2007 National Football League Predictions

In an attempt to beat Sports Illustrated's Peter King and Dr. Z to the punch, I am releasing my predictions for the 2007 NFL season during the first week of training camp. Such a bold move almost guarantees that some of these picks will look foolish by the second week of the season, but I will also bask in the glory of being the first to correctly pick the winner of Super Bowl XLII (you'll have to read to the end to see my stone-cold, lead-pipe lock for the Lombardi Trophy).

For all the supposed parity in the league, some teams continue to languish (Cardinals, Texans, Lions) while others continue to dominate (Colts, Patriots). Just to get the whole Michael Vick thing out of the way, he will not play this year, and the Falcons will finish with less than six wins. Matt Leinart will play and the Cardinals will win less than six games, and Brady Quinn will probably only play in six games.

The Packers will make one final playoff run with Brett Favre, while the Titans make the first of many with Vince Young. To avoid the criticism he received last year, Rex Grossman will average a modern-era-low 8 pass attempts per game, and will still throw 14 interceptions. In Dallas, Tony Romo will become the only quarterback to ever get along with Terrell Owens for an entire season, hooking up with TO for 21 touchdowns.

The Patriots and Colts will continue to battle each other, adding to an already great rivalry, but it will be Tomlinson and the Chargers who make it to the big dance this year. And for our friends from New Jersey, the J-E-T-S will be back in a big way.

Enough rambling; here are the picks:

NFC

East
1. Cowboys
2. Giants
3. Eagles
4. Redskins

North
1. Bears
2. x-Packers
3. Lions
4. Vikings

South
1. Saints
2. Buccaneers
3. Panthers
4. Falcons

West
1. 49ers
2. x-Seahawks
3. Rams
4. Cardinals

AFC

East
1. Patriots
2. x-Jets
3. Dolphins
4. Bills

North
1. Bengals
2. Ravens
3. Steelers
4. Browns

South
1. Colts
2. x-Titans
3. Jaguars
4. Texans

West
1. Chargers
2. Broncos
3. Chiefs
4. Raiders

Playoffs

NFC Wild Card
Packers over Seahawks
Saints over 49ers

AFC Wild Card
Bengals over Titans
Jets over Colts

NFC Divisional Round
Cowboys over Packers
Saints over Bears

AFC Divisional Round
Chargers over Bengals
Jets over Patriots

Conference Championships
Cowboys over Saints
Chargers over Jets

Super Bowl XLII
Cowboys over Chargers

So there you have it. Thirty years after the Doomsday Defense led the Cowboys to the Super Bowl following the 1977 season, Dallas will once again reign as kings of the football world. Most of the NFL analyst gurus will say I'm crazy, but Troy Aikman knows I'm right, and that's all that really matters.