NFC North Tops NFL Division Rankings Ahead of NFC West — SkimNews
Get the Sports newsletter
Daily sports — scores, transfers, the storylines from the leagues you actually follow. Free.
- NFC North takes the No. 1 spot with a combined FPI of 6.0 (second in the NFL) but earns the edge over the NFC West because all four of its teams — Lions, Bears, Vikings, and Packers — currently have winning records, the only NFC division in that position.
- Minnesota Vikings are 5-0 yet rank just 13th in FPI because of a 26th-ranked offense, though their defense and special teams are both rated No. 1 overall by the index.
- NFC West lands at No. 2 with the NFL's best combined FPI (8.8), but the author openly disputes FPI's No. 3 overall ranking for the 2-3 Rams, noting they've allowed more points than they've scored and lost to every winning opponent except a Week 4 gift win from the Eagles.
- AFC North ranks third and is the second division where all four teams hold winning records; the Bengals have what FPI rates as the easiest remaining schedule in the league, while the 3-2 Browns are being outscored by an average of 3.8 points per game.
- AFC West features the league's biggest disappointment in the 0-5 Chargers under Jim Harbaugh, while Patrick Mahomes has the 4-0 Chiefs back in form after last season's major knee injury.
- AFC South sits fifth with a Week 6 London matchup between the 4-1 Jaguars (fifth in FPI) and the 1-4 Texans (11th in FPI) — a gap the source attributes to Houston's fourth-ranked defense despite a poor run game and wide receiver injuries.
Why it matters: The author overrules ESPN's Football Power Index — placing NFC North above the NFC West despite the West's higher combined FPI, and publicly disputes FPI's No. 3 overall ranking for the 2-3 Rams. That metric-vs-reality gap carries weight for bettors and trade-deadline decisions, with the source flagging the 0-5 Chargers under Jim Harbaugh as candidates for roster moves after a Week 6 loss to Kansas City.
Ask SkimNews
