Super Bowl Predictions 2012: Why New England Patriots Should Be Worried

The New England Patriots are always dangerous under Tom Brady's guidance.

But they should be worried about every team remaining in the playoff picture.

The Patriots face the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Championship Game. The Ravens have one of the best defenses in the league and an offense that has the ability to put up points. Some may say they don't score enough, but the Pittsburgh Steelers had a worse offense this season and they still beat the Patriots 25-17.

At this point, I'm convinced a team needs at least one of these three things to beat the Patriots—a strong pass rush, a lockdown pass defense or an offense so explosive that it can legitimately outscore Tom Brady and Co.

The Ravens, it just so happens, have two of these things, collecting 48 sacks and allowing 196.3 passing yards per game during the regular season. They were a nightmare for Houston Texans rookie quarterback TJ Yates in the Divisional Round, forcing him to throw three interceptions.

But let's just say the Patriots defeat the Ravens. They would then face either the San Francisco 49ers or the New York Giants in the Super Bowl.

The 49ers may have a better defense than the Ravens. They allowed 14.3 points per game while collecting 42 sacks this season. They also shut down the run, allowing a league-best 3.5 yards per carry.

On top of that, the 49ers as a team are simply on a roll, evidenced by their thrilling 36-32 victory over the New Orleans Saints in the Divisional Round. The offense, including quarterback Alex Smith, seems to get better with every passing game.

Of course, if the Patriots face the Giants instead, Brady goes up against the quarterback who beat him four years ago in Super Bowl XLII, putting an end to the Patriots' dreams of going undefeated. That's right, Eli Manning, the same Eli Manning who is currently on a roll himself. FYI—Manning passed for 330 yards and three touchdowns in the Giants' 37-20 upset of the Green Bay Packers.

As vaunted as the Patriots appear to be every season, this may be their greatest challenge yet—running the gauntlet in search of their fourth championship under Brady.

They have a whole lot of work to do.