The time has come. Week 1 is finally here and it’s time for some football. The next five months will be nonstop football and I couldn’t be more excited. To add the excitement I have complied my personal NFL playoffs predictions and of course my Super Bowl XLV Pick.

If you want to see more details check out my AFC and NFC previews. Wihtout further ado, here are my picks:

AFC

AFC East Winner: New York Jets (10-6)

AFC North Winner: Baltimore Ravens (12-4)

AFC South Winner: Indianapolis Colts (13-3)

AFC West Winner: San Diego Chargers (11-5)

AFC Wild Card #1: Pittsburgh Steelers (11-5)

AFC Wild Card #2: Miami Dolphins (10-6)

AFC Champion: Indianapolis Colts

NFC

NFC East Winner: New York Giants (10-6)

NFC North Winner: Green Bay Packers (13-3)

NFC South Winner: Atlanta Falcons (12-4)

NFC West Winner: San Francisco 49ers (11-5)

NFC Wild Card #1: New Orleans Saints (10-6)

NFC Wild Card #2: Dallas Cowboys (9-7)

NFC Champion: Green Bay Packers

Super Bowl XLV:

Indianapolis Colts 31- Green Bay Packers 20

Super Bowl MVP: Peyton Manning

Other NFL Awards:

Coach of the Year: John Harbaugh

Time has prevented me from doing a division by division preview for the AFC. However, I did for the NFC though and you should check those out. Regardless, here is my brief AFC Preview.

AFC East

1. New York Jets: 10-6

2. Miami Dolphins: 10-6*

3. New England Patriots: 9-7

4. Buffalo Bills: 4-12

AFC North

1. Baltimore Ravens: 12-4

2. Pittsburgh Steelers: 11-5*

3. Cincinnati Bengals: 7-9

4. Cleveland Browns: 5-11

AFC South

1. Indianapolis Colts: 13-3

2. Tennessee Titans: 9-7

3. Houston Texans: 6-10

4. Jacksonville Jaguars: 5-11

AFC West:

1. San Diego Chargers: 11-5

2. Kansas City Chiefs: 8-8

3. Oakland Raiders: 8-8

4. Denver Broncos: 4-12

*= Wild Card

San Francisco 49ers

Player Under Pressure: Alex Smith, QB

Breakout Player: Michael Crabtree, WR

3 Burning Questions

Is this the year the team finally takes the next step and makes the playoffs?

Can Alex Smith be the quarterback this team needs?

Is Mike Singletary a good enough X and O’s coach to succeed in the NFL?

Bottom Line: With the Cardinals taking a step back this year, the 49ers have a great chance to seize the division.

Projected Record: 11-5

Seattle Seahawks

Player(s) Under Pressure: Offensive Line

Breakout Player: Aaron Curry

3 Burning Questions:

Does Matt Hasselbeck have anything left in the tank?

Can Pete Carroll be a great NFL coach?

Did Pete Carroll overhaul the roster too much?

Bottom Line: The Seahawk are rebuilding, but they had a solid draft and in the weak NFC West they can make some noise.

Projected Record: 7-9

Arizona Cardinals

Player Under Pressure: Derek Anderson

Breakout Player: Calais Campbell

3 Burning Questions

Is Derek Anderson the best option at quarterback?

Who will step up on defense to replace Karlos Dansby?

How much will the team miss Anquan Boldin?

Bottom Line: The loss of Kurt Warner was a dvetstaing blow to this team. They will struggle to get consistent quarterback play without him.

Projected Record: 6-10

St. Louis Rams:

Player Under Pressure: Jason Smith, OT

Breakout Player: James Laurinatis

3 Burning Questions

Can Sam Bradford live up to the hype?

Will the Rams be the worst team in the league again?

Can Steven Jackson survive another season unscathed?

Bottom Line: Quite frankly, the Rams aren’t very good. I wouldn’t be surprised if they ended up picking first again.

Projected Record: 2-14

Atlanta Falcons

Player Under Pressure: Dunta Robinson

Breakout Player: Kroy Biermann

3 Burning Questions:

Will someone step up outside on John Abraham to help out the pass rush?

Can Dunta Robinson be a true number one cornerback, like he was paid to be?

Can Michael Turner stay healthy for the entire season and produce like he did in 2008?

