The Tom Brady “window” for success continues in New England, amazingly. By Mongomez93 (Own work), via Wikimedia Commons

It’s never too early for predictions, especially when it comes to the pre draft NFL. In the upcoming draft, each team will make selections to try and help their current rosters in order to make a run at that coveted Super Bowl ring. Although the rosters for the start of the season won’t be complete until much later in the year, it’s still fun to look at what each team has done up to this point and make predictions for what will happen. Here are my predictions for the upcoming NFL season, pre NFL draft:

AFC North:

1. Cincinnati Bengals: This is the team that I believe right now will win this division next season. They have gotten better in each of the last two seasons with stellar performances by their duo Andy Dalton and A.J. Green. Plus have one of the youngest and best defensives in the league. It will be difficult for the Bengals, as they have now made the playoffs in consecutive years so they won’t be underdogs anymore. With Pittsburgh and Baltimore on the decline, taking nothing away from the Ravens since they just won the Super Bowl, but I’d expect this division to be the Bengals to lose although it will be a dogfight throughout the year.
2. Baltimore Ravens: The defending Super Bowl champions lost a lot of experience and leadership with the departures of Ray Lewis, Ed Reed and Anquan Boldin but they added some talent back with the signing of Elvis Dumervil. I don’t think the Ravens will win the division but a wild card spot doesn’t seem too far-fetched.
3. Pittsburgh Steelers: The one time dominant Steelers team of the last seven or so years isn’t the same team and like the Ravens it’s the age factor. The lose of Mike Wallace is a big factor since he was a huge part of their offense but I think the defense who was ranked near the top of the league will keep them in games. Ben Roethlisberger is still a two-time champion and he won’t go down without a fight. That being said, they can still contend for a wild card spot just like the Ravens.
4. Cleveland Browns: A good young team that needs to find a quarterback and an identity. The Browns showed some promise last season by fighting and playing hard in their games but like this league has proven time and time again, you can’t win without a good quarterback. It will be another long year for the Browns as they try and improve the team.

AFC East:

1. New England Patriots: What else can you say about this team? This division is easily theirs and barring a huge injury or anything unpredictable like that, it’s almost a lock. Tom Brady is Tom Brady and will have the Patriots back to the playoffs with another division title.
2. Miami Dolphins: The addition of Mike Wallace to the offense instantly makes them more of a force in the AFC especially since they lost Reggie Bush. They went 7-9 last season but I look for them to improve and make a run at the playoffs as a wild card type team. Tannehill has this team looking good and he can only improve.
3. Buffalo Bills: I am going to go out on a limb here and say that the Bills finish ahead of the Jets in the standings this year. The Bills went 6-10 and I believe just need a few pieces to actually become a contender. The addition of linebacker Manny Lawson should help out a poor line backing core and adding Kevin Kolb might just be what the doctor ordered for the Bills.
4. New York Jets: This will probably be Rex Ryan’s last season as the head coach of the Jets unlike a miraculous playoff run occurs which is unlikely. The Jets have talent, they really do, but for some reason they don’t know how to combine it and turn it into wins on Sundays.

AFC West:

1. Denver Broncos: With Peyton Manning running your team, it’s almost a guarantee that you will make the playoffs. They had one of the best offenses and defenses in football last year and I expect that to continue even with the departure of Elvis Dumervil. Until Manning retires, the AFC West is the Broncos to loose.
2. Kansas City Chiefs: I am taking a long shot here that I actually believe in but I say the Chiefs despite their horrid season last year, finish second in the AFC West. I really liked the signing of Andy Reid as the coach because I believe it will rejuvenate his career and give him motivation again. Also trading for Alex Smith was a major move as it gives them a leader that has playoff experience. They had six pro bowlers selected despite only winning two games, and they have the first pick in the upcoming draft so what’s not to like about the Chiefs? They won’t contend just quite yet but they won’t be at the bottom of the standings either.
3. San Diego Chargers: I am not quite sure what happened last year with Phillip Rivers but I don’t think it will happen again in 2013. With basically the same team and the addition of Danny Woodhead, I think it makes the Chargers the third best team in their division. It won’t be as miserable for Charger fans next year, but it won’t be as good as recent years suggested.
4. Oakland Raiders: With the trade of Carson Palmer and departure of Heyward-Bey, at least pre-draft; I believe that the Raiders will have the worst record in the NFL next season. The only reason they won four games last year was because Palmer, despite his struggles, can still throw the football and put up points. The defense wasn’t terrible but it wasn’t good either. I may be wrong but I think it’s going to be a tough season again for the Black and Silver faithful.

