2009 NFL Season Preview: NFC, Plus Super Bowl Predictions

Unfortunately, I became very busy over the past week and didn't have time to do my full previews for the NFC. Instead, I'll quickly go through each division, pick a winner and then give my prediction for the Super Bowl matchup and winner. NFC West: Arizona has looked awful this preseason, and talks of a Super Bowl hangover have already surfaced. Sure, the Cardinals likely will have trouble recapturing the magic that led them to an appearance in Super Bowl XLIII, but that doesn't mean they don't have enough to win the mediocre NFC West in 2009. Seattle should be improved with a solid receiving corps and a healthy Matt Hasselbeck, but questions still need to be addressed at offensive line and on defense. San Francisco doesn't have the firepower to win this division, and the Rams are in a rebuilding stage. Cardinals win this division. NFC North: This division has the potential to be one of the best in 2009. Minnesota added Brett Favre and now has Super Bowl aspirations. The Bears finally have a franchise quarterback in Jay Cutler, and with the easies schedule in the league have a chance to do some damage. Then there's Green Bay, which has the chance to feature an explosive offense this season. The NFC North figures to be extremely competitive this year, but the Packers have the edge in my mind. Aaron Rodgers has the potential to have a Pro Bowl season, and as long as the defense improves with Dom Capers now under control, the Packers have what it takes to win this division and advance pretty far in the playoffs. NFC South: Carolina, which won the division last season, is likely to take a step back this season. Jake Delhomme had a terrible performance in the playoffs against the Cardinals and isn't getting any younger. The loss of defensive tackle Ma'ake Kemoeatu will significantly impact the defense. Atlanta is the favorite here, with returners across the board on offense and what should be an improved offense. Matt Ryan is already a star at quarterback, and the Falcons greatly improved his throwing options by trading for a future Hall of Fame tight end in Tony Gonzalez. New Orleans will be the team that competes with the Falcons for first, and the Saints have a good shot at grabbing a Wild Card spot. Ultimately, the Falcons are loaded on offense and should see improvement on the defensive side of the ball. NFC East: Throughout training camp, I was very high on the Philadelphia Eagles -- until they brought in Michael Vick. It's not that Vick is a bad player; rather it is that his presence already has caused quarterback Donovan McNabb to complain about the rhythm of the offense when Vick is one the field. Philly is young, lost middle linebacker Stewart Bradley for the season and have an offensive line that will have not played together once this preseason. While the Redskins and Cowboys should be much improved, the Giants are the team to beat in the East. Sure, there are questions at receiver, but that group should be good enough. Plus, the Giants still have a great running game with Brandon Jacobs leading the way. Then there's the defense, which could rank in the top-5 of the league by the end of the season. Giants win the East. And now, my Super Bowl prediction: In the AFC, I'm going with the New England Patriots. Tom Brady is back, and Bill Belichick is the best coach in the league. There are questions about a young defense, but Belichick will find away to address those issues. Offensively, the Patriots will be second-to-none this season. In the NFC, I'm taking the Giants. The NFC is as wide open as ever this season, and the Giants have a great chance to come through with a great running game and excellent defense. That is the formula that wins late in the season. Super Bowl Champion: New England Patriots. The Pats will get revenge for what happened in 2008, when the Giants ruined the Pats undefeated season. In that game, the Giants were able to get a great pass rush on Brady and give him very little time to throw -- that caught the Pats off guard. This time around, Belichick will have a plan for giving Brady time to throw, and the Pats will come out on top.