Andrew Phillips NFL Predictions

NFC North

1. Green Bay Packers

With a solidified offensive line and a defense going into its second year under Dom Capers, the Packers should not only have the edge over Minnesota in their division, but be serious contenders for the Super Bowl.

2. Minnesota Vikings

The Vikings’ defense is aging, and there’s no guarantee Brett Favre will have another season like last year – especially with RB Chester Taylor, one of his favorite targets, gone to Chicago.

3. Detroit Lions

Safety Louis Delmas has predicted that the once-lowly Lions will win eight games this year. With a young core led by QB Matthew Stafford and WR Calvin Johnson on offense, and a strengthened defensive line, he just might be right.

4. Chicago Bears

Bears fans are hopeful as usual about the season, but Mike Martz’s pass-happy offense won’t help interception-prone Jay Cutler – or the Bears’ defense, which is nowhere near its 2006 Super Bowl form.

NFC South

1. New Orleans Saints

The defending Super Bowl champions lost a few pieces on defense, but star QB Drew Brees is still in his prime, and the Saints’ offense should be high-flying once again.

2. Carolina Panthers

Once QB Matt Moore took over for a struggling Jake Delhomme last year, the Panthers started to have success. Regardless of their QB this year – either Moore or talented rookie Jimmy Clausen – the Panthers should have a chance at a wild-card berth.

3. Atlanta Falcons

Young stars QB Matt Ryan and RB Michael Turner look to improve on Atlanta’s disappointing season last year, but the Falcons haven’t yet improved their defense enough to be consistent playoff contenders.

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Bucs are definitely on the rise, led by second-year QB Josh Freeman and second-year coach Raheem Morris. But in a division as tough as the NFC South, they will have a hard time finishing anywhere but last this year.

NFC East

1. Dallas Cowboys

Jerry Jones traded up in this year’s draft to get WR Dez Bryant, hoping he finally got the big-time receiver he passed up on a decade ago in Randy Moss, and more recently failed to get in Terrell Owens and Roy Williams. With Bryant and Miles Austin on the outside, QB Tony Romo should finally have the receiving core he needs to get the Cowboys to Super Bowl XLV – played in Jones’ new stadium.

2. Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles made headlines this offseason by trading longtime QB Donovan McNabb to the Redskins, their division rivals. But led by new QB Kevin Kolb and RB LeSean McCoy, the Eagles’ offense shouldn’t miss a beat.

3. New York Giants

The Giants haven’t been paid much attention since they won the Super Bowl three years ago, and rightly so. As their late-season collapse last year showed, the Giants are a team in need of some change – albeit small change – before they can return to the playoffs.

4. Washington Redskins

The additions of Donovan McNabb, a whole stable of running backs, and new coach Mike Shanahan all look very good on paper, but owner Dan Snyder still thinks he can buy a team – and he’s still wrong. Even the McNabb trade won’t be enough to get the Redskins anywhere near the Eagles in the standings. The Redskins need chemistry, and identity for that matter.

NFC West

1. San Francisco 49ers

The 49ers still might not have a franchise quarterback, but with coach Mike Singletary’s smashmouth style of play, they might not have to. With two first-round picks to solidify their offensive line, the 49ers should finally capture the NFC West crown.

2. Seattle Seahawks

There’s been a lot of talk about whether new coach Pete Carroll can make the transition from college to the NFL. The real question should be not if, but how long it will take him to make the Seahawks a Super Bowl contender. With an excellent first draft class, Carroll and new GM John Schneider (who used to work in the Packers’ front-office) should at least have Seattle in the playoff hunt this year.

3. Arizona Cardinals

The astounding difference between the Packers’ Week 17 game last year against the Matt Leinart-led Cardinals, and their wild-card game against the Kurt Warner-led Cardinals, should illustrate just how much worse Arizona will be this year after Warner’s retirement.

4. St. Louis Rams

With their selection of QB Sam Bradford first overall in the draft, the Rams are on the way up. Led by Bradford, head coach Steve Spagnuolo and offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur (son of former Packers coach Fritz Shurmur), they could be fighting for a playoff berth sometime in the next few years. Just not this year.

AFC North

1. Cincinnati Bengals

The Bengals made great additions on offense in rookies Jordan Shipley (WR) and Jermaine Gresham (TE) and veteran Terrell Owens (WR), making their passing game just as dangerous as a running game led by the resurgent Cedric Benson. Their defense, led by underrated coordinator Mike Zimmer, is well on its way to elite status, and head coach Marvin Lewis could finally be rewarded for the years he’s spent rebuilding what was once a struggling franchise.

2. Baltimore Ravens

Long a force on defense, the Ravens’ offense should take the next step this year with the addition of WR Anquan Boldin. The defense, however, might take a step back this year with several injuries already stretching Baltimore’s defensive backfield thin.

