Column: Aaron Worm, Behind the Mic

Isn’t it fun to make predictions?

You may be sitting around with your buddies claiming the Lions are going to be the surprise team this year in the NFL or the Packers are going to be a flop. We all can pretend we are experts. There are the so-called “experts” — the media guys who watch hundreds of hours of film. They know a little bit more than the average fan. But let’s be honest, once that football is snapped nobody knows what is going to happen. You can’t predict a fumbled punt, tipped pass or an injury to a major player. So I believe I can make predictions as well as any other member of the media.

I can’t tell you off hand more than two linebackers in the league besides guys who play for the Vikings (Chicago’s Brian Urlacher and Baltimore’s Ray Lewis). Now I know more about offensive guys, thanks to the wonderful world of fantasy football, so let’s get to it here are my predictions on the 2011 NFL season.

Let’s start in the AFC North. Baltimore is the best team. They always rely on defense and have enough weapons around Joe Flacco to win the division. In the East I do like Rex Ryan’s arrogance. I have never been a fan of the Patriots so let’s go with the J-E-T-S, Jets, Jets, Jets. Out West, the division should belong to San Diego. They are the underachievers of the AFC. I will pick the Bolts with Denver right behind them. And in the South I like Jacksonville, my sleeper team. My wild card teams are New England and Houston.

In the NFC, as much as I bleed purple and gold, I have to go with the defending Super Bowl champs to win the North. In the East, the Giants always have talent but are very unpredictable. Eli Manning has so many weapons with Hakeem Nicks, Mario Manningham and Ahmad Bradshaw among others, so I like the G-Men. In the South, after the Falcons had the best record in the NFC last year, their postseason came to an end with a quick thump losing to the Pack. I think they will win the South again. And in the West, it really doesn’t matter with such a bad division but because of Sam Bradford and Steven Jackson, I will take the Rams. My wild card teams are the Eagles and the Vikings. (It’s a homer pick I know).

As for the Super Bowl, I could pick names out of a hat and probably have a better chance of picking the correct matchup. In the AFC, I will take Baltimore. In the NFC, the Giants. And for the Super Bowl champs let’s go with the Giants.

There you have it. Now with that being said, watch the Lions win the whole thing. It could happen, couldn’t it?

KATE Sports Director Aaron Worm’s column usually appears each Monday in the Tribune. He can be heard from 6 to 11 a.m. weekdays on The Breeze.