Without further ado, here are my predictions for the 2012 NFL season. Not much explanation involved, but still worh throwing out there.
As someone who began his writing career with Niners Nation (family of SB Nation blogs) and then Bleacher Report's 49ers' page before becoming a national columnist, some might believe that these projectsion are based on homerism. Far be it for me to tell you what to believe. Instead, look at it realistically. The San Francisco 49ers, Green Bay Packers, Baltimore Ravens and New England Patriots have to be considered the four elite teams in the National Football League. In the end, if most experts are right, one will bring home the Lombardi Trophy.
So let's have a look-see.
AFC West
Denver Broncos(X)
Kansas City Chiefs
San Diego Chargers
Oakland Raiders
AFC North
Baltimore Ravens(X)
Cincinnati Bengals(X)
Pittsburgh Steelers
Cleveland Browns
AFC South
Houston Texans(X)
Tennessee Titans
Jacksonville Jaguars
Indianapolis Colts
AFC East
New England Patriots(X)
Buffalo Bills(X)
Miami Dolphins
New York Jets
NFC West
San Francisco 49ers(X)
Seattle Seahawks(X)
Arizona Cardinals
St. Louis Rams
NFC North
Green Bay Packers(X)
Chicago Bears(X)
Detroit Lions
Minnesota Vikings
NFC South
Atlanta Falcons(X)
New Orleans Saints
Carolina Panthers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
NFC East
Dallas Cowboys(X)
Philadelphia Eagles
New York Giants
Washington Redskins
AFC
1. New England Patriots
2. Houston Texans
3. Baltimore Ravens
4. Denver Broncos
5. Cincinnati Bengals
6. Buffalo Bills
NFC
1. Green Bay Packers
2. San Francisco 49ers
3. Atlanta Falcons
4. Dallas Cowboys
5. Chicago Bears
6. Seattle Seahawks
AFC Wildcard
Baltimore Ravens over Buffalo Bills
Denver Broncos over Cincinnati Bengals
NFC Wildcard
Atlanta Falcons over Seattle Seahawks
Chicago Bears over Dallas Cowboys
AFC Divisional
New England Patriots over Denver Broncos
Houston Texans over Baltimore Ravens
NFC Divisional
San Francisco 49ers over Atlanta Falcons
Chicago Bears over Green Bay Packers
AFC Championship
New England Patriots over Houston Texans
NFC Championship Game
San Francisco 49ers over Chicago Bears
Super Bowl
San Francisco 49ers over New England Patriots
Bottom Line
Defenses may no longer win championships by themselves, but it sure does help to have a stout one. In case you forgot, San Francisco was an overtime fumble in the NFC Championship Game last season from making a Super Bowl.
Meanwhile, there is absolutely no reason to bet against New England in the AFC. They added some nice young defensive pieces and brought in Brandon Lloyd as another weapon on the offensive side of the ball.
My projected Super Bowl matchup between San Francisco and New England couldn’t have a more contrasting feel to it. One puts the ball up 50 times and has a weak defense. The other would rather run the ball 50 times and has the best defense in the NFC.
In the end, San Francisco pulls it out.
In all, I am projecting four teams (Buffalo, Dallas, Seattle and Chicago), that didn’t make the postseason last year, to earn spots in 2012. This leaves Detroit, New Orleans, Pittsburgh and defending Super Bowl Champion’ New York Giants on the outside looking in.