We’ve all come to accept that, although the NFL has more parity than any other major orcollegiate sports venue, the AFC is more dominant than the NFC. They’ve won 6 the past 7 Super Bowls and the AFC typically has a winning record in the regular season, as well.

But 2007 and beyond may see a shift in the dominance. Take a look at the NFC’s top 3 teams right now, in terms of talent and production: Dallas, Green Bay, and even Carolina. The first has one of the NFL’s best offenses, Green Bay has one of the league’s best yound defenses, and Carolina has a healthy blend of each. Point being, all three are strong enough to contend for a Super Bowl and all three are composed of young rosters.

Dallas’s Tony Romo is reminiscent of Brett Favre. His style of play, his improv on the field, and his extreme competitiveness make him one of the best young quarterbacks in the league today. And it doesn’t hurt that he has a great set of weapons, his favorites being Jason Witten and Terrell Owens. The best part? TO and new head coach Wade Phillips are getting along (how ’bout that?) and the team is growing stronger together.

Not that they’re without weaknesses. The defense has been shredded on occasion and as John Madden put it, “they’re not a championship defense.” Yet. Wade Phillips is a defensive minded coach, someone who can turn them around the same way Tony Dungy was able to make the Colts his own team while keeping the offense strong. Give the Cowboys a little time — they won’t need much — and you’ll have a Super Bowl team on your hands.

The same goes for Green Bay. Already the defense is coming together with a pair of top-notch corners who allow the defense to blitz and avoid double teams. And the front four on that line might not be the most talented, but they have more depth than any other team in the NFL. And don’t sell them short; they have plenty of ability and it’s shown this season. The Packers are not a team you want to face when they get their offense going.

Speaking of which, the Packers are beginning to return to their pass-happy selves. Brett Favre threw 40-odd passes last weekend. The best part? He did it effectively. He isn’t making the same mistakes that have plagued him in previous years: throwing impossible passes, trusting his arm when he shouldn’t, and taking a sack when he needs to.

Finally, the Panthers are a team that can win it any given year. Head coach John Fox has done a great job in his tenure and Jake Delhomme is beginning to play on a level more reminiscent of his 2004-2005 seasons when he kept his interceptions down while putting up plenty of touchdowns.

The defense, meanwhile, remains solid every season. It wasn’t long ago they were in a Super Bowl and it wouldn’t surprise me if they went deep into the playoffs this year.

And when any of these teams faces the cream of the AFC’s crop — Indianapolis, Pittsburgh, and New England — they won’t be pushovers. They have the power on both offense and defense to take down any team. The aforementioned AFC juggernauts are all top 5 teams, but don’t be surprised if the NFC ends the AFC’s dominance soon.

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