NFL Playoff Predictions: Winners Who Will Claim Conference Supremacy

For any of the eight remaining teams in the 2012 NFL playoffs, winning this weekend is vital to claiming conference supremacy next Sunday in the championship round.

Now that the obvious is out of the way, let us take a closer look at which of the divisional round's four winners will ride a wave of momentum to their respective conference thrones next weekend.

AFC: Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens are by far the most complete team left in the AFC playoffs. When Baltimore is feeding the ball to running back Ray Rice and playing stifling defense, it is impossible to beat. 

John Harbaugh and Joe Flacco will both enjoy their first home playoff game as Ravens in Baltimore this Sunday against the Houston Texans. The Birds are 8-0 at M&T Bank Stadium this season and have looked like Super Bowl favorites on nearly every home occasion. 

Say what you will about the Texans defense and their potent rushing attack, but Houston has yet to beat Baltimore in five tries and lost by more than two touchdowns back in Week 6, even with a healthy first-string quarterback in Matt Schaub. 

Baltimore is allowing less than 15 points per game at home this season, while scoring more than 27 points per game at home. That proves that the Ravens are getting it done on both sides of the ball at home this season.

Baltimore also boasts the fourth-best passing defense and second-best rush defense in all of football, which means it travels well regardless of past defeats. There are no letdowns at this stage of the game. The Ravens are rested and healthy, and that will only make them scarier this January. 

NFC: Green Bay Packers

Besides possessing home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs, the defending Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers sport one of the league's most prolific offensive attacks and arguably the NFL's most dangerous defensive squad when it comes to forcing turnovers.

The Pack tied with the 49ers this season in takeaways, forcing 38 turnovers total in just 16 games. Green Bay's 31 interceptions were tops in the league and mean that the Packers pick off opposing quarterbacks roughly twice a game. That's bad news for New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning, who has tossed 16 interceptions this season.

Let's do the math: If Manning throws a pick per game and the Packers intercept nearly two per game, Green Bay is guaranteed one or two turnovers from No. 10 at Lambeau Field on Sunday. And we all know the significance of turnovers in the postseason. One mistake from Manning could be his last of the season if the Giants aren't careful. 

The Packers are better than anyone at turning turnovers into points, and any added help from the Giants will spell doom for New York, likely in blowout fashion. Green Bay's high-powered attack and big-play defense make it not only the NFC favorite this winter but the Super Bowl favorite as well.