The NFC has wasted no time turning into a weekly scramble, and after four games, the conference already feels crowded at the top and messy at the bottom. A few teams have steadied themselves after rocky starts, others have slipped fast, and the first month has already forced some harsh reassessments.
At the bottom of this week’s NFC rankings sits Tampa Bay, and the picture there is bleak. What was supposed to be a make-or-break year for Todd Bowles and the Buccaneers has, so far, landed squarely in the “break” column.
Tampa Bay is 0-4, and it’s hard to see a clean path out of the hole they’ve dug. The only thing working in their favor is the NFC South, a division that has often been there for the taking in recent years, even when the football hasn’t always been pretty.
Even so, this looks like a team that may be running out of runway, and Baker Mayfield might have a new head coach next season.
Just above them is Arizona, a team that opened the season with an upset that got attention and then settled back into a more familiar rhythm over the next three weeks. That doesn’t mean the Cardinals have been a disaster. They pushed the 49ers harder than many expected, and in Week 4 they were a goal line pick-six away from going on the road and beating the Giants.
With just a month of football in the books, the NFC is already giving us a clear reminder: the margin between looking cooked and looking dangerous can shrink fast. Some teams have already made big moves in both directions, and these rankings are only going to keep changing from here.
In Other News...
Cardinals Suddenly Have A Quarterback Question That Could Define Next Year
A rough outing from Jacoby Brissett has pushed the Cardinals into an offseason conversation they probably hoped to avoid this soon. Arizona is now taking a hard look at its quarterback options, with Gardner Minshew and rookie Carson Beck among the names in the mix as the staff and front office sort through what the position should look like beyond this year.
Brissetts deal runs through the end of the current season, and the timing matters because the Cardinals are set up with meaningful cap space and a high draft pick next offseason. That combination gives them flexibility, but it also raises the stakes of getting the quarterback decision right, especially if Oregons Dante Moore becomes a real target down the road. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Have A Real Chance To Punish Detroits Biggest Weakness
Detroits defense has been stout in a lot of areas this season, but the Cardinals are walking into a matchup that could stress one of the Lions clearest vulnerabilities. With Week 5 bringing Arizona and Detroit together, the setup makes this feel like the kind of game where recent form and defensive tendencies can matter as much as the headline names on either sideline.
The broader Week 5 prediction slate also includes Dolphins-Bengals and Vikings-Saints, but Arizonas path is the one that stands out for a team looking to make a statement. If the Cardinals can take advantage of what Detroit has struggled with most, they could turn a difficult road test into an opportunity to show their offense is built to challenge a contender where it hurts. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Suddenly Have A New Defensive Concern Before Lions Game
The Cardinals defensive front picked up a new concern this week as Walter Nolen III landed on the Week 5 injury report with a calf issue ahead of the Lions matchup. Nolen had been a full participant earlier in the week before being limited in practice, a notable shift for a player Arizona is counting on to help stabilize the line as the team prepares for one of the leagues more demanding offenses.
Mike LaFleur also addressed the situation while taking a broader look at Detroits attack, which has become a major test for any defense trying to hold up for four quarters. Arizonas report included a mix of players returning from rest and others missing consecutive days, so the Cardinals are navigating more than one health question, but Nolens availability stands out because of both his role and the timing with a tough opponent on deck. [Read more 🡒]