What happened to the NFC?
The Super Bowl was usually an afterthought when I was growing up.

The Broncos, Bills, or Patriots would fight like crazy to get through the playoffs. The AFC Championship games of the 1980s and 1990s were some of the most memorable games ever, with John Elway, Jim Kelly, and Dan Marino looking like superstars. Then the AFC team would wait two weeks, and get rolled over by the NFC team.

Yes, there were some exceptions, but for much of the 1980s and '90s, the Super Bowls were boring, because teams like the Redskins, 49ers Giants and Cowboys were superior to any team the AFC had.

From 1985-1997, the AFC lost every Super Bowl. At times, it seemed the NFC Championship game was for the outright title. The Super Bowl was a formality.

Fast forward to 2006. Fast forward to Sunday.

The Saints lost a home game to a team that had four wins. If they lose their next two games, they will finish with a normally uninspiring (though considering what they've been through, it's amazing) 9-7 record.

And yet, when the Saints returned to their lockers, they had shirts and hats waiting for them. Despite having nine wins, New Orleans has clinched the NFC South. With two weeks left in the regular season.

As the season has moved into its final weeks, a legitimate question needs to be asked: Where are the good teams in the NFC?

The Bears are 12-2, and have clinched home field advantage throughout the playoffs after Sunday's win over Tampa Bay. But to get the win, the Bears had to go to overtime after blowing a 21-3 lead, at home, to a team with three wins this year (the Bears won, 34-31). I'd say the Buccaneers had nothing to play for, but even at 3-10, I'm not entirely certain they had been eliminated from the NFC playoff race.

The NFC has been hard to figure this season, and for that reason, I had no idea which hype machine to jump on.

Before the season, the Panthers were my choice to go to the Super Bowl. With wide receiver Steve Smith and a defense led by superstar Julius Peppers, they looked like a reasonable favorite. But they have disappointed, and were embarrassed at home by the Steelers Sunday, 37-3, to fall to 6-8.

The Bears were a popular team to talk about for a while. Then they almost lost to the Cardinals, and while they have been won all but two of their games, have not always looked stellar. Giving up 31 points to Tampa Bay is reason for skepticism.

After fearing the Bears were not reincarnated from the Buddy Ryan/Mike Ditka days, I started pumping up Tony Romo and the Cowboys. Then the Saints destroyed them in Dallas last week.

Which brings us back to New Orleans, and pictures of frowning players stuffing shirts into gym bags. Despite an uplifting season and the emergence of Reggie Bush, Drew Brees, and coach Sean Peyton, the celebration appeared subdued, at best.

At this point, the final NFC playoff team will finish no better than 9-7. Four NFC teams stand at 6-8, and none have been eliminated from the picture.

With two weeks left and so many teams (including the 49ers) having a shot at the playoffs, it'd be ridiculous to pick an NFC Super Bowl team right now.

But we might be able to pick which conference the Super Bowl champion will come from.
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