AFC Playoff Picture

As for the AFC, the Titans and Steelers have clinched their divisions respectively. They both play in two of the hardest divisions in the AFC with the Ravens and Colts being their toughest competition within the division. The AFC East is rather competitive this year as well for the first time in a while since Terrific Tom Brady went down early in the season. The J-E-T-S Jets Jets Jets are atop the division for the first time in a while and the previously 1-15 Dolphins are actually tied for the division lead with the Patriots and Jets. So here is how the playoffs are going to play out.

The Titans and Steelers are going to have first round byes. So that is going to make the other division leaders the Jets and the Broncos. The Broncos are like the Cardinals in that they are both in awful divisions so their sub par play will gain them a playoff berth but won't go much further. As for the wild card, the Colts and The Ravens are going to make it and this is well deserved seeing as they are in the toughest divisions in the AFC.

This makes the first round of the AFC playoffs Broncos-Colts and Jets-Ravens. The Colts will dominate the Broncos in Denver and the Ravens will upset the Jets in New York. That will make the second round of the playoffs Colts-Steelers and Ravens-Titans. The Steelers will beat the Colts to avenge their lost from earlier this season. Then my upset of the entire playoffs is the Ravens over the Titans.

The Titans-Ravens match up is going to be a great game to watch but with Albert Haynesworth being out for the last two games of the season, who knows if he will be back clogging holes. Even if he is able to play against the Steelers I believe that the Titans do not have enough power to propel them into the AFC Championship. Plus their rookie running back Chris Johnson will not have the stamina to play on into the playoffs. Not to disregard his season, he is doing fantastic, but I do not believe that he will be able to continue his ways deep into the playoffs and especially against the Pittsburgh Steeler defense. *Reminder* The Titans will be hosting the Steelers this week to give us a preview of the playoffs.

That leaves the AFC Championship with the Steelers-Ravens which will be a highly defensive game with both offenses being below average this year. Joe Flacco and Big Ben Roethlisberger are going to be watching the games on their backs with the high flying, blitz happy defenses encircling them. I think it's going to come down to which defense can score more points because with Troy Polamalu and Ed Reed in each defensive secondary, they will probably produce more points than either teams running back or receivers. In the end I think that the Steelers are going to prevail and make their second Super Bowl appearance in three years.

So that leaves Super Bowl XLIII as the Pittsburgh Steelers against the Carolina Panthers. Who do you think is going to come out on top? Or do you think neither of these teams are going to make it? Let me know what you think the outcome is going to be but so long until then.