2011 Playoff Prediction: Super Bowl XLVI

Regular Season Awards:

MVP: QB Philip Rivers (San Diego)

DPOY: OLB Jerod Mayo (New England)

OROY: WR Julio Jones (Atlanta)

DROY: CB Jimmy Smith (Baltimore)

NFC Playoffs

#1 - New Orleans (13-3)

#2 - Green Bay (13-3)

#3 - Philadelphia (12-4)

#4 - Arizona (8-8)

#5 - *Dallas (10-6)

#6 - *Atlanta (10-6)

AFC Playoffs

#1 - Pittsburgh (13-3)

#2 - New England (13-3)

#3 - San Diego (12-4)

#4 - Houston (11-5)

#5 - *Baltimore (12-4)

#6- *Indianapolis (11-5)

* = Wild Card

NFC Championship Game:

Green Bay vs. New Orleans

AFC Championship Game:

San Diego vs. New England

Super Bowl XLVI - Green Bay over San Diego.

-- OK. So I know nobody cares that I correctly nailed my Preseason Super Bowl pick last year: GB over PIT, but this is my official 2011 projection. All across the NFL, no team strikes me as being quite as complete as the Green Bay Packers. The team is stacked with weapons around a stud, young, and hungry QB in Aaron Rodgers. I think Philip Rivers or Aaron Rodgers wins the regular season MVP this year, and both QBs meet in Indianapolis for Super Bowl XLVI. Repeating as Super Bowl Champs is always a difficult feat to accomplish, as it doesn't happen often, but the Packers are reloading with talent this year for a serious run at it. Let's see what happens in 2011, I'm stoked.

NFC East: 2011 Outlook

The self-described "Dream Team" had an offseason unlike any other offseason in recent memory. Adding free agent after free agent, the Philadelphia Eagles appear to be making a serious push to take the next step as a team. In 2011, the NFC East will play against the AFC East and NFC West.

1 - Philadelphia (12-4)

While I'm not jumping all the way in on the Philadelphia Eagles, they're definitely one of the best teams in the NFC. I think they'll struggle in a couple games early, as they try to find their identity as a team. The additions of Nnamdi, Cullen Jenkins, DRC, and Jason Babin certainly won't make the Defense any worse. To go along with their improved Defense, the Offense lines up as impressive of a lineup as you'll find in the NFL in Mike Vick, LeSean McCoy, DeSean Jackson, and Jeremy Maclin. Good team, wins the NFC East, and looks beyond.

2 - Dallas (10-6)

The Cowboys are flying a little under the radar heading into this year. With Tony Romo healthy again, Dallas figures to have an explosive Offensive attack under Jason Garrett's lead. I'm fully expecting Felix Jones to break out this year, a la LeSean McCoy's 2010 campaign. What will take this team to the Playoffs is the improved Defense under new Defensive Coordinator Rob Ryan. Watch out for the Cowboys - this team could contend for the NFC East title, or they could tank if the injury bug bits again.

3 - New York Giants (9-7)

In the Preseason, the G-Men have lost starting CB Terrell Thomas for the year, rookie CB Prince Amukamara until probably October, and rookie DT Marvin Austin for significant time. This is not the way they wanted to head into 2011. It sounds as if the team never really thought WR Steve Smith leaving was a real possibility, but he did, and will now play for divisional foe Philadelphia. I think Eli bounces back and throws fewer picks, but the Giants remain just a tad above average.

4 - Washington Redskins (3-13)

John Beck or Rex Grossman? Both have looked better than I expected in the Preseason; however, when those two are battling to become your team's starter, you can't be in great shape. I like Tim Hightower this year from a Fantasy standpoint, as he should put up good numbers for Mike Shanahan and Co. I like the pick of Purdue's Ryan Kerrigan to play bookend to OLB Brian Orakpo. This team struggles all year, could be in the Andrew Luck sweepstakes.

AFC East: 2011 Outlook

The AFC East has recently been a two-horse race between the Jets and Patriots, and I don't see any reason why 2011 will be different. This division will play against the AFC West and the NFC East in 2011.

1 - New England (13-3)

Tom Brady, Bill Belichick, Robert Kraft... The New England Patriots have been as consistent as they come for the past decade. I think the Jets have the personnel and coaching to overtake them someday, but I don't think that day will come this season. Adding Chad Ochocinco should prove to be a huge addition to the Offense, giving them another weapon on the outside to open things up even more for their impressive duo of Tight Ends. Once again, the Pats will be in the Super Bowl conversation.

2 - New York Jets (10-6)

I like a lot of things about the Jets - their coach, their defense, their running game... However, I'm not a big fan of Mark Sanchez. I just can't see him getting to the big game. He deserves all the credit in the world for 2 AFC Championship appearances in his first 2 seasons as starter, but I just don't think he's anywhere near the QB that other Super Bowl contenders have (NE, GB, IND, SD, PHI, NO, HOU, ATL, etc). The Defense is among the league's elite, and the Offense is good enough. The Jets will contend for a Wild Card.

3 - Miami (8-8)

Listening to Mike & Mike last week, their expectations for the Dolphins were incredibly low. I like the Dolphins quite a bit more than Golic and Greenberg; I think they have an extremely underrated Defense and an Offense that could surprise some people. While I'm not a believer in Reggie Bush as an every-down back, I do believe rookie Daniel Thomas can do enough to give them a reliable tandem on the ground. Cameron Wake continues ascent, remains among NFL's sack leaders in 2011.

