The Division Index or Why We Hate the NFC East
It's clearly jealousy. That is the sentiment experienced by supporters of the seven lesser divisions while comparing themselves to their Atlantic coast based rivals. On Sunday the NFC East conquered another Super Bowl. The division, both in its current alignment and historically, accounts for 12 of the 46 NFL championships. That is a significant proportion of titles to be accumulated by four franchises. And to be truthful, the bounty is actually divided among only three of the teams as the Philadelphia Eagles have yet to hoist the ultimate trophy in professional football.
Success for the eastern block of the NFC has not been a recent development. The Cowboys won the sixth Super Bowl in history. Why Dallas ever fell on the eastern portion of the NFL's map we'll never rightly know. But it happened whether as a drunken wager or folding error. It's largely irrelevant at this point.
From the '82 - '95 seasons the NFC East captured eight of the 14 championships to be contested. Only one other NFL division, also having East in the title, has three separate members which own Super Bowl victories. Additionally, three teams in the NFC East have won three or more Super Bowls. There is no regional conference grouping as collectively successful.
Super Bowl Championships
NFC East - 12
AFC North - 7
AFC East - 6
NFC West - 6
NFC North - 5
AFC West - 4
AFC South - 2
NFC South - 2
Historically the teams forming the current NFC North own more hardware. Between the Packers, Bears, and Lions there are 26 NFL titles. But many of those banners are hung with straps wound from the leather of their players' helmets. Only Green Bay and Chicago have won that big game which combines the NFC and AFC (or formerly NFL and AFL). With only five trophies split between those two iconic franchises, the divide between the modern and classic NFL runs an east to north slant.
Not that the NFC East is a slouch historically. The Giants, Eagles, and Redskins won their fair share of pre-merger NFL titles. In the listing below the AFC lags behind the NFC in terms of championships. This is due to its relative youth. Although the official count totals the number of AFL and NFL titles disregarding their brief overlap.
NFL (+AFL) Championships
NFC North - 26
NFC East - 21
AFC North - 15
NFC West - 10
AFC East - 8
AFC West - 8
AFC South - 6
NFC South - 6
There's nothing profound to be derived from either the Super Bowl or championship count. It is interesting how dominant the teams located within certain divisions have been compared with their peers. Super Bowl XLVI featured two eastern teams. The previous year's title game featured two northern teams.
Both the NFC South and AFC South are burdened with some younger franchises. If you were looking for a simple reason behind their lack of total championships, that fact would make an acceptable excuse. However, the age and experience of a franchise doesn't necessarily equate to success. The Arizona/St. Louis/Chicago Cardinals have been to the playoffs eight times in their existence dating back to 1920. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been ten times since their inception in 1976.
Not that being around for an extended period of decades hurts a franchise. The Cardinals (and Lions, and Browns) are more an exception to the rule. Here's a list of the eight teams which have accumulated more than three Super Bowl victories, with the year the franchise was created.
Pittsburgh Steelers - 6 - 1933 - AFC North
Dallas Cowboys - 5 - 1960 - NFC East
San Fransisco 49ers - 5 - 1946 - NFC West
Green Bay Packers - 4 - 1921 - NFC North
New York Giants - 4 - 1925 - NFC East
Washington Redskins- 3 - 1932 - NFC East
Oakland Raiders - 3 - 1960 - AFC West
New England Patriots- 3 - 1960 - AFC East
The eight greatest teams from the modern era were founded before the Super Bowl name was created. All but two of those franchises reside in what is currently a division labeled East or North. And of course three are a part of the NFC East. Surely some division will display some dominance in the coming decades which will rival the powerhouse of the NFC. However for now and the foreseeable future, the Cowboys, Giants, Redskins and Eagles form the elite division of football.
Success for the eastern block of the NFC has not been a recent development. The Cowboys won the sixth Super Bowl in history. Why Dallas ever fell on the eastern portion of the NFL's map we'll never rightly know. But it happened whether as a drunken wager or folding error. It's largely irrelevant at this point.
From the '82 - '95 seasons the NFC East captured eight of the 14 championships to be contested. Only one other NFL division, also having East in the title, has three separate members which own Super Bowl victories. Additionally, three teams in the NFC East have won three or more Super Bowls. There is no regional conference grouping as collectively successful.
Super Bowl Championships
NFC East - 12
AFC North - 7
AFC East - 6
NFC West - 6
NFC North - 5
AFC West - 4
AFC South - 2
NFC South - 2
Historically the teams forming the current NFC North own more hardware. Between the Packers, Bears, and Lions there are 26 NFL titles. But many of those banners are hung with straps wound from the leather of their players' helmets. Only Green Bay and Chicago have won that big game which combines the NFC and AFC (or formerly NFL and AFL). With only five trophies split between those two iconic franchises, the divide between the modern and classic NFL runs an east to north slant.
Not that the NFC East is a slouch historically. The Giants, Eagles, and Redskins won their fair share of pre-merger NFL titles. In the listing below the AFC lags behind the NFC in terms of championships. This is due to its relative youth. Although the official count totals the number of AFL and NFL titles disregarding their brief overlap.
NFL (+AFL) Championships
NFC North - 26
NFC East - 21
AFC North - 15
NFC West - 10
AFC East - 8
AFC West - 8
AFC South - 6
NFC South - 6
There's nothing profound to be derived from either the Super Bowl or championship count. It is interesting how dominant the teams located within certain divisions have been compared with their peers. Super Bowl XLVI featured two eastern teams. The previous year's title game featured two northern teams.
Both the NFC South and AFC South are burdened with some younger franchises. If you were looking for a simple reason behind their lack of total championships, that fact would make an acceptable excuse. However, the age and experience of a franchise doesn't necessarily equate to success. The Arizona/St. Louis/Chicago Cardinals have been to the playoffs eight times in their existence dating back to 1920. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been ten times since their inception in 1976.
Not that being around for an extended period of decades hurts a franchise. The Cardinals (and Lions, and Browns) are more an exception to the rule. Here's a list of the eight teams which have accumulated more than three Super Bowl victories, with the year the franchise was created.
Pittsburgh Steelers - 6 - 1933 - AFC North
Dallas Cowboys - 5 - 1960 - NFC East
San Fransisco 49ers - 5 - 1946 - NFC West
Green Bay Packers - 4 - 1921 - NFC North
New York Giants - 4 - 1925 - NFC East
Washington Redskins- 3 - 1932 - NFC East
Oakland Raiders - 3 - 1960 - AFC West
New England Patriots- 3 - 1960 - AFC East
The eight greatest teams from the modern era were founded before the Super Bowl name was created. All but two of those franchises reside in what is currently a division labeled East or North. And of course three are a part of the NFC East. Surely some division will display some dominance in the coming decades which will rival the powerhouse of the NFC. However for now and the foreseeable future, the Cowboys, Giants, Redskins and Eagles form the elite division of football.
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