It's too early to make Super Bowl predictions, especially when only six teams have clinched spots and 18 others are still in the hunt after Week 15, but here's one anyway: the AFC team will win in a rout.

The AFC seems as dominant now as the NFC was in the 1980s and 1990s, when the Super Bowl was more of a coronation than a competition for teams like the Redskins, Giants, Bears and Cowboys and 49ers.

The Bears appear to be the NFC's best hope, and the way they have been playing lately, that's not overly encouraging.

Rex Grossman played well Sunday as the Bears nipped the lowly Buccaneers in overtime to clinch home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. But an depleted defense allowed backup quarterback Tim Rattay to come off the bench and throw for three fourth-quarter touchdowns to erase a 21-point lead.

The Bears will try to get healthy while playing meaningless games they next two weeks, but they won't get defensive tackle Tommie Harris back and they might not want troubled tackle Tank Johnson back after he was at a nightclub where his friend was shot to death some 12 hours after he was arrested for the third time in 18 months after police raided his home.

It's not as if the Bears are unbeatable at home. The Carolina Panthers knocked them out of the playoffs with a convincing win at Soldier Field last year. It's not as if they excel on sloppy fields and in cold weather. This is a team, especially defensively, that is built on quickness. Negate their first step, and that's often what happens in cold-weather games, and it robs them of their greatest strength.

That said, expect the Bears to emerge from the mediocre NFC. The Chargers are the favorite in the much deeper AFC. Assuming the Chargers and Bears survive, here's another Super Bowl prediction based on how these teams look at this moment: Chargers 27, Bears 13.

Here are the 10 Super Bowl contenders heading into the final two weeks of the season.

10. Seahawks
Virtually all the pieces are in place from last year’s NFC champions. That’s what makes how poorly they have played in back-to-back losses to the Cardinals and 49ers so puzzling. If they can get on a roll they can still be dangerous. They better do it soon. They are running out of time.

9. Jacksonville
Just when you think this is the last team anybody wants to meet in the playoffs because of their stingy defense and running tandem of Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew they allow three defensive touchdowns in a loss to the Titans. If the Jags put it together they can be dominant. But can they?

8. Bengals
The Bengals were doing what every team wants to do this time of year. They were playing their best football before looking ordinary in a lopsided loss to the Colts on Monday night. Where do they go from here? To Denver before finishing up at home against the rival Steelers. Tough road.

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7. Colts
Indianapolis’ once-potent offense had failed to score more than 17 points in four of the last five games before Peyton Manning carved up the Bengals’ secondary on Monday night. This team is flawed. Everybody realizes that. But Manning gives them a chance in every game.

6. Cowboys
Tony Romo has stabilized the offense but now the defense is a concern. The Cowboys are giving up too many big plays in the passing game are struggling on third down. That needs to change if Bill Parcells is going to take Dallas on an extended playoff run.

5. Saints
Drew Brees and the Saints’ passing game is deadly when it’s been on, and it’s been on for virtually the entire season, at least until Sunday’s loss to the Redskins. But can that attack be effective when it’s four degrees and the wind is howling at Soldier Field? That’s the question the Saints must answer.

4. Bears

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If they can get their defense healthy and keep Rex Grossman playing smart football they will be tough to beat, especially in Chicago. If they can put it all together and continue their penchant for forcing turnovers, they give the NFC the best chance of beating the AFC in the Super Bowl.

3. Ravens
If Steve McNair’s hand injury is serious the Ravens will tumble down this list. Kyle Boller got the job done against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, but they’re going to need McNair if they are to make a Super Bowl run. Defensively, they’ve got all they need.

2. Patriots
It may sound tired but it’s true. It takes a great coach and a great quarterback to consistently win in the playoffs. The Patriots have both. As long as Tom Brady and Bill Belichick are wearing red, white and blue, overlook the Patriots at you own risk.

1. Chargers
They’ve got the best combination of offense and defense in the league and have clearly established themselves as the NFL’s best team. As long as LaDainian Tomlinson stays healthy and Philip Rivers doesn’t short circuit, as he almost did against the Chiefs on Sunday night, they should be Super Bowl bound.

NFL game stories Quick look at Week 4 games STEELERS 23, RAVENS 20, OT: Baltimore loses first game of season REDSKINS 26, COWBOYS 24: Dallas can't contain Portis in 1st loss BEARS 24, EAGLES 20: Goal-line stand boosts Chicago JETS 56, CARDINALS 35: Favre throws career-high 6 TDs BUCS 30, PACKERS 21: Ryan's 3 FGs lift Tampa CHARGERS 28, RAIDERS 18: San Diego tops rival 10th straight time BILLS 31, RAMS 14: Buffalo 4-0 for first time since 1992 CHIEFS 33, BRONCOS 19: Johnson rushes for 198 yards for K.C. BROWNS 20, BENGALS 12: Anderson throws TD TITANS 30, VIKINGS 17: Tennessee 4-0 for first time ever PANTHERS 24, FALCONS 9: Smith honors Lucas after TD JAGUARS 30, TEXANS 27, OT: Scobey kicks game winner SAINTS 31, 49ERS 17: McAlister scores first TD of year