question about NFL Divisional Breakdowns

DFI

I know that most of the action today will be in the gameday threads, but I have been pondering this question for a while and I thought I would throw it out there and see if anyone could lend some insight.

In 2002 the NFL added 2 teams (Houston and Cleveland) and restructured so that each conference had four teams each in their four divisions (North South, East and West) The majority of these divisions make sense but not all. the one I am asking about is leaving Dallas in the NFC East, was this done just because of the rivalries, primarily with Washington?

I mean They are further south than 5 or 6 of the 8 teams that play in the NFC and AFC south, and they are the only one of the 8 teams playing in the NFC and AFC East that are not directly on the east coast.

my guess is they had to be left alone so that they could play the skins and giants 2 times a year each.

anyone have any info on this?

__________________
'Russ Grimm would swallow his dip by halftime and throw up on somebody's shoes. Jeff Bostic and Mark May were fighting about who'd missed an assignment. And man did Riggo stink from his hangover. But we got it done.' Don Warren

LMsexyAO

Yep, purely a history and rivalry thing. I believe there are something like 8 or maybe even 10 NFC teams closer to NYG, WAS, and PHI geographically, but they kept the division's integrity for history's sake. I'm sure glad they did!