AFC South:

1. Indianapolis Colts: The Colts showed us last year that it is possible to have the worst record one year then completely turn it around the next and make the playoffs. Andrew Luck is a stud and I normally don’t say that about young quarterbacks. The 11-5 surprise team got even better by adding Darius Heyward-Bey from the Raiders and LaRon Landry from the Jets. Ina addition they signed veteran Matt Hasselbeck, which I think will play a crucial role in Luck’s development in the coming years. Look for the Colts to win the division for the first time in a long time without Peyton Manning leading the way.
2. Houston Texans: Many people will question my pick of the Colts over the Texans and I understand why but I have my reasons. Yes they signed Ed Reed to help boost the already stellar defense but the fact that they had the best record in the league at one point last year and then fell to not having a first round bye in the playoffs tells me something, they lack mental toughness. In football, like any sport, you need to have both physicality and mental toughness and that is something I don’t believe the Texans have. With that being said though, I still believe that they will compete but just not win the division again.
3. Tennessee Titans: At least the debate over which quarterback will start for the Titans is over, this is now Jake Locker’s team. The signings of Bernard Pollard and Shonn Greene will help this team but I don’t think it makes them a threat in the AFC. It will be at least a few more years until the Titans reach the playoffs again I believe.
4. Jacksonville Jaguars: Many would argue that Jacksonville was the worst team in the league, not Kansas City. There are so many holes on this team to fix and it will take awhile for all of them to be put together and make the Jags relevant again. Receiver Justin Blackmon is a nice building piece for them but they need more than him on offense. Jones-Drew is a nice running back but lets face it, he is very injury prone. The Jaguars will be back at the bottom of the lottery again come next April.

Division Winners:

AFC North: Cincinnati Bengals

AFC East: New England Patriots

AFC West: Denver Broncos

AFC South: Indianapolis Colts

Wild Card Teams: Baltimore Ravens, Houston Texans (Notable other teams: Pittsburgh Steelers and Miami Dolphins)

Playoff Bracket:

1. New England Patriots (12-4)
2. Denver Broncos (12-4)
3. Cincinnati Bengals (11-5)
4. Indianapolis Colts (10-6)
5. Baltimore Ravens (10-6)
6. Houston Texans (9-7)

6 Houston Texans @ 3 Cincinnati Bengals: (Bengals 31-24)

5 Baltimore Ravens @ 4 Indianapolis Colts: (Ravens 27-14)

5 Baltimore Ravens @ 1 New England Patriots: (Patriots 31-28)

3 Cincinnati Bengals @ 2 Denver Broncos: (Bengals 20-17)

AFC Championship Game:

3 Cincinnati Bengals @ 1 New England Patriots: (Patriots 38-31)

AFC Champions: New England Patriots

The most decorated quarterback in the game is still in the mix and hungry for another ring. Photo By Keith Allison (originally posted to Flickr as Tom Brady) [CC-BY-SA-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

In the NFC the Atlanta Falcons and the San Francisco 49ers will square-off in the deep South. In the AFC, we have a rematch from last season’s AFC championship game between the Baltimore Ravens and the New England Patriots. Four teams, blood, sweat and tears all working for the same goal, to be crowned Super Bowl Champions.

