Week 12 in the NFL saw several great games with close finishes. A few teams kept themselves alive with much needed wins while others can pack it up for the year. The playoff picture became both clearer and murkier at the same time. What does it all mean? Well, with this being the last issue before the playoffs, here are my predictions.
AFC Predictions:
In the AFC Central Pittsburgh is a lock on the division. They will go 13-3, losing to Baltimore in a couple of weeks and then running the table. Week 17 is tough, however, with a game against Cleveland, who will need a win to get into the playoffs.
Out west, Oakland will also waltz into the post-season. They should win out to claim a share of first place in the conference.
The East is where things get interesting. Miami, New England and New York all have a shot at the division. New York has three difficult road games and would need to win two of those games to win the division. So between Miami and New England it will come down to Week 15 in Foxboro Stadium. The Dolphins will enter at 9-4 after a loss to San Francisco, and the Pats take care of Cleveland at home and come in at 9-5. Tom Brady calmly leads New England to a win to seal the division. Miami still goes 11-5 and clinches a wild card berth.
Baltimore gets one of the other spots with a 12-4 record. The other spot is really up for grabs. If New York can win one of their road games against Pittsburgh, Indianapolis or Oakland they will get the final spot. If they can’t and Cleveland can beat either New England, Green Bay or Pittsburgh, they will claim the berth. That makes Week 17 at Pittsburgh a great game to watch, especially after the Browns’ 15-12 loss to the Steelers back in Week 9.
So we have New England, Oakland and Pittsburgh winning their divisions with Baltimore, Miami and the Jets picking up wild card spots.
NFC Predictions:
In the NFC Central the race will be very tight between Chicago, Green Bay and Tampa Bay. Tampa Bay is just too far back with games remaining against Chicago, New Orleans, Baltimore and Philadelphia. The division will be decided this weekend when Chicago heads up to the frozen tundra of Lambeau Field. The Bears try to avenge a 20-12 loss suffered in Week 9, but Favre is too much. The Pack wins and they control their own destiny. Chicago will win out as long as they can beat Tampa Bay at home so Green Bay must also run the table to win the division. But in week 17 the G-Men wait in New York, and they will be playing for a wild card spot. The Packers take care of business in NY and win the division.
In the West, the division will also be decided in this coming weekend when San Francisco comes to St. Louis. The Rams win to clinch the division. Even if the Rams lose to San Fran they still have a much easier schedule with games remaining against New Orleans, Carolina, Indianapolis and Atlanta compared to Miami, Philadelphia, New Orleans and Dallas for San Francisco.
The East is tight with everyone wallowing in mediocrity. But, Philly beats the Giants in Week 16 at Veterans Stadium to clinch the division.
So that gives us Philadelphia, St. Louis and Green Bay winning the divisions and Chicago, San Francisco and Tampa Bay earning wild card berths.
See you in January.
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