Definitely. I think there's much more parity this season than there's ever been.
I too agree that the talent level goes to the NFC. While I did mention Manning and Brady as the reasons why the AFC should be favoured to win, they're both nearing the end of their careers. Everything that made the AFC dominant in recent years is getting up there in age. Ravens and Steelers defense. Of course Manning and Brady.
Switching to the NFC. You have Russell Wilson, RG3, both who show a extremely bright future. Megatron, AP. Falcons as a team basically in their primes with Matt Ryan, Julio Jones, Roddy White. Heck, even the Rams who went on to achieve a greater season that even the most optimistic fan expected. Of course you have some young stars like Luck and A.J. Green in the AFC but I just think the NFC has more younger talent. Outside from the current AFC playoff teams, I can't see much going into the future from their play this season.
That's what I have been trying to say but many fly by night fans really think it's always all about the QB. That would be like saying that a baseball team has to win the World Series because they have Barry Bonds or Ichiro hitting for them but totally ignoring who is on the mound or how the fielders can work as a team.
It's unusual for let's say, a CPA or plumber, to quit a lifetime's chosen career in their late thirties, but so many think that being an NFL player is just another job. But it's no shock that so many who know the sport think that P Manning and Brady are nearing their end. I don't expect a Favre or DeBerg type of longevity with either one as I don't expect any QB to be starting for a team at 38, 39, or 40.
Football is just as much a business and while playing good in a season right now, they also have to shore up their future and especially Manning, who is basically a short term fix and hope for this year and maybe next. Injuries are cumulative and healing time increases with age, so after Manning and Brady, I too agree that AFC may not have that much substance after they are gone or too old to matter.
Even though Favre did well at times in later career, he would have probably left a better impression and legacy had he retired after the first time he considered leaving in 2006. There was this unused guy by the name of Aaron Rodgers ready to go and the team may have passed on the chance of yet another Super Bowl (or more) by keeping Favre past age 35 or 36. More with football than almost anything else, it's unforgiving and it's all about using young, strong, and uninjured talent. Hindsight is 20/20 but don't have a Favre out there at 90% percent, even if that 90% percent is better than most at 100% percent when you can do better. Maybe we didn't know about Rodgers, but I am sure somebody in GB's organization wanted him to hit the ground running a lot sooner. As it turns out among mid-carrier QBs, Rodgers in 8th season is the best for his position, exactly average age of Super Bowl winning QB, and if he holds up rest of career and say conservatively it's another five full years banning serious injury, can retire with best QB rating of all time.
RGIII is young but with his risky/gutsy play and greater chance of injuries, he could be gone by age 30 and there's no guarantee he will even make it in NFL as old as Rodgers. We have seen too many rookie and second or third year phenoms just to get a few unmemorable injuries and never quite get back to where they were (or simply never get the proper supporting cast) when everybody thought they were the next big thing. Football is that unforgiving but for fans it makes it a lot of fun. You never know which team will be great from year to year.