NFL Week 12: Predicting the Division Winners

There are just six weeks left in the 2010 NFL season, and no division leader has more than a one-game lead.

Parody indeed.

Every Sunday this season has been upset-filled, and the league has never been more competitive, as even the bottom feeders such as Cleveland and Dallas have beaten the NFL's best.

But amongst all this chaos somebody has to win. Who?

Easy, just make your way through the slide show to find out.

AFC East: New England Patriots

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FOXBORO, MA - NOVEMBER 21: Devin McCourty #32 of the New England Patriots celebrates with teammates Kyle Love #74 and James Sanders #36 after McCourty intercepted a pass from the Indianapolis Colts on November 21, 2010 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Ma

The Patriots (8-2) are currently second in the AFC East behind the New York Jets, who share the same record but are ahead via a Week 2 win over New England.

The Patriots looked very suspect a few weeks ago in a blowout loss at Cleveland, but before and since that same Browns team has knocked off the Super Bowl-champion New Orleans Saints and nearly defeated the New York Jets.

However, New England erased many of those nightmares in routing the Pittsburgh Steelers on the road, putting up 39 points on one of the league's best defenses.

Just last week the Patriots beat the Indianapolis Colts at home and now look poised to take the division. The Jets are winning, but so are the Patriots, and they're actually doing it convincingly.

AFC North: Pittsburgh Steelers

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PITTSBURGH - NOVEMBER 21: Mike Wallace #17 of the Pittsburgh Steelers celebrates after catching a pass for a first down against the Oakland Raiders during the game on November 21, 2010 at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Jared Wickerha

Pittsburgh (7-3) trails Baltimore in the division due to a Week 4 loss at home to the Ravens. These teams meet once more in Baltimore in Week 13, and the presence of Roethlisberger this time around could be enough for the Steelers to squeak out a win.

Pittsburgh's remaining schedule is also very favorable, as they get Buffalo and Cleveland on the road and Carolina and Cincinnati at home.

The Baltimore game and then a Week 15 matchup with the New York Jets will likely determine whether or not Pittsburgh gets a bye in the first week of the playoffs.

AFC South: Indianapolis Colts

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FOXBORO, MA - NOVEMBER 21: Peyton Manning #18 of the Indianapolis Colts celebrates a touchdown in the fourth quarter against the New England Patriots on November 21, 2010 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts. The Patriots defeated the Colts 31-2

The Colts (6-4) are the third team in as many divisions that should win the division despite trailing another team due to a tiebreaker.

Indianapolis is currently behind the 6-4 Jaguars because of a road loss at Jacksonville earlier this season.

The AFC South is unique, though, in that even the last place Houston Texans are just two games out of first place at 4-6. Also, remember that the Titans cling to a 5-5 record after losing three straight games.

But the Colts get the edge in this division for one reason—Peyton Manning.

AFC West: San Diego Chargers

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SAN DIEGO - NOVEMBER 22: Cornerback Antoine Cason #20 and defensive end Jacques Cesaire #74 of the San Diego Chargers celebrate a stop against the Denver Broncos at Qualcomm Stadium on November 22, 2010 in San Diego, California. The Chargers won 35-14.

Just like in seasons past, the Chargers will rise from the depths of the division to take the crown, proving true the old saying, "It's not how you start but how you finish."

Though they are currently a pedestrian 5-5 and one game behind AFC West-leading Kansas City, San Diego seems poised to recreate history one more time. They've won three straight games and are proud owners of one of the league's hottest quarterbacks, Philip Rivers.

The Oakland Raiders returned to their old ways last Sunday, getting blown out by the Steelers. That opened the door for the Chargers to take the division by beating Oakland and Kansas City on their home field in Weeks 13 and 14, respectively.

NFC East: Philadelphia Eagles

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PHILADELPHIA - NOVEMBER 21: Michael Vick #7 of the Philadelphia Eagles celebrates after defeating the New York Giants at Lincoln Financial Field on November 21, 2010 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images)

Since Michael Vick's return from a rib injury earlier this season, the Eagles have won three straight games, including a record-setting victory over division rival Washington on Monday night in which Vick broke all sorts of records at quarterback.

After the Eagles (7-3) win over the Giants on Sunday, the second division opponent in as many weeks, they are all alone in first place in the NFC East.

Philadelphia still has two games left against the Dallas Cowboys and must play the NFC North-leading Bears on the road this week, but the Redskins and Giants don't look to be much of a threat as of late.

The Eagles have momentum on their side and will look to wrap up one of the toughest divisions in professional sports.

NFC North: Green Bay Packers

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MINNEAPOLIS - NOVEMBER 21: Quarterback Aaron Rodgers #12 of the Green Bay Packers celebrates with Josh Sitton #71 after throwing a touchdown against the Minnesota Vikings at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome on November 21, 2010 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Just five weeks ago the Packers' (7-3) season seemed all but over after suffering their second straight overtime loss and being plagued by the injury bug.

Since then they have won four straight games, and it hasn't even been close. Green Bay is firing on all cylinders as of late, shutting out the Jets on the road and trouncing Dallas and Minnesota by a combined 66 points.

Though we can't forget about the Chicago Bears, who lead the division due to a Week 3 win over Green Bay, Chicago has an extremely challenging schedule the rest of the way and will be lucky to finish 9-7 this season.

The Vikings and Lions are out of the race, so enter the Green Bay Packers.

NFC South: New Orleans Saints

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NEW ORLEANS - NOVEMBER 21: A fan of the New Orleans Saints cheers against the Seattle Seahawks at Louisiana Superdome on November 21, 2010 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

The defending Super Bowl champions will do just that and defend their division this season, finishing just ahead of the Atlanta Falcons.

New Orleans (7-3) trails Atlanta by one game. However, the Saints' schedule is much easier than the Falcons' from Week 12 on out, and that should be the deciding factor.

The key games will be on the road at Baltimore and Atlanta in Weeks 15 and 16, respectively. But the Saints' next three games are against Dallas, Cincinnati and St. Louis, a combined record of 9-21.

The Buccaneers are also creeping around, at 7-3, but they've been feasting on weak competition and were taken to the woodshed the last time they played New Orleans, suffering a 31-6 loss at home.

The Saints have won three straight and have Reggie Bush returning to the lineup. Who Dat Nation, rejoice.

NFC West: Seattle Seahawks

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NEW ORLEANS - NOVEMBER 21: Ben Obomanu #87 of the Seattle Seahawks reacts after scoring a touchdown against the New Orleans Saints at Louisiana Superdome on November 21, 2010 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Perhaps the most difficult division to predict, the NFC West has been up for grabs all season long. It's the only division in which every team has a negative point differential.

The Seahawks (5-5) are currently on top, though even the last place Arizona Cardinals are just two games out of first with a pitiful 3-7 record.

However, Seattle has been by far the most consistent team in the division.

The Seahawks remaining schedule isn't a walk in the park by any means, but we haven't exactly seen anything from the other NFC West competitors that makes us think Seattle won't win the division at 8-8 or even 7-9.

Comments

Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

ATLANTA - NOVEMBER 11: Quarterback Matt Ryan #2 of the Atlanta Falcons converses with quarterback Joe Flacco #5 of the Baltimore Ravens after the Falcons 26-21 win at Georgia Dome on November 11, 2010 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Im

Have any thoughts on who will win their respective division? Please comment and hopefully we can start some arguments.

Patrick Clarke is a student at Towson University and writing intern for Bleacher Report.