NFL Crystal Ball 2012

I'm back with another year of fearless predictions of the upcoming NFL season.  Last year I had Green Bay defeating New England so I was halfway home, but since I didn't have the New York Giants even making the playoffs I feel I failed.

I did correctly predict that Aaron Rodgers would win the MVP award and that Jamaal Charles would be a disappointment, so not everything was a loss.

Once again I played out every game 10,000 times on my XBOX (what a long weekend it was) and I have seen surprises and disappointments and everything in between.  Just to let you all know, RGIII will play in all 16 games.  It won't help the success of the Redskins, but it was still amazing to see him stay upright.

My predictions only had 4 teams not make the playoffs that were in it last year which would actually be lower than the minimum of 5 that the NFL has seen over recent years.  The biggest surprise was that the Philadelphia Eagles were able to keep it together and win the NFC East, but of course I thought the same last year too.  Out west Norv Turner doesn't last as Chargers head coach through their Bye Week in Week 7.

Here are how the standings will shape up this season:

NFC EAST:

Philadelphia 12-4
Dallas 10-6
New York 9-7
Washington 6-10

NFC NORTH:

Green Bay 14-2
Chicago 11-5
Detroit 8-8
Minnesota 4-12

NFC SOUTH:

Atlanta 13-3
New Orleans 10-6
Carolina 7-9
Tampa Bay 3-13

NFC WEST:

San Francisco 11-5
Seattle 5-11
St. Louis 5-11
Arizona 4-12

AFC EAST:

New England 13-3
New York 10-6
Buffalo 6-10
Miami 6-10

AFC NORTH:

Baltimore 12-4
Pittsburgh 9-7
Cincinnati 9-7
Cleveland 2-14

AFC SOUTH:

Houston 12-4
Tennessee 7-9
Indianapolis 6-10
Jacksonville 2-14

AFC WEST:

Denver 11-5
Oakland 8-8
Kansas City 7-9
San Diego 4-12

MVP: Tom Brady 2nd: Matt Ryan

Surprises/Breakouts: Jake Locker, Jeremy Maclin (2nd year in a row for this pick), Donald Brown, Torrey Smith, Vernon Davis

Disappointments: Maurice Jones-Drew (hamstring issues due to holdout), Ryan Mathews, Vincent Jackson, Victor Cruz (freak salsa dance injury in Week 4), Matthew Stafford (11 games played which saddens me)

Playoffs:

 NFC:

1. Green Bay 14-2
2. Atlanta 13-3
3. Philadelphia 12-4
4. San Francisco 11-5
5. Chicago 11-5
6. Dallas 10-6

Wild Card:

Philadelphia over Dallas
Chicago over San Francisco

Semifinals:

Green Bay over Chicago
Atlanta over Philadelphia

Conference Championship:

Atlanta over Green Bay

AFC:

1. New England 13-3
2. Baltimore 12-4
3. Houston 12-4
4. Denver 11-5
5. New York 10-6
6. Pittsburgh 9-7

Wild Card:

Houston over Pittsburgh
Denver over New York Jets

Semifinals:

New England over Denver
Houston over Baltimore
 

Conference Championship:

Houston over New England

SUPER BOWL:

Houston over Atlanta 24-20 Arian Foster Super Bowl MVP 115 yards rushing, 2 TD's