2012 NFL Predictions: Picking Every Game for Every AFC Team

13 days from today, the 2012 NFL regular season will commence.

When the Cowboys travel to New York to face the Giants, NFL fans will finally have football back.

Fantasy football, survivor leagues, man caves and watching NFL programming for the majority of your Sunday will be the norm once again.

Now that training camps are almost over and we're starting to get an idea of who will do what, I did what many of you have done or will do: predict team records.

Only this time, I went through every single AFC game of the regular season and predicted the outcome. There were tiebreaker situations all over the place. Similar to last season, I predict that this season there will be two clear favorites in the conference.

Whatever happens, this should be another season filled with excitement, angst, trial and triumph.

AFC North

Ravens

Prediction: 12-4 (5-1)

Home: 7-1

Road: 5-3

2011 record: 12-4 (8-0, division champion)

Steelers

Prediction: 9-7 (4-2)

Home: 5-3

Road: 4-4

2011 record: 12-4 (4-2)

Bengals

Prediction: 7-9 (2-4)

Home: 3-5

Road: 4-4

2011 record: 9-7 (2-4)

Browns

Prediction: 5-11 (1-5)

Home: 4-4

Road: 1-7

2011 record: 4-12 (0-6)

Analysis

When you want to figure out which team is the best in the AFC North, you need look no further than the Ravens and the Steelers. Including the playoffs, the Ravens and Steelers have faced off 35 times in 16 years—the most meetings between any two divisional opponents in that time.

Pittsburgh holds the edge in the all-time series, 21-14. The Ravens have won three of the last five games.

Either way you look at it, this series and this division is going to be close. All four teams in the division finished with their overall defense ranked in the top 10 in the league last season. Baltimore, Pittsburgh and Cincinnati all made the playoffs as well.

The Ravens seem to be more healthy and younger than the Steelers. The Bengals are probably still another year away from making a serious run. And while the Browns should finish fourth, they won't be an easy out.

AFC South

Texans

Prediction: 10-6 (6-0)

Home: 5-3

Road: 5-3

2011 record: 10-6 (4-2, division champion)

Titans

Prediction: 7-9 (3-3)

Home: 2-6

Road: 5-3

2011 record: 9-7 (3-3)

Colts

Prediction: 3-13 (2-4)

Home: 1-7

Road: 2-6

2011 record: 2-14 (2-4)

Jaguars

Prediction: 1-15 (1-5)

Home: 0-8

Road: 1-7

2011 record: 5-11 (3-3)

Analysis

The AFC South is probably the easiest division in the league to win. Besides the Texans, the starting quarterbacks from the other three teams (Blaine Gabbert, Andrew Luck, Jake Locker) have combined for a total of 14 career starts—all by Gabbert. Furthermore, Jacksonville and Indianapolis are each being led by a first-time head coach.

Houston's defense finished last year ranked second overall, and they won a playoff game with their third-string quarterback.

Although Andrew Luck and Chris Johnson should have very nice seasons, making these predictions isn't like managing a fantasy football team. The Texans are simply the best team in the division and it's not close.

Put it this way: if Houston doesn't win the division going away, they have a problem. A big one.

AFC East

Patriots

Prediction: 12-4 (5-1)

Home: 6-2

Road: 6-2

2011 record: 13-3 (5-1, division champion)

Dolphins

Prediction: 9-7 (3-3)

Home: 6-2

Road: 3-5

2011 record: 6-10 (3-3)

N.Y. Jets

Prediction: 7-9 (2-4)

Home: 2-6

Road: 5-3

2011 record: 8-8 (3-3)

Bills

Prediction: 6-10 (2-4)

Home: 4-4

Road: 2-6

2011 record: 6-10 (1-5)

Analysis

Like the AFC South, not much needs to be said about who the favorite is to win this division.

In eight out of the last 10 seasons, the Patriots have been the AFC East Champions. In 2008 and in 2002 (the two years they didn't win the division), they had the same record as the division champion of that year (Miami Dolphins on both occasions).

