NFL Divisions: What the ??

Yesterday I was looking at the divisions in the NFL (National Football League) and realized that there are several teams that are simply in divisions that simply do not make sense.

So here are the current divisions and I have highlighted (with a *) the teams that I feel are out of place.

AFC East AFC North AFC South AFC West

Buffalo Baltimore Houston Oakland
NY Jets Cincinnati Indianapolis * Kansas City *
Miami * Cleveland Jacksonville Denver
New England Pittsburgh Tennessee San Diego

NFC East NFC North NFC South NFC West

Dallas* Chicago Atlanta Seattle
NY Giants Minnesota Tampa Bay St Louis *
Philadelphia Green Bay New Orleans Arizona
Washington Detroit Carolina San Francisco

So there are 5 of the 32 teams that are in the "wrong division". I understand that there are geographical limits to the NFL's divisions, they are to be taken literally, but they should at least be a little more accurate. And I am sure that these divisions have to also keep some rivalries in tact, why else would one Texas team been in the East and the other in the South, when on the map, Dallas is pretty much north and a little east of Houston. And I am sure that when the NFL redid the divisions they had to make them fair for the teams within the division, hence why Indy is not in the East, it would be a powerhouse division. So, now to why I selected the teams that I did.

1. Dallas - Dallas is in the East, why? It is in the Central time zone, St Louis is further east on the map than Dallas and its in the West division. Really, this one got me started on this post, I mean why is Dallas in the East? South would be better, or West. It is further south then half of the NFC South and Tennessee.

2. St Louis - Why is this team in the West? It is a several hour plane ride to Arizona, California, and Washington, all places the team has to go each season. This team use to be the LA Rams and I guess they never changed their division when the team moved, but it is about time.

3. Miami - This team is in the East, but it needs to be in the South. Tampa Bay is in the South for the NFC and Miami is actually further south than Tampa! Why should they play in a division with the other three teams that play in snow or at least freezing cold temperatures most of the season?

4. Kansas City - This is similar to the St Louis argument, again in the same state as St Louis, but plays in a division where every other team is in another time zone.

5. Indianapolis - What is this team doing in the south? There is nothing southern about this team except Payton Manning. They are actually north of Cincinnati, which plays in the AFC North.

I propose this new NFL division map.

AFC East AFC North AFC South AFC West

Buffalo Indianapolis Houston Oakland
NY Jets Cincinnati Miami Kansas City *
Baltimore Cleveland Jacksonville Denver
New England Pittsburgh Tennessee San Diego

NFC East NFC North NFC South NFC West

Carolina Chicago Atlanta Seattle
NY Giants Minnesota Tampa Bay St. Louis*
Philadelphia Green Bay New Orleans Arizona
Washington Detroit Dallas San Francisco

Unfortunately, St. Louis and Kansas City are stuck in their current divisions due to the fact that moving them would mess up all of the other divisions. Dallas in the South works, same for Miami in the AFC. Baltimore in the AFC East works too, and Indy up north is good too. Carolina in the NFC East is getting the team closer, though it could stay in the south, but Carolina is pretty far east and is 5 hours from the nearest rival in the South, Atlanta. With these modified divisions it would create the possibility of new rivalries. Also, since good teams come and go, it is difficult to argue that some divisions are stronger than others, AFC East for example. And as for St Louis and Kansas City, maybe it is time for them to relocate, I can't figure out a logical way to move them into another division, I was thinking of switching Minnesota and St. Louis, but it would not work and there is really nowhere to move Kansas in the AFC. The NFL has done a good job with this realignment, Atlanta, New Orleans, and Carolina are finally out of the West and Arizona is in and out of the East, but there is still some work to do.