Here is a breakdown of each game and my predictions for each game:

NFC: San Francisco 49ers (11-4-1) vs. Atlanta Falcons (13-3)

Based on the outcomes of last week’s divisional games, one would say that the 49ers would be the easy pick in this game, but I say otherwise. For some reason, even while the Falcons played the Seahawks last week, many people forgot that they won 13 games and earned their right as the top team in the NFC. They were sixth in passing yards and went 7-1 at the Georgia Dome. This week’s game is being played at said Georgia Dome, a place the Falcons have been almost unbeatable in recent years. The Falcons were one of the most dominant teams all season long and shouldn’t be overlooked.

That said, their opponent has been titled the favorite to win the NFC. Led by rookie quarterback Colin Kaepernick, the 49ers easily beat the Green Bay Packers (my preseason pick to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl). Kaepernick’s performance was outstanding, but I still don’t trust him. The Packers had an above average defense, but it was very susceptible to the run — a specialty of the 49ers.

This week, I expect Kaepernick to come back down from his huge performance against the Packers. The 49ers defense was ranked in the top five in the NFL so that could guide them in this game against a strong Falcon offense. But Matt Ryan got the monkey off his back by (barely) winning a playoff game over the Seahawks and I expect him to lead his team to the Super Bowl. Hopefully I am wrong about Kaepernick (I’m a west coast guy) but until the game is over and I see the 49ers have made the Super Bowl, I don’t believe in or trust the second-year quarterback from Nevada. Give credit to the Falcons where credit is due. My prediction for this game is 24-17, Falcons win.

AFC: Baltimore Ravens (10-6) vs. New England Patriots (12-4)

Many people have the Patriots coasting back into the Super Bowl after defeating the Houston Texans 41-28 last week. But the Ravens just beat the number-one seed Broncos and are riding an emotional roller coaster at the moment that will not be derailed. The original Raven, Ray Lewis, will retire at the end of the season, and you know he would love nothing more than to leave the game he loves on top. The game Sunday will be played in Foxborough, where the Patriots were 6-2 there during the season, while the Ravens were a mere 4-4 on the road.

The Patriots were ranked about sixth in total offense this year, while the Ravens were ranked 13^th in total offense. Just by statistics and the names of the teams alone, the sexy pick would be the Patriots to repeat as AFC champions. But, this is the unpredictable NFL and I believe that the Ravens will pull the upset over the Patriots just as they did a week earlier in the mile high city. Baltimore is riding a high at the moment that just can’t be measured and I’m sure Ray Lewis and the entire Raven team remembers last year’s AFC championship game where they were so close to reaching the Super Bowl for the first time since 2000 when they won it all. Don’t forget, the Ravens have already beaten the Patriots this season with a 31-30 week 3 win in Baltimore. My prediction for the game is 31-28 with the Ravens winning it and finally getting the winning field goal they deserve.

Super Bowl XLVII: Baltimore Ravens (10-6) vs. Atlanta Falcons (13-3)

See you there.

If one takes the time to read a little bit deeper, they will find a couple of classic match-ups that both the seasoned and greenhorn NFL fan can get excited about.

In recent years, the NFL has bragged about having the most competitive and encompassing parody in the circle of major professional sports leagues. While this parody is evident amongst the league’s elite, an even playing field amongst the entire league is severely lacking.

This lack of competitiveness as a whole and the evidence of parody only among the elite is the reason why these final conference clashes, that may look like mismatches on the cover, are so intriguing.

I am advising everyone to spit the seeds out when judging the quality of the teams remaining, due to a number of factors occurring over the course of the NFL season that all were both as much surreal as they were anticipated.

This playoff season saw a wildcard winner with a record of 12-4 and a division winner with a record of 7-9. Two of the other wild card teams had records of 11-5. The fourth and remaining wildcard team this playoff season finished with a record of 10-6. The New York Giants missed the playoffs with a 10-6 record, three games better than the NFC West division-winning Seattle Seahawks.

