NFL Insider: West is best in the NFC

Two of the NFL's three 4-1 teams reside in the NFC East, but an informal poll of Vikings players revealed nobody willing to promote that division as the best the NFL has to offer in 2014.

"In years past, I would have said the NFC North is, without a doubt, the best," defensive end Brian Robison said. "But right now, I think you have to go with the NFC West. With Seattle, San Francisco and now Arizona stepping things up, you can't really argue against the West."

In terms of combined records, the NFC East is a surprising No. 1 at 12-8. The AFC North (11-7) is second followed by the NFC West (10-7), NFC North (10-10), AFC West (9-9), AFC East (9-10), NFC South (8-12) and AFC South (8-14).

However, before anyone crowns the 4-1 Cowboys, the 4-1 Eagles and the NFC East, take a peek at what they've done against the boys from the NFC West. They're 2-4, including 0-4 against the Big Three of Seattle, San Francisco and Arizona.

"I'd say we're pretty close to the top in the NFC North," Vikings fullback Jerome Felton said. "But I'd have to go with the West. They got the Super Bowl champions [Seattle] and some other teams playing well."

The NFC North certainly is the most tightly bunched division with the Packers and Lions at 3-2 and the Vikings and Bears at 2-3. A Vikings victory over visiting Detroit and road losses by the Packers at Miami and the Bears at Atlanta would leave everybody at 3-3 come Monday.

"Yeah, I could see that," Felton said. "That's how the NFL likes it, right?"

Yessir.

After five games, there are a few surprises in the NFC North. None more so than the Lions ranking first in total defense and second in scoring defense.

"We were talking about that in the locker room [Thursday]," said Felton, a former Lion. "Detroit has always had a great front seven, or definitely a great front four. But the way [linebacker] DeAndre Levy is playing and some of the young guys at corner. And you got [cornerback] Rashean Mathis playing really well and coming up with the pick-six last week. So, definitely, that defense is the surprise of the NFC North to this point."

The Packers had the seventh-ranked running game a year ago. Now, they rank 25th and haven't been able to run the ball on anybody other than the Vikings.

The Bears are kind of who we thought they were. Although they might be a little better than expected defensively, turnovers, including six interceptions by Jay Cutler, are holding them back.

And the Vikings?

"Good question," Felton said. "I think right now we're at the teetering point where we could go either way."

Give the big fullback kudos for that brutal piece of honesty and more.

"I think this next stretch of games is really important for us," Felton said. "We started out playing such great quarterbacks. And now we're at the point where we're teetering a bit.

"Are we going to be worse or better over these next three to five games? Those games will determine which way we go. We won a game, lost a couple games, won a game, lost a game. I think everything is still right there for us. We could go either way. Hopefully, these games define our season in a positive manner."

NFL CHATTER

Statistics never tell the full story. A great example is San Diego's running game. The stats say the Chargers are 27th in rushing yards per game (88.0) and last in rushing yards per carry (2.8). But if you watch a Chargers game, you'll see a team that looks a lot more balanced than numbers suggest.

Chargers coach Mike McCoy has stayed committed to the run by slamming Donald Brown, Ryan Mathews, Danny Woodhead and Branden Oliver into the line of scrimmage enough times that defenses can't focus entirely on quarterback Philip Rivers.

And now Oliver, an undrafted rookie out of Buffalo, is emerging as a dual threat whose build, style and jersey number (43) look an awful lot like former Charger and current Eagle Darren Sproles.

In last week's 31-0 rout of the Jets, Oliver ran for 114 yards and a 6.0-yard average while catching four passes for 68 yards. He also had a rushing touchdown, a receiving touchdown, a 52-yard run and a 50-yard catch.

"I knew 43 was Darren Sproles' number, but I didn't think of it like, 'I'm trying to be like Sproles,' " Oliver told U-T San Diego in training camp. "That's the perception that people are getting. I'm just trying to be me. … I'm like 15 pounds heavier, physical."

Oliver appears to be just the latest example of a running back who rises up despite being overlooked in the NFL draft.

"We probably missed on him because we probably should have just drafted him," Chargers General Manager Tom Telesco told NFL.com.

THIRD-AND-2

Three observations

• Russell Wilson is immensely talented, but his rushing performance last Monday was awful coaching by the Redskins. To leave Wilson's legs that unaccounted for was inexcusable.

