Here's my take:
AFC
Ravens - I wasn't initially sold on Steve McNair as the savior of the franchise. Don't get me wrong, I admire his toughness and leadership ability. But he does appear to be just what they needed: efficiency on offense coupled with a defense that's still great, they may be the team you least want to play in the playoffs. Any game they can score 14 to 17 points they'll probably win.
Chargers - LaDanian Tomlinson may be the best player in the league, Philip Rivers is efficient as QB, and they play good defense. I like teams that can control the ball on offense, and stop the run on defense - they do well in the playoffs. I'm not sold on Marty Schottenheimer as a playoff coach.
Broncos - I admire Shanahan for making the switch to Cutler. It takes guts to do that to a team that would probably compete for a playoff spot. I think Shanahan realized they would never be more that just a playoff team with Jake Plummer. He (Plummer) may be as much of a "coach killer" as Ron Mexico... I mean Michael Vick.
Patriots - Any team with Tom Brady is dangerous in big games. Is there a quaterback on a contending team with fewer offensive weapons at his disposal than Brady? Outside of Benjamin Watson he has no receivers, an aging Corey Dillon, and a rookie runner in Lawrence Maroney. Brady does more with less than anyone in recent memory. Oh, the defense is good too. Watch out for these guys the next few years - they have a lot of young players, a great salary cap situation, two first round picks next year, and Brady is only 28.
Colts - The experts in the national media continue to fawn over Peyton Manning and the Colts. I guess it's possible that the law of averages will finally catch up to them and they might win it all. I don't like their defense at all -they're at the very bottom of the league in run defense, which is a poor omen for the playoffs. Clearly, when Manning plays well they win, when he doesn't, they lose. Maybe this will be the year he avoids a playoff meltdown. He better do it soon because their (the Colts) window is starting to close and Manning is over 30.
Jets - They're an improving team with a very easy schedule ahead, which might allow them to sneak into the playoffs. Expect some epic NE/NYJ games in the next few years.
Chiefs - I like Larry Johnson (who wouldn't), but the defense is suspect. The Chiefs and Jaguars play in KC on the last day of the season for what might be the sixth seed in the playoffs.
Jaguars - How can you be ranked in the top ten defenses against the run and the pass, and be ranked in the top five defenses overall, and be 6-5 and fighting for the sixth seed? Simple: have the worst receiving corps not wearing Patriots uniforms. Oh, and you don't have Tom Brady.
Bengals - I'm convinced that Carson Palmer came back too early. I mean, less than nine months after tearing ACL, MCL and PCL???
NFC
Bears - The defense is great (as if you needed to hear that from me) and it's just incredible the way they force turnovers. If Rex Grossman can just learn to be more efficient I think they would be the favorite to win the whole thing. I just can't see him having three error-free games in a row, at least not right now. Their running game is good, but every time Grossman throws the ball Bears fans hold their collective breath.
Carolina - good defense, decent running game, and Jake Delhomme may be the NFC's version of Tom Brady, just not quite as good. He does seem to play his best football in the big games. Steve Smith is a playmaker. I like playmakers.
Seattle - The NFC doesn't really have a truly dominant team (or teams), so these guys could return to the Super Bowl. I just don't like finesse teams. Finesse teams generally get bullied in the playoffs.
Dallas - Is Tony Romo for real? I don't know. I just think they're a better than average team, no more. But Bill Parcells is a master, and based on that, I wouldn't completely rule out a playoff run.
Giants - I love Tom Coughlin. I loved him when he was here in Jacksonville. I think he's a great coach. When he was here he was coach and GM. He really sunk his own boat by making poor decisions in free agency. When the Giants traded essentially Philip Rivers and Shawn Merriman for Eli Manning (two first round picks to move up a few spots in the draft) you knew Coughlin had little say in personnel matters. He valued draft picks above everything. Eli Manning plays like Peyton does in a playoff games, and the Tiki Barber thing is clearly a distraction. Sorry Tom. You should've taken the Alabama job.
Favorite teams of all-time (in no particular order)
1. Early-1970's Cowboys. The teams with Staubach, Bob Lilly, DD Lewis, Drew Pearson, etc.
2. Mid-1970's Oakland Raiders - Ken Stabler, Dave Casper, Cliff Branch, Ted Hendricks.
3. Mid to late-1970's Steelers - Bradshaw, Harris, Swann, Lambert. I hear Joe Greene could play too.
4. 2003 NE Patriots - Tom Brady, Tom Brady, Tom Brady. Richard Seymour is good too. They won some ridiculous number of games in a row - maybe 21? Yeah, I know it spanned two seasons.
5. San Francisco 49'ers mid-1980's. I don't like finesse teams, but Montana, Rice (even though he's too slow to make it in the NFL), Ronnie Lott.
Honorable mention - they never won anything but the SD Chargers of the late 1970's and early 80's were fun to watch with Dan Fouts, Wes Chandler, Charlie Joiner, etc.
:
as Super Bowl Champs? I think I'll have to revoke your citizenship in Steelers Nation! 
