NFC Playoff Preview: Fatal Flaws That Should Raise Concerns

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The NFC, much like its AFC counterpart, boasts a playoff field of Super Bowl contenders. Yet, they also possess potentially fatal flaws.

When the NFC playoff seedings shook out, nothing really changed. Granted, the “any given Sunday” trope lives deep within our collective psyche. However, this NFC field is as talented as it is vulnerable. No one truly ran away and hid in the conference. Instead, teams appeared to bunch together at the top and bottom of the conference. Remember, a sub.500 team won their division and will host a first-round playoff game. Now, here’s how you attack the NFC Seven.

Philadelphia (First Half Scoring Defense)

Although Philly narrowly held on to the home field, they remain the best team in the NFC. Yet, the Eagles may possess fewer flaws than any team playing in the playoffs. If you look deep, Marianas Trench deep, you will find one. The Eagles surrendered thirty-seven touchdowns in 2022. Of those, twenty occurred in the first thirty minutes. As a result, teams need to get after the Eagles early and capitalize on every scoring chance. If they don’t, Philadelphia pins their ears back and wrecks the passing game, shuts down the run, and leaves teams utterly helpless. So, a word of advice: fit as much offense in the first two quarters as you possibly can.

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Dallas (Run Defense)

Could this be the year the Cowboys make a serious run? They scored the fifth most points, blending a two-headed rushing attack with a passing game that will take chances. Meanwhile, on the other side of the ball, the Cowboys could fall victim to a team with a determined, consistent run game. Six times this season, opponents rushed for more than 150 yards. With this in mind, a punishing run game serves two purposes. First, salting away minutes keeps their high-powered offense on the field. Next, wearing out that front seven makes them susceptible to the second-half play-action. Additionally, Dalls’ top four corners gave up sixteen passing touchdowns.

Minnesota (The Entire Defense)

If the Minnesota Vikings hope to raise a Lombardi, their offense must continue to should the load. Meanwhile, the defense ranks among the worst, not only one of the worst in the NFC but in the entire league. The Vikings allowed the fifth most points. In addition, opponents scored more than twenty-four points, a staggering eleven times. If Z’Darius Smith and Danielle Hunter do not disrupt, teams will be able to sit back and pick that defense apart. While Minnesota’s offense is formidable, that defense is ripe for destruction. Expect a shootout.

New York Giants (Aggressive Offenses)

Brian Daboll made Daniel Jones into a quality quarterback, worthy of a second contract. The defense is middling, at best. However, one stat jumps out: 64.7%. Teams convert nearly two-thirds of their fourth down attempts. Whether that is disrespect of Wink Martindale’s scheme or the confidence in their own performance, that number screams. Under those circumstances, opponents should line up on anything five yards and under and take their chances. The Giants mightily struggle against the run with 5.2 yards per carry allowed. The Giants are the feel-good story of the playoffs. Now, if they can’t solve that fourth-down problem, their stay in the postseason will be brief.

Tampa Bay (Rushing Offense)

Despite employing the greatest quarterback to walk the Earth, Tampa’s offense does not click. Given that they struggle with running the ball, the Bucs are one-dimensional. Between Leonard Fournette and Rachaad Jones, the rushing attack looks feeble and non-existent. As a group, Tampa rushed for more than one hundred yards only three times. Certainly, this number needs to improve, but how? Their top running backs fail to crack four yards a carry. Defenses don’t, and should not respect the run game. Smart teams may drop a linebacker for a defensive back, in order to thwart the Tampa passing attack. Byron Leftwich, the offensive coordinator knows this. The question remains, will he adjust?

San Francisco (Dropped Passes)

Perhaps no other NFC team threatens the Eagles more than the Niners. They withstood two quarterbacks falling to injuries, and still ranked sixth in scoring. The defense, on all three levels, is frightening. Back to the offense. Through a trio of different quarterbacks, the Niners keep rolling. At the same time, that passing offense could come to an immediate halt. The Niners drop an inordinate amount of passes. Niners’ pass catchers have dropped thirty-six passes. Of those, twenty-four sit with their top-three wideouts. Not to mention, playoff yards come at a premium. Every pass becomes more important, every drop magnified.

Seattle (Red Zone)

No one saw the renaissance of Geno Smith coming. Yet, he led a Seahawks team, that many dismissed as rebuilding, to a spot in the postseason. The Hawks possess multiple big-play weapons. However, for all of their talent, a problem exists. Seattle bogs down in the red zone. They convert 47.3 percent of their red zone trips into touchdowns. Everything grinds to a halt. Settling for field goals in the playoffs only works if your team can throw a light-out defense on the field. Seattle ranks twenty-fifth or worse in six defensive categories. Whatever the team tried in the regular season needs to never happen again.

Overview

The NFC may claim another Super Bowl. Yet, each team’s fatal flaw can just surface and derail momentum. A good team masks while a great team overcomes shortcomings. The next month will determine which of any of these teams can lay claim to the title of great.