NFL Playoff Picture from Week 12

By the Caveman

The NFL is always weird. Every single year could be honestly diagnosed as being particularly interesting. But this 2013 season is even more so. Annual stalwarts like the Pittsburg Steelers and the New York Giants have fallen so far. The Super Bowl champions are mediocre at best. Two teams from the AFC West division (a division that was considered to be one of the worst in football) hold a 9-1 record. It’s crazy out there.

But now, with 11 weeks in the history books, we can start to piece together the playoff picture, with a reasonable amount of certainty. Here’s my two-sense:

PLAYOFF BRACKETS

AFC

1. Denver Broncos – Undoubtedly the best team in football.

2. Indianapolis Colts – A bit inconsistent, but should take the second seed.

3. New England Patriots – Weaker than previous years, but still powerful.

4. Cincinnati Bengals – Cincy has earned a home playoff game.

Wild Cards

5. Kansas City Chiefs – Will tank down the stretch, but the 9-0 start will get them the top WC.

6. Miami Dolphins – This spot is a crapshoot, but I‘m gonna go with my gut on the Dolphins.

 

NFC

1. Seattle Seahawks – Just barely the best team in the NFC.

2. New Orleans Saints – Have the whole package: offense, defense, QB.

3. Chicago Bears – Good, solid team, and with Cutler back, they should take the division easily.

4. Philadelphia Eagles – Will make the playoffs by default.

Wild Cards

5. Carolina Panthers – Would have won if they were in the North or East divisions.

6. San Francisco 49ers – Falling fast, but will still get in.

 

WILD CARD ROUND

AFC

Patriots beat Dolphins or whoever gets the 6-seed.

Bengals beat the Chiefs in a tight one.

 

NFC

Bears beat the spiraling 49ers.

Panthers blow out the Eagles, and are the only Wild Card to move on.

DIVISIONAL ROUND

AFC

Broncos manhandle Bengals.

Patriots squeak out a win at Indianapolis.

NFC

Panthers surprise Seattle and Cinderella-story their way to the NFC Championship

Saints defeat Bears and injure Cutler while at it.

CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND

AFC

Broncos purge Patriot demons and head to the Super Bowl.

NFC

Saints take out Panthers.

SUPER BOWL

Broncos crush Saints in the most boring Super Bowl since XXXIII.

 

Gillikin’s Island: NFC Up-Trending Teams in 2013

By Kevin Gillikin @KevinGillikin And The Skipper

This is the last in a four-part series highlighting the NFL’s up-trending and down-trending teams heading into the 2013 season

Part 1: AFC down-trending teams. Part 2: AFC up-trending teams. Part 3: NFC down-trending teams.

This year’s NFC absolutely kicks it.

Good teams getting better, a couple of marginal teams from 2012 re-entering the race and an extremely stout western division that, according to my projections, will contribute both NFC wild card teams this year.

So, without further eloquence, here are my up-trending teams from the NFC:

AFC Vs NFC – Third Time’s the Charm

This all started with saying how I thought the NFC was significantly better than the AFC this year and it’s turned into three different posts. I hope you all haven’t minded my slightly more stat packed posts but this will be the last of the lot at least for the time being. Today I’m going to run through my last three Superbowl contenders in the NFC and wrap up this whole thought process.

NFC Minus KFC Almost Equals AFC

As you might be able to tell by the title this is the second part to a post I did a few days ago about the NFL and the power difference between the two leagues. As I stated in the last post, the AFC really only has one team that’s thought to be a serious Superbowl contender. The NFC has quite a few and I would think the AFC will get totally pommeled in playing their rival conference. There are powerhouses like San Francisco, Atlanta, Seattle and several other teams either on the rise or a few that are going for it all this year with a Superbowl or bust mentality.