2008 NFL Playoffs Predictions: the NFC

It's never too late to start looking past the preseason, and to the start of the NFL's grueling 17 week, 16-game schedule. Heck, it's never too early to look past the regular season, too. Henceforth, I offer up my picks of what teams will make the playoffs in the upcoming season. 

NFC

I have to once again pick the Cowboys to be the top team in the conference.  Even with the defending Super Bowl champion in their division, this team looks too good on paper to be slowed down. Expect a repeat of last year's 13-3 effort. 

The addition of Felix Jones to complement Marion Barber was a great move in the draft, especially considering that the team lost Julius Jones to the Seahawks via free agency. Pacman Jones could turn out to be a steal or a waste of a trade, but I am feeling that they can harness him and keep him in check. I mean, c'mon, this is a team that keeps Terrell Owens happy (for the most part).

Speaking of Julius Jones and the Seahawks, expect them back in the playoffs in 2008. I can't see any teams in their division making a push against them. The Rams looked flat all last season. Even though injuries played a part, I don't think that is a team with enough weapons to make a move in the NFC West.

The 49ers three-way competition for the quarterbacking job shows no promising candidates, and I think it's time to throw the bust label on Alex Smith and move on. The Cardinals have the potential to do well, but that's what I've been saying for the last three years. Kurt Warner and Matt Leinart don't add up to a formidable starter.

If the Seahawks do any better than .500, then they will win this division. I see them finishing at 9-7 and making an early first-round exit to a better wild-card team.

The NFC South is a tricky division to predict. There's the Bucs, who won it last year at an unimpressive 9-7, as well as the Carolina Panthers and the New Orleans Saints.

I like the Saints to take the division this year. This team looked like a shell of its '06 self in 2007, as they sputtered out of the gate before playing well down the stretch. Quarterback Drew Brees got off to a slow start especially, and his play should be a lot better in 2008. A defense that was improved in the draft should hold up with the talented offense putting points on the board, earning the Saints an 11-5 record and a first-round bye in the playoffs.

Finally, the division that was the Packers' for the taking last year: the NFC North.  But wait, no Brett Favre! This is a four-horse race, and there is no Big Brown to run wild all over the competition. Can Aaron Rodgers lead his team to a division championship? Can the Lions finally produce winners on the field after years of despair? Do the Bears have an answer at quarterback? Can rookie sensation Adrian Peterson avoid a sophomore slump? Every team has questions to answer.

After examining each teams' strengths and weaknesses, I like the Vikings to win this division. A great defense and a solid, smash-mouth run game with Peterson and Chester Taylor that can also make the finesse runs and open up the passing attack, should be good enough to win this division at 10-6 and edge out the other contenders, who all look like they can fall anywhere between 6-10 and 9-7.

I will keep this short and sweet. The Giants won the Super Bowl. If the Cowboys weren't in their division, they'd probably get a first-round bye. Expect a rarity with a 12-4 wild card team.

That second wild card slot is much tougher to fill. Here is a list of team that will be fighting for it:

Redskins

Eagles

Lions

Bears

Packers

Cardinals

Buccaneers

Panthers

Expect this spot to remain vacant until Week 17.  9-7 will be good enough, but two or more of these teams may finish at that record and it will come down to tiebreakers. I like the Eagles to take this spot.

I am feeling a full, healthy year for McNabb, and I cannot back that up with any hard evidence; I just think he will stay healthy. Kevin Curtis really emerged as a playmaker at wide receiver last year, and Brian Westbrook is the most intelligent running back in the NFL in terms of football knowledge. Who can forget his kneel down that cost so many people their week in fantasy football? Oh, yeah, and they signed a guy you might have heard of at cornerback: Asante Samuel.

I predict two big division wins over the Redskins, as well as a road victory over Chicago and a home win over the Cardinals (making the Eagles 4-0 against the aforementioned contenders for this sixth and final playoff spot) to be key wins for the Eagles.

In the playoffs, I like the Giants and Eagles to move out of the wildcard round, meaning three NFC East teams and the Saints will remain. A rematch of last year's Giants-Cowboys game will unfold, only this time the Cowboys will reign supreme.

Two years removed from an NFC title game are both the Eagles and Saints.  Expect the Saints to move on and lose a one-sided affair to the Cowboys, who will find their way back to the Super Bowl for the first time since Troy Aikman was at the helms. Will they win it all? Stay tuned for my AFC preview to find out.