3. Pittsburgh Steelers

QB Ben Roethlisberger is in trouble again, this time suspended six games for an alleged sexual assault. Without Roethlisberger to start the season, the Steelers’ offense – already missing recently-traded WR Santonio Holmes – won’t be the same.

4. Cleveland Browns

New team president Mike Holmgren should have fired coach Eric Mangini as soon as he arrived in town. Until he does, the Browns will continue to be one of the NFL’s worst teams.

AFC South

1. Indianapolis Colts

The Colts didn’t make many changes this offseason. Their success shouldn’t change much either.

2. Houston Texans

The Texans are on the verge of becoming consistent playoff contenders. But until they make some serious upgrades to skill positions on offense, as well as their defensive backfield, they will have a hard time actually making the playoffs – especially with the NFL’s toughest schedule in 2010.

3. Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jags’ pass rush should improve this year with the addition of DE Aaron Kampman, but little else has changed. Jacksonville will once again be a solid team, but even an unlikely playoff berth might not be able to keep the team from moving to Los Angeles.

4. Tennessee Titans

With QB Vince Young having off-field issues once again this offseason, and DE Kyle Vanden Bosch and LB Keith Bulluck both gone, the Titans lack leadership. And with star RB Chris Johnson missing time due to contract negotiations, coach Jeff Fisher’s team might not have quite as much success as last year.

AFC East

1. Miami Dolphins

The additions of WR Brandon Marshall and LB Karlos Dansby – who should both be stars for Miami – got a lot of attention. But the biggest change might be the addition of new defensive coordinator Mike Nolan, who turned the Broncos’ defense around last year. Led by young QB Chad Henne, the Dolphins are quietly becoming Super Bowl contenders.

2. New England Patriots

As long as coach Bill Belichick and QB Tom Brady are around, the Pats won’t be too far from the playoffs. But until they improve an aging defense, New England will have a tough time consistently winning its division.

3. New York Jets

This pick might surprise some, given the Jets’ additions of RB LaDanian Tomlinson, WR Santonio Holmes, LB Jason Taylor, and CB Antonio Cromartie, among others, but New York’s biggest moves this offseason were the releases of RB Thomas Jones and G Alan Faneca. Without them, the Jets’ team chemistry – and their running game – will suffer.

4. Buffalo Bills

Playing once again in a college-style offense – that of new head coach Chan Gailey – QB Brian Brohm might finally perform like the Packers expected him to when they drafted him in the second round two years ago. Even the addition of exciting rookie RB C.J. Spiller, however, will not make the Bills better than any other team in their division.

AFC West

1. San Diego Chargers

The Chargers lost the face of their franchise this offseason with the departure of RB LaDanian Tomlinson. But first-round pick RB Ryan Matthews could make San Diego’s ground attack even more solid than it was last year, and even the potential losses of WR Vincent Jackson and T Marcus McNeill shouldn’t prevent the Chargers from winning their division.

2. Oakland Raiders

When Bruce Gradkowski (aka not JaMarcus Russell) was starting at QB for the Raiders last year, they beat the likes of Cincinnati and Pittsburgh. This year, with new QB Jason Campbell and new offensive coordinator Hue Jackson, the Raiders could finally make the playoffs.

3. Kansas City Chiefs

With a two-headed backfield of emerging star Jamaal Charles and free-agent signee Thomas Jones, and the hiring of offensive coordinator Charlie Weis, QB Matt Cassel should have more success in his second year as a starter. The Chiefs have the beginnings of a very solid team.

4. Denver Broncos

Between Kyle Orton (last year’s starter), Tim Tebow (this year’s first round pick), and Brady Quinn (acquired in a trade with the Browns this offseason), no one really knows who will start at quarterback for the Broncos. Unless he can figure it out soon, coach Josh McDaniels could be on the hot seat.

Playoff Predictions

Numbers indicate seedings

NFC Wild-card Games:

(3) New Orleans Saints over (6) Minnesota Vikings

(4) San Francisco 49ers over (5) Philadelphia Eagles

AFC Wild-card Games:

(3) Miami Dolphins over (6) Oakland Raiders

(4) San Diego Chargers over (5) Baltimore Ravens

NFC Divisional Games:

(1) Dallas Cowboys over (4) San Francisco 49ers

(2) Green Bay Packers over (3) New Orleans Saints

AFC Divisional Games:

(1) Cincinnati Bengals over (4) San Diego Chargers

(2) Indianapolis Colts over (3) Miami Dolphins

NFC Conference Championship Game:

(1) Dallas Cowboys over (2) Green Bay Packers

AFC Conference Championship Game:

(1) Cincinnati Bengals over (2) Indianapolis Colts

Super Bowl:

Cincinnati Bengals over Dallas Cowboys