4 - Buffalo (5-11)

Ryan Fitzpatrick had a solid year in 2010, and I think he continues his strong play this season. I like what Stevie Johnson gives their Offense (except for the ill-advised tweets blaming a higher power for dropping a TD pass to beat the Steelers... but... anyhow...) I'm anxious to see what happens at RB between C.J. Spiller and Fred Jackson, and I also am anxious to see how their Linebackers perform. Adding Kirk Morrison and Nick Barnett to a LB corps that already had veterans Andra Davis and Shawne Merriman... could be something to watch.

NFC West: 2011 Outlook

The NFC West was the worst division in all of football last year, and I don't expect 2011 to be any different. The Cardinals appear to be improved on paper, and the Rams should be competitive with a year of experience under QB Sam Bradford's belt. This division will face off against a couple of the deeper divisions in the NFL: the NFC East and the AFC North.

1 - Arizona (8-8)

The Cardinals were atrocious on Offense last year because of their porous QB play. The combination of Derek Anderson, John Skelton, Max Hall, and Richard Bartel produced just 10 Passing TD all year, against 19 combined INT. Wow. By acquiring QB Kevin Kolb and extending WR Larry Fitzgerald's contract, the future looks a little brighter for the Cardinals. I think this team improves, and they battle St. Louis down the stretch for the NFC West title.

2 - St. Louis (8-8)

The Rams had a successful year in 2010; they were a Week 17 win shy of winning the division and heading to the Postseason. Sam Bradford looks the part, and I'm expecting big things from him this year with Josh McDaniels in charge of their Offense. The Defense is better than most give them credit for, and in a weak division, the Rams could make some serious noise. I have both STL and ARI going 8-8; however, it came out that I had the Cardinals sweeping the Rams to win the NFC West.

3 - San Francisco (5-11)

I was a bit surprised that the 49ers were so passive in Free Agency. They let go of CB Nate Clements, and then waited around to replace him with Carlos Rogers. Bringing in Braylon Edwards should prove to be a good move for their not-so-explosive Offense. This team has decent talent; they boast probably the best Linebacker in the league in Patrick Willis. San Fran is good enough to beat anyone in their division, but I think they fall short of being a Playoff contender in 2011.

4 - Seattle (4-12)

How the hell did the Sea-chickens make the Playoffs last year? Outside of a memorable Marshawn Lynch TD last year in the Playoffs, the team didn't make any league-wide noise whatsoever. They tried to bolster their Offense with the additions of WR Sidney Rice (MIN) and TE Zach Miller (OAK), but when they gave Tarvaris Jackson the keys to the Offense, I knew there was no way this team could contend in 2011. Just not a good football team.

AFC West: 2011 Outlook

The AFC West appears to be a division completely up for grabs; San Diego seems to have the most talent, yet Oakland is coming off a season where they went 6-0 in the division, all while the Chiefs are the defending division champions. The West has a bit of a tough draw as far as scheduling in 2011, playing against the NFC North, and the AFC East.

1 - San Diego (12-4)

I'm just waiting for the year that the Bolts put it all together and make a deep playoff run. While I'm not a huge fan of Norv Turner, the Chargers boast one of the league's elite QBs, and serious MVP candidate, in Philip Rivers. If I had to make a Preseason MVP pick, I'd go with Rivers or Aaron Rodgers. Not only is Rivers a great player, but they have formidable weapons around him in the form of huge WR Vincent Jackson, and All-World TE Antonio Gates. The Defense is good enough, the Offense can keep up with anyone. I'm on the San Diego bandwagon this year.

2 - Kansas City (7-9)

The Chiefs caught me, and a lot of others for that matter, by surprise last season. I had previously considered Jamaal Charles as a speedy change-of-pace back, certainly not the first-tier NFL RB he's become. K.C. is coming off a successful season that ended with a home playoff game against Baltimore. I think Dwayne Bowe comes up a bit short of his 15 TD campaign in 2010, and the team takes a small step back in 2011. Chiefs will beat some good teams, not be a contender.

3 - Oakland (6-10)

The Raaaaaidaaas *Chris Berman Voice* enter 2011 with a higher level of confidence than they've had in recent years past. Last season, Oakland went 6-0 against their divisional foes. Darren McFadden stayed healthy and finally looked like the dynamic player they thought he'd be when drafting him #4 overall in 2008. Losing Nnamdi won't help anything for the Raiders, and I just flat out don't like this team's roster enough to consider them a contender. However, I think one of OAK's WRs will break out - J. Ford or D. Moore.

4 - Denver (3-13)

Pretty much all you hear out of Broncos camp is "Tebow this, Tebow that." With Kyle Orton cemented in as the team's opening day starter at QB, the Broncos should be a more competitive team. Orton orchestrated a solid passing attack for Denver in 2010, and I think the Offense should remain a step ahead with him than where they'd be with Tebow. The Defense was porous last year, but the pass rush should improve drastically with the return of Elvis Dumervil, and the addition of 2nd overall pick Von Miller. The team struggles in 2011; could Stanford Alum John Elway be staring Stanford QB Andrew Luck in the face?