2008 was also the year Tom Brady was injured in Week 1 after attempting only 11 passes.

Buffalo has three studs defensively in Mario Williams, Marcell Dareus and Stephon Gilmore. New York is always tough, despite their troubles. Miami may not have good receivers, but their core of running backs are young, fast and hungry.

But besides Brady and the offense, the Patriots have two new defenders for their opponents to worry about. Defensive end Chandler Jones and linebacker Dont'a Hightower should certainly help improve upon New England's 31st-ranked defense of a year ago.

In other words, the Patriots' only weakness just got younger, bigger and more athletic.

AFC West

Chiefs

Prediction: 9-7 (3-3)

Home: 5-3

Road: 4-4

2011 record: 7-9 (3-3)

Broncos

Prediction: 8-8 (3-3, division champion)

Home: 4-4

Road: 4-4

2011 record: 8-8 (3-3)

Raiders

Prediction: 8-8 (3-3)

Home: 5-3

Road: 3-5

2011 record: 8-8 (3-3)

Chargers

Prediction: 8-8 (3-3)

Home: 6-2

Road: 2-6

2011 record: 8-8 (3-3)

Analysis

Each team besides the Chiefs finished last season with an 8-8 record.

Yes, Peyton Manning is on the Broncos, but I still don't see that much changing. He hasn't played consistent, competitive football in 20 months, and he's playing in Denver, which has much different game-day conditions than Indianapolis.

Philip Rivers should bounce back from last season, when he threw 20 interceptions (the most of his career). Oakland should be their usual physical selves, but may still lack direction.

Kansas City gets back their starting running back (Jamaal Charles), tight end (Tony Moeaki) and free safety (Eric Berry) this season. Moeaki missed all of 2011, while Charles and Berry combined for just two starts last year.

Now with Romeo Crennel as the permanent head coach and with all of their stars being back healthy, it's as if the Chiefs are breathing a collective breath of fresh air. They were a game away from the division title with all of that adversity. Now, they're firmly the favorite to win the AFC West.

Final AFC Standings

1. Ravens (12-4)

2. Patriots (12-4)

3. Texans (10-6)

4. Chiefs (9-7)

5. Steelers (9-7)

6. Dolphins (9-7)

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7. Broncos (8-8)

8. Raiders (8-8)

9. Chargers (8-8)

10. Bengals (7-9)

11. Jets (7-9)

12. Titans (7-9)

13. Bills (6-10)

14. Browns (5-11)

15. Colts (3-13)

16. Jaguars (1-15)

Notes

• Ravens received tiebreaker over Patriots due to projected head-to-head victory (Week 3 versus New England)
• Chiefs received tiebreaker over Steelers due to projected head-to-head victory (Week 10 at Pittsburgh)
• Steelers received tiebreaker over Dolphins due to projected strength of victory
• Jaguars only projected win: Week 3 at Indianapolis

AFC Playoff Matchups

Wildcard Round (1/5/13-1/6/13)

• 6 Dolphins at 3 Texans (re-match, Week 1 at Houston)

• 5 Steelers at 4 Chiefs (re-match, Week 10 at Pittsburgh)
  

Divisional Round (1/12/13-1/13/13)

• 4 Chiefs at 1 Ravens (re-match, Week 5 at Kansas City)

• 3 Texans at 2 Patriots (re-match, Week 14 at New England)

Conference Championship (1/20/13)

• 2 Patriots at 1 Ravens (re-match, Week 3 at Baltimore)
  

AFC Champion

Baltimore Ravens

Analysis

If you saw the AFC Championship game seven months ago, you know how much the Ravens want another shot at the Patriots.

Joe Flacco thoroughly outplayed Tom Brady and the Ravens played poorly on run defense, but still had an excellent chance to win.

For a team that is so talented to be this focused, and considering their perennial playoff success, they have to be one of the three favorites to reach the conference championship.

Of course, they do face a tough schedule and they must stay healthy. But if you objectively looks at the numbers, the Ravens (along with the Patriots and the Steelers) are the best the AFC has to offer.