There’s no question the NFC got weaker this year, losing stars such as Russell Wilson, Davante Adams and Matt Ryan to the AFC. The Los Angeles Rams lost key players of their own, including Andrew Whitworth and Von Miller, but they still look like the favorites to win the NFC and represent the conference in the Super Bowl again.
In a poll of executives around the league, they seem to agree. The Athletic asked five NFL executives to rank the teams in the NFC. The Rams received four first-place votes, with only one executive picking them as the second-best team in the conference.
Their average vote ranking was 1.2, the best in the NFC – and ahead of the Packers, Buccaneers and 49ers.
“Their offense is going to score — it’s obvious they have playmakers,” an exec said. “Injuries on defense might be the thing that could derail them, but when you look at their older guys — Aaron Donald, Leonard Floyd and now Bobby Wagner — those guys never miss games.”
The Packers were the only other team to receive a first-place vote, also getting three second-place votes and one for third place. Their roster looks far less impressive with Davante Adams gone, however, which is a major concern.
The Bucs had a vote as low as No. 8 in the NFC, which seems like an overreaction to injuries and Tom Brady’s situation. The 49ers had four fourth-place votes and one for third place. Elsewhere in the NFC, the Cardinals were voted the seventh-best team, and the Seahawks ranked 15th in the conference.