The big three: thanks in part to realignment, the AFC West, AFC East, and NFC South have produced some of the best playoff races in years - 2002 Postseason Preview

Football Digest, Feb, 2003 by Barry Wilner

IN RECENT SEASONS, IT OFTEN was easy to spot the NFL's power divisions: the NFC Central and AFC East. But this year the league was realigned due to the inception of the Houston Texans--and everything got jumbled:

Although realignment didn't completely change the makeup within the divisions--there are eight of them now instead of six, with the Central morphing into the North and South districts--it certainly played havoc with the rankings.

In breaking the Tampa Bay Buccaneers away from the Green Bay Packers, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, and Minnesota Vikings and moving them into the NFC South, the league unwittingly destroyed the competitive balance of what used to be the NFC Central and now is the NFC North. The Packers have run away with the North, which has become the weakest division in all of football.

Surprisingly, though, placing the Bucs in the NFC South with the New Orleans Saints, Atlanta Falcons, and Carolina Panthers has created a whole different kind of beast. Not much was expected from the NFC South this year, but the teams from that division have been formidible. In fact, the NFC South should produce both of the conference's wild card teams.

"It's just one of those things where we find ourselves in the best division in football--again," Tampa Bay defensive tackle Warren Sapp says. "When we were in the Central, it was the best division in football. Over here, everybody has come in and found ways to win games. That's what you want to do."

Adds Carolina quarterback Rodney Peete, who may have kept the Panthers in the division race if he had been able to stay healthy: "Our team is probably the No. 1 culprit for looking at the division and saying it's weak, because we were 1-15 last year. Throw Atlanta into it with their record a year ago [7-9], and it makes people look at you and say: `There's only two teams in that division. There's Tampa Bay and New Orleans, and they haven't progressed farther than the first or second round of the playoffs, so it's not one of the strongest divisions.' But it's turned out to be a strong division."

As have the AFC West and AFC East, although the quality of play in those divisions hasn't been as surprising. Sure, the revivals of the Buffalo Bills in the East and the San Diego Chargers in the West addded strength, but most people thought those divisions would be loaded with playoff potential, anyway. And generally, that has held true. The Oakland Raiders and New England Patriots both were cut down by four-game losing streaks, while the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins went through three-game slides--but all of those teams fought their way back into the playoff race.

"It's focusing on the things that are meaningful," Jets coach Herman Edwards says. "We're like those horses in Central Park who have the blinders on and don't see the cars to the left and the right. They just see the buggy. This road we're going down is kind of dark, but don't worry about the light. It could be a train, it could be a flashlight. But we're going down that tunnel, and just trust what I'm telling you: It's not a train."

Here's what has carried the Big Three divisions--the AFC West, AFC East, and NFC South--to the highest level:

AFC West

The Wild West has benefited from great coaching. The Chargers have the biggest upgrade after hiring Marty Schottenheimer in the offseason. He joined two former Super Bowl winners in the division, Mike Shanahan of the Denver Broncos and Dick Vermeil of the Kansas City Chiefs. What's more, first-year Raiders coach Bill Callahan has been even more creative offensively than was Jon Gruden, his highly regarded predecessor.

"I know I recognize it," Vermeil says of the solid coaching in the West, particularly in San Diego. "The true football person recognizes the caliber of football coach Marty is. He's won more football games than some guys who are already in the Hall of Fame and a lot of guys who are on television. But he's not a big salesman. He's not doing commercials often. And when you haven't won the Super Bowl [as is the case with Schottenheimer], you're not given credit for the caliber of football coach you really are."

Another factor is the physical nature of these teams. None win with smoke and mirrors--not even the Chiefs, whose prolific offense features running back Priest Holmes, tight end Tony Gonzalez, quarterback Trent Green, and fullback Tony Richardson. The Broncos defense has some of the league's biggest hitters, particularly in the secondary. In San Diego, Marty Ball is all about toughness. And the Raiders? Well, they're the Raiders. Enough said.

This division also is blessed with some of the league's top running backs, all of whom also are threats as receivers. The Chargers' LaDainian Tomlinson might not be Holmes' equal, but he is close. Oakland's Charlie Garner, when healthy, also is in their class. And Denver rookie Clinton Portis has the potential to get to that level, although any back who runs behind the Broncos' world-class line seems to flourish.

AFC East