Top 10 Most Anticipated Games of the 2012 NFL Season

Okay, okay, the long-promised and potentially anticipated Way-Too-Early Predictions for Each Team's Win-Loss Record and Playoff Chances series is on its way in the coming weeks, but I have two confessions to make: 1) the risk-averse person in me just cannot finalize this stuff until the franchise tag deadline next Monday; and 2) it is actually really, really hard to predict 256 games based on pure speculation, prior performance and hearsay.  It will get done, just not before Drew Brees' contract.

In the meantime, why don't we synchronize our smartphone calendars for my Top 10 Most Anticipated Games in the 2012 NFL Season?


Week 1, San Francisco 49ers at Green Bay Packers
Herein lie two teams that have monster expectations to live up to this season.  Last year produced historic offensive and defensive performances in the Packers and 49ers, respectively, so this one should be a philosophical match up for the ages and a simulation of the NFC Championship game many hoped would happen this past January.


Prediction: The Packers redeem themselves for last season's early playoff exit, leveraging their invaluable MVP and home field advantage.  Alex Smith pouts.

Week 2, Detroit Lions at San Francisco 49ers
This one may end up being less eventful than we're all hoping for, especially since Jims Schwarz and Harbaugh will be overly willing to be on their best behavior after last season's Handshake Gate.  Still, this Week 2 game will be a good window into whether or not the surprisingly good Lions and 49ers of 2011 can continue their winning momentum into 2012.

Prediction: Licking their wounds after a Week 1 loss to the Packers, the 49ers will be fired up enough to give the Candlestick crowd a homecoming to remember.  The Lions go out for a DUI down Lombard Street in defeat.

Week 4, New Orleans Saints at Green Bay Packers
In Part 2 of franchises we thought would face off in the NFC Championship last time, New Orleans will head to Green Bay where these two explosive teams will try to put offensive yardage in the quadruple digits.  Hopefully their allegedly improved defenses won't prevent them from matching the excitement of the Brees/Rodgers duel of Week 1, 2011.

Prediction: Aaron Rodgers wears down the Saints secondary by the end of the third quarter, doing an extra smug championship belt dance (sans State Farm dollaz).  Drew Brees wonders if $20.5 mil/year would have prevented that untimely interception late in the fourth.

Week 5, Denver Broncos at New England Patriots
Ah, the return of the annual Peyton Manning v. Tom Brady scowl off.  It has been sorely missed, and I predict it will be just as good this time around due almost entirely to Manning's immutable competitive drive... And also a desperate need to prove that Eli isn't the only Manning who can out-Brady Brady (except that he is).


Prediction: Tom Terrific takes advantage of the same defensive squad that looked very Division II against the Patriots in January with his frost-tipped fauxhawk perfectly in tact.  Peyton complains to the refs that Vincent Wilfork is licking his lips a little too much for comfort.

Week 9, Carolina Panthers at Washington Redskins
Call this one Heisman-Fest/Palooza/Gate 2012.  Cam Newton will go up against his hybrid QB/RB clone successor just as RG3 is presumably getting the big league experience he needs to start winning this season.  Expect Mike Shanahan and Ron Rivera to develop shorthand and/or pre-recorded play calls for The Option.


Prediction: Rob will have a defense to support him, but Cam will have the experience and receiving corps to eke out a win at FedEx Field.  RG3 reminds himself that he will still have a Heisman Trophy in two years.

Week 11, Baltimore Ravens at Pittsburgh Steelers
As they are apt to do, these AFC North rivals will not face off until mid-November, which will make for an excellently urgent and hard-fought playoff spot battle, hopefully with a healthy Terrell Suggs in tow.  With the sun setting on aging defensive greats like Ray Lewis, (maybe) Ed Reed, Troy Polamalu and James Harrison, look for their understudies to start making memorable plays in this prime time spectacular.

Prediction: One way or another, these teams will split their annual division series.  Therefore, if Suggs is back the Ravens win at Heinz.  If not, they win at home.  James Harrison keys my car for being so indecisive.

Week 12, Philadelphia Eagles at Dallas Cowboys
While the Giants may still be the team to beat in the NFC East at this point in the season, don't expect this 50% of the division to make it easy (and Washington may not be too far behind either).  Assuming Michael Vick can stay healthy, I'm very much looking forward to that unstoppable force squaring off against immovable object Demarcus Ware.


Prediction: Since it will still be November, the Cowboys find a way to inch ahead in division standings in a wild overtime finish.  DeSean Jackson spikes the ball anyway.

Week 14, Houston Texans at New England Patriots
Judging by last season's performances and some notable offseason moves and upgrades for these two teams, the Texans and Patriots may end up being the most powerful and balanced teams in their conference in 2012.  (I'll also take this opportunity to call your attention to the dearth of noteworthy AFC teams/games worth mentioning in this series-- sorry!)  Expect this one to be a wildly entertaining old-guard/new-kids prelude to the 2013 AFC Championship.


Prediction: I'm going to go against what my gut tells me about the Pats' abilities in a snowy Gillette Stadium and give the upset to a healthy Matt Schaub and Andre Johnson getting it done on a late fourth quarter drive.  Gronkowski goes clubbing to dance off the haters.

Week 16, New York Giants at Baltimore Ravens
The Super Bowl XLVI That Should Have Been.  Thanks to Lee Evans' endzone butterfingers and Billy Cundiff's inability to count to four this past January, the Ravens were again just a nanometer shy of making it to the big dance with Joe Flacco under center and John Harbugh on the sidelines.  Who's to say how Mario Manningham would have done on the outside in Indianapolis under the care of Ed Reed?  Hopefully we'll get to find out this December in Charm City.

Prediction: With the Giants sufficiently pummeled by a brutal season schedule and the aging Ravens gearing up for a swan song playoff run, all of the momentum is in Baltimore's favor for this one.  Tom Coughlin's face completes its transformation into a rat.

Week 16, St. Louis Rams at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Not exactly the elite competition you were expecting to round out this list, eh?  No worries-- sometimes the best games are between teams that are pretty evenly matched with a lot to prove.  The Rams and Bucs will square off in Week 16 after a near-complete season of rebuilding under new management.  By now, we'll know who's ready to challenge the top of their division in 2013 and who's going to get the better draft pick instead.

Prediction: Jeff Fisher returns to his old coaching form and gouges the Tampa defensive front with rushing juggernaut Stephen Jackson.  The older but still hungry Bucs start training for next year's Nathan's hot dog eating contest.