It’s time for me to put my picks out there for AFC and NFC playoff brackets and predict the 2011 Superbowl Champions. I have a feeling this is going to be a fantastic and unpredictable season after all of the teams changes superstars made this off season. As usual, wide receivers have stolen the majority of the headlines; I can barely contain my excitement when I think about Terrell Owens in Cincinnati, Brandon Marshall in Miami and Anquan Boldin on the Ravens! My picks are not the most conventional but you can only criticize them in the comments if you give your own predictions.

AFC Bracket:

Baltimore Ravens: Joe Flacco is going to have a breakout season and Ray Rice is the new Maurice Jones-Drew, a compact spark plug. Their defense is always outstanding; their pass rush hits hard and sets the stage for Ed Reed to pick off everything he can get within arms reach of.

New York Jets: I hate to say it, but these guys have a good team on their hands. Darrelle Revis will obviously bolster their defense upon resigning but Bart Scott and company will be just fine until then. Mark Sanchez is going to be what scouts hoped Matt Leinart would be; a mobile quarterback with an accurate arm. LaDainian Tomlinson still has some solid years left in his tank and the receiving corps is stacked with Santonio Holmes (suspended for first 4 games), Braylon Edwards, and Laveranues Coles.

Indianapolis Colts: How could I possibly bet against the Colts? Peyton Manning is a stud and blessed (as usual) with a fantastic offensive line. Dwight Freeney and Bob Sanders should be healthy. Joseph Addai is a serviceable running back and Reggie Wayne is one of the best receivers in the league. The list goes on; the Colts will be a Super Bowl threat once again this year.

San Diego Chargers: Of all my picks, I am least confident in the Chargers. Tomlinson will be tough to replace despite his declining numbers and I’m unconvinced that Vincent Jackson is a viable receiving threat. However, while it’s doubtful that Antonio Gates’s production will ever be close to what it was a couple years ago, he still is a premier tight end. As an Eli fan, it kills me to admit that Philip Rivers is a star. He throws for over 4,000 yards a season consistently- you can’t argue statistics. Whether the Rivers/Gates combo will be enough to make up for a declining defense remains to be seen. It all comes down to the fact that the Chargers are in one of the weakest divisions in the NFL. Their only threat will be Denver, led by a sub-par quarterback, inexperienced running back, and an Elvis Dumervil-less defense.

Wild Cards – Miami Dolphins & Cincinnati Bengals

The Dolphins have a lot going for them. They have built a young and athletic defense, showing major improvement last year with a playoff appearance. I remember watching Chad Henne at Michigan a couple of years ago- I knew he would be a solid player. He has superstar potential, especially with a viable running option that will allow him to mix the play calls up. The Dolphins should get enough production on the ground between Ricky Williams and Ronnie Brown, at least enough to set up Brandon Marshall for a 15+ touchdown season.

The Bengals are a tough act to follow. Carson Palmer is talented yet reserved and football is not the top priority for Chad Johnson (I refuse to call him Ochocinco). Unless Cedric Benson’s critic-hushing season was a fluke, the Bengals will be a tough for defenses to handle. The T.O. Show has come to town and it really is a make or break season for Owens, as his career is on the brink of collapse. He will have more than enough competition too; the Bengals added Antonio Bryant and Matt Jones this off season. Rey Maualuga and Gibril Wilson are beasts and should lead a solid defensive squad. This pick is a gamble especially since they’ll have to steal the wild card from the Patriots. The Pats just don’t have a reliable defense anymore and haven’t had a reliable running options for years either.