Bottom Line: The Falcons are a young and improving team. I expect them to take the next step this year and overtake the defending champion Saints in the always unpredictable NFC South.

Projected Record: 12-4

New Orleans Saints

Player Under Pressure: Malcolm Jenkins

Breakout Player: Sedrick Ellis

3 Burning Questions:

How will the Super Bowl hangover impact the Saints?

Can the defense be as opportunistic as last year?

Can Jermon Bushrod be the long-term solution at left tackle?

Bonus Questions: Will Drew Brees fall victim to the dreaded Madden curse?

Bottom Line: The Saints lost a few pieces on defense, but their offense remains one of the NFL’s elite. That should be enough to get them into the playoffs again and from there anything could happen.

Projected Record: 10-6

Carolina Panthers

Player Under Pressure: Matt Moore

Breakout Player: Charles Johnson, DE

3 Burning Questions

Who will step up and replace Julius Peppers?

If Matt Moore struggles this season, will the Panthers panic and throw Jimmy Claussen into the fire?

Will any receiver step up outside of Steve Smith?

Bottom Line: The Panthers running game will only take them so far. They only have one viable receiver and they also lost their past rusher and arguably best player in Julius Peppers.

Projected Record: 6-10

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Player Under Pressure: Carnell Williams, RB

Breakout Player: Mike Williams, WR

3 Burning Questions:

The Bucs made no significant offseason signings despite having the among the lowest team salaries in the league. Will that cost them?

Will some of the young guys take the next step and become elite players at their positions?

Is Raheem Morris in over his head taking on defensive coordinator responsibilities in addition to his head coach duties?

Bottom Line: The Bucs have a lot of young talent, but there still a few years away. Will the ownership let Raheem Morris stay on board while it develops or let him go and hire a big name coach?

Projected Record: 4-12

Green Bay Packers

Player(s) Under Pressure: The Entire O-Line

Breakout Player: B.J. Raji, NT

3 Burning Questions

Will the Packers offensive line step up?

Can Aaron Rodgers win big games in December and January?

Are their special teams going to cost them?

Bottom Line: The Packers have the pieces in place for a deep playoff run. They have a good mix of up and comers and veterans. Before they start thinking Super Bowl, they need to beat the Vikings first in the NFC North.

Season Record: 13-3

Minnesota Vikings:

Player Under Pressure: Brett Favre, QB

Breakout Player: Ray Edwards, DE

3 Burning Questions:

How will the Vikings replace Sidney Rice?

Can Brett Favre repeat his magical 2009 season?

Will Adrian Peterson cut down on his fumbling?

Bottom Line: The soon to be 41 year old Brett Favre hasn’t put up back to back consistent season since early last decade. Add in his injured ankle and the Vikings are going to be on the outside looking in come January.

Season Record: 8-8

Chicago Bears

Player Under Pressure: Jay Cutler, QB

Breakout Player: Johnny Knox, WR

3 Burning Questions:

Will Mike Martz turn around Jay Cutler and the Bears offense?

Will Julius Peppers live up to the contract he signed?

Was Matt Forte’s rookie year a fluke?

Bottom Line: There is a lot riding on this season in Chicago. If the Bears don’t make the playoffs, housecleaning will be in order.

Season Record: 7-9

Detroit Lions

Player(s) Under Pressure: The Secondary

Breakout Player: DeAndre Levy, LB

3 Burning Questions:

The Lions made it a priority to surround Matthew Stafford with more weapons. Will the former #1 pick deliver?

Did the Lions do enough to help their secondary, which was the league worst in 2009?

Can the Lions finish out of the cellar this year?

Bottom Line: While the Lions are improving, they still have a long way to go before they are considered a playoff contender.

Projected Record: 4-12

New York Giants

Player Under Pressure: Brandon Jacobs

Breakout Player: Hakeem Nicks

3 Burning Questions

Can Jonathan Goff replace Antonio Pierce?

Will the real Osi Umenyiora and Brandon Jacobs please stand up?

Will new defensive coordinator Perry Fewell turn the defense around?

Bottom Line: The Giants have the talent to win this division and I like the changes they made on defense in the offseason. I think they will up end the Cowboys and win the division. Remember, they swept the Cowboys last season.

Projected Record: 10-6

Dallas Cowboys

Player Under Pressure: Doug Free

Breakout Player: Orlando Scandrick

3 Burning Questions

Miles Austin just got paid. Is he a one year wonder?

