NFC Review

Only the (7-2-1) San Francisco 49ers, among the four NFC division leaders, gained ground this past week in the NFL. S.F. ripped the (7-3) Chicago Bears in the Monday night game which was more boring than ultra boring “announcer,” Mike Tirico. The result coupled with the Green Bay Packers’ win at Detroit (Lions) means there is a tie at the top of the NFC North between Green Bay and Chicago. The Niners gained in the win column and now lead (6-4) Seattle (Seahawks) by a game and a half in the NFC West.

The Dallas Cowboys survived, winning (23-20) in overtime vs the Cleveland Browns (oh for the days of five straight years of all but decisive Cowboys vs old Browns games from 1966-1970) and gained ground on the idle New York Giants. The defending Supe champion Giants lead Dallas by one game. From (1967-1969) the last three pre- AFC/NFC configuration seasons, the NFL went to four divisions abandoning the previous two conferences configuration. In each of those three seasons, the Cowboys won the Capital Division and met the Browns, who won all three Century division crowns (Giants’ fans might remember that the Giants alternated playing in both the Century and Capital divisions). Cleveland, after being annihilated by the Cowboys in the 1967 Eastern Conference playoff game won the same game in both 1968 and 1969. However, in both 1966 (Thanksgiving night in Dallas) and in the penultimate regular season game of 1970 on a muddy field in Cleveland, Dallas dealt the Browns’ playoff hopes a severe blow, beating the Browns each time.

Finally, though struggling, the Atlanta Falcons raised their record to (9-1) winning (23-19) as nine point favorites vs the Arizona Cardinals. The Falcons maintained their three game lead over the Tampa Bay Buccaneeers, who were one of three teams to win in overtime in the past week. The Falcons entered the NFL in 1966, the first season with a Super Bowl, and lost in their only Super Bowl appearance. The Buccaneers entered the league ten years later and won in their only Super Bowl appearance.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPcRQppa9aY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhuZwhv1Ww0

1968 Cowboys