Four of the division winners had a 10-6 record, or worse. That’s half of the division winners having no better of an overall record than the wildcard team with the worst record. Wait a second. Read that again – not for a spelling or grammar check, but for a reality check. I’m half-expecting Moe or Curly to come club me over the head with a skillet as I sit here flapping my lips with my finger.

The winners of the the four divisions who featured only a division winner and no wildcard participant averaged a record of only 9.25 wins and 6.75 losses. The second-place finishers of those four shallow divisions averaged a record of only 8.5 wins and 7.5 losses, and finished a full two games out of a wildcard berth – collectively on average.

In other words, half the divisions are exceptional, those half that are exceptional are extremely top-heavy, and the other half of the divisions flat-out reek of inferiority, book-end to book-end.

However, I digress from this tirade of attacking the current structure and overall parody, or lack thereof. The fact that gets spit out of this unprecedented equation becomes: any team that received a wildcard berth this season definitely earned it, as they ended up with records that would win divisions in any other season. It seems evident that the number six seeds that are challenging the number two seeds this weekend might as well be number two seeds themselves, and therein lies the hidden allure.

* * * * * * *

The oldest and arguably most bitter rivalry in the NFL, which boasts a combined twenty-one NFL titles (including four super bowl titles) all-time between the two teams, reconvenes Sunday afternoon at the new Soldier Field in Chicago. Dating back to 1921, this bitter duel amazingly has only occurred in the playoffs one other time, a whole seventy years ago, in which the Bears defeated the Packers in 1941 on their way to the NFL title.

Their clash on Sunday will be by far, the most penultimate contest this storied rivalry has ever seen in the one hundred eighty-one times over the past ninety years it has been celebrated. The rarity and significance of this game is the equivalent of being able to see Halley’s Comet, only having to wait an extra fifteen years on top of the already anticipated seventy-five.

This upcoming chapter of course, will be the third between the Packers and Bears this season. The Bears prevailed in a late September Monday Night affair in Chicago, 20-17. The Packers eked out a 10-3 win in the last game of the regular season that was highlighted by less than perfect weather conditions, as well as the Bears supposedly not putting their best foot forward in order to preserve health, seeing as they had already clinched the two seed with no way to obtain the one seed or fall to the three.

On Sunday, the weather man calls for a game-time temperature of 15 degrees with a windchill of zero or slightly below. The wind factor is what will dictate the course of this game. When it’s calm, its bearable – but when it gets whipping off of Lake Michigan, Chicago in January might as well be the surface of Mars.

If it stays cold and calm, expect the Green Bay-weathered Aaron Rodgers to come out firing, as his arm will set up the running lanes later on in the game for rookie playoff standout James Starks. If this occurs, expect Mike Martz to counter with a desperate pass-first approach, throwing caution to a deliberate Matt Forte running attack and playing right into the favored Packers’ hands.

If the wind picks up significantly however, expect a closer, field position battle that is more conducive to the efficiency of and puts less pressure on ‘feast or famine’ Jay Cutler. This could shorten the game undoubtedly, favoring the Bears and their home crowd.

Don’t count out these two underrated defenses either. Brian Urlacher is as equally one of the league’s best leaders as Lance Briggs is a surprise play-maker. The Bears do have a few worries on the back-end however, and if Julius Peppers and company up front don’t get a consistent and discomforting pass-rush on Rodgers, you could see the Packers run up some substantial yardage through the air.

The Packers bring to the table a stout 3-4 scheme that has potential defensive player of the year, Clay Matthews III flying off the edge and tossing his body around with reckless abandonment. This front also features the hand-on-the-ground inside presence of Cullen Jenkins taking up two blockers, with A.J. Hawk lurking behind him stuffing the run. I would be remiss not to make note of “Mr. Do-everything” Charles Woodson, as you can bet he will come up with either a key interception, a key fumble forced or recovery, or a key sack.

If Green Bay can make ‘Jay-kyll and Hyde’ Cutler look away from his go-to red zone tool, tight end Greg Olson, and force him to have to earn his paycheck on 3rd and long, Chicago fans are in for a long, cold day of sitting on their hands.

