Expect NFC South team to represent conference in Super Bowl

The Los Angeles Rams have become the trendy pick to win the NFC after they dismantled the Seahawks in Seattle last week.

The Minnesota Vikings are also considered a favorite thanks to a stout defense, and many jumped back on the Philadelphia Eagles’ bandwagon after Nick Foles threw for four touchdowns during Week 15.

The top three teams in the NFC have one thing in common with their starting quarterbacks — they all escaped Jeff Fisher’s pit of misery.

Case Keenum, who led the Vikings to the NFC North crown, and Jared Goff, who’s one win away from handing the Rams their first division title since 2003, are playing like MVP candidates a year after operating the worst offense in the NFL under Fisher’s tutelage in Los Angeles.

Foles got a taste of Fisher’s stone age playbook when he started for the Rams in 2015.

But what if ditching Fisher wasn’t the only reason why Goff, Keenum and Foles are thriving? Maybe it’s their surroundings, and say they lost a top offensive lineman come playoff time, will they resort back to being a mediocre quarterback with no playoff experience?

If you’re going to bet on an NFC winner, the safe money is with the three teams battling in the NFC South.

The Saints, the current NFC South leader and fourth seed, have turned into a dominant run-first team, but still have the option of leaning on Super Bowl-winning quarterback Drew Brees.

The two wild-card spots are currently owned by the Panthers and Falcons. Cam Newton is starting to play like his 2015 MVP season when he led the Panthers to the Super Bowl. Newton beat the Vikings and the Packers with Aaron Rodgers in back-to-back weeks.

Matt Ryan’s hangover from the Super Bowl when the Falcons blew their infamous 28-3 lead versus the Patriots has finally subsided. The offense has struggled under Steve Sarkisian, but the running game is starting to get going and Julio Jones can take over any game.

In January, playoff experience is vital, and the NFC South has it. It’s rare when a new face under center leads their team to the promise land during their first playoff trip.

Colin Kaepernick last did it during the 2012 season when he took over for Alex Smith at quarterback and led the 49ers to Super Bowl XLVII when they fell to the Ravens. Kaepernick had the luxury of leaning on a strong defensive team with playoff experience from the year before. Keenum is in a similar situation with the Vikings, who felt postseason heartache when Blair Walsh missed a chip shot field goal versus the Seahawks during the wild-card round two seasons ago.

But Keenum’s offensive line is banged up, and it showed when he struggled against the Panthers in Week 14.

Foles has one playoff game under his belt when he played for Chip Kelly and the Eagles in 2013. But this year’s sample size is too small to give Foles full confidence. He picked apart a bad Giants team, and certainly won’t see a team like that in the postseason.

Goff is only in his second year and has all the weapons needed to get to the Super Bowl. He at times holds the ball too long like he did against the Eagles when Chris Long made him fumble and cost the Rams the win. Inexperience mistakes could cost Goff and the Rams in the postseason.

Flashback to last postseason, the young Cowboys had the top seed and were ousted by veteran star Aaron Rodgers in the divisional round. Don’t be surprised if Ryan and Jones do that to the Rams and Eagles in the first two rounds of this year’s playoffs.

The Eagles, Rams and Vikings are great teams that will be in the Super Bowl race for many years to come. But for this upcoming Super Bowl, put your money on the NFC South representing the conference.

Contact Gilbert Manzano at gmanzano@reviewjournal.com. Follow @GManzano24 on Twitter.