Foolishly Predicting Pigskin Winners II

Yes, I'm back again.  With the National Football League set to start on Wednesday, September 6, I've scrambled to put together my predictions for winners in 2012.  No, I haven't visited even one of the 32 training camps.  No, I haven't bought a half dozen pro football magazines from the Giant Eagle aisle.  Yes, I am just guessing in most of these.  But, hey, that's where the fun is!

Last year I managed to get three of the eight division winners right, but missed on both Super Bowl contenders.  (I picked the Packers to win for the second straight year over the Ravens.  For those with short memories, the Giants and Eli Manning overcame the Patriots in a low-scoring but thrilling win.)  But who could have seen the Giants coming, when they were 7-7, and then ran off six wins (including three away playoff wins) on their way to Indianapolis and that famous silver trophy.

So here you are.  Don't go betting the rent money (or the food money, or the insurance money, and certainly not the gasoline money) on my 2012 picks.  Just enjoy the season, and try not to get concussed.

AFC North:  Steelers

AFC East:  Patriots

AFC South:  Texans

AFC West:  Chargers

Wild cards:  Ravens, Broncos

Ravens over Chargers
Steelers over Broncos

Patriots over Ravens
Texans over Steelers

Patriots over Texans



NFC North:  Packers

NFC East:  Giants

NFC South:  Saints

NFC West:  49ers

Wild cards:  Falcons, Lions

Giants over Lions
Saints over Falcons

Packers over Saints
49ers over Giants

Packers over 49ers

Super Bowl:  Packers over Patriots

I'm light on upstarts (Bears, Bengals, Cowboys, Bills) and heavy on "the usual suspects."  Peter King in Sports Illustrated calls the Steelers season a weak 8-8 (and out of the playoffs), I see them gaining revenge on the Ravens.  I see the 49ers and Patriots as very successful, but ultimately losing dramatically.  (If it were to play out as I guess, Tom Brady will have won his first three Super Bowl appearances, and lost his next three.  Shades of Jim Kelly and the Bills.)  As never before, injuries will play a huge role in who gets into the playoffs and who is an also-ran. 

Let the games begin!