NFL standings 2014: The NFC South and AFC North are up for grabs heading into Week 12

On Sunday, the lead in the NFC South will be up for grabs, as the Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints are tied for the division lead and are both in action. Both teams have been excellent off-and-on in recent seasons, with the Saints generally successful for the better part of Drew Brees' time with the team. But neither looks particularly good this year, and they're fighting for the lead in a division that currently has no teams above .500.

In fact, even after Sunday's slate of games there will still be no team in the NFC South above or even at .500. New Orleans and Atlanta are both sitting at 4-6 on the season, tied atop the division, while the Carolina Panthers are 3-7-1 and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers sit at 2-8. Generally known for strong offensive play as a whole, the NFC South has quickly become the worst division in football.

We saw the Falcons struggle big-time last season, but some figured that was more an anomaly than anything. After all, how poorly can a team with Matt Ryan, Julio Jones and Roddy White actually perform? Judging by the five-game losing skid from late September through October ... pretty poorly. That said, the Falcons have actually won their last two games, against the rival Buccaneers and Panthers. They've got a tough draw against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, while the Saints also have a tough AFC North opponent in the Baltimore Ravens. Carolina is on a bye week.

The Dallas Cowboys are usually in on the race for the NFC East, traditionally losing out in Week 17. That could definitely happen again this season, but the Cowboys are actually, you know, good this year. They're 7-3, tied with the Philadelphia Eagles atop the division, while the New York Giants are essentially a non-factor at 3-7, the same record as Washington. Dallas will take on the Giants on Sunday and still has both games against the Eagles remaining on the schedule. Philadelphia plays Tennessee on Sunday.

This is a division that has generally been dominated by the Green Bay Packers, but that's not the case this year. Green Bay is still on top, but it shares the NFC North lead with the Detroit Lions at 7-3. Detroit also took the first meeting between the two teams back in Week 3. The Lions have a tough game against the New England Patriots on Sunday, while the Packers have a winnable match against the Minnesota Vikings. Green Bay will play New England the following week, however. Both Minnesota and the Chicago Bears are struggling at 4-6 on the season.

The Arizona Cardinals are the surprise of the season, leading the NFC West and the entire league with a 9-1 record. Both of the Seattle Seahawks (the defending Super Bowl champions) and San Francisco 49ers are trailing with 6-4 records, though things can change quickly. The 49ers have a winnable game against Washington on Sunday, while the Seahawks are playing the Cardinals. St. Louis is 4-6 and has beaten some good teams, but it's a tough year for potential wild card teams.

The Indianapolis Colts were always expected to take this division handily, but they've struggled a bit more than anticipated. They're sitting at 6-4, with a couple tough games still on the schedule. They're still expected to hang on to the division, but the Houston Texans, the worst team in the league a season ago, are 5-5 with a similar schedule over the final few weeks. That should be an interesting race to watch. The Tennessee Titans are 2-8, while the Jacksonville Jaguars are 1-9 -- both are non-factors.

Obviously, the New England Patriots are always favored to win their division. Tom Brady has led the Patriots to an 8-2 record, the second-best in the league, but they shouldn't necessarily rest easy. The Miami Dolphins are 6-4, not too far behind, but they have a tough matchup against the Broncos on Sunday. The Patriots don't exactly have it easy though, as they're set to face the Lions. The Buffalo Bills are one of the surprises of the season, but they're losing ground at 5-5 on the year. That said, they have a winnable game on Sunday Monday against the New York Jets, who sit at 2-8.

The Cleveland Browns, of all teams, had the division lead heading into Week 11 but they lost that game, giving the lead to the Cincinnati Bengals. That said, the division is close, with Cincinnati at 6-3-1, the Pittsburgh Steelers at 7-4, the Baltimore Ravens at 6-4 and the Browns at 6-4. This division is an absolute toss-up at this point.

The Denver Broncos aren't quite as dominant as they were a season ago, but with a 7-3 record they're atop the AFC West. The Kansas City Chiefs aren't far behind though, squandering an opportunity to take the lead on Thursday by falling to the previously winless Oakland Raiders. Denver can create some distance with a win over the Dolphins on Sunday. The San Diego Chargers are still a factor at 6-4, as well. Kansas City is 7-4 on the season, and Oakland is out of the picture (and worst in the NFL) at 1-10.