It's that time of year again.  The nights are getting cooler, the leaves will soon begin their change and Sundays will be spent in front of the TV for nine hours watching football.  Yep, autumn will be here before you know it and that means the NFL is about to kickoff another season.  It's also time for me to use my all-seeing eye and predict the outcome of the 2007 season.  So put away those preview magazines and take heed -- for only I know which team will come out of the AFC alive. 

East

1. New England Patriots (11-5)

2. *Jets (10-6)

3. Buffalo Bills (6-10)

4. Miami Dolphins (5-11)

*Wild Card

I was really tempted to have the Jets take the division, but I would be really showing my colors with a pick like that.  The Patriots are everyone's darling not just in the AFC East, but in the entire AFC.  And on paper I really can't blame them.  The Pats picked up WR Randy Moss and LB Adalius Thomas (among others) and that should make them better on both sides of the ball.  But if history in the NFL has taught us anything (and it hasn't) it's that an offseason of big name acquisitions doesn't always guarantee victory (just look at the Washington Redskins).  The Patriots will be good, but they won't be as good as people think.  As for the Jets, I have questions about their offensive line and their ability to stop the run, but in Mangini I trust.  RB Thomas Jones (if healthy and Zeus-willing he will be) will give the Jets a legit running attack and should open up the passing game.  First-round pick CB Darrelle Revis should really improve the secondary and the Jets may have the best special teams in the AFC.  A second straight playoff appearance will have me feelin fine.  I just hope I'm not jinxing my boys in green.  The Bills lost their starting running back (Willis McGahee), their starting middle linebacker (London Fletcher-Baker) and their starting corner (Nate Clements) so I don't expect much from them in 2007.  I pray for nothing but darkness in Miami.

North

1. Baltimore Ravens (10-6)

2. Pittsburgh Steelers (9-7)

3. Cincinnati Bengals (7-9)

4. Cleveland Browns (5-11)

This may be the most competitive division in the NFL.  The top three teams could be fighting for first-place the entire season.  I'll give the nod to Baltimore because of their defense.  Their D is still in the Top 3, even with the loss of LB Adalius Thomas and the decline of LB Ray Lewis.  RB Willis McGahee should improve their running game (even though he only seems to have big games against the Jets) and QB Steve McNair will do just enough to give Baltimore their second straight division crown.  Bill Cowher is gone in Pittsburgh and the Mike Tomlin era will begin.  QB Ben Roethlisberger had a terrible 2006 (off-season motorcycle accident, concussions during the season, 18 TDs vs. 23 INTs), but should rebound.  If he doesn't, it could be a long season for the black and gold.  The Bengals may be the sexy pick in the AFC because of their explosive offense, but this isn't the Arena League and their defense is pitiful.  They also seem to lean toward self-destruction.  The only storyline in Cleveland will be "when does Brady Quinn take over as the starting QB?" 

South

1. Indianapolis Colts (11-5)

2. *Jacksonville Jaguars (10-6)

3. Tennessee Titans (6-10)

4. Houston Texans (4-12)

*Wild Card

The Colts' defense was terrible during the 2006 campaign, but they turned it around in the playoffs and capped it off with a Super Bowl victory.  The 2,000 pound gorilla is off QB Peyton Manning's back and he'll continue to put up Hall of Fame type numbers.  Their defense is still rotten and they lost two of their best players (LB Cato June and CB Nick Harper), but they still have DE Dwight Freeney and FS Bob Sanders.  I was tempted to pick the Jags at the top spot, but they're too schizophrenic for me.  Their defense may rival Baltimore's in the AFC, but they don't play well on the road.  David Garrard will take over at QB, but RB Maurice Jones-Drew is the key to that offense.  QB Vince Young had a great second half in 2006, but I think he takes a step back in 2007.  Jeff Fisher is a good coach so the Pacman Jones saga shouldn't affect the team, but he won't be able to coach them to more than six wins in 2007.  The Texans have a new QB (Matt Schaub) and a new RB (Ahman Green), but it won't make much of a difference.

West

1. San Diego Chargers (12-4)

2. Denver Broncos (8-8)

3. Kansas City Chiefs (6-10)

4. Oakland Raiders (3-13)

The Chargers head into the new season with an entirely new coaching staff (Norv Turner takes over for Marty Schottenheimer as head coach, Clarence Shelmon comes in for Cam Cameron on offense and former Jet defensive coordinator Ted Cottrell replaces Wade Phillips on D), but they inherit a stacked roster.  RB LaDainian Tomlinson will put together another MVP season (since he avoided the Madden jinx and declined to be on the cover) and LB Shawne Merriman heads up a very formidable defense.  Denver's Jay Cutler may have a rocket for an arm, but I'm not ready to anoint him as the next great QB just yet.  The Broncos running attack will feature a new number 1 in Travis Henry and the team picked up WR Brandon Stockley and TE Daniel Graham in the offseason, but I don't think it will be enough.  The Chiefs would have the worst offense in the league if it weren't for RB Larry Johnson.  Head coach Herm Edwards is conservative by nature, but if the Chiefs win this year, he'll have to give the ball to Johnson 600 times this season.  Oakland will be terrible again, but they still have the coolest unis in the league. 

When the smoke clears the San Diego Chargers will make it out alive and represent the AFC in Arizona.  I'm not sold on Norv Turner as the head coach, but I think the team has too much talent to get booted out of the playoffs for the second straight season.  Still, you could make a case for four or five teams to make it out of the AFC in 2007.  And injuries are always a factor between winning and losing in the NFL.  I'm hoping I'm dead wrong and the Jets rub some dirt in my face and make it to the big dance.