NFL Playoff Prediction: Green Bay and Other Teams That Will Earn First-Round Bye

Okay, so we know the Packers will have a first-round bye unless someone kidnaps Aaron Rodgers, allowing the 49ers to catch up in the standings. But how will the other first-round byes be distributed? Well, I'll tell you.

In the NFC, the Niners are as big a shoo-in for the second bye as Green Bay is for the top spot. At 10-2, with their only stumbles coming in Week 2 against Dallas and the Thanksgiving Harbaugh Bowl against the Ravens, the 49ers are solid.

Believe it or not, they can and will beat Green Bay, given the chance.

I know that is a bold statement, but the blueprint is being written to defeat the Packers. It starts with strong defensive line play and zone integrity in pass coverage, two areas in which the Niners defense excels.

The Niners' nasty ground game and Alex Smith's ability to make plays with his feet and take care of the ball is perfect to knock off the Packers. Watch for it, should the situation permit—this is an early upset call.

In the AFC, the Patriots are hitting their stride at just the right time. What is even more dangerous for the rest of the NFL is that the Pats are receiving little attention during their current four-game win streak. As you scan their remaining schedule, (at Washington and Denver and at home against Miami and Buffalo), I predict that win streak will grow to an eight-game run.

The Patriots will finish 13-3, earning the top spot in the conference.

The other top spot will be a bit more difficult to predict. The Steelers, Ravens and Texans are all in contention. The Texans have too many injuries and the Ravens own the tiebreaker over the Steelers. 

The Ravens' re-commitment to Ray Rice and the emergence of Torrey Smith as a deep threat have made the Ravens something they have never been: balanced offensively.

The defense is playing like a Ravens defense-plus. Why? To withstand the injury of emotional leader Ray Lewis without missing a beat shows this team is as dangerous as it has ever been.

The Ravens will get the second first-round bye at 12-4.