This year the National Football Conference has Super Bowl and playoff caliber teams. The toughest division in the conference, and perhaps the league, this year could be the NFC West. The 49ers and the Seahawks will be the top two teams in the NFC West, and the Rams and Cardinals will both be competitive teams in their own right. Ultimately, I expect the 49ers to win this division. Seattle will be right there with them. Both teams are Super Bowl contenders, but the 49ers are the most complete team in the NFL with a great defense and a more explosive offense.
The NFC North will be another tough conference with the Packers and Bears leading the way. You cannot count out the Vikings with Adrian Peterson running the ball. I expect the Bears to win the North this season over the Packers. Yes, the Packers have the best quarterback in the league, but the Bears have an elite defense and an offense that should be better under new offensive-minded head coach Marc Trestman.
The NFC East does not have an elite team at the top like the other three NFC divisions, but what makes this division interesting is any of the four teams could finish first, last or anywhere in between. The Redskins are the favorite after winning the division last year, but I think the Cowboys will take the East this season. Dez Bryant is primed to become one of the best receivers in the league this year, and under Monte Kiffin, the Cowboys are switching to a 4-3 defense and should be a lot better. I do not trust the Redskins secondary and the Giants have been hit with injuries at multiple positions.
The NFC South could be as good as the West. The Atlanta Falcons will win this division, but the race for number two and a potential wild card spot is going to be fierce. The Saints look to return to dominant form with Sean Payton back as the coach, Cam Newton looks to take the next step and lift the Panthers to new heights and the Buccaneers have addressed their biggest weakness from a year ago, which was the secondary.
The American Football Conference, on the other hand, is not as strong this season but should be interesting to watch. The AFC West is one of the weakest divisions in the NFL. The Broncos are the best overall team in the AFC and should win their division very easily.
The AFC North is the toughest division in the conference. The Bengals, Steelers and Ravens all have legitimate chances to win, and I am rolling with the Steelers to get it done. I know multiple publications are favoring the Bengals, but I do not trust their offense or Andy Dalton. The Ravens do not have enough to win the division after losing Boldin and the leadership of Ray Lewis.
The AFC East is the worst division in the NFL, and the New England Patriots should win it pretty easily, yet again. The Dolphins made a lot of moves in free agency and the draft, but at best they will compete for a wild card spot.
The AFC South will come down to the Texans and Colts, and the Texans should come out on top. I expect the Colts to take a bit of a step back after shocking the world and going 11-5 last season. The Texans are a Super Bowl contender with a good defense and great run game.
I favor the 49ers to win the NFC and the Broncos to win the AFC. With the addition of Wes Welker, the Broncos could be the best offense in the NFL. The 49ers are loaded on both sides of the ball and do not have any glaring weaknesses. I expect these two teams to meet up in the Super Bowl and the 49ers to be the Super Bowl champions this season.
