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On Wednesday, the defending Super Bowl Champion New York Champion New York Giants kick off the 2012/13 Season on Sept. 5, 2012 at the Met Life Stadium against the much hated Dallas Cowboys. After this past off season that came with a lot of drama, the season could not have come any faster. During the off season, NFL fans heard about the woes of the New York Jets where they gave their supposed starting quarterback Mark Sanchez a new contract with more money, and then they went out, and traded for Denver’s Tim Tebow. The news of Mr. Tebow, and the Jets have dominated not only the New York tabloids’ back pages, but ESPN. ESPN Sports center has turned into Jets Center. Silly me, and I thought there were other teams in the NFL.

The NFL off season also gave us the Peyton Manning drama. It was not enough that during the Super Bowl in Indianapolis, where Peyton’s brother Eli was supposed to be having his day in the sun, that the media focused on Peyton vs Colt’s Owner Jim Irsay, even I think both were at fault, but the whole entire feud was brought out in the open with Irsay cleaning house. Anyway, Petyon finally landed with the Broncos. Of course, Peyton has been under a microscope ever since.

Of course, NFL fans had to deal with hearing about the Saints’ bounty Scandal. It is in the courts now. I have written a blog about how I felt. I have done a bit of rethinking, and even though I still stand by my feelings about Gregg Williams (that he should be thrown out of the NFL), and I don’t have a high opinion of the coach either, but I think the players who were nailed got hit way too hard. Vilma especially got harder than I thought. I think too hard.

However, even though some of that will seep into NFL discussions for this upcoming year, this year is pretty much a new year, and as a fan, and a blogger, (but a fan first) I am thrilled. I am going to see if the Giants, or their Super Bowl opponents can return to the Super Bowl. I want to see how Peyton does after four neck surgeries, and a year away. Every year, there is turnover as far as the playoffs where teams who made it last year, don’t make it the following year. Who will they be, and who will be the new shooters? 2012 sounds like a fun season.

Before I go any further, I am going to go on a little mini rant about something that could cast a pall over the NFL season, at least the first few games. As of this writing, the NFL, and the NFLRA (the referee’s union) have NOT reached an agreement. They attempted to do so this past Friday on August 31, 2012, but failed. As many fans know, the preseason games have been officiated by these substitute referees from high school, to the Lingerie Bowl. They have been HORRIBLE. Now, I KNOW the real referees such as Ed Hochuli, and Mike Carey screw up calls. However, at least they are used to the speed of the game, and know the rules, and updated rules. These refs don’t have a clue what they are doing. They don’t even know where to put the ball after a play. They make blatant incorrect calls that the fans know are wrong. I fear that one of these refs are going to screw up a call where someone gets seriously injured, or costs a team a game, and may indeed cost that team a playoff spot. The NFL, and the NFLRA have to keep working to get an agreement, and get the regular refs back on that field.

[ad 2Well, now that I have said my peace about the refs, I am ready to give my predictions and preview for the 2012/2013 Season, and my predictions for the Super Bowl which takes place in New Orleans, LA.

Before I begin, I wish everyone who roots for whatever team, good luck, and I wish all the teams to have healthy players throughout the year. I also wish those who play Fantasy Football, good luck!

NFC

NFC NORTH

GREEN BAY PACKERS: 13-3
DETROIT LIONS: 10-6
CHICAGO BEARS: 9-7
MINNESOTA VIKINGS: 7-9

Aaron Rodgers is fantastic. He will , barring injury, easily lead the Packers to win the division. I am not in love with the Vikings, as I am not sure how Peterson will do coming off the ACL, and the Chicago Bears don’t impress me that much. Lions should do well if Stafford stays healthy.

NFC WEST

SAN FRANSISCO 49ERS: 12-4
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS: 9-7
ST. LOUIS RAMS: 7-9
ARIZONA CARDINALS: 5-11

49ers may take a slight step back, but should fairly easily win the division. I am not sure how the Seahawks will do with a rookie QB. Coach Carroll must believe in him though. The Rams got Gregg Williams taken from them due to the suspension, so I don’t know how they will be defensively. QB Stafford hopefully will step up. The Cardinals are a dumpster fire, period.

NFC SOUTH

ATLANTA FALCONS: 11-5
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS: 11-5
CAROLINA PANTHERS: 8-8
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS: 5-11

To start with the obvious, Tampa Bay is a mess. We will see if the Panthers’ Cam Newton will have the “Sophomore Slump.” I still don’t like their defense. Even without Coach Payton, the Saints should be able to manage 10 games. Whether Brees can break his own passing record, that is another thing. I have the Falcons winning the division by means of splitting their series with the Saints. I think this division will be competitive.

