At the midpoint of the 2015 NFL season, our analysts refresh their predictions on the major individual awards, the entire playoff field and Championship Sunday/Super Bowl outcomes.
AFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
Jeffri Chadiha: Patriots over Bengals.Andy Dalton looks good enough to take his team to the brink of a Super Bowl. Unfortunately, he's going to face a quarterback who knows how to get beyond that point.
Judy Battista: Patriots over Bengals. The Bengals finally break through in January, but it is impossible to imagine them beating the (maybe unbeaten) Patriots in Foxborough for the AFC championship.
Willie McGinest: Patriots over Broncos. They're the two best, most complete teams. The Patriots are just better.
Michael Silver: Patriots over Bengals.Andy Dalton will finally show up come playoff time, but overcoming Brady (and Belichick) in Foxborough in January requires next-level excellence, and he's not there yet.
Maurice Jones-Drew: Patriots over Broncos.
Colleen Wolfe: Patriots over Bengals. The Bengals won some playoff games! Sam Wyche is gonna be so pumped.
Ike Taylor: Patriots over Raiders. I think Oakland will peak at the right time, and the Patriots will always be there with Tom Brady playing like he is.
Steve Wyche: Patriots over Steelers. Check the air pressure in the ball. Check the locker rooms for bugs. After the game, check the scoreboard. The Pats are going to the Super Bowl.
Nate Burleson: Patriots over Broncos.
Gil Brandt: Patriots over Bengals. The Pats win simply because they boast the better of the two very good quarterbacks, and he rarely loses at home.
Adam Schein: Patriots over Bengals. Yes, this means the Bengals win a playoff game. And then the Patriots dismantle them.
Marc Sessler: Patriots over Broncos.Tom Brady outduels the NFL's top defense in one final, glorious showdown with Peyton Manning.
Charley Casserly: Patriots over Bengals. Dalton rises to the occasion to get the Bengals here, but Brady is just too good.
Bucky Brooks: Broncos over Patriots. The Broncos' defense paves the way for Peyton Manning to bow out as a Super Bowl champion.
Elliot Harrison: Patriots over Broncos. Denver finishes as the No. 2 seed due to a season win over the Bengals, yet will ultimately have to travel to Foxborough for the conference championship game. Cold weather and homefield work against Peyton and the Broncos.
Shaun O'Hara: Patriots over Bengals.
Steve Mariucci: Patriots over Bengals.
Heath Evans: Patriots over Steelers.
NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
Jeffri Chadiha: Packers over Cardinals. Green Bay will benefit from playing Arizona at frigid Lambeau Field in January. The Packers also will be motivated by their collapse against Seattle in last year's NFC title game.
Judy Battista: Cardinals over Packers. A nail-biter between the most well-rounded teams in the NFC ... but the Cardinals prevail because their defense can limit Rodgers the way the Broncos did at the halfway point.
Willie McGinest: Packers over Panthers.
Michael Silver: Packers over Rams. You heard me. Todd Gurley on the Frozen Tundra is a beautiful image ... but there's no way Aaron Rodgers is losing this game to Nick Foles.
Maurice Jones-Drew: Panthers over Packers.
Colleen Wolfe: Cardinals over Packers. The most complete team in the conference beats the best quarterback in the conference.
Ike Taylor: Seahawks over Giants.
Steve Wyche: Packers over Cardinals. The Packers don't lose at home and that proves huge for Green Bay.
Nate Burleson: Cardinals over Panthers. It's going to be tough to get there, but these teams have proven tough in close games.
Gil Brandt: Panthers over Packers. Right now, these are the two best teams in the NFC. Carolina has overcome so many things. The fact they have Cam Newton and Luke Kuechly will propel them into the title game. With Green Bay, it's all about Rodgers. The loss to Denver showed he can be negated by a great defense. I think the Panthers' unit can come close enough to doing what the Broncos were able to do.
Adam Schein: Packers over Cardinals. It's Aaron Rodgers' world, and we are just living in it.
Marc Sessler: Cardinals over Packers.Bruce Arians deserves another nod for Coach of the Year after turning Arizona into the NFC's most powerful team.
Charley Casserly: Packers over Cardinals. Green Bay's balance on offense makes the difference.
Bucky Brooks: Seahawks over Cardinals. The Seahawks grind their way back to the Super Bowl behind a defense that comes up with timely plays in the game's most critical moments.
Elliot Harrison: Packers over Cardinals. What a fun matchup this will be ... the traditional Packers with all their titles against a well-balanced Cardinals team that hasn't won a title since 1947. Alas, the Lambeau advantage is real.
Shaun O'Hara: Packers over Falcons.
Steve Mariucci: Packers over Cardinals.
Heath Evans: Vikings over Packers.