• When your front four is as good as Detroit's, you should have the top-ranked defense.

• For two decades, the Lions had a kicker (Jason Hanson) and nothing. Now, they have everything and no kicker. Typical.

Two predictions

• Vikings fans used to feeling good the Monday after a Lions home game won't be disappointed.

• Despite their team's rising status, Browns fans used to feeling bad the Monday after any game against Pittsburgh will feel like they always do.

FOCUS ON FIVE STORY LINES

1 Sherman vs. Bryant Cowboys at Seahawks

Dez Bryant has a TD catch in four consecutive games for the Cowboys, but Richard Sherman will be shadowing him Sunday. Will Bryant be another WR who "doesn't matter?"

2 Figuring out Foles Giants at Eagles

Philly QB Nick Foles is 12-3 as a starter, but isn't matching his numbers of last season, when he threw 27 TD passes and only two interceptions. He has eight turnovers through five games.

3 Star of the league, so far Chargers at Raiders

San Diego QB Phillip Rivers leads virtually every QB statistical category and has been the league's MVP. He gets a chance to pad his numbers in this one.

4 It's grim in Gotham Broncos at Jets

The Jets have lost four in a row, including 31-0 last week to San Diego, and have quarterback issues. What has happened to Rex Ryan and Co.?

5 Brady's back; Buffalo basks Patriots at Bills

Tom Brady answered the critics last weekend, but both teams are 3-2 and Buffalo is basking in the glow of new ownership.

CRAIG'S LIST

Leaving Lambeau Field Thursday night and knowing the Vikings would have four days off, a joke was made.

"You know," said someone familiar with Love Boats and Whizzinators. "We should just ask for a statement now to save time."

Call it gallows humor. Then, unfortunately, three days later, after defensive tackle Tom Johnson was arrested, the Vikings issued a statement that some have come to know as well as The Serenity Prayer.

"We are continuing to gather information and will have further comment at the appropriate time."

Amen.

This isn't meant to pick on the Vikings. These statements are prevalent throughout big-time athletics. They're part of the scenery, the disappointing game between the games.

But we all march on. Here are some predictions and possible statements for Week 6:

DET -1½ at MIN

Vikings by 3

"The Vikings are aware that, for some strange reason, the only person we don't offend is Aaron Rodgers."

DEN -8½ at NYJ

Broncos by 10

"The Jets are aware that Rex Ryan is up a dirty creek with no means of locomotion."

PIT +1½ at CLE

Steelers by 3

"The Browns are fully aware that Johnny Manziel was aware that college life was really cool."

JAX +6½ at TEN

Titans by 3

"The NFL is aware that even the NFL can't spin this one."

CHI +3½ at ATL

Falcons by 7

"Jay Cutler is aware that Mike Tice might try to talk to him and has retained the proper cold shoulder to deal with it."

CAR +7½ at CIN

Bengals by 1

"The Bengals now agree with the New England media that it's time to trade Tom Brady. Preferably to the NFC."

NE -3½ at BUF

Patriots by 6

"Bill Belichick and Tom Brady would like to say, 'Perhaps you've heard of us? We're kind of a big deal.'"

BAL -3½ at TB

Ravens by 7

"The Bucs deny that Drew Brees scored on them two more times on Wednesday."

SD -6½ at OAK

Chargers by 7

"The Raiders buried a football to signify a new beginning, but vehemently deny trying to bury Mark Davis next to it."

DAL +7½ at SEA

Seahawks by 3

"The Seahawks acknowledge that multiple penalties have forced Percy Harvin to return to his freshman year at Florida."

WAS +3½ at ARZ

Cardinals by 6

"The Redskins admit to having never watched film of that slippery little Russell Wilson fella."

NYG +2½ at PHI

Eagles by 3

"The Eagles admit that Chip Kelly thinks defense is a French word for bathroom break."

SF -3½ at STL

49ers by 7

"The 49ers would like to remind the vultures that we're rubber and you're glue and anything Deion says is a pile of poo."

UPSET SPECIAL

GB -3½ at MIA

Dolphins by 3

"Joe Philbin regrets not naming 'What's His Face' or 'He's no Aaron' as the starting quarterback."

Record

Last week/overall: 10-4/ 41-30

Vs. spread: 7-7/ 30-41

Vikings picks: 3-2

Upset special picks: 1-4

Mark Craig • mark.craig@startribune.com