First the pre-season predictions:
http://www.nfl.com/kickoff/story/0ap1000000055270/article/2012-nfl-predictions-super-bowl-xlvii-winner-mvp-more
Michael Lombardi, wow...he even predicted exactly what would happen in the championship round! (He did curiously pick Chris Johnson to win the rushing title and Romeo Crennel to win Coach of the Year) He should go straight to a casino. Instead, good luck with the Browns dude!
A few of the funniest anecdotes:
- A couple people even picked the Eagles to show up in the championship against the Packers.
- Ian Rappaport picked the Titans to win their division over the Texans.
- Most of them picked the Chiefs to win the AFC West
- Most of them picked the Eagles to win the NFC East. What is up with this two year love affair with the Eagles?
- Adam Rank had the Packers beating the... Chiefs in the Superbowl. He also had Ron Rivera winning Coach of the Year and Jimmy Graham with the most receiving yards. To be fair, he also had Patrick Willis winning Defensive Player of the Year, but still...
- Steve Wyche and Bucky Brooks were the only other analysts who picked the Ravens to go to the Superbowl.
- Three analysts picked the Patriots to beat the 49ers in the Superbowl: Chad Reuter, Jeff Darlington and Marc Sessler.
If you are interested to see how things changed at the halfway point of the season, here's another link:
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000091214/article/2012-nfl-midseason-report-mvp-super-bowl-xlvii-picks-more
- Not surprisingly, Michael Lombardi changed his Superbowl picks from the 49ers over the Packers to the Falcons over the Texans.
- Albert Breer had the 49ers beating the Packers in the Championship, then the Texans in the Superbowl. Marc Sessler also stuck to his guns, and successfully picked the 49ers beating the Falcons in the championship, then the Texans in the Superbowl.
- All signs of the Chiefs winning the AFC West got replaced with Broncos 100% across the board. Everyone also picked the Giants to win the NFC East.
- Only Steve Wyche picked the Ravens to represent the AFC in the Superbowl.
