It’s Already Clear Which NFL Teams Have Got the Horses

After 10 games, the 28-team NFL field has sorted itself out so neatly that all six division races have a clear leader, strengths and weaknesses are well-defined and the teams with enough youth and depth to withstand key injuries have come to the fore. The playoff contenders are leaving the backstretch, and as New York Giants Coach Bill Parcells said, “Now is when you’ve got to start thinking about the stretch run.”

That goes for NFL writers, too. Here is one man’s analysis of each division and the wild-card situation:

NFC EAST--The Giants should win it. Think of their 31-10 loss to the Rams as something comparable to a necessary correction in the stock market. It’s a 16-game season, and the Giants were due for an off-game after several weeks of peak performance. Parcells is pushing the right buttons, and the Philadelphia Eagles are two games back and playing poorly on offense. The true measure of the Giants will come in Weeks 12-14 when they play at San Francisco, home against the Eagles and at Denver. The Rams? They will have a tough time winning a divisional playoff game in January at Giants Stadium--if they get that far.

NFC CENTRAL--The Minnesota Vikings’ pass rush is on a record-setting pace with 50 sacks, just 22 short of the NFL record set in 1984 by the Chicago Bears. But they still are muddling around on offense, trying to figure out how to use Herschel Walker, and their lone divisional loss was to the Bears. Only one of the Vikings’ six remaining opponents has a losing record, so the Bears still have a shot.

NFC WEST--The 49ers easily are the class of the league and have the best chance of any team to repeat as Super Bowl champs since the 1978-79 Pittsburgh Steelers. They’re determined to prove they can win without former Coach Bill Walsh. His successor, George Seifert, has filled those big shoes, if not the big ego, admirably.

NFC WILD CARD--The Bears-Vikings loser in the NFC Central should gain one wild-card berth. The Eagles, Rams and New Orleans Saints will battle for the other spot. The Rams have the most talent, but if the Saints complete a sweep of the season series with the Rams at home in Week 12, they will be in a strong position.

AFC EAST--Buffalo has a rugged schedule, but the Bills’ defense and quarterback Jim Kelly are up to it. Week 15 may provide a Super Bowl preview when the Bills visit the 49ers. The Dolphins have a soft schedule, but Miami is the only team with a winning record that has given up more points than it has scored.

AFC CENTRAL--Bud Carson’s Cleveland Browns have the No. 1 defense against scoring in the NFL, and they have fashioned an adequate running game with the emergence of rookie running back Eric Metcalf. They are capable of winning the division, but it might go down to the final game of the season at Houston. The Cincinnati Bengals will struggle to finish above .500.

AFC WEST--The Broncos all but clinched it with a win over the Kansas City Chiefs for a three-game lead. They will be tough if they earn the home-field advantage throughout the playoffs, especially since former Los Angeles Raiders Coach Mike Shanahan is working with quarterback John Elway again.

AFC WILD CARD--The second-place finisher between the Browns and Oilers in the AFC Central will get one spot. The Dolphins have the inside track for the other but may stumble in two games with the Chiefs. If that happens, the Bengals or Raiders could sneak in.

NFC PLAYOFFS--No one will stop the 49ers, but the Giants have the best chance if they can keep Ottis Anderson and the running game going strong enough to set up Phil Simms’ passing in the playoffs. The Vikings have the talent but seem to lack the chemistry.

AFC PLAYOFFS--The Bills are the best all-round AFC team, but the sentimental choice, the Browns, will pull off a couple of playoff upsets to reach New Orleans.

SUPER BOWL--The preseason choice here hasn’t changed: 49ers.