Observations

[racepug]

After (approximately) ¼ of the regular season is now over: 1) Kansas City has a fight on its hands in the A.F.C. West this year. For sure. 2) It's still anybody's guess which team will win the A.F.C. North but I'm changing my pick of "team to finish last in that division" from Cincinnatus to "the team from western Pennsylvania." (It would appear that "Big Ben" needs to swallow his pride and "hang 'em up.") 3) BUF is the runaway best team in the A.F.C. East. (Though I give "props" to N.E. for hangin' with the defending S.B. champs for so long this last Sunday) I'll be very surprised if they don't wrap their division title up with a few weeks left to go in the season. 4) The South division is the weakest one in the A.F.C. this season. No question about it. 5) Green Bay is to the rest of the N.F.C. North what BUF is to the A.F.C. East. If the Packers don't wrap their division up with several weeks to go then something'll be wrong. 6) CAR to take 2nd in the N.F.C. South. 7) Is anybody else as shocked as I am that the Cardinals lead their division and are the last undefeated team in the N.F.L. this season (thanks in large part to MIN's PK)? Any long-time Cardinals fans on the forum? Cuz I'd LOVE to know the last time the ChiStLPhxAZ Cardinals led their division this far into the season (the guess off the top of my head is: 1970).

[single wing]

I am from Arizona . You are way off that the Cardinals last won their division in 1970. The Cardinals won the NFC West in 2008 plus advanced to the Super Bowl, repeated winning the NFC West in 2009, Won the NFC West in 2015 qualifying as the 2nd seed with a 13-3 record.

[racepug]

I didn't word that very well because that's not quite what I was looking for as an answer but. . .okay.

[Brian wolf]

You have to give the Cardinals from 1974-77 and 1982-1984 some consideration racepug ... they had explosive offenses and were a tough NFC team. Their offensive line with Young, Dierdorf, Banks and Dobler could bury defensive lines and I have seen Bob Young imbed linemen into the hard Busch Stadium turf. In the 80s, Anderson and Green were players on their way to the HOF before injuries bit them in 1985/86.
Being a Cowboy fan then, I really thought Lomax could/would have a pretty good passing career but injuries from that rock quarry surface derailed him as well. Even with Al Bubba Baker, the Cards couldnt overtake Dallas, Washington and New York ...

[racepug]

I have nothing against the Cardinals. I'm just not used to seeing them ever compete for anything of note. I didn't watch that S.B. that they were in, but I wish they'd won it!

[Brian wolf]

You should have watched that SB, racepug ... I still feel the referees gave it to the Steelers on a disputed TD catch, though my friends feel the receivers toes touched the very top of the grass ... I felt only one foot was down. But hey, the Rooneys have alot more leeway than the Badwells, I mean Bidwells ...

[racepug]

I probably would've watched that S.B. had the Cardinals been playing just about anybody else. In hindsight I'm glad I didn't because I would've been very disappointed by the end result.

[JohnH19]

You should have watched that SB, racepug ... I still feel the referees gave it to the Steelers on a disputed TD catch, though my friends feel the receivers toes touched the very top of the grass ... I felt only one foot was down. But hey, the Rooneys have alot more leeway than the Badwells, I mean Bidwells ...

Brian, I have also always wondered about the legitimacy of that TD “catch”. It never developed into any degree of a controversy, though, so maybe we’re wrong, god forbid.

[Brian wolf]

Kurt Warner had to watch his defense get beat in two last second SBs ...

[Reaser]

Brian, I have also always wondered about the legitimacy of that TD “catch”. It never developed into any degree of a controversy, though, so maybe we’re wrong, god forbid.

Yup, same. Also would include the Warner fumble to end the game that they seemed to just hurry through 'review'. Would agree that neither play ever became much of a controversy though there's at least a few of us who wonder about that catch.