2011 NFL Predictions: Team-by-Team Records and Playoff Picks

Maybe it is time to go with the Chris Berman theory and keep picking the same two teams to reach the Super Bowl.
Back in the day Berman started a preseason tradition of predicting of a San Francisco 49ers v. Buffalo Bills Super Bowl. For seven consecutive years the Berman theory would have proved half right. The Niners won Super Bowl’s 23 and 24, then the Bills appeared in SB’s 25 through 28 before the Niners won Super Bowl XXIX. Sadly, the stars never quite aligned for Jim Kelly and Steve Young (or Joe Montana) to meet for all the marbles.
Obviously I wouldn’t touch either franchise to get anywhere close to the big game these days. But I’ve got my own two horses…
The Green Bay Packers and San Diego Chargers.
Actually I did not pick GB v. Diego last year. Instead I went with Packers v. the Indy Colts; and actually both picks were looking like a disaster until Green Bay went on a roll starting in Week 16 and completed what I referred to as their ‘NCAA Tournament run’ of winning six straight ‘elimination games’ to win the World Championship.
So why would I go with the Chargers in the AFC??? Simple, if there is any answer to Aaron Rodgers in the NFL, it is Philip Rivers, who is Dan Fouts for a new generation but unfortunately still carries Fouts’ legacy of never getting his team to the Super Bowl.
A closer look at Rivers’ stat-lines from the 2010 season and prior years — 4,700 passing yards, 30 TD’s v. 13 INT’s, 100+ QB rating in each of the past three seasons — shows that they virtually identical to Rodgers in both ’09 and ’10. And unlike the talent Rodgers has in Green Bay, Philip was working with a far more depleted receiving corps last year.
Drew Brees and Tom Brady remain in the conversation as difference makers, but Rodgers and Rivers are the best in the game right now, and history often says it is the best QB’s whose teams make it to that final game. I will go by that premise.
And hopefully be at least half-right…

AFC EAST PREDICTIONS

• New England (13-3) – If you have followed the pre-season, the Patriots were routing opponents in Bret Bielema-like fashion. It’s the post-season where this dynasty has hit the wall lately.

• NY Jets (10-6/Wild Card) – Sunday Night Football Week 1 is an Ari Kaufman special, Cowboys v. Jets, maybe the two most overrated teams in recent civilization.

• Buffalo (7-9) – Finished 2010 season going 4-4 and can’t go wrong getting my men Nick Barnett and Kirk Morrison on board. Don’t sleep too much on the Bills.

• Miami (4-12) – Remember the days when the Dolphins were one of the NFL’s flagship franchises? One thing going for them is that Jerod did put up a $32 bid (or something like that) to acquire Chad Henne during our draft auction.

[Editor's note: It was actually $1. And with the Dolphins sure to be down a lot and needing to pass, and with Henne and Brandon Marshall having a full year to get acclimated with one another, it could end up being the steal of the draft. BRING IT ON KURT!]