The Arizona Cardinals' drubbing of the Carolina Panthers is the latest dig against the national media’s favorite analysis – that the NFC West is terrible. If you listen to the talking heads, NFC West teams shouldn’t even play the games. Just let the NFC East play and get the hell out of the way. Crown their ass!Well, national media, please enjoy your warm glass of shut the hell up. In recent years, NFC West representative has shown they are constructed of more than tofu and suntan lotion. The division’s collective regular season win-loss record leaves a lot to be desired … actually it’s brutal. But the NFC West champion has been bringing it come playoff time.
Case in point: this season’s version of the Arizona Cardinals. So far, they’ve racked up two playoff wins against two east coast darlings, the Atlanta Falcons (30-24) and Carolina Panthers (33-13). Before the Cards, the Seahawks were doing it, winning at least one playoff game in 2005, ‘06 and ’07 – along with a Super Bowl appearance against the Steelers and the NFL referees.
Since 2005, the NFC West champ has won at least one playoff game and is 6-3 overall. The division’s collective playoff record wanes if you go back to 2002 when the division was reshuffled. Collectively those teams are 8-8 in the playoffs, but still respectable.
There’s no denying the NFC West’s regular season record has been terrible. But it’s the playoffs that matter most.
2 comments:
"They are who we thought they were...and we let 'em off the hook!"
I miss Denny Green. Eagles at Cards next week. We could see Kurt Warner and cutaways to Kurt Warner's wife all afternoon. Can't wait.
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