How will David Buehler do as the teams kicker?

Will Roy Williams become a distraction?

Bottom Line: Expectations are high in Big D and anything less than a Super Bowl appearance will likely cost Wade Phillips his job. They have the talent, but I don’t trust that offensive line at all.

Projected Record: 9-7

Washington Redskins

Player Under Pressure: Albert Haynesworth

Breakout Player: LaRon Landry

3 Burning Questions

Can Mike Shanahan and Donovan McNabb turn things around in D.C. or was Daniel Snyder too hard on Jim Zorn and Jason Campbell?

How will the switch to the 3-4 affect the defense?

Will Clinton Portis be rejuvenated after being reunited with Mike Shanahan?

Bottom Line: The Redskins will be a better football team this year, but they are in a tough division and I don’t see them making the playoffs. The offensive line is below average and Donovan McNabb is always an injury risk.

Projected Record: 7-9

Philadelphia Eagles

Player Under Pressure: Kevin Kolb

Breakout Player: LeSean McCoy

3 Burning Questions

Did the eagles make the right move in trading Donovan McNabb and handing over the reigns to Kevin Kolb?

Will LeSean McCoy make Eagles fans forget about Brian Westbrook?

Will defensive coordinator Sean McDermott be more comfortable in his second year?

Bottom Line: The Eagles are a young and talented team. They will be very competitive in the future, but I think they will take a step back this year as they get used to all the new pieces in place.

Projected Record: 6-10

In continuing with the ‘Top 10′ series, today we look at running backs. To see the Top 10 quarterbacks click here.

The running back is an interesting position. Some say that running backs are a product of their offensive lines. That you could stick anyone behind a great offensive line and they will make them look like a stud. They say never spend an early draft pick on a running back because you can always find a great one or at least serviceable one later on in the draft. There is evidence to back up these claims, but opponents of this thinking will point to the importance of a running game.

They will say that you need to run the ball to control the clock and come playoff time you better have a what Merril Hodge calls a “factor back” to carry the load. They will point to Chris Johnson (drafted in the first round), who essentially carried the Titans on his back last season to eight wins last season.

I think the truth lies somewhere in between, but I would side more with the first assertion that states running backs aren’t that important and are replaceable. Times have changed. Maybe if this was still the 70′s, then I would side with Merril and his “factor back” theory, but there is no denying that the NFL is a passing league. Chris Johnson had one of the best seasons ever by a running back last year and his team only went 8-8 and it could have been worse if not for Vince Young. The teams of four leading rushers last year combined to go 25-29, wile the teams of the four highest rated passers went 40-1.  Also, running backs break down earlier than any other position. Most backs are done by the time they hit 30. It simply isn’t worth using an early round pick on a running back.

Enough about the running back debate. It’s time to unveil my Top 10 running backs in the NFL right now.

10. Ryan Grant

Not flashy, but solid in every aspect of the game.

9. Jonathan Stewart

The best “backup” running back in football. Stewart will get his chance to shine soon enough.

8. Michael Turner

“The Burner” Turner is motivated to stay healthy and prove his ’08 season was no fluke.

7. DeAngelo Williams

In a contract year, DeAngelo is primed for a big season.

6. Frank Gore

Gore will love the holes his two new offensive lineman (Mike Iupati, Anthony Davis) will open up.

5. Ray Rice

Rice can beat you running the ball and out of the backfield as a receiver.

4. Maurice Jones-Drew

Despite his small stature (5’ 7″) M.J.D. is a wrecking ball on the field.

3.  Adrian Peterson

He needs to cut down on his fumbling before it becomes what he’s best known for.

2. Steven Jackson

Jackson doesn’t get enough credit for carrying the entire Rams offense on his back the past few seasons. If he played on a better team, he could be the best running back in the game.

1. Chris Johnson

The only question is will C.J. break Eric Dickerson’s record this year?

Whenever you talk about the NFL, inevitably the quarterback comes up and rightfully so. The quarterback is the most important position on the field. Football may be a team game, but if you don’t have a great quarterback, the odds are stacked against you.

