The NFC isn’t as wide open as the AFC entering the 2015 NFL season, which starts Thursday night, but there are a few teams with enough talent to challenge the Seattle Seahawks and Green Bay Packers, the clear favorites in the conference.
The Philadelphia Eagles are among those teams. They made several bold roster moves in the offseason, including the addition of quarterback Sam Bradford via trade and the signing of running back DeMarco Murray. The challenge for Eagles head coach Chip Kelly is fixing a defense that struggled, especially against the pass, throughout 2014.
The Minnesota Vikings will be worth watching, too. Sophomore quarterback Teddy Bridgewater leads an improved team with an offense bolstered by the return of former All-Pro running back Adrian Peterson. The Vikings could compete for a wild-card playoff berth.
The Arizona Cardinals are aiming for a third straight 10-win campaign. They lost in the Wild Card round last season and should greatly benefit from the return of veteran quarterback Carson Palmer, who missed most of 2014 with an injury. The Cardinals are a popular pick to take the next step and contend with the NFC’s elite.
How will each NFC division play out in 2015? Click the links below for a preview and an order-of-finish prediction for all four divisions.
Thumbnail photo via Joe Nicholson/USA TODAY Sports Images
