Fourteen weeks of Premier Madden League football have come and gone. We are officially onto week 15 of the season and we are here to check whether the same teams are still leading their divisions as well as if any team has dug themselves out of the bottom.
NFC East:
( Previous Leader: Dallas Cowboys)
Leader: Washington Football Team (9-5) – Both the Cowboys and Football Team have a 9-5 record, however, the Football Team beat the Cowboys earlier this season which gives them a slight advantage at the moment. Both teams play again, as well as play 2 teams below .500. The division could very well come down to their week 16 matchup.
Bottom: New York Giants (3-10) – Besides a few blowouts during the season, the Giants have been a team who consistently loses in the fourth quarter. They have had 7 fourth quarter losses this season and the culprit is easily interceptions. Daniel Jones leads the league in interceptions so it’s not a shock that the Giants record is what it is. If the Giants decide to keep Jones as their starter next season, he will need to find a way to stop the interceptions. If a good quarterback is sitting there with the Bears pick they inherited, it will be hard for the Giants to pass up them.
NFC West:
Leader: Los Angeles Rams: (9-5) – The Ram have a three game lead with three games left in the season. They have all but clinched the division and will have the opportunity to seal the division with any win for the rest of the season. The 49ers have a shot at the division if they can win all three games they have left, and have the Rams collapse and lose all three games as they both play each other week 18.
Bottom: Arizona Cardinals: (1-13) – Would you trade the number one overall pick for older star defensive tackle? That is the current situation that the Cardinals have found themselves in. Loannidis is a good defensive tackle, however, he has done nothing to improve Arizona’s record and if they had the chance to redo the trade, they would in a heartbeat. If everything stays the same, Arizona will be kicking itself for this draft altering trade,
NFC North:
Leader : Green Bay Packers (13-1) – The Packers, finally bit the bullet and suffered their first loss of the season. Sometimes it’s better to get the first loss out of the way before you enter the playoffs so the monkey is off your back. The Packers have a two game lead on the Lions, and if they find themselves dropping any games, then both teams could be tied going into the final week of the season. That game could be for the division, however, Green Bay will most likely win their next two making this a mute point.
Bottom: Chicago Bears (7-7) – The Bears have found themselves beating one of the best teams in the league, getting hot at the right moment. They are currently on a three game win streak, in the thick of the NFC playoff hunt, with three very winnable games left in the season. The face off against three teams at or below .500 and will be looking to continue their hot streak for the rest of the season. If they win all three games, they will most likely be the final wildcard team, so everything is in their control.
NFC South:
(Previous Leader: Atlanta Falcons)
Leader: Tampa Bay Buccaneers: (7-7) – The Bucs may be leading this division but their lead is not safe at all. They only have a one game lead over the Saints. They have a very favorable schedule, playing no team over .500, while the Saints still have to play the Dolphins, who are fighting for their playoff lives.
Bottom: Carolina Panthers: (2-12) – The Panthers have two opportunities to play spoiler to the Buccaneers. They can take the Bucs from playoff bound to sitting on the couch. This would be the perfect revenge for a team that is sitting on the bottom of their division.
Unlike the AFC, all NFC divisions are still up for grabs. It is most likely that the Rams, Packers, Buccaneers, and either Cowboys or Football Team win their divisions with the Lions, and Cowboys/Football Team as wildcards. The final wildcard spot will either be won by the Vikings, Bears, Saints, or Niners. The Bears have the easiest remaining strength of schedule, however, they face a Seattle and New York Team that will be looking to play spoiler, as well as, a Viking team who will also be fighting for their playoff life.
