2011 NFC predictions

NFC East
Eagles* 11-5, Cowboys* 10-6, Giants 6-10, Redskins 3-13
How can the Cowboys seriously think Super Bowl? Preseason darling Philadelphia is getting all the media attention, but Dallas has the offensive weapons — quarterback Tony Romo, running back Felix Jones, wide receivers Miles Austin and Dez Bryant, and tight end Jason Witten — to challenge. It's well documented the Cowboys rallied under coach Jason Garrett after starting 1-7 last season, and the defense has the talent to follow suit with new coordinator Rob Ryan. Linebacker DeMarcus Ware is the star pupil after leading the league with 15.5 sacks, but nose tackle Jay Ratliff, linebacker Keith Brooking and cornerback Terence Newman are underrated pieces to the puzzle.

NFC North
Packers* 12-4, Bears* 10-6, Lions 7-9, Vikings 5-11
How can the Bears return to the postseason? Most pundits are swept up by the Detroit Lions bandwagon, but Chicago wasn't just lucky last season when it won the division title. The Bears beat four playoff participants at home — the Packers, Eagles, Jets and Seahawks — while limiting teams to 17.9 points per game, fourth in the league. Defensive end Julius Peppers anchors that talented and young defense, which continues to receive key production from linebacker Brian Urlacher. Scoring more points is important, and the addition of rookie offensive tackle Gabe Carimi should help keep quarterback Jay Cutler off the ground after he was sacked a league-high 52 times. 

NFC South
Saints* 13-3, Falcons 10-6, Buccaneers 9-7, Panthers 4-12
How can the Falcons miss the playoffs? There's quite the bitter taste in Atlanta's mouth after getting routed by Green Bay in the divisional playoffs. Unfortunately, the offense isn't guaranteed to improve because running back Michael Turner and tight end Tony Gonzalez are clearly slowing down, and wide receiver Julio Jones will learn why it's an infamously difficult position for a rookie. Signing free-agent defensive end Ray Edwards will help the defense, which is productive but not flashy. The NFC South is known for annual tumult, and the Falcons aren't immune — it's possible their Week 1 matchup at the Chicago Bears could become the postseason tiebreaker.

NFC West
Cardinals* 9-7, Rams 8-8, 49ers 7-9, Seahawks 4-12
How does Arizona rise to a division title? Everything changed when the Cardinals obtained quarterback Kevin Kolb, who lost his job in Philadelphia after a concussion because Michael Vick proved dynamic. Even if Kolb isn't Pro Bowl-caliber, he's skilled enough to showcase superstar receiver Larry Fitzgerald after last season's Derek Anderson/John Skelton/Max Hall debacle. Although the Cardinals lost cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie in the Kolb trade, they drafted potential shutdown cornerback Patrick Peterson with the No. 5 overall pick. Defensive ends Calais Campbell and Darnell Dockett can help cover up enough flaws to survive the league's worst division.

NFC playoffs (teams marked by *)
Wild-card round: Eagles beat Bears, Cowboys beat Cardinals
Divisional round: Cowboys beat Saints, Packers beat Eagles
Conference championship: Cowboys beat Packers
Super Bowl: Patriots beat Cowboys