NFC Hierarchy/Obituary: Week 13 edition

Week 12 of the NFL season is in the books, and there are four teams in the NFC that have clearly separated from the rest of the pack. There are no new obituaries this week, so let's just get right to the Hierarchy.

Graveyard

Hierarchy

11) 49ers (5-6): I watched a documentary about bears one time, and part of the focus was on the once-dominant alpha bear who was a d**k to all the other bears. Well, the alpha bear got old, the tables turned as the younger bears became stronger, and the not-so-alpha bear died on his own in the cold.

The 49ers are that bear.

Last week: 7

10) Rams (5-6): The Rams have some good, young talent, but they did not look at all like they can compete with the best teams in the NFL in their loss to the Eagles on Sunday. The Eagles were able to expose their light defensive front in the run game, as well as their shaky offensive line in pass protection. 

The Rams have good players at their skill positions, and a bunch of young pass rushers who can get after the quarterback, but they can be pushed around in the trenches on both sides of the ball. That does not make for a title contender. 

Last week: 10

9) Falcons (6-5): The Falcons were on their bye Week 12, and watched as the Bucs narrowed their lead in the NFC South to one game. (Technically it's more like two games, since the Falcons already swept the Bucs.)

Still, the Falcons seemed like they were going to run away with the division a few weeks ago after the Bucs lost Chris Godwin and Mike Evans, but, nope. It's a race again.

Also, I talk about the Falcons' lack of a pass rush quite a bit in the Hierarchy, and I'm going to do that again.

They have 10 sacks this season in 11 games, which puts them on pace for 15 sacks. Here are the worst pass rush seasons in NFL history since the league went to a 16-game schedule in 1978 (excluding strike-shortened seasons):

The combined records of those teams: 30-97-1 (0.238).

It's remarkable that the Falcons have a winning record, though I suppose playing in an atrocious division helps.

Last week: 8

7) Cardinals (6-5): Kyler Murray threw one of the worst passes of the season:

Lol, what was that, a hook shot? The Seahawks scored more points on that play than the Cardinals scored all day.

Just when you think Murray is turning the corner, he does something like that.

Last week: 5

6) Seahawks (6-5): Even after the Seahawks' win over the Cardinals, the Cardinals have a narrow edge to win the NFC West. Odds, via Inpredictable: 

• Cardinals: 42%
• Seahawks: 35%
• Rams: 14%
• 49ers: 9%

Geno Smith and Kyler Murray have been in the NFL a combined 17 seasons. They have zero playoff wins.

Last week: 11

5) Buccaneers (5-6): Why are the Bucs fifth in the Hierarchy with a 5-6 record? Well, if we were to look at the NFC Hierarchy in terms of tiers, I'd group them like so:

I think the Bucs are the best team among the NFC teams that don't really matter.

Last week: 9