From NFL DOT COM:



The NFC East during the 1980s was as tough a division as the NFL has ever seen. In New York, there was Bill Parcells coaching Phil Simms to sling the ball around the windy Meadowlands. In Washington, there was Joe Gibbs and Joe Theismann in RFK with the band playing "Hail to the Redskins" all day long. In Dallas, there was Tom Landry and Danny White in Texas Stadium, with a hole in the roof so God could watch America's Team play. And in Philadelphia, where Buddy Ryan and Randall Cunningham whipped the infamous Eagles fans into a frenzy at the old Vet.

Everyone called the NFC East the best division in football back then because any team that could survive had a legitimate Super Bowl chance. So what is the best division today? Defining the best division requires three critical factors:


A. Great coaches
B. Great quarterbacks
C. Tough home venues

Topping the list:

1. NFC NORTH

Home to the Super Bowl champ Packers and elite quarterback Aaron Rodgers, the North is my winner for the best division. All teams have unique venues to play -- two domes in Minnesota and Detroit, two tough weather outdoor stadiums in Green Bay and Chicago -- and each team has a quarterback capable of playing well. The reason the North has moved to the top is based on the resurgence of the Lions. With Matthew Stafford leading the charge, an awesome defensive front and a fan base that loves football, the Lions have bought into what head coach Jim Schwartz is building. From top to bottom, the North is tough and each game between one another will be a war.

Link to NFL.com full story

Who do you think is the toughest Division this year?