In this lengthy and detailed blog I'll make my picks team by team, division by division and finally the playoffs and Super Bowl winner. So let's get going!

NFC East

Dallas Cowboys 12-4 Owner Jerry Jones pressure to get to Super Bowl in home stadium in Dallas. Can they handle it?

New York Giants10-6 If healthy Eli Manning and the 2007 season Super Bowl champions could be underrated and surprise

Philadelphia Eagles 9-7 Can Eagles get better with new qb Kevin Kolb replacing long time legend Donovan McNabb?

Washington Redskins 7-9 Redskins will improve some.How will new coach Mike Shanahan, qb Donovan McNabb and defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth work out?

NFC South

Atlanta Falcons 12-4 Qb Matt Ryan and team develops. My surprise team in NFL

New Orleans Saints 11-5 Very good team lead by QB Drew Brees but Super Bowl repeating is tough.

Carolina Panthers 6-10 New rookie quarterback Jimmy Clausen, transition, changes and could improve.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 4-12 Young team, growing pains in Tampa

NFC North

Green Bay Packers 11-5 Can they live up to the predictions. Is Aaron Rodgers a superstar qb? Defense must improve.

Minnesota Vikings 10-6 Is this the fairy tale ending for qb Brett Favre. Injuries to recievers and Brett production and health a key. Good defense.

Chicago Bears 7-9 Won't be as bad as some think, but still mediorcre with Jay Cutler and offense. Injury prone on defense as well.

Detroit Lions 4-12 Slowly improving, not 0-16 but still a few years away

NFC West

San Fransisco 49ers 10-6 Improving with Coach Mike Singletary who likely has a playoff team and at least an NFC West title probably

Seattle Seahawks 9-7 With coach Pete Carroll as coach I think this team is developing and could surprise

Arizona Cardinals 7-9 A lot of changes especially at qb. Could be lucky to finish around .500

St Louis Rams 3-13 Will first pick Sam Bradford develop at qb and stay injury free. A slow development for the Rams.

AFC East

New York Jets 13-3 Lets see if the Jets can be as good as expected with second year qb Mark Sanchez and cb Darrelle Revis signing.

New England Patriots 11-5 Are qb Tom Brady and Patriots still as good as championship years in playoffs?

Miami Dolphins 9-7 A good young developing team. Could surprise but in a tough division

Buffalo Bills 3-13 A bad team in a tough division.

AFC South

Indianapolis Colts 12-4 Despite Super Bowl loss still a viable team with qb Peyton Manning challenging for a championship.

Houston Texans 10-6 Can they take the next step and go to playoffs?

Tennessee Titans 8-8 A good but not great team. Can Vince Young become a great qb and rb Chris Johnson could get rushing title, 2000 yards and MVP.

Jacksonville Jaguars 5-11 Small market team, not as good as in past years.

AFC North

Baltimore Ravens 11-5 Could be a great team. Lets see how they do with expectations.

Pittsburgh Steelers 10-6 Dont underestimate a Super Bowl championship organization. Expectations are down they often play their best then and they'll get through Ben Roethlisberger's suspension.

Cincinatti Bengals 9-7 This team I think could underacheive with aging Terrell Owens, Chad Ochocinco in their 30s and personality distraction.

Cleveland Browns 6-10 Cleveland will improve under GM Mike Holmgren's direction. Could push for .500

AFC West

San Diego Chargers 10-6 A good team but not a great playoff but still best in AFC West.

Oakland Raiders 9-7 Another surprise team possibly. Raiders are improving if Jason Campbell plays well at qb, good defense.

Kansas City Chiefs 7-9 Improving team but still not quite there yet.

Denver Broncos 4-12 Three Mediocre qb's in Denver. Kyle Orton, Brady Quinn and questionable Tim Tebow as first round draft choice.

 

2010 NFL Playoff Predictions, Byes Noted by Asteriks

NFC Division Champs

NFC East Dallas Cowboys #1 Seed 12-4 *

NFC South Atlanta Falcons #2 Seed 12-4*

NFC North Green Bay Packers #3 Seed 11-5

NFC West San Fransisco 49ers #4 Seed 10-6

Wildcards New Orleans Saints 11-5 #5 Seed

                Minnesota Vikings     10-6 #6 Seed

 

AFC Division Champs

AFC East New York Jets #1 Seed 13-3 *

AFC South Indianapolis Colts #2 Seed 12-4*

AFC North Baltimore Ravens #3 Seed 11-5

AFC West San Diego Chargers #4 Seed 10-6

Wildcards New England Patriots 11-5 #5 Seed

                 Pittsburgh Steelers   10-6  #6 Seed

 

Wildcard Round 

NFC Packers(3) over Vikings(6) in Green Bay. Packer fans serenade Hey Goodbye to Brett Favre and Vikings

NFC Saints(5) over 49ers(4) in San Fransisco. Defending champ Saints aren't done yet and young 49ers aren't ready yet for playoff win

AFC (3) Ravens over (6) Steelers in Baltimore. Ravens are good. I love Steelers, they make playoffs but this isn't quite their year to win especially against talented Ravens.

AFC (5) Patriots over (4) Chargers in San Diego. Patriots are veteran team and Chargers often underachieve in playoffs.

 

Divisional Round

NFC #1 Cowboys over #5 Saints in Dallas. The Cowboys are better this year and end the Saints chance to repeat as champs.

NFC #3 Packers over #2 Falcons in Atlanta. I like the Packers and the surprise Falcons will lose their playoff game after a great regular season

AFC #1 Jets over #5 Patriots in New York. The Jets get over the hump and advance at home against their long time division nemisis the Patriots.

AFC #2 Colts over #3 Ravens in Indianapolis. The Ravens have struggled against the Colts and Peyton Manning in the playoffs.

NFC Championship

Packers vs Cowboys in Dallas. The Packers have struggled in Dallas in the playoffs over the years and the Cowboys want to make the Super Bowl in their home stadium this year. Cowboys 27-17

Colts vs Jets in New York. A very tough game to pick and rematch of last year AFC Championship Game. I like the Jets in New York, but I like the veteran presence of Peyton Manning and the Colts to win even though the game is in cold outdoors and Colts are a dome team. Joe Montana won a NFC title once in Chicago, Tampa Bay beat Philadelphia one year and Colts win 28-24 here.

Super Bowl 45 February 6, 2010 Cowboys Stadium Arlington Texas.

Dallas Cowboys vs Indianapolis Colts.

The Cowboys have made the Super Bowl in their home stadium. But it's not really a home game even though it's in their stadium. An NFL logo will be on the center of the field and not the Cowboys star. It will be a great game but in the end Peyton Manning and the Colts will defeat the Dallas Cowboys 27-24 to end Jerry Jones dream and Peyton Manning establishes himself further with a second Super Bowl championship after last year's upset loss to the Saints. It's also the 40 year anniversary of the Blooper Bowl when the Baltimore Colts beat the Dallas Cowboys 16-13  in Super Bowl 5 on a last second field goal by Jim O Brien in Febuary 1971. I say history repeats itself this year with another Colts win.

Thanks for reading, we'll see what happens and let me know your predictions and thoughts. Best wishes always. bratman