NFL Preview and Predictions

The NFL season opens on Wednesday, when the Dallas Cowboys visit the defending-champion New York Giants, which kicks off 5 straight months of professional football leading up to the biggest day in sports, the Super Bowl. After analyzing each team's performance from last season along with all of its offseason roster moves, I have created a preliminary ranking of all 32 teams, along with projections of which teams will make the playoffs and who will end up in the Super Bowl next February in New Orleans. Each team is listed with last year's final ranking and record, along with their projected final record for this season.

TW. (LW) Team (2011 Record) 2012 Projection
1. (1) New Orleans (13-3) 16-0
2. (5) San Francisco (13-3) 13-3
3. (7) Baltimore (12-4) 14-2
4. (2) New England (13-3) 12-4
5. (20) Chicago (8-8) 12-4
6. (3) Philadelphia (8-8) 10-6
7. (16) NY Jets (8-8) 10-6
8. (23) Buffalo (6-10) 10-6
9. (11) Seattle (7-9) 10-6
10. (8) Detroit (10-6) 10-6
11. (6) Green Bay (15-1) 9-7
12. (28) Denver (8-8) 9-7
13. (12) Dallas (8-8) 9-7
14. (9) Houston (10-6) 9-7
15. (13) Atlanta (10-6) 9-7
16. (17) Carolina (6-10) 8-8
17. (4) NY Giants (9-7) 7-9
18. (19) Cincinnati (9-7) 9-7
19. (15) San Diego (8-8) 10-6
20. (14) Miami (6-10) 8-8
21. (21) Tennessee (9-7) 9-7
22. (10) Pittsburgh (12-4) 9-7
23. (18) Arizona (8-8) 6-10
24. (22) Washington (5-11) 7-9
25. (24) Cleveland (4-12) 5-11
26. (26) Minnesota (3-13) 3-13
27. (32) Tampa Bay (4-12) 5-11
28. (25) Jacksonville (5-11) 3-13
29. (31) Saint Louis (2-14) 1-15
30. (29) Kansas City (7-9) 1-15
31. (27) Oakland (8-8) 2-14
32. (30) Indianapolis (2-14) 1-15

Playoff Predictions

First Round

Eagles over Seahawks
Bears over Lions
Bills over Chargers
Texans over Jets

Second Round

Saints over Eagles
49ers over Bears
Patriots over Texans
Ravens over Bills

Conference Championships

Saints over 49ers
Ravens over Patriots

Super Bowl

Saints over Ravens

New Orleans is in position to become the first team to ever play in the Super Bowl on its home field, and with a schedule that is very favorable, they could even become only the third team to finish the regular season without a loss. Even with the big scandal during the offseason and the accompanying suspensions, the Saints were still able to bring back all of their important players from a team that finished 13-3, and they still have several players left from their Super Bowl team three years ago.

One of the most improved teams this offseason is the Chicago Bears, who brought in solid players at multiple positions, including Jason Campbell to back up Jay Cutler at quarterback and Brandon Marshall to strengthen the receiving corps. The Bears nearly made the playoffs last season, so with the new additions they should challenge for the division title.

It is becoming quite common for one of the teams that played in the Super Bowl to miss the playoffs the following season, and since the Patriots never miss the playoffs, logic dictates that the Giants, who were the final team to make the playoffs last year, will be that team, despite the shiny new trophy in its case. They lost Brandon Jacobs to free agency, and their championship earned them a more difficult schedule for the upcoming season, including games against San Francisco, Pittsburgh, New Orleans, Green Bay, Baltimore,and Cincinnati, in addition to the difficult divisional schedule.

The Indianapolis Colts are opening the season without any quarterback on their roster who took a professional snap last season, which is unheard of in recent memory. Even with top pick Andrew Luck taking the snaps, don't expect to see much improvement from a team that didn't win a game until late December last year. Put a full season under his belt and then we'll see if Luck can get Indianapolis back to the playoffs.

Predictions

Upset picks are in italics.

Wednesday

Dallas at NY Giants - Giants by 2

Sunday

Indianapolis at Chicago - Bears by 36
Philadelphia at Cleveland - Eagles by 13
Saint Louis at Detroit - Lions by 25
New England at Tennessee - Patriots by 8
Atlanta at Kansas City - Falcons by 20
Jacksonville at Minnesota - Vikings by 5
Washington at New Orleans - Saints by 28
Buffalo at NY Jets - Jets by 4
Miami at Houston - Texans by 8
Seattle at Arizona - Seahawks by 2
San Francisco at Green Bay - 49ers by 8
Carolina at Tampa Bay - Panthers by 9
Pittsburgh at Denver - Broncos by 8

Monday

Cincinnati at Baltimore - Ravens by 15
San Diego at Oakland - Chargers by 18