)- Thanks to the resurgence of Adrian Peterson and the Eagles completely disappointing everyone you are in control of the NFC East and likely to win the NFC East by default. And hey you got Haha Clinton-Dix in a trade, you might actually not lose by double digits in the wildcard round this time in the postseason

Seahawks (4-3): We all declared this team done when they lost all their star defensive players and then dumped on Pete Carroll following reports that he lost his locker room after Super Bowl 49, but he has done a heck of a job and Seattle is a legit playoff contender. Despite the roster turnover, the Seahawks have managed to field a top 5 defense and Russell Wilson of course is still going strong. Maybe losing veterans in the locker room after Super Bowl 49 and replacing them with new players was a good thing

Vikings (4-3-1): Kirk Cousins has improved the QB position and Adam Theilen is just wrecking the NFL right now on record-setting pace. Only problem is the regressing defense is surrendering a lot of points right now which can explain why they are only 4-3-1 right now

Packers (3-3-1): As long as Aaron Rodgers stays healthy, they always have a chance to make the postseason, though another year of his prime is looking wasted at the moment

Bears (4-3): This team legit when they were 3-1 with a great defensive effort bouyed by Khalil Mack and an offense that was scoring enough points to compliment the D. Then they surrendered a bunch of points to brock Assweiler and lost to a bad Dolphins team and then the Patriots scored a bunch of points. Even with Mack's best efforts, wildcard may be this team's ceiling

Mediocre: Eagles (4-4)- You'd be hard pressed not to call these guys the biggest disappointments in the NFL. The defending Super Bowl champions are now dancing around .500 all year and have blown multiple games they should have won. If I were to name this season so far for the Eagles, I'd call it "The Hangover"

Falcons (3-4)- This team could have been competitive in the tough NFC South, if they had not managed to lose every good player on defense. Now they are in a perpetual fight to outscore everybody and battling the Bucs to get out of last place, speakingof which

Bucs (3-4): It's been an interesting season for you guys. First Fitzpatrick goes on a tear as the Bucs start 2-0, then 2 weeks later he is benched for awful play in favor of Jameis Winston, but Jameis is so busy committing turnovers and now Fitzpatrick returned 4 games later and almost led a monster comeback against the Bengals. One thing that has stayed constant though is a god awful defense that can't stop a nosebleed

Cowboys (3-4): It's a shame because this defense is actually one of the best in the league. The defense though is being wasted by pro idiot Jason Garrett and his cowardly decisions and Dak Prescott looking more and more like a one year wonder throwing to a god awful receiving corp. It's so bad they gave up a 1st round pick for underachiever Amari Cooper who hasn't been good since 2016

Lions (3-4): I don't even know what to say about this team they are that non-descript

Bottom of the barrel: 49ers (1-7): This team looked exciting after Jimmy G's 5 game winnig streak, but then he tore his ACL in week 3 and they are back to being cellar dwellars.

Cardinals (2-6): Ok, this team has Larry Fitzgerald, David Johnson, Patrick Peterson, Chandler Jones, how does a team with this much talent suck this bad? It takes effort to be this horrendously unwatchable with multiple pro bowl players on it

Giants (1-7): So your franchise RB that you drafted #2 has not elevated your team despite tearing it up in the league. Who knew you needed more than just a franchise RB to be successful in the NFL. This team sucks. Ownership talked themselves into believing Eli Manning still could play well when they passed on a QB at #2, and they were dead wrong in that thinking. The O-line is still a mess and the defense (especially the D-line) sorely misses JPP