The New England Patriots (9-0) and Carolina Panthers (9-0) are the only remaining undefeated teams in the NFL this season, and almost everyone has those two teams as the top two in their power rankings this week. That is understandable given that they are the only two teams who have yet to suffer a loss, but the best NFC team right now is the Arizona Cardinals.
Bruce Arians’ team is 7-2, and they are averaging 421.1 yards per game (first in NFL) and 33.6 points per game (second in the league, trailing only New England) on offense this season. On defense the Cardinals are allowing an average of 316.1 yards per game (third in the league, only the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks allow less) and 20.6 points per game (tied for 11th in the NFL) this season.
The only one of those statistics in which the Panthers rank ahead of the Cardinals is defensive points per game. Arizona is scoring more points per game, gaining more yards per game, and allowing opponents to gain fewer yards per game.
Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer is averaging 305 passing yards per game (fifth in the NFL, second in the NFC) and he’s thrown 23 touchdowns (second in the NFL, trails only Tom Brady) and seven interceptions this season. By contrast Cam Newton, who many people think should be an MVP candidate, is averaging 226 passing yards per game (26th in NFL) and he’s tossed 15 touchdowns (tied for 10th in the NFL) and nine interceptions in 2015. I know some people will think I’m crazy, and Newton has done impressive things this season with minimal weapons, but I’m taking Palmer in a must-win playoff game. Others can disagree if they want to, but to me Arizona has the edge over Carolina at the most important position in football as long as Palmer stays healthy.
Cardinals running back Chris Johnson is having a really good season in 2015. In his eighth season Johnson is averaging 81.6 yards per game (fourth in the NFL) and he’s found the end zone three times. The talented running back has six runs of twenty plus yards (tied for fifth in the NFL) and he’s averaging 4.4 yards per carry. Panthers running back Jonathan Stewart (73.6 yards per game, four touchdowns) is having a nice season and Newton certainly can run, but Johnson is the best running back in the NFC this season except for Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson, St. Louis Rams running back Todd Gurley, and possibly Atlanta Falcons running back Devonta Freeman.
The Cardinals also have the edge this season over the Panthers, and many other NFC contenders, at wide receiver. Larry Fitzgerald has 65 catches for 836 yards and seven touchdowns this season. John Brown has 37 receptions for 562 yards and three touchdowns in 2015. Michael Floyd has caught 27 passes for 432 yards and he has five touchdowns. Palmer’s top three targets have caught 129 balls for 1,830 yards and 15 touchdowns this season.
Now compare those numbers to those of the receivers on the Panthers. Tight end Greg Olsen has 45 receptions for 664 yards and five touchdowns in 2015. Ted Ginn Jr. has caught 25 balls for 408 yards and he has three touchdowns. Corey Brown has 17 catches for 233 yards and three touchdowns. Newton’s top three pass catchers have totaled 87 receptions, 1,305 yards and 11 touchdowns. Carolina’s top three receivers trail Arizona’s in receptions, yards and touchdowns. Yes, Kelvin Benjamin, the really talented receiver for the Panthers, tore his ACL before the regular season began, but I can only make my determination based on what I have seen this season.
I know that Carolina is undefeated and Arizona is not, but as of now only the Patriots have a more impressive aggregate margin of victory than the Cardinals.
There is a lot of football left this season, and the Cardinals have what could be a tough game this week when they take on the Cincinnati Bengals (8-1). And it is far from a given that Palmer will remain healthy the remainder of the season. But if I had to bet on one NFC team right now I would wager on Arizona playing in Super Bowl 50, not Carolina.
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