Bet The House!

Just kidding!  As promised NFC predictions for 2010. AFC offered earlier with Colts over Chargers (or Ravens) in AFC Championship game (full post here).

NFC East

1. Cowboys (11-5 in '09) So they get a playoff win for the first time in 12 years and those waving the flag for America's team have them in their home-town Super Bowl. Not so fast, remember the last game they played was a 34-3 butt kicking playoff loss to the Vikings, but this is a quality team and a Super Bowl contender.

2. Eagles (11-5 in '09) No McNabb, no Westbrook no playoffs? Donovan McNabb didn't win a Super Bowl but he took the Eagles to the playoffs 8 times. Kevin Kolb gets the ball and the Eagles offense has a terrific young core of playmakers with DeSean Jackson, LeSean McCoy and Jermey Macklin. The defense looks solid,  if Kolb holds his own double digits wins are possible.

3. Giants (8-8- in '09) The best thing that happened to the Giants in the off-season? Rex Ryan and Jets, with all the bluster from their stadium roommates the Giants have gone to work under the radar.  After missing the playoffs for the first time in five years there is plenty of work to do. Eli Manning threw for over 4-thousand yards in '09, with the no longer "other" Steve Smith catching 107 passes for 1,220 yards.  The Ahmad Bradshaw/Brandon Jacobs running game needs to get better and the real key will be the defensive front 7.

4. Redskins (4-12 in '09) The Mike Shanahan vs. Albert Haynesworth realty show got old fast.  Donovan McNabb is a 6- time Pro Bowl QB who immediately makes this team better. McNabb has 2 quality tight ends in Chris Cooley and Fred Davis but after that plenty of question marks at RB, WR and the O-line.  Jim Haslett is the new defensive coordinator and should make a good group better. A four game improvement to 8-8 might be a good start for Mike Shanahan's Skins.

NFC West

1. 49ERS (8-8 in '09) Somebody has to win the division why not Mike Singletary's 49ers. They have two former number one picks in the draft in quarterbacks Alex Smith and David Carr if they can't do it maybe Heisman winner Troy Smith can help. Plenty of playmakers in Frank Gore, Terp Vernon Davis and Michael Crabtree and star linebacker Patrick Willis.  Best in the West if the QB doesn't do them in.

2. Cardinals (10-6 in '09) Warner retired, Leinhart exiled, Boldin traded and an overhauled offensive line... these are not your Super Bowl Cardinals. Derrick Anderson, back from the dead, can throw to one of the games best in Larry Fitzgerald and Steve Breaston and Early Doucet are solid receivers. Tackle Darnell Dockett leads the defense.  Not as good as last year but maybe good enough to battle for the division.

3. Seahawks (5-11 in '09) Pete Carroll has had better teams at Southern Cal. The question here, can they fight off the Rams to stay out of last place. Matt Hasselbeck is a 35-year-old quarterback on a rebuilding team with a sizeable investment in Charlie Whitehurst a change wouldn't be surprising.

4. Rams (1-15 in '09) They have an exciting rookie quarterback in Sam Bradford, former Raven Mark Clayton and Steven Jackson is a terrific running back but after that they have trouble.  The Rams have gone 6 and 42 the past 3 years, their goal should be to catch Seattle and get out of last place.

NFC North

1. Packers (11-5 in '09) Aaron Rodgers might be leading the best offense in the game, in just his second year as a starter Rogers threw for over 44-hundred yards with 30 TD passes and only 7 picks, he also ran for 5 TD's. Rodgers has a deep and talented receiving crew lead by Greg Jennings and Donald Driver and an emerging star in tight end Jermichael Finley.  Green Bay ranked 2nd in the NFL in total defense, but that's a bit misleading.  In all 6 of their losses last season they gave up at least 30 points, ending with a 51-45 overtime playoff loss at Arzona.

2. Vikings (12-4 in '09) He's back! If Brett Favre had a career year at age 40 can he be a winner at 41? He proved me wrong last year he might again this year. Losing his best receiver Sidney Rice was a big blow but the Vikings still have super-stud Adrain Peterson and playmakers like Percy Harvin and former Morgan State tight end Visanthe Shiancoe. The defense will be top 10, if Favre can remain a difference maker they they'll be right with Green Bay as two of the best in the NFC.

3. Bears (7-9 in '09) Bear down Jay Cutler! In his first year in Chicago Cutler didn't cut it, with a horrible start he wound up with 27 touchdowns and 26 interceptions. Mike Martz now runs the offense and I'd like to remind him that "The Greatest Show on Turf" is a nice dome concept that won't fly on frozen tundra with 40 MPH winds in November and December. The Bears "D" gets a boost with free agent Julius Peppers and Brian Urlacher back after missing '09 with a broken wrist.

4. Lions (2-14 in '09) Interested in seeing Matthew Stafford grow, receiver Calvin Johnson has super-star potential, running back Jahvid Best was a first round pick this year, a young and talented group that will equal growing pains. Head coach Jim Swartz (Arbutus, MD  native) knows defense, he also knows the Lions have been the worst defense in the league the last 3 years. Rookie Ndamukong Suh, and new veterans Corey Williams and Kyle Vanden Bosch will make a difference up front. The Lions should be better but likely only 5-11 better.

NFC South

1. Falcons (9-7) Maybe because Michael Turner was my first pick in my fantasy draft, maybe because head coach Mike Smith is a good guy. I like the Falcons triplets. Expect improvement from QB Matt Ryan in year 3, Michael Turner's ankle has recovered and "The Burner" should be close to the 1,699 yards he ran for in '08. Roddy White is a Pro Bowl wide receiver who went 85-1,153-11td's last year, toss in tight end Tony Gonzalez, still one of the games best, and you've got an offense.  Cornerback Dunta Robinson is a big addition to the defense.

2. Saints (13-3) Is the party over on Bourbon Street? Only one of the past 11 Super Bowl Champs have repeated. Still, it wouldn't surprise me to see the Saints make a deep run into the playoffs. Drew Brees is a great quarterback and leader. The Saints will put up points and they can run the ball.  My question can Greg Williams defense pull off what they did last year. They forced 47 turnovers and beat star quarterbacks Kurt Warner, Brett Favre and Peyton Manning in the playoffs.

3. (Carolina 8-8 in "09) Clearly below the Saints and Falcons the Panthers are going young. Matt Moore takes over as QB in an offense that features the 1-2 punch of running backs DAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart (both over 1,000 yards in '09) and star receiver Steve Smith. The defense is a huge question mark, 3 of the 4 starting linemen are gone including Julius Peppers.

4. (Buccaneers 3-13) Another young rebuilding team. The Bucs say they intend to pound the ball on the ground but don't expect much from average running backs and an average O-line. Josh Freeman is the quarterback of the future, the problem he's the quarterback of the present. Not much to like here, it'll take a Carolina collapse to get them out of the cellar.

NFC Championship

Green Bay over Dallas

Super Bowl

Indianapolis over Green Bay

Now you know the rest of the story!  But please, don't bet on it.