Saul: Falcons, Giants off to good start in NFC

With six weeks of the NFL season in the books, teams are starting to show their true colors.

Division races are developing, coaches’ seats are getting hot and the traditionally dominant teams are just finding their groove.

Here is a division-by-division breakdown of storylines from the NFC to follow as the season continues to take shape.

NFC East

After a trouncing of the talented San Francisco 49ers, the New York Giants regained the top position in the division and reclaimed their confidence in being the top team in the league. Not only did they beat the 49ers by 23 points, they did it on the road on a day during which San Francisco quarterback Alex Smith threw more interceptions than he has thrown in two years.

Meanwhile, the Philadelphia Eagles and the Dallas Cowboys both took hits this week, and both seem to be showing signs of inconsistency.

Keep an eye on Andy Reid’s job while you’re at it — the longtime Eagles head coach has a team that can’t complete a shotgun snap, a quarterback who can’t hold onto the ball and an overpaid defense that can’t seem to slow anyone down.

In the middle of the division, there’s the perpetually poor Washington Redskins. But this year, with the same mediocre group of talent we’ve come to expect from the Redskins, there is one big difference: They are being led by Robert Griffin III.

The rookie quarterback sensation broke off a 76-yard touchdown run against the previously 4-1 Minnesota Vikings in the fourth quarter Sunday, sealing the win for the Redskins. With him at the helm — and healthy — the ’Skins are in every game.

NFC North

Perhaps the strongest division in the league this year, games against NFC North squads have proven to be a tough matchup for anyone involved.

Unfortunately for the Vikings, Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions, it looks as though Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers just woke up from a coma after dismantling the previously undefeated Houston Texans on national television Sunday night.

However, the Bears are quietly 4-1 with the best defense in the league, the Vikings have stud running back Adrian Peterson, and the Lions — led by Calvin “Megatron” Johnson — have one of the most explosive offenses in the league, evidenced by the fact that they outscore everyone in the fourth quarter.

The important thing to watch in this division is how badly these guys beat each other up. There is no doubt in my mind that any three of these four teams are strong enough to be playoff teams in the NFC, but they’ve got to maintain strong records.

Having to see each other twice this year will not be easy.

NFC South

The Atlanta Falcons are the only undefeated team left in the NFL. They have two more wins than the rest of the division’s teams combined. That is all.

As a mandatory side note, the Saints seem to be paying the price for “Bountygate,” having the worst start we’ve seen from them in a while. At 1-4 and coming off their first win of the season, New Orleans still shouldn’t be counted out — not with Drew Brees at quarterback.

NFC West

After spending years as the urinal of the NFL, it appears the NFC West has found one — and maybe even three — real competitive teams. Seattle, San Francisco and Arizona rank second, third and fourth in points-against this season.

With the second most effective defense in the league and rookie quarterback Russell Wilson, who has beaten both Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers in the fourth quarter this season, the Seahawks are beginning to look like real competitors.

The 49ers, until this past Sunday, looked like the best team in the NFL. But Smith was exposed by a savvy Giants defense and 49ers fans everywhere will be praying this week that his performance against New York was an anomaly.

Arizona has been the surprise of the NFL this year, and with a defense that is generating turnovers, keeping points off the board and keeping star wide receiver (and former Pitt football player) Larry Fitzgerald on it, the Cardinals could sneak into the playoffs this year.

Next week, we’ll take a look at the inferior AFC.

Write Isaac at ims7@pitt.edu.