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The NFC is the more top-heavy of the two NFL conferences so far in 2021. Five teams have one loss or fewer, leaving behind a giant race for the final Wild Card spots.
At this point in time much of the NFC is still alive. However, five teams in particular need to shift any focus toward the NFL playoffs and turn it toward building for 2022.
Focusing on trying to win instead of looking toward the 2022 NFL Draft would be a big mistake for these teams.
5 NFC teams that should forget about making the NFL playoffs in 2021
#5 - Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers got off to a nice 3-0 start. Then Christian McCaffrey went down with an injury, Sam Darnold regressed and the team lost four games straight. The collapse happened so fast it was almost jarring.
The latest loss was the worst and proves why the Panthers should not even be thinking about the NFL playoffs. They fell by a final score of 25-3 against the New York Giants in a game that saw Darnold get benched.
There is a serious problem in Carolina in that the team is totally doomed without McCaffrey on the field. Matt Rhule does not seem to have a plan in place for how to win without the star running back. That is just as much on him and the front office as it is on the players on the field.
#4 - Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles came into the 2021 season expecting to win with Jalen Hurts. Now the team is 2-5 and there are rumblings about Gardner Minshew getting time under center. So what is going on?
The Eagles defense is crumbling under defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon and Nick Sirianni seems to be losing his team way too early into his tenure. This could have fans wondering if things truly were that bad under Doug Pederson just a few years after he led the team to a Super Bowl victory.
A key problem for the Eagles is evident on offense. Hurts is being asked to do way too much and is being forced to carry the load in the running game. Hurts has more yards and attempts than Miles Sanders, who is an actual running back. This is not a recipe for success for such a young NFL quarterback, and the plan has ruined the Eagles' chances of competing this season.
#3 - Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are 2-5 and given their reputation in the NFL, it is hard to count them out just yet. Russell Wilson remains out with an injury and Geno Smith has done nothing to help the team win.
The Seahawks also play in the NFC West division with two of the best teams in the NFL: the Arizona Cardinals and the Los Angeles Rams. Losing Wilson for any number of games sets the team back and the fact he remains out leaves little hope of reaching the postseason.
#2 - New York Giants
The New York Giants need to focus on so many little things before anyone in the organization can think about the NFL playoffs. Joe Judge's squad is 2-5 so far this season and could be better if not for some foolish mistakes earlier in the year.
Judge claims he wants a long-term plan in place with the Giants. That is the right mindset to have, however, the problem is that he may already be coaching for his job and the job of GM Dave Gettleman.
If the Giants finish with a losing record, which they are clearly on pace to do, it will be hard for the organization to stick behind both Gettleman and Judge for even one more NFL season.
#1 - Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are not worried about the NFL playoffs because they haven't even won a game this season. Dan Campbell is 0-7 in his first year in charge and the team just looks objectively bad.
Jared Goff is showing why the Rams were so eager to give up on him, while Matthew Stafford is flourishing out west. Everything is bad in Detroit as the offense is averaging around 18 points per game and the defense is allowing an average of 28.6 points per game. That amounts to a double-digit loss every single week, on average.
The Lions have a good opportunity to pick up a win this week against the Eagles, who also made this list. Yet Eagles fans are probably thinking the same thing about this game being an easy win for their squad.
