The NFC North race is no race

Green Bay can clinch the NFC North next week, 10 games into the season.

Just another wacky development in a wacky season, in which realignment has created some divisions full of contenders and others devoid of them.

Sunday was one of the stranger days.

Atlanta proved its legitimacy with its 34-all tie in Pittsburgh; the Rams stayed alive when Marc Bulger engineered two late touchdowns to beat San Diego; New England rallied from 21 points down to beat Chicago 33-30.

The Steelers blew a 17-point third-quarter lead in the NFL's first tie in five years.

"I had to keep telling the players it wasn't a loss," Steelers coach Bill Cowher said. "It doesn't feel as good as a win, but it doesn't feel as bad as a loss."

In fact, the Steelers might have gained something in a quirky way: It might be good if it cost them a half-game in their quest for home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. Four times in the last eight seasons, the Steelers have been home for the AFC title game and only once have they won it.

At 5-3-1, they'll almost surely will win the AFC North -- like the Packers, they have no competition. And Tommy Maddox looks good enough at quarterback to win on the road in the playoffs.

Some other teams of interest:

GREEN BAY (8-1): The Packers find themselves in position to clinch because the rest of the division stinks. If Green Bay wins in Minnesota and the New York Jets win at Detroit (3-6), the Packers win the North title because they have the first tiebreaker, having beaten the Lions twice.

That's a product of realignment. The NFC North is the old Central, minus Tampa Bay. The Bucs are 7-2. If this were last year, the race would go down to the final week.

ATLANTA (5-3-1): By rallying from a 34-17 fourth-quarter deficit in Pittsburgh, the Falcons solidified their standing as a legitimate playoff team. Like the Steelers, they're 4-0-1 in their last five games and can take a huge step next week with a win over New Orleans (7-2) at home.

ST. LOUIS (4-5): Four straight wins after five straight losses puts the Rams on the fringe of the NFC playoff race. A banged-up Marshall Faulk played little in the 28-24 win over San Diego, but former third-string QB Marc Bulger threw for 453 yards and four touchdowns, two in the final 3:06.

SAN DIEGO (6-3): The loss to St. Louis was demoralizing, and San Francisco comes to town next week. Two trends:

1. Last year, the Chargers were 5-2 and lost their last nine games.

2. Last year, Marty Schottenheimer was 0-5 in Washington and finished 8-8.

MIAMI (5-4) and the AFC East: Who in south Florida is complaining about Jay Fiedler now? The Dolphins are 0-3 without him and have fallen into a three-way tie with New England and Buffalo, with the Jets a game back at 4-5.

"We have to stop this right now," said Ray Lucas, who played decently in Fiedler's stead in Sunday's 13-10 loss to the Jets.

INDIANAPOLIS (5-4): Tony Dungy, who lost his job in Tampa after his second straight playoff loss in Philadelphia, got a lot of satisfaction from winning there. And just like last season (Dominic Rhodes), the Colts found a free-agent running back. James Mungro gained 114 yards on the ground against an Eagles defense that hadn't allowed a running back more than 79 all season.

NEW YORK GIANTS (5-4): The Giants had seven offensive touchdowns in their first seven games. Then coach Jim Fassel took over the play-calling from offensive coordinator Sean Payton -- and the Giants have scored seven offensive TDs in two games.

But the kicking game and run defense have gone awry.

After making his first 11 field goals, Matt Bryant has made one of his last four with two missed extra points Sunday in Minnesota, perhaps because punter Matt Allen, his holder, was replaced for ex-Bronco Tom Rouen. Several of the misses stemmed from botched snaps or holds -- or both -- to the point that Jim Fassel might use one of two starting linemen -- Jason Whittle or Chris Bober -- to snap.

Three games ago, the Giants were third in the NFL against the run and hadn't allowed more than 113 yards on the ground in any game. Then run-stuffing defensive tackle Keith Hamilton was lost for the season with a torn Achilles' tendon. Since then, they've allowed 299, 126 and 224 yards on the ground and now are 24th against the run.

They're 2-1 in those games despite that, but are they contenders?

Only if the normally stout defense catches up with the offense. And the offense is down to two healthy receivers -- Amani Toomer and rookie Daryl Jones, a seventh-round draft pick who has two catches this season.

Strange team. Strange season.