OK, my neck enters the guillotine now.

Will I get enough predictions correct about the 2012 NFL season to avoid punishment? Or am I volunteering for my reputation to suffer a painful and public demise?

Actually, overwriting those opening paragraphs was plenty embarrassing, so I have nothing to lose.

Here goes.

(Expect a post later this week with 12 fearless predictions just about the Seahawks.)

DIVISION BY DIVISION PICKS

AFC East
1. New England
2. Buffalo
3. New York Jets
4. Miami

AFC North
1. Baltimore
2. Pittsburgh
3. Cincinnati
4. Cleveland

AFC South
1. Houston
2. Tennessee
3. Indianapolis
4. Jacksonville

AFC West
1. Denver
2. Kansas City
3. San Diego
4. Oakland

NFC East
1. Philadelphia
2. New York Giants
3. Washington
4. Dallas

NFC North
1. Green Bay
2. Chicago
3. Detroit
4. Minnesota

NFC South
1. Atlanta
2. Carolina
3. New Orleans
4. Tampa Bay

NFC West
1. San Francisco
2. Seahawks
3. Arizona
4. St. Louis

Best regular season team: Green Bay, with a 13-3 record
Matt Barkley Sweepstakes winner: Jacksonville, with a 2-14 record
MVP: Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay
Defensive Player Of The Year: Patrick Willis, San Francisco
Offensive Player Of The Year: Calvin Johnson, Detroit
Offensive Rookie Of The Year: Andrew Luck, Indianapolis
Defensive Rookie Of The Year Luke Kuechly, Carolina
Coach Of The Year: Romeo Crennel, Kansas City
Most over-covered story, Part I: The combustible Jets
Most over-covered story, Part II: Peyton Manning's return and first season in Denver
Most under-covered story, Part I: The emergence of the Seahawks defense as a dominant force
Most under-covered story, Part II: Kansas City's improvement under Crennel
Most surprising team (positive): Kansas City
Most surprising team (negative): Detroit
First coach to be fired: Norv Turner, San Diego

PLAYOFFS
AFC wild card games: Denver over Kansas City, Pittsburgh over Houston
Divisional round: Baltimore over Denver, New England over Pittsburgh
AFC Championship Game: Baltimore over New England
NFC wild card games: Seahawks over Atlanta, San Francisco over Chicago
Divisional round: Green Bay over Seahawks, San Francisco over Philadelphia
NFC Championship Game: San Francisco over Green Bay
Super Bowl: San Francisco over Baltimore

If you'd like to share your NFL predictions now, the floor is yours.