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.
Article comments
1 - alessandro nicolo
Don't disagree but who would have thought that a team from the NL - let alone the Cardinals - would have won the World Series? Will parity and the NFL offer similar curve balls?
2 - Jared Wright
On any given Sunday is the NFL's motto these days, and the Super Bowl is played on a Sunday. Whether it's parity or mediocrity, you can't crown anyone in the NFL now until the rings are on the fingers. While it's more likely that the AFC's representative will win, it was more likely that Pittsburgh was going to get squashed by Indy last year...more likely that the Bears D would beat Carolina last year. Who knows, maybe the Colts will give Peyton admirers the world over some hope by beating the Patriots and Chargers en route to a Super Bowl birth only to choke to the Donovan McNabless Eagles. How would that be for Mike & Mike the next morning?
3 - Matthew T. Sussman
"you can't crown anyone in the NFL"
But if you want to, crown their ass. (Had ta'.)
Like Alessandro said, all it takes is three/four good games. But no NFC team I can think of has had four good games in a row.
4 - Douglas Mays
Interesting season all across the board. The phrase 'on any sunday...' surely applies this season. On any sunday, monday, thursday...