I sure hope that either the Pats or Colts make it all the way to the Superbowl and LOSE to the NFC team (unless it's Dallas - I can't EVER root for them
).
I'm SICK of all the hype (yes, somewhat deserved) around both teams.
By the way, did anyone notice that yesterday THREE well thought of AFC (San Diego, Jacksonville, Denver - all three considered "contenders" at the beginning of the season) teams got SPANKED by supposed not so great NFC teams (Minnesota, New Orleans, Detroit - two considered also-rans at the beginning of the season, one written off [very mistakenly, IMO] after an 0-4 start)?
So much for that vaunted AFC vs. NFC overall superiority, hm?
The AFC is seen as vastly superior yet I'm not sure either. The Patriots and Colts are, quite obviously, the best teams in the league. Yet, the Jaguars, Steelers, Chargers, and Ravens have proven themselves to be relatively average. As Gard pointed out, the NFC had some nice wins against some of those teams this week. The Titans however, are tough and gritty, really AFC style. They're quite the dark horse. I don't think they have what it takes to beat NE. Indy, perhaps, but not NE.
The NFC should no longer be prefaced with terms like "watered-down" or "weak". It's not accurate right now. The Cowboys and Packers are playing really well. These are two good teams. The Cowboys have a killer offense that will get better with Terry Glenn coming back, (we hope), and a maturing defense that is getting healthy while getting comfortable in their new system. The Packers have a shutdown defense that is making it tough on opposing teams. They have solid special teams and an emerging group of receivers. Favre is playing very well. Their running game isn't as pathetic as people say, but it is definitely their weak link. The Packers seem to have a lot of good fortune running in their corner, and there ain't nothing wrong with that.
But you also have to consider the Lions, Saints, Buccanneers, and NY Giants. Of these 4, I think that the Lions and NY Giants are just a little bit away from being complete. The Giants haven't shown me too much, having some good games and a little-too-close-for-comfort games against weak teams the last 6 weeks. They have won, that's the bottom line, but I think that they wouldn't go far in the playoffs nor pose a strong threat to Colts/Patriots. The Bucs could be a great team, but injuries have really hurt them. They could give a team or two a hard time but they're not there yet either. I don't know what to think of the Lions. They're impressive when they win, and extremely bad when they lose. They'll need more time I think. The Saints are remembering how to play football. Moore has been a nice addition, as Colston can't do it every week. The defense gives up a lot of yardage and scores, but their offense, when in shape, can withstand that. NO has an easy stretch of games coming up, and should win that division. With the Packers and Lions still having to play two games against each other, don't count the Saints out of a #2 spot. But then again, I could also see the wheels falling off the wagon again. Brees is the important component of that team though, not Bush, so as long as Brees stays in his zone, they'll be fine.
Looking ahead, the NFC playoff teams look like the Cowboys, Packers, Saints, Lions, Giants, and Seahawks. The Seahawks, Lions, and Giants shouldn't last into the playoffs. I see an NFC Championship game of Cowboys/Packers. That would be sweet.
