The NFL gets off to a start on Wednesday and for the ensuing 20 weeks, America's favorite sport will take the spotlight Sunday after Sunday. Who will ultimately reign supreme next February as the next Super Bowl Chmapion? Here are the standings for the 2012 NFL season and the playoff predictions.
AFC EAST
1. New England Patriots (1)
2. New York Jets (6)
3. Miami Dolphins
4. Buffalo Bills
No one is going to argue with the Patriots as the winners of this division. There is simply no one else. The Jets have their quarterback drama to deal with, which should resolve itself by mid-season but this team sneaks into the playoffs as the six seed. They will be in the neighborhood of a 9-7 finish, but if their locker room continues its downward spiral from last season, that second place finish could be a fourth place one instead. The Dolphins will have a solid season, probably in the neighborhood of .500 while the Bills will stay around the 6-10 finish from last season.
AFC North
1. Baltimore Ravens (3)
2. Pittsburgh Steelers (5)
3. Cincinnati Bengals
4. Cleveland Browns
Baltimore will continue dominating as they did a year ago while Pittsburgh and Cincinnati will battle it out for the wild card slot. I simply think Ben Roethlisberger is the difference here though the Bengals are laden with young talent. Is there anything to say about the Browns? They will easily be the worst team in the NFL this season.
AFC South
1. Houston Texans (4)
2. Tennessee Titans
3. Jacksonville Jaguars
4. Indianapolis Colts
The Texans and Titans battle for this spot to the bitter end, but I think that inconsistency will doom the Titans. The Jaguars continue their mediocrity while the Colts rebuild. Look for Andrew Luck to have a rookie of the year type season.
AFC West
1. Denver Broncos (2)
2. San Diego Chargers
3. Oakland Raiders
4. Kansas City Chiefs
This division was the example of parity last season with three 8-8 teams and one 7-9 squad. But Peyton Manning's addition on the Broncos makes him the major factor here. He will lift the Broncos beyond the pack and help them to the second seed. None of the other squads make the playoffs.
AFC Playoffs
Wild Card Playoffs
Baltimore Ravens (3) vs. New York Jets (6): Jets Win
Houston Texans (4) vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (5): Steelers Win
Divisional Playoffs
New England Patriots (1) vs. New York Jets (6): Patriots Win
Denver Broncos (2) vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (5): Broncos Win
AFC Championship
New England Patriots (1) vs. Denver Broncos (2): Broncos Win
NFC East
1. New York Giants (3)
2. Philadelphia Eagles (5)
3. Dallas Cowboys
4. Washington Redskins
The Super Bowl champions will come back with that confidence and take the division down. Eli Manning is trending up and it is hard to imagine him not leading this team to another playoff run. Michael Vick and the Eagles will have the season people expected last year while Romo and the Cowboys will vie for but fail to get the wild card slot.
NFC North
1. Green Bay Packers (1)
2. Chicago Bears (6)
3. Detroit Lions
4. Minnesota Vikings
Green Bay is too good. No other way to put it. They may have another 15-1 season. Aaron Rodgers will be spectacular. Chicago will surprise this year and I am putting them as my sleeper pick of the division. Detroit is right up there with them, but the Bears endure. Minnesota continues rebuilding.
NFC South
1. Atlanta Falcons (4)
2. New Orlean Saints
3. Carolina Panters
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
With the Saints facing tons of drama, the Falcons sneak out with the division this year. That doesn't mean the Saints will not be a part of it, but the sideshow will be too much. Carolina and Tampa Bay continue building, though Carolina looks close.
NFC West
1. San Francisco 49ers (2)
2. Arizona Cardinals
3. Seattle Seahawks
4. St. Louis Rams
San Francisco is a Super Bowl Contender this year. The other three teams in this division continue their mediocrity.
NFC Playoffs
Wild Card
New York Giants (3) vs. Chicago Bears (6): Giants Win
Atlanta Falcons (4) vs. Philadelphia Eagles (5): Falcons Win
Divisional
Green Bay Packers (1) vs. Atlanta Falcons (4): Packers Win
San Francisco 49ers (2) vs. New York Giants (3): Giants Win
NFC Championship
Green Bay Packers (1) vs. NY Giants (3): Packers Win
Super Bowl
Denver Broncos vs. Green Bay Packers: Packers Win
I could have gone with the Mannings meeting in the Super Bowl but I simply think Rodgers will have a season to remember. Peyton will re-emerge as one of the top QBs in the game, but will fall short as the Packers are simply too complete a team to falter this season.