All-NFL returner Devin Hester could make a significant impact, that is, if Green Bay decides to even kick to him. Kicking to Green Bay’s poor-man’s version of Hester, Tramon Williams, isn’t a good idea either. Expect both punters to have worked on their directional kicking extensively throughout this week of preparation. Punting with the accuracy of a marksman may prove vital in this game, taking into account both the danger of both punt returners and the danger of the swirling winds that may arise.

My pick: Packers 21, Bears 17.

On the other side of the bracket, the gum-flapping, ‘look at me’ Jets travel to Heinz Field on Sunday night to face the Pittsburgh Steelers and 65,000 terrible towels. While the Jets have earned back-to-back AFC Championship game appearances, I have a feeling they are going to get this far only to fall just short of the super bowl for the second year in a row.

Yes, they beat Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh less than a month ago, 22-17. Yes, they squeaked by the Colts in Indianapolis albeit on the heels of a botched time-out call by Jim Caldwell. And yes, they took it to the evil Belichick and Brady empire in Foxboro with brash bravado and confusing defensive scheme. However, I see three major differences between the two teams they beat to get here and the team they have standing between them and the Jerry Jones Bowl in Dallas.

One, the meeting on December 19th between the two included four flukes that all favored the Jets: an opening kickoff return for a touchdown by Brad Smith, a late safety by Jason Taylor, a turnover-fee game by Mark Sanchez; and most importantly, the best player on the field when he’s healthy, Troy Polamalu, sat the game out with a bum ankle. The game was also decided on a goal-to-go situation for the Steelers, who failed to produce a winning touchdown inside the ten yard line in the closing seconds. All of these key factors turned out right for the Jets and wrong for the Steelers, something considered extremely against the odds and that any logical investor should not bet on to happen the same way again.

Two, Big Ben is anything but an immobile, standing pop-up dummy the likes of Peyton Manning or Tom Brady. He is known league-wide as not only being able to avoid sacks by breaking head-on tackle attempts with his defensive lineman frame, but also being able to avoid them by getting outside the pocket with his surprising fleet of foot. These are two predominant dynamics that Manning or Brady could not even dream about doing.

You can guarantee the Jets will bring pressure and be in Ben’s face, due to the fact that the Steelers’ average running game featuring Rashard Mendenhall won’t be much of a deterrent – but you can also guarantee that Roethlisberger will be able to avoid at least some of the pressure with his mobility and toughness, creating more and different offensive opportunities the likes of what New York hasn’t had to contend with the past two weeks.

And most notably, three, Pittsburgh’s Defense makes the defenses of Indianapolis and New England look like rank amateurs. Versus the Jets the past two weeks, the Colts defense was undermanned due to injruy and the Patriot defense was young and inexperienced. The Steelers defense features the best and most experienced line-backing core in the league, lead by docket-fined and notorious head-hunter James Harrison, a factor that could turn the Jets bread and butter running game into toasted char.

The bottom line, if Ben Roethlisberger has time or can at least make a few plays with his feet, the Steeler offense will at the very least break even with the Jets defense. I see this push creating an actual advantage for Pittsburgh overall, as the weakest link in this game, the predictable and vanilla Jets offense, will be at a disadvantage and have trouble staying ‘on schedule’ in their down and distances versus the top-level Steeler defense.

My Pick: Steelers 17, Jets 13.

The battle of the Midwest and the battle of the East – when the dust settles, you end up, in my mind, with the Packers and Steelers meeting in Dallas. What a feature – the team of the 60’s versus the team of the 70’s, as well as both being super bowl champions again in the past fifteen years. Which one of these classic franchises will become their organization’s championship version, 3.0? Who could start this decade off with a Lombardi and lay the foundation for a dynasty of the teens?

However it plays out, make sure to spit out the bubble gum and strap on the leather come Sunday, because both of these epic collisions will exceed expectations.

-Andrew Stevens