POLL: Who is the best team in the NFC?

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - SEPTEMBER 15: Brock Purdy #13 of the San Francisco 49ers looks to pass the ball in the second quarter of the game against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium on September 15, 2024 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images) | Getty Images Going into Week 7, the overwhelming consensus was likely that the San Francisco 49ers were the best team in the NFC, possibly the NFL. Not only was Brock Purdy playing at an MVP level, but the 49ers had weathered even more injuries and maintained a perfect 6-0 record.

class="wp-block-paragraph">However, on Sunday, the 49ers dropped an ugly game against the Atlanta Falcons, turning the ball over four times and blowing an early 14-3 lead.

class="wp-block-paragraph">That has left many wondering who is the team to beat in the NFC? So today’s Question of the Day is simple:

Who is the best team in the NFC right now? My answer: We asked this question over at the NFL Feed earlier this week, and here are the results.

Let’s go one-by-one through the candidates.

class="wp-block-paragraph">49ers: Despite the loss, the 49ers still strike me as one of the best candidates for this answer. They are the No. 1 team by DVOA, sporting the best offense and ninth-best defense by that metric. By EPA/play, they’re No. 2 on offense and No. 8 on defense. I’m willing to largely overlook the loss to the Falcons, because it’s was a rare turnover-heavy day for San Francisco, and I don’t expect that to continue.

class="wp-block-paragraph">Vikings: The only undefeated team left in the NFL certainly deserves consideration. While their offense has been terrible thus far, their defense is historically good right now, and no one has managed to figure out how to crack Brian Flores’ code. I suspect they won’t gain a lot of votes because of how imbalanced they are, but it hasn’t hurt them yet.

class="wp-block-paragraph">Seahawks: It’s hard to discount the Super Bowl champs, despite their modest 4-3 start. They’re going through some offensive troubles (22nd in DVOA, 25th in EPA/play), but the addition of Quenton Nelson should provide some stability. Meanwhile, their defense is right up there with the Vikings.

class="wp-block-paragraph">Bears: Chicago looks entirely different with Caleb Williams back from injury, and their defense (ninth in points allowed) is one of the bigger surprises of the season thus far. They’re Monday night matchup with the Seahawks this week will go a long ways in showing how real they are.

class="wp-block-paragraph">Lions: Detroit is slowly climbing out of the basement defensively, while their offense (second in scoring) remains high-octane. The return of Brian Branch last week and the incoming return of Kerby Joseph has some believing that’s the boost they need to sport a defense that can suddenly compete.

class="wp-block-paragraph">Rams: I can’t take the Giants seriously yet, and I still believe the 3-4 Rams have plenty of time to turn things around, especially considering their upcoming soft schedule: Chargers, Commanders, Cardinals. By EPA/play, they’re still the ninth best offense and sixth-best defense, so don’t be surprised if the record start catching up to their efficiency.

class="wp-block-paragraph">Personally, I still think it’s the 49ers. I consider Sunday a fluke game for them, and while the injuries are still a concern, there’s a reason why they have the best scoring differential (+58) in the NFL. After that, I’d probably go: Bears, Seahawks, Vikings, Lions, Rams.

class="wp-block-paragraph">What’s your choice? Vote in the poll below and discuss further in the comment section below.