Divisional Playoffs

Jasmine Moore

With the 1st day of 2012 came the end of the regular season and the beginning of the 2011-2012 NFL postseason.

AFC

AFC East: Division Champs are the New England Patriots, leading the AFC East with a winning record of 13-3. With their last regular season game against the Buffalo Bills, the Patriots fell behind in the first half 21-0 only to come back to win with 49 unanswered points. The Patriots locked up the #1 Seed in the AFC and secured a bye week and home-field advantage throughout the play-offs. AFC North: Division Champs are the Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens are one of two teams to sweep their entire division ( Packers) and one of three to be undefeated at home (Packers, Saints). But the Ravens were neck and neck with the Steelers both ending the season with 12-4 record, the AFC North came down to the Week 17 games the Ravens at Bengals and the Steelers at Browns. The Ravens needed a win to become the AFC North Champions. They pulled out a win in Cincinnati, 24-16 making them the #2 Seed in the AFC and securing a bye week and the divisional match-up in Baltimore. AFC South: Division Champs are the Houston Texans who were the first in the AFC to secure their place as division champs in Week 14 with a last minute win with the help of their Third String QB T.J Yates against the Cincinnati Bengals. They also ended the season locking in the #3 Seed in the AFC entering them into a Wild-card rematch against the Bengals. AFC West: Division Champs are the Denver Broncos who got lucky after the Raiders lost to the Chargers in Week 17. With the Raiders and the Broncos neck and neck the Broncos lucked out after the Raiders lost to get #4 Seed in the AFC entering into the Wild-card match-up against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

NFC

NFC East: Division Champs are the New York Giants, with a win over the Dallas Cowboys in Week 17 showdown to seal their fate. The Giants ended their season with a 9-7 record and of those 9 wins only 3 were division wins. The Giants struggled to become the #4 Seed in the NFC to enter into a wild-card showdown against the Atlanta Falcons. NFC North: The Division Champs are none other than the 15-1 Green Bay Packers. Undefeated at home and in the NFC North, the former Super Bowl Champs only had one lost this season to the Kansas City Chiefs but locked up the #1 Seed in the NFC with a bye week and home-field advantage throughout the play-offs with their win in Week 16 against the Chicago Bears. NFC South: Division Champs are the New Orleans Saints with a winning season of 13-3, going undefeated at home and QB Drew Brees breaking Dan Marino's single passing season records. The Saints locked in the #3 Seed in the NFC to go on to face the Detroit Lions in a Wild-card rematch of Week 13. NFC West: Division Champs are the San Francisco 49ers locking in the #2 Seed in the NFC with a bye week and the divisional match-up being played in San Francisco. The 49ers ended their season with a 13-3 with a Week 17 win over the St. Louis Rams.