1. New York Jets

(The defense is still very good and I tend to think we’ll see Mark Sanchez take the next step and enter the B-level QB club with guys like Matt Schaub and Eli Manning. And that’s pretty scary if you know who Matt Schaub is.)

2. New England Patriots

(Originally my Super Bowl pick, I then remembered they haven’t won a playoff game since the Super Bowl loss to the Giants. And this team looks an awful lot like last year’s team.)

3. Buffalo Bills

(They will be much improved this year. They could be an 8-8 football team.)

4. Miami Dolphins

(They won’t be an 8-8 football team. But hey, Andrew Luck!)

1. Pittsburgh Steelers

(Surprise: They’re very good.)

2. Cleveland Browns

(Surprise: I think they’re a playoff team and Colt McCoy will be a big reason why.)

3. Baltimore Ravens

(They’re a little old on the defensive side of the ball and a lot boring on the other side. Not a winning formula.)

4. Cincinnati Bengals

(Whatever they’re doing is not a winning formula. But hey, Andrew Luck!)

1. Tennessee Titans

(Because I’m crazy enough to believe that Matt Hasselbeck has one more inexplicable year in him.)

2. Houston Texans

(I’m not quite ready to put a team that has never made the playoffs in the Super Bowl. Sorry.)

3. Indianapolis Colts

(Not so much because of Peyton Manning’s neck. More so because they’re “not very good” defensively.)

4. Jacksvonville Jaguars

(Blaine Gabbert-Be warned about how they treat QBs. And you’re not even a good one.)

1. San Diego Chargers

(They’re so much better than the other 3 teams in this division, they shouldn’t even have to play them.)

2. Kansas City Chiefs

(Like the Houston Texans, except they actually made the playoffs last year.)

3. Denver Broncos

(I like Kyle Orton. But there’s not a lot here to help him.)

4. Oakland Raiders
(I don’t like Jason Campbell and there’s really not much to help him. But hey, Andrew Luck!)

AFC Playoffs

#3. Pittsburgh Steelers over #6. New England Patriots

#5 Cleveland Browns over #4. Tennessee Titans

#3 Pittsburgh Steelers over #1 San Diego Chargers

#2 New York Jets over #5 Cleveland Browns

#2 New York Jets over #3 Pittsburgh Steelers

1. Philadelphia Eagles

(They’re not as good as everyone thinks, but that’s just because they’re not going 16-0.)

2. Dallas Cowboys

(They’re the Cheesecake Factory of football teams. A little bit of everything. Not particularly great anywhere. Very loud.)

3. New York Giants

(They’re the Red Lobster of football teams. That’s to say, I have no interest in Red Lobster.)

4. Washington Redskins

(They’re the “Eating from the dumpster outside of Applebee’s” of football teams. But hey, Andrew Luck.)

1. Green Bay Packers

(They’re better than last year. They happened to win the Super Bowl last year. But will they be hungry?)

2. Detroit Lions

(The greatest team to ever play football despite having no defensive secondary to speak of. The hopes are a little too high.)

3. Minnesota Vikings

(There’s no team in 2011 that I’d rather not watch.)

4. Chicago Bears

(I smell a giant disaster coming out of Soldier Field. That should be fun to watch.)

1. Atlanta Falcons

(I’m driving the bandwagon. Hope aboard.)

2. New Orleans Saints

(A trendy pick for a team with a stable of unhealthy running backs, streaky wide receivers, and a middle-of-the-pack defense.)

3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

(Want to watch a team fall hard this year? Watch the Bears. Want to watch a team buy into their hype only to finish 7-9? Watch Tampa.)

4. Carolina Panthers

(They’ll win 5 games. Cam Newton will have a lot to do with that.)

1. St. Louis Rams

(Because it won’t be anyone else.)

2. Arizona Cardinals

(Not a wild card team. But hey, Kevin Kolb?)

3. San Francisco 49ers

(Not a wild card team. But hey, Andrew Luck.)

4. Seattle Seahawks

(Not a wild card team. But hey, Andrew Luck.)

NFC Playoffs

#3 Philadelphia Eagles over #6 Detroit Lions

#5 Dallas Cowboys over #4 St. Louis Rams

#1 Green Bay Packers over #5 Dallas Cowboys

#2 Atlanta Falcons over #3 Philadelphia Eagles

#1 Green Bay Packers over #2 Atlanta Falcons

SUPER BOWL WHATEVER NUMBER THIS IS

New York Jets over Green Bay Packers

NFL MVP: Phillip Rivers

NFL Offensive Player of the Year: Phillip Rivers

NFL Defensive Player of the Year: Ndamukong Suh

NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year: Julio Jones

NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year: Marcell Dareus

NFL Coach of the Year: Pat Shurmur