The Carolina Panthers dominated the NFC last season on their way to an appearance in the Super Bowl against the Denver Broncos. While Cam Newton and company could not defeat the Broncos to win the championship, the conference has a number of teams in 2016 that could give the AFC some trouble in the playoffs.
The Panthers expect to be in the mix again after going 15-1 and winning the NFC South, while the Arizona Cardinals feel they have the pieces for a championship run. The Green Bay Packers dealt with a number of injuries last season and will be looking to bounce back, while the NFC East could be up for grabs for all four teams after the Washington Redskins won it with a 9-7 record.
The Giants spent a ton of money in free agency and will be looking to return to winning form after finishing 6-10, while the Bears, Cowboys and Buccaneers will be gunning to go from worst to first in 2016. Here is a look at the NFC for next season and predictions on who will make the playoffs:
NFC East Winner: New York Giants
The NFC East was a mess last season with the Eagles, Giants and Cowboys all remaining in the mix for the division for despite having losing records. The Redskins ended up taking the division with just nine wins, and this year each team is coming in thinking they can take the title. The New York Giants have a good chance to do that after spending big on free agent players. The team used more than $100 million to sign Janoris Jenkins, Damon Harrison and Olivier Vernon to join the defense, and general manager Jerry Reese hopes that leads to the playoffs.
If the defense can be just slightly better, the Giants should be in position to win the division. The offense has the chance to be very productive with Victor Cruz coming back to support Eli Manning and Odell Beckham, and the pass rush should be improved now that Jason Pierre-Paul will not need a club for his injured hand. The Dallas Cowboys will have Tony Romo and Dez Bryant healthy after dealing with injuries last season, and they should be much better than the 4-12 record they had in 2015.
Adding Alfred Morris should give the Cowboys rushing attack a boost, and could help them stay in contention. The Eagles brought back Sam Bradford and could compete, but the roster still has major holes on defense. The Redskins won the division last season, but the other teams in the NFC East have done more to get better this offseason over Washington.
NFC North Winner: Green Bay Packers
The Minnesota Vikings edged out the Green Bay Packers for the division title last season, but this year the Pack should be able to take the crown. Green Bay dealt with a number of significant injuries last season, including to top wide receiver Jordy Nelson. Getting Nelson back healthy and a slimmed- down Eddie Lacy should give Aaron Rodgers more help on offense. The Vikings should remain in the mix for the division and a playoff spot, but they will need another big season from Adrian Peterson to get that done. The Bears and Lions each made some solid free agent moves this offseason (Marvin Jones, Danny Trevathan), but both teams have too many holes to be contenders.
NFC South Winner: Carolina Panthers
The Panthers have the chance to be dominant once again in the NFC South, and they should win a second straight division title. Cam Newton should be motivated after losing the Super Bowl, while the defense should once again be the best in the NFC. Having Kelvin Benjamin healthy could be huge for the offense, and the roster is mostly intact from the 15-1 team last year. The Falcons, Saints and Buccaneers all made good moves in free agency - Doug Martin staying with the Bucs; Mohamed Sanu to the Falcons; Nick Fairley and Coby Fleener to the Saints - but it likely won't be enough to overtake the Panthers.
NFC West Winner: Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks got off to a slow start last season before coming on strong in the second half and making the playoffs as a Wild Card. The Seahawks should once again be in the mix for the NFC West title, and this year they have the chance to win it over the Arizona Cardinals. Both teams are very close when it comes to rankings, but the Seahawks have the edge after the way the Cardinals were embarrassed in the playoffs against the Panthers.
While there may not be much carryover into this season from that game, the Cardinals looked terrible in the 49-15 loss, and they will have to find a way to put that behind them as they march into this season. Even though the Cardinals kept Chris Johnson and traded for Chandler Jones, the Seahawks have the feel of a division winner coming into 2016. The 49ers have Chip Kelly coming in, and he may need some time to get that team contending again. The Rams are hoping to be a factor in their first season in Los Angeles, but they still have a major question at quarterback (although Todd Gurley appears to be a star in the making in the NFL).
NFC Wild Card Teams: Arizona Cardinals, Dallas Cowboys
The Cardinals will definitely be in the mix for the NFC West, but if they don't win the division, they should be in fine position to be a Wild Card team. The Cardinals finished 13-3 last season behind a strong year from Carson Palmer, and he could put up big numbers again. The NFC field is relatively weak behind the division winners, and that should give Arizona the chance to be in the postseason. The Cowboys being in the Wild Card or division mix depends on the health of Romo and Bryant. If those two are healthy, expect the Cowboys to compete for a playoff spot in 2016.
In the running:
Atlanta Falcons, Minnesota Vikings, Philadelphia Eagles, New Orleans Saints
