The Cardinals won 10 games last year, only the second time the team reached double digits in victories since moving to Arizona in 1988. Their run defense was the key. The Cardinals allowed just 1,351 rushing yards, the fewest in the NFL. They ranked first in rushing defense DVOA, Football Outsiders’ main defensive statistic, and stuffed opposing ball-carriers for no gain or a loss on 28 percent of runs, the most in the NFL.

But three of the key players responsible for that success are gone, including inside linebacker Karlos Dansby. Dansby was one of just two players in 2013 to record 100 tackles, more than four sacks, and more than four interceptions. He is a very good run defender, but he is also a strong pass-rusher and is excellent in pass coverage. Of course, that’s why the Cleveland Browns signed him to a four-year, $24 million deal on the first day of free agency.

The Cardinals were prepared for Dansby’s departure, but the other two exits left the team with little time to find a solution. In June, starting inside linebacker Daryl Washington was suspended for the season for (again) violating the league’s substance abuse policy. Like Dansby, Washington is a versatile player: He’s a great pass-rusher (his nine sacks in 2012 were the most by an inside linebacker since Bart Scott’s 9.5 in 2006) and above-average in coverage, in addition to being a strong run-defender.

And last Monday, defensive end Darnell Dockett was lost for the season after tearing the ACL in his right knee. Dockett is not just an above-average 3-4 defensive end against the run, but a team leader and — along with superstar wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald — the player on the team with the longest tenure.

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Kaep before he could afford Beats by Dre.

Unlike the rest of the division, the Rams actually beat both New Orleans and Indianapolis. But St. Louis lost to Dallas, Carolina, Tennessee and Atlanta (in week 2), giving the Rams a 6-4 record outside the NFC West. All told, the division finished a remarkable 30-10 in non-division games this year. That’s tied for the 2nd best mark since 1970, and tied for the best performance since realignment in 2002. Wait until Richard Sherman hears this news.

The 1984 AFC West holds the record for the best performance by a division since 1970. That year, the defending champion Raiders went 6-2 outside the division, losing only to the playoff bound Steelers and Bears. And that was the second-worst performance by any AFC West team! The Broncos, in John Elway’s second year, went 7-1, with the only loss coming to Chicago. Those Bears, while not as good as their older brothers, were just as outstanding defensively, and still hold the record for sacks in a season. By 1984, the Don Coryell’s Chargers were on their last legs: Dan Fouts was 33, Charlie Joiner was 37, Kellen Winslow played in just 7 games, and Chuck Muncie’s career was essentially over. Still, San Diego went 7-1 outside the division, with the only loss coming to Pittsburgh in the 13th game of the year. And against Pittsburgh, Fouts suffered groin and back injuries in the first half, and those injuries caused him to miss the rest of the year. ^[1]Surprisingly, backup Ed Luther led the team to a victory over the Bears next week. The Chargers were held to 6 points in the first three quarters, but a long touchdown pass to Bobby Duckworth and … Continue reading Seattle finished the year 12-4 and 3rd in the NFL in points differential, behind only Joe Montana’s 49ers and Dan Marino’s Dolphins. The Seahawks lost at New England early in the year, but wound up 7-1 in games against non-NFC West teams. Bringing up the rear was the Chiefs, who were 4-4 in games both inside and outside the division. In 1984, AFC West teams went a sparkling 31-9 in games outside the division. That gives them the best record of any division since 1970, even if it doesn’t automatically make them the best division.

Since realignment, only one other division has won 30 games outside its division: the 2007 AFC South. The Colts were the defending champions and went 8-2 outside the division: the only losses were to the undefeated Patriots and against the Chargers when Peyton Manning threw 6 interceptions, Darren Sproles had two return touchdowns, and and Adam Vinatieri missed field goals from 29 and 42 yards…. and the Colts lost by two. That year, David Garrard threw 18 touchdowns and just 3 interceptions for the Jaguars, who went 9-1 in games outside the AFC South. The one loss came in New Orleans when Quinn Gray started in place of an injured Garrard. Houston went 1-5 against the AFC South but 7-3 against all other teams, while Tennessee went 4-2 against the division and 6-4 outside of it.

The AFC South has fallen on hard times since then, however. Both the Texans and Jaguars went 1-9 against non-AFC South teams this year, with both wins (over San Diego and Cleveland) coming in last-minute, come-from-behind fashion. The Titans were actually better outside the division (5-5) than inside (2-4, with both wins coming in weeks 16 and 17), while the Colts fattened up on the AFC South with a perfect 6-0 record. That left Indianapolis just 5-5 against the rest of the NFL, with the odd split of sweeping the 49ers, Seahawks, Broncos, and Chiefs but going 1-6 against Oakland, Miami, San Diego, St. Louis, Arizona, and Cincinnati.

That gave the AFC South a 12-28 record outside the division, placing it in the bottom five of all divisions since 1970. The two worst? The West divisions in both conferences in 2008. The table below shows the record in non-division games of every division since 1970, and is fully sortable and searchable.