Quarterbacks has become even more important recently as the league has become more pass orientated. In 2009, 10 quarterbacks threw for over 4,000 yards. The previous high was seven and in 2000 there were only three. There is pressure to select one at the top of the draft even though they have the highest “bust” rate of any position, but  experts say you can’t pass up the opportunity to draft a possible “franchise quarterback.” They sell tickets and win games. They are the superstars of the leagues. They are quarterbacks and here are my Top 10 quarterbacks in the NFL right now.

10. Tony Romo

Romo finally got the monkey off his back last season, winning his first career playoff game.

9. Donovan McNabb

The Redskins will love the consistency that McNabb will bring to the position that they have been lacking for years.

8. Eli Manning

Eli has made major strides in the past few season and had his best statistical season in 2009. Now the question becomes if he can take that next step and join the ranks of the NFL’s elite.

7. Brett Favre

The old gunslinger had arguably his best season last year. To do it again at age 41 (on Oct. 10th) is a tall task especially without Sidney Rice for half the season.

6. Phillip Rivers

He has proven he is one of the league’s best. Now he has to get it done in the postseason.

5. Aaron Rodgers

He has quickly ascended to the the elite making Green Bay fans forget about that #4 guy.

4. Ben Roethlisberger

Even with off the field troubles, you can’t ignore two Super Bowl rings.

3. Drew Brees

You could make the case that he deserves to be higher and with a

2. Tom Brady

Two years removed from ACL surgery, Brady should be even better this season.

1. Peyton Manning

Peyton remains at the top, but after his shaky Super Bowl performance the gap is closer than ever.

Everybody is aware of the parity that exists in the NFL today.

It is one of the main reason why the NFL is so popular.

At the start of every year any team can rise above the odds and make the playoffs.

But it goes both ways.

Just because you were good the year before, don’t count on returning to the playoffs the following year.

Over the past five seasons at least six teams (half the playoff field) has failed to make it back the following year.

The top two seeds in each conference from the 2008-2009 playoffs (Tennessee, Pittsburgh, New York Giants, Carolina) all failed to reach the playoffs this past season.

I did this piece last year and last week I wrote about which teams will take their place.

Now for my picks for this year:

New England Patriots- The end of an era has finally come. These Patriots are no longer the ones that won 3 titles last decade. Their defense is a shade of its former self. Bill Belichick might finally be losing a step as evidenced by his decision to go for it against the Colts this past year.

The Pats have had a quiet offseason, resigning their players, but not adding much. They had a chance to draft Dez Bryant, but in typical Belichick fashion they traded down.  With the Jets and Dolphins taking making strides forward, expect the Patriots to be the odd team out.

Cincinnati Bengals- The Bengals were the surprise team last season, winning the AFC North and finishing 10-6. However, It will be tough to repeat that feat this season. First, there is no way they go 6-0 in the division again.

The Ravens have improved adding Anquan Boldin, the Steelers will be back, and quietly the Browns have made some small improvements. Also I’m not a fan of the Antonio Bryant signing. He has never been consistent and has only preformed in contract years.

Philadelphia Eagles- The Eagles finally bit the bullet this offseason and dealt Donovan McNabb after 11 seasons. Long term the move should pay off, but they will suffer in the short term. In Kevin Kolb, you have the unknown.

Is he the guy who played great in two starts for McNabb last year, or is he the guy who threw four picks in relief duty in 2007. Beyond Kolb, there are also questions about LeSean McCoy’s durability and some question marks on the defense.

Arizona Cardinals- The Cardinals proved most pundits wrong last year by making it back to the playoffs, after they were called a one year one wonder. As impressive as that was, I don’t think they can pull it off two years in a row.

The NFC West has been terrible for two years, but improved this offseason. The 49ers beat the Cardinals twice last year and the Seahawks should be improved with Pete Carroll at the helm.

Minnesota Vikings- The NFC runner ups may struggle to reach the playoffs this upcoming season. A lot of that hinges on whether or not #4 decides to come back and if he does they should probably be removed from this list. But even if he does return, I’m still not sold on this team.

It will be hard for Favre to come close to the numbers he produced last season. Also the offensive line showed signs of breaking down at the end of last season and the secondary is a cause for concern.

New Orleans Saints- Now, I’ll admit this is a reach, but if someone told you the Steelers wouldn’t make the playoffs at this time last year you would have though they were crazy too. Never underestimate the Super Bowl hangover.

