NFL Guide

By Jeremy Gottlieb, Patriots Daily staff

The playoffs are just around the corner and we thought all treating you, our loyal readers, some mortal lock, the predictions of experts. Why? Because we love you. So without further ado, here are some teams in the playoffs, the seeds of confrontation and final records. Mark it, dude.

AFC: 1. Indianapolis (15-1), 2. San Diego (12-4), 3. Cincinnati (11-5), 4. New England (10-6). 5. (Wildcard # 1) Denver (10-6), 6. (Wildcard # 2) Pittsburgh (9-7).

Despite their recent troubles, the Patriots held off the dolphins and take the Middle-AFC by one game. Much pressure is off the Broncos thank you to their last two victories and now, to finish 2-2 in their last four games will get them in. The final spot going to be the Steelers, Ravens and Jaguars. Given the timing of each team, Pittsburgh is the most likely choice, as they get Cleveland, two home games, including one against Baltimore, where they could bounce the Ravens, and a visit to Miami for a game that will not sense for the Dolphins.

Wildcard Round: New England over Denver, Pittsburgh over Cincinnati.

The Patriots may not be the same team as they were for much of the decade, but they will not lose a second game in the same team in the same season, especially if this game is in Foxboro. Pittsburgh knows something about entering Cincinnati six seeds in a wildcard game and come out alive. Add to that the difficulty level for a team to beat three times in a season, and the stars are aligned for the Steelers.

Divisional Round: Indianapolis over Pittsburgh, San Diego over New England

The Steelers simply do not have enough firepower on defense to stay with the Colts this year, even if Troy Polamalu is back, this game will be tight. The Chargers are the property of the Pats in the playoffs and Norv Turner vs. Bill Belichick is and always has been a shift in coaching, even if Belichick does not have his best year.But with the game in San Diego, the Chargers healthier and more experienced than when the Pats beat them there in a game of division in 2006 and defensive problems New England, this will be the year the Chargers to pass more East Coast their nemesis....

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