NFC EAST

GIANTS: 12-4
EAGLES: 11-5
COWBOYS: 9-7
REDSKINS: 9-7 (COWBOYS AND SKINS SPLIT)

This is the toughest division to call. All four teams are hated rivals, and all get physical with each other. They’re all tough to play against. I think Giants just get the division, with the Eagles finishing second. Cowboys, and Redskins finish with the same record, but Cowboys end of ahead due to a split.

PLAYOFF DIVISION WINNERS: GIANTS, FALCONS, PACKERS, 49ers
PLAYOFF WILD CARD WINNERS: EAGLES, SAINTS

Now, let’s go to the

AFC

AFC NORTH

PITTSBURGH STEELERS: 12-4
BALTIMORE RAVENS: 10-6
CINCINNATI BENGALS: 9-7
CLEVELAND BROWNS: 3-13

Well, you have a couple of tough teams in this division. You have two teams that just “hate” each other, the Ravens, and the Steelers. They get together late in the year, but that should be good. They won the division last year, by tiebreaker, but with Terrell Suggs, their best pass rusher out (for now) with an Achilles tear, and an aging defense, and a QB who is trying to show the is the “best,” I think they step back a bit. The Steelers have a new offense, and people doubt if Ben can get along with new offensive coordinator Todd Haley, and learn the offense. I think he can, and fortunately, Mike Wallace, the team’s star wideout came back. I think the Steelers take the division. Bengals will do OK, but miss the playoffs. The Browns are the Browns.

AFC WEST:

SAN DIEGO CHARGERS: 11-5
DENVER BRONCOS: 10-6
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS: 8-8
OAKLAND RAIDERS: 7-9

I did a lot of thinking about this division, and I think the Chargers bounce back from a couple of dismal seasons, and go 11-5, and make the playoffs for a change. Maybe it is hopeful thinking, as I do not like this team much, but it is guess on my part.I am taking Peyton Manning’s health, and the fact he has not played in a year into consideration, so that is why I have the Broncos where I have them. I think they make the playoffs if Manning stays healthy. The Chiefs, and the Raiders are just the other two teams. I don’t think they will do much. I could be wrong, but I don’t think so.

AFC SOUTH

HOUSTON TEXANS: 13-3
TENNESSEE TITANS: 8-8
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS: 7-9
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS: 5-11

Well, after all these years of hearing how Houston is going to break through, it looks like they finally arrived. Well, sort of. I think this team is going to wind up with an awesome record regardless like they did last year. However, what ruined the whole thing is that like many times before, Matt Schaub, their top QB could not stay healthy. They did beat the Bengals in the playoffs last year with the rookie, and had their special teams been in operating order, I think they would have beaten the Ravens. However, I am sure they will win the division. The Titans could challenge, but we will see what Locker does. I know the experts are in total man love with Andrew Luck, and think he may do something with the Colts ala Ben Roethlisberger in 2004, but the guy’s a rookie, and I will judge for myself on Mr. Luck. Jaguars got their weapon, Maurice Jones Drew back, but I still think the Jaguars are going to be in the cellar.

AFC EAST

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS:14-2
BUFFALO BILLS: 8-8
NEW YORK JETS: 7-9
MIAMI DOLPHINS: 6-10

This division was an easy call. The New England Patriots, as long as they got Mr. Thomas Edward Brady under center, and Bill Belichick as head coach, they are going to win a lot of games, and I think they are definitely winning the division. I am not one of the chicken little people worrying about the offensive line, and such. They know what they are doing. I am not buying the Bills. The Bills have improved on their defense, at least on paper. The Dolphins still look like a mess. I can’t even figure the Jets out. Rex Ryan says this is the best team he has had. Rex…..don’t talk……show me. I am going to be “from Missouri” as they say when it come to the Jets. They have to show me.

PLAYOFF DIVISION WINNERS: PATRIOTS, TEXANS, STEELERS, CHARGERS
PLAYOFF WILD CARD WINNERS: BRONCOS, RAVENS

Now, I am not going to go into the entire playoff bit, but I will just give you, my readers my representative for the AFC, and for the NFC, and the winner of the Super Bowl.

For the NFC: SAN FRANCISCO 49ers

For the AFC: TEXANS

WINNER OF SUPER BOWL 47 IS: THE HOUSTON TEXANS

Terri Bey currently blogs for CamelClutchBlog.com about Wrestling, NFL, and other sports/pop culture related subjects. Her work has appeared in BleacherReport and for F4WOnline.com. Terri can be found here at Facebook- http://www.facebook.com/TerriBey and at Twitter- http://www.twitter.com/giopointfan

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