Is the AFC South really the worst division in the league?

Yes it is

 

It depends on the narrative being pushed. Generally when the Texans are leading the division people want to call it the worst division in sports, if someone else is leading it, then they call it a competitive division.

 

It is labeled that because every single team has a negative point differential. No other division has more than 2 teams with a negative point differential. It doesn't help that the team leading and expected to win the division gets smacked around/thoroughly embarrassed by any all true contenders they face.

 

AFC North is flaming crap on wheels.

 

Looking at point differential in a season only 8 games old is as silly an exercise in statistical metrics as they come. (i.e. - it doesn't have the same application as it does in baseball)

But yes... the top 3 teams (excluding the awful Jags) have all had some pretty bad losses, but no blowout wins... so yeah, the point differential is going to be skewed.

But pound for pound, in a round robin tournament, would the AFC South necessarily get dominated by the AFC North?

IMO, there's one awesome division (AFC West), and one dominant AFC team (Patriots). Arguing about the rest of this stuff really is pointless since valid points can be made on both sides, with neither side knowing the real truth.

 

There's a lot of mediocrity in the NFL this year.

 

No AFC South win% in the OP?

 

Over the past ten years, yes - and it isn't really even close.

 

It may be silly but what makes looking at point differential at this point in the season any difference than looking at records now? If this is all pointless why comment on the thread?

It does get old hearing that the AFC South is the worst division in football but it is really hard to argue against it when the best team has -30 point differential. No other division has a team leading the division with a negative differential. Also, yes I think our division would get dominated by the AFC North. Outside of the Texans being competitive with the top 3 teams in that division, the colts, titans and obviously the jags would be underdogs to the steelers, ravens and bengals on a neutral field. I also believe the Texans would be underdogs against every other division leader in the NFL on a neutral field outside of the AFC north but as I just mentioned the rest of the division would be underdogs to everyone except the Browns. If Big Ben was healthy we would be a hefty underdog against the Steelers. Whether he is ever healthy at any point during the rest of this season remains to be seen.

When you take into account the winner of the AFC south last year was one win over 500 and had 2 of the worst 5 teams in the league and negative point differential so far this season it becomes really hard to argue IMO. I think a lot of this label stems from the QB play in the division, it sucks outside of Andrew Luck, fortunately for us the Colts probably have one of the worst 3 rosters in the NFL.

 

So true! Bias at it's best!

 

Okay, This year could start an upswing, but it might take extra time to break perception.

 

Because wins are based on actual wins, and losses are based on actual losses... and at the end of the day THAT, not point differential, is what determines who's playing the playoffs or not.

Right now, the Steelers-Ravens-Bengals are not overly superior to the Texans-Colts-Titans. Lets just exclude the awful Jags and even worse Browns from all of this.

Also, I'm taking into account current health with all of these comparisons... so yes, Ben Rothlesberger being hurt is a big reason why the Steelers are only 4-4. J.J. Watt being hurt may play a difference in the Texans as well.

 

Do you bet based on 10 year spans?

 

I recently looked up Dallas's 7-1 Record and wondered . .. . . Would the Texans be 7-1 with that schedule?

DALLAS
L- NYG 5-3
WASH 4-3
CHI 2-6
SAN FRAN 1 -7
Cin 3-4
Green Bay 4-4
Phil 4-4
Cleve 0-9

by Comparison

HOUSTON
Chi 2-6
KC 6-2
L - NE 7-1
Ten 4-5
L - Min 5-3
Ind 4-5
L - Den 6-3
Det 5-4

Rocket River

 

What are the numbers?

Rocket River

 

CLE, SF, and CHI are the most definite victories.

Giants handled us pretty easily 2 years ago, and we were VERY lucky to beat the Redskins.

Bengals is the only other game we win.

4-4

 

Two years ago??? irrelevent

Does dallas beat NE? Denver and Minn...., THIS YEAR?

Rocket River