For the better part of this decade, the NFC played little brother to the AFC. Over the last three years or so, that gap has closed to the point where now, it might be gone all together.

And you can forget the idea that the Saints' NFC affiliation somehow makes them susceptible against the AFC. Would you believe New Orleans is 7-2 against the AFC since November 2007? Check it out ...

11/4/07: Saints 41, Jaguars 24
11/18/07: Texans 23, Saints 10
9/21/08: Broncos 34, Saints 32
10/12/08: Saints 34, Raiders 3
10/26/08: Saints 37, Chargers 32
11/16/08: Saints 30, Chiefs 20
9/27/09: Saints 27, Bills 7
10/4/09: Saints 24, Jets 10
11/2/09: Saints 46, Dolphins 34

As you can see, the Saints have also run off six straight wins, and took all four home games. And over that same stretch, they're only 18-14 against teams from their own conference.

Update (4:24 p.m.): Worth noting here that the Patriots have won 17 regular-season games in a row against NFC opponents. Their last such loss (this isn't counting the biggest game of all in that stretch -- Super Bowl XLII) was a 27-17 defeat in Carolina during Week 2 of the 2005 season. Including the playoffs, they're 33-4 against the NFC since 2001.