2011 NFL Season Predictions (AFC)

Tom Brady hasn't been to the

Super Bowl since 2008. Can he lead the

Patriots back to title game?

The 2011 NFL season finally gets underway this Thursday nightat Lambeau Field when the defending Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers face off against the 2009 champion New Orleans Saints. Finally! With the nonstop daily news of the lockout filling up the summer on ESPN instead of analysis of the actual season it seems like it has been forever since we last had some NFL football on the tube. This season looks to be yet another promising one. The league has a solid core of teams that are among the elite, a great mix of teams that could potentially be playoff worthy and on the rise as well as its lowly cellar dwellers that we can all laugh at and make fun of. I honestly can say I see 11 teams that can actually win the Super Bowl, which makes for a very interesting season and potentially an exciting playoffs as well.

So on the eve of the season I thought I'd do a little fortune telling and predict the entire 2011 season by divison as well as the NFC and AFC playoffs and ultimately a Super Bowl champion. It will be interesting to see how good (or bad) I do looking back on it at season's end. So here is the AFC side of the league. Enjoy!

*denotes wild card team

AFC East          AFC North       AFC South      AFC West

Patriots      12-4             Steelers     11-5             Texans      10-6           Chargers      12-4

Jets             11-5*          Ravens      10-6*           Colts         10-6           Chiefs            9-7

Bills            6-10            Browns      7-9              Titans        7-9              Raiders         8-8

Dolphins    6-10             Bengals      3-13            Jaguars      6-10           Broncos        4-12

In the East I really like the Patriots to take the division crown for the third consecutive season. With Tom Brady at the helm you can't go too far wrong. I mean they guy had 4 interceptions last year for crying out loud! But, with the additions of Albert Haynesworth, Stevan Ridley, and Brian Waters I think they will yet again reign supreme in the East. I have the Jets just a game behind and a wild card team because I just don't think they are as explosive. I'm not sold on the passing game with the loss of Braylon Edwards and the addition of a now free Plaxico Burress although the running attack should be better with a healthy Shonn Greene. The Bills are still sitting close to the bottom even though they have some solid players in Fred Jackson, C.J. Spiller and Steve Johnson. The Dolphins do not impress me at all, I mean if you're gonna have Reggie Bush be your starting RB, well, let's just say I'm not buying it.

Beast, Machine? Call him

what you want

The AFC North is a tough division to win year in and year out but I'll take the Steelers again this year. With Big Ben still behind the wheel you can't go wrong, the guy is the definition of a gamer. I love Rashard mendenhall and look for the speedster Mike wallace to rack up some serious stats this season. Behind them I have their nasty rival, the Ravens, who I also have as a wild card team. The addition of Lee Evans to go along with Anquan Boldin will help Flacco while Ray Rice punds he rock. But are Ray Lewis and Ed Reed losing a step? Next, I have the real McCoys, the Browns, led by improved and impressive Colt McCoy who also has the luxury of handing off to the monster in Peyton Hillis. But, no defense will hurt them. The Bengals, well just ask Carson Palmer how he thinks they'll do.

In the South I have a changing of the guard happening this year with the Texans being my pick as division winner. The offense is loaded with Schaub, Foster, and Johnson. They will be explosive in additon to an improved defense. That's right, I have the Cots missing out on the playoffs for the first time since 2001. Peyton Manning will be fine once back from neck surgery but how good are the guys around him? Will Austin Collie get yet another consussion? Have Freeney and Mathis lost a step? An look for Reggie Wayne to be slightly less productive than in years past. The titans have Chris Johnson which will win them some games  and Hasselbeck will do well but with only Britt and Washington cathcing the ball, and I'm not fond of the defense., better luck next year. The Jaguars just cut David Garrard to go with Luke McCown, yeah I don't think so. Not even MJD can help that.

Out west it's time the Chargers turned all the wonderful stats into W's on the shcedule and this year I think they do in a big way. Phillip Rivers is the best QB in the league without a Super Bowl victory and has some great weapons to thrown to. The loss of Darren Sproles will hurt but they will be fine.. In second I have the Chiefs. I am a firm believer in Jamaal Charles, guy is a beast and will only get better but the Chiefs need more consistency on the defensive side of the ball. The Radiers are well, the Raiders, and as much as I love McFadden and Bush running the ball I don't think jason Campbell is the answer at QB even though the defense will be solid. The Broncos are in last becuse well they are not good. Even with Moreno running the ball and some decent passing game attacks the defense will be bad again. Good thing they didn't waste a first round pick two years ago on their third string QB right? Idiots.

Wild Card Round                                            Divisional Round

Patriots and Chargers receive byes

W (6) Ravens @ (3) Steelers                                                            (6) Ravens @ (1) Patriots W

(5) Jets @ (4) Texans W                                                                  (4) Texans @ (2) Chargers W

                                                      AFC Championship

                                                    (2) Chargers @ (1) Patriots W

I believe this years Super Bowl run started last season but with another botched playoff attempt after a succesful regular season the patriots will learn from last years mistakes and make their way through the treacherous AFC playoffs. The Chargers offense will slow in the blistery cold weather in Foxborough, Massachusetts and I sense a game winning field goal kick. That just seems to be the way the Pats like to do things up there. The question now is will Brady get revenge on his 2008 Super Bowl loss? Will the Patriots return to their championship years of the early 2000's? Stay tuned to find out.

This is the AFC version of the season, the post below is about the NFC ALONG with my Super Bowl pick and analysis. Keep reading!!!