The Globe’s football staff makes its picks for winners during the 2012 season:
DAN SHAUGHNESSY
Patriots – 16-0. Borrowing a page from the 2011 Red Sox, the Patriots are “Best Team Ever.”
AFC East – New England
AFC North – Pittsburgh
AFC South – Houston
AFC West – San Diego
AFC wild cards – Baltimore, Oakland
NFC East — NY Giants
NFC North – Green Bay
NFC South — New Orleans
NFC West — San Francisco
NFC wild cards – Dallas, Detroit
Super Bowl – Giants over Patriots. Crosby, Stills & Nash sing “Déjà vu” at halftime show in New Orleans
CHRISTOPHER L. GASPER
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Patriots — 14-2. Maybe Brian Waters comes back for the Super Bowl.
AFC East — New England
AFC North — Pittsburgh
AFC South — Houston
AFC West — Denver
AFC wild cards — Baltimore, Indianapolis
NFC East — Philadelphia
NFC North — Green Bay
NFC South — Atlanta
NFC West — San Francisco
NFC wild cards — NY Giants, New Orleans
Super Bowl — Patriots over Falcons. Patriot Place becomes Legacy Place as Belichick and Brady finally win a fourth title.
GREG A. BEDARD
Patriots — 14-2. The quarterback mismatches on the schedule are ridiculous, and the league is all about the quarterbacks.
AFC East — New England
AFC North — Baltimore
AFC South — Houston
AFC West — Kansas City
AFC wild cards — Buffalo, San Diego
NFC East — Dallas
NFC North — Green Bay
NFC South — New Orleans
NFC West — San Francisco
NFC wild cards — Philadelphia, Carolina
Super Bowl — Packers over Patriots. Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers finally go head to head in perhaps a changing of the guard. Unfortunately their “defenses” have to play.
SHALISE MANZA YOUNG
Patriots — 13-3. On paper, they have the easiest schedule in the NFL, and it looks like the AFC is in a down year. A Week 3 prime-time game against Baltimore will be a big early-season challenge.
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AFC East — New England
AFC North — Baltimore
AFC South — Houston
AFC West — Kansas City
AFC wild cards — Pittsburgh, Denver
NFC East — NY Giants
NFC North — Green Bay
NFC South — Carolina
NFC West — San Francisco
NFC wild cards — Philadelphia, New Orleans
Super Bowl — Patriots over Packers. This is the prediction for the second year in a row, but both will need improved defenses to make it this far.
SCOTT THURSTON
Patriots — 14-2. Have you checked out this schedule? Put me down for 15-1 if the defense steps up and wins a game this year.
AFC East — New England
AFC North — Baltimore
AFC South — Houston
AFC West — San Diego
AFC wild cards — Pittsburgh, Denver
NFC East — NY Giants
NFC North — Green Bay
NFC South — Atlanta
NFC West — San Francisco
NFC wild cards — Dallas, New Orleans
Super Bowl — Patriots over 49ers. With four guys covering Gronk in red zone, a wide-open Wes Welker atones for the “drop” in last year’s loss to Giants with winning TD reception.
JIM McBRIDE
Patriots — 13-3. I was originally thinking 11-5, but now that Greg Salas is aboard . . .
AFC East — New England
AFC North — Baltimore
AFC South — Houston
AFC West — Kansas City
AFC wild cards — Cincinnati, Denver
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NFC East — NY Giants
NFC North — Green Bay
NFC South — New Orleans
NFC West — San Francisco
NFC wild cards — Chicago, Atlanta
Super Bowl — Ravens over 49ers. Ed Reed’s clock-cleaning hit on Randy Moss in the end zone as time expires finally brings a smile to John Harbaugh’s face. Jim Harbaugh? Not so much.