It’s a lot different playing the hunted, rather the hunter. Plus, arguably their best player last season, Darren Sharper, is coming off micro fracture surgery and is 34 so he can’t be counted on to have the same type of impact.

One of the best things about the NFL is the parity that exists in the league.

No other sport comes close to matching the parity in the NFL.

Just two years ago in 2008, the Miami Dolphins made the playoffs with an 11-5 record one years after going 1-15 and finishing with the worst record in the league.

Tell me what other sport that happens in.

You can’t.

And that’s part of the reason why the NFL is the most popular sport in the country.

At the start of every season, every fan of every fan genuinely believes their team has a shot to make the playoffs and they’re right in believing so.

You can’t say that bout Royals or Pirates fans.

Over the past five years there have been at least six teams (half the playoff field) in the playoffs that weren’t the year before and three years there were seven teams.

I did this piece last year, and I nailed four out six teams including the Super Bowl winning New Orleans Saints and the surprising Cincinnati Bengals.

Now for my pick for this year:

Miami Dolphins- As a Jets fan this kills for me to say this, but the Dolphins are looking good. The already had a great running game and now upgraded the passing game by adding one of the best receivers in the game, Brandon Marshall.

Chad Henne should take major strides this year in his first full year as a starter and with Marshall in town. Don’t forget they also added Karlos Dansby to help shore up the middle of the defense. They also have a pair of second year corners in Vontae Davis and Sean Smith, who will only get better.

The Dolphins are a well coached and disciplined team and should find a way to sneak in the playoffs for the second time in three years.

Tennessee Titans- If Jeff Fisher had put in Vince Young earlier; the Titans would probably have made the playoffs last season. Instead, he stuck with an old, ineffective Kerry Collins for six games (the Titans went 0-6) and that effectively cost the Titans a chance at the playoffs.

Vince recaptured some of his rookie year magic leading the Titans to an 8-2 record down the stretch. Coupled with the tantalizing play of Chris Johnson and the Titans have a dynamic backfield. If the Titans can get a consistent pass rush, they can challenge the Colts in the AFC South.

Pittsburgh Steelers- I’m not that worried about Ben Roethlisberger’s suspension. He’ll likely only be banned for four games and whether it’s Byron Leftwich or Dennis Dixon at the helm, they have both proven that they are capable of leading the team.

Also Rashard Mendenahll should be featured more as he gets a full season as the starter. But perhaps the biggest difference in this years Steelers team will be a healthy Troy Polamalu. When he was on the field last year, the Steelers were a completely different team.

I also get the sense that the team suffered from a “Super Bowl hangover” last year and will be hungry to recapture their Super Bowl glory of two years ago.

Atlanta Falcons- The Falcons finished 9-7 last season, marking the first time in franchise history that the team has had back-to-back winning season. However, it didn’t result in a playoff berth.

In the off-season the Falcons filled their glaring hole at cornerback by signing Dunta Robinson. While Robinson may be a tad overrated; he is still far superior to their other options at corner. They also drafted outside linebacker Sean Witherspoon in the first round and he should be able to come in and start right away, giving their linebacker corps a serious boost.

With Matt Ryan entering his third season and Michael Turner fully recovered from his ankle injury the Falcons are primed to take a huge step forward next season.

San Francisco 49ers- The 49ers have been on the cusp of making the playoffs for a couple of years now, and this is the year that they will finally break through the wall.

The 49ers have the talent. They swept the Cardinals last season and nearly took down the Colts and Vikings. Most of their success will depend on former number one overall pick Alex Smith. Smith showed some promise last year and will be in the same offensive system for consecutive years for the first time since college.

He has two great targets to throw in Vernon Davis and Michael Crabtree. Frank Gore and the running game should receive a nice boost this year after the 49ers drafted two offensive linemen in the first round.

New York Giants- With the Jets taking up all the headlines in New York now, the Giants are flying under the radar, right where they want to be. After a disappointing season last year, the Giants are motivated not to let that happen again.

The offense will be fine and I expect Eli Manning to his game to another level as Hakeem Nicks emerges, giving him two reliable targets to throw to. The question with this team is the defense.

The defensive line should be improved with Osi Umenyiora and Chris Canty both fully recovered from their injuries. Add in Antrel Role and hopefully a 100% Kenny Phillips and the secondary should be significantly better than last year.