Scroll through the gallery above to see Wayne's latest power poll, and if you're on a desktop or laptop computer, click "show caption" to see his thoughts on each team.
When you compile a “power poll” in the NFL each week, you find that the longer the season goes, the less it changes.
The other aspect that jumps out at you is this season’s lack of quality teams. To be absolutely honest with you, there are roughly seven teams playing really well right, now and the rest go from mediocre to awful with a large number of awful teams in this league.
At this point in time Carolina, Arizona and Seattle are “Super” quality in the NFC.
Carolina is unbeaten and getting better because Quarterback Cam Newton (MVP) continues to improve in all aspects of the game. He is a dominant player both through the air and on the ground.
Seattle is doing what Seattle always does. Pete Carroll’s teams get better in the second half of the season. The Seahawks are the one team I can picture going into Charlotte and beating the Panthers.
Yes, I understand the Panthers beat the Seahawks in Seattle, but that was a long time ago - October 18th to be exact. By the time they meet again it will have been almost three months since that defining victory for the Panthers.
Trust me, the Seahawks are a whole lot better in all phases of the game than the flawed club that began the season 2-4.
Even with the loss of leading rusher Thomas Rawls (broken ankle) and tight end Jimmy Graham out for the season with a knee injury, they’ll have Marshawn Lynch lathered and ready by January.
In case you forgot, the reticent Lynch is the horse they saddled and rode to the last two Super Bowls.
Arizona is still a quality team, but I get the feeling they would have to be home in the NFC Title game to make it to the Super Bowl.
In the AFC, you have to wonder if there is truly a quality team heading down the stretch.
New England is injury riddled, Denver is coming off a loss at home to Oakland, and Cincinnati will be without quarterback Andy Dalton who suffered a thumb injury Sunday.
The hot teams in the AFC are Wild Cards Pittsburgh and Kansas City. The Steelers will outscore anyone and the Chiefs have won seven in a row.
