AFC East
1. z-New England 14-2 - The Pats won 11 games last year without Tom Brady. Now he's back. Need I say more?
2. Miami 8-8 - With the toughest schedule in the NFL, the 'Fins will have a hard time repeating last season's magic.
3. New York Jets 6-10 - Mark Sanchez won't be the savior Jets' fans are looking for. Not this year, anyway.
4. Buffalo 5-11 - How long will T.O. be happy on a team that can't protect the QB long enough to get him the ball?
AFC North
1. x-Pittsburgh 13-3 - Most of the Super Bowl team is returning. They should make a deep run again.
2. y-Baltimore 12-4 - Joe Flacco is for real. Losing Rex Ryan won't hurt the D too much.
3. Cincinnati 4-12 - Palmer's health is always a concern and Ochocinco is coming off his worst year as a starter.
4. Cleveland 3-13 - The Browns may have the most anemic offense in the league.
AFC South
1. x-Indianapolis 12-4 - They lost Dungy but they still have Peyton Manning.
2. y-Tennessee 10-6 - Albert Haynesworth is now a Redskin but the Titans should still be a playoff team.
3. Houston 8-8 - Matt Schuab has durability issues and the Texans have nobody to back him up. If he stays healthy they could make a run at the playoffs.
4. Jacksonville 5-11 - Jones-Drew is a beast with the ball but Garrard is a question mark. Without a reliable QB, other teams will focus on the running game.
AFC West
1. x-San Diego 11-5 - Phillip Rivers got a huge payday and will play like he deserves it. LT and Sproles will give run defenses fits.
2. Denver 7-9 - Cutler is in Chi-town, Orton is in Denver. Not good for the Broncs. Watch for Knowshon Moreno to make a big impact.
3. Kansas City 7-9 - Matt Cassel will help but he won't have the same support he had in New England.
4. Oakland 4-12 - The Raiders are the most dysfunctional team in the NFL. Al Davis continues to run his team into the ground, Tom Cable lays out an assistant, and good players don't want to be traded to Oakland.
NFC East
1. z-New York Giants 11-5 - Domenik Hixon needs to step his game up with Plax gone. Look for Hakeem Nix to have a monster rookie year.
2. y-Dallas 10-6 - With the departure of the teams biggest divas (T.O. and Jessica) Romo should be able to focus on winning. Patrick Crayton will step up and be one of his favorite targets.
3. Philadelphia 9-7 - The Eagles may be the fastest team in the league. It will be interesting to see how Andy Reid utilizes Mike Vick's athletic abilities.
4. Washington 5-11 - The 'Skins added Haynesworth but still need a franchise QB.
NFC North
1. x-Green Bay 11-5 - Aaron Rodgers looks like he will continue to improve.
2. Chicago 9-7 - Adding Jay Cutler was a great move, but who is he going to throw to? Forte will continue to pound the ground and the defense will help keep games close.
3. Minnesota 8-8 - If Favre plays all 16 games, he will throw more INTs than TDs. If he doesn't, it will be Rosenfels or Jackson. Good thing they have AP.
4. Detroit 2-14 - Good news, Lions fans! Matthew Stafford will get you two more wins than you had last year!
NFC South
1. x-New Orleans 11-5 - The Saints will have an improved defense to go along with an already potent offense.
2. y-Atlanta 10-6 - Falcons will be the first repeat playoff team in the history of the NFC South.
3. Carolina 8-8 - Delhomme is inconsistent. The loss of Maake Kemoeatu to an Achilles injury will hurt the run defense.
4. Tampa Bay 5-11 - The Bucs have a good running game but no QB to worry the defense.
NFC West
1. x-Arizona 10-6 - Kurt Warner and Larry Fitzgerald help make this the best team in a weak division.
2. San Francisco 7-9 - Singletary will continue to whip this team into shape. The QB situation is dicey but Glen Coffee will share the carries with Gore, which should help him stay healthy.
3. Seattle 6-10 - Aaron Curry will be the Defensive ROY. Too bad the rest of the team is injury prone.
4. St. Louis 5-11 - Steven Jackson spent the off-season getting stronger and faster but he's the only bright spot in a dismal offense.
z-Home field throughout playoffs x-Division winner y-Wild Card
AFC Champion: San Diego
NFC Champion: Green Bay
Super Bowl Champion: Green Bay
Awards
MVP: Tom Brady, QB, New England
Offensive Player of the Year: Aaron Rodgers, QB, Green Bay
Defensive Player of the Year: Haloti Ngata, DT, Baltimore
Offensive Rookie of the Year: Knowshon Moreno, RB, Denver
Defensive Rookie of the Year: Aaron Curry, LB, Seattle
Coach of the Year: Sean Payton, New Orleans
