AFC North: Pittsburgh -- If the Steelers can cool off the surging Browns at home this Sunday -- and I expect they will -- they'll be in great shape to cruise into the final quarter of their schedule with a six-game winning streak, a 10-2 record, and all kinds of momentum. That's because after Cleveland, their next three opponents (at Jets, Miami, Cincinnati) have a combined record of 3-22 and pose little threat.

In our haste to coronate the Patriots and compliment the Colts, we've all been a bit guilty of overlooking the fine season the Steelers are assembling. But with Ben Roethlisberger having a great comeback season, Pittsburgh could be a force in the playoffs.

AFC South: Indianapolis -- Playing in the NFL's toughest division, the Colts don't have the waltz down Easy Street that the Patriots face in the second half. For starters, four of their next six are on the road, including this week's tough test at San Diego, with another trip to Baltimore (can that city's NFL fans just let it go?) looming in Week 14.

Not that I expect it, but wouldn't it be great if Indy still had to win its Week 17 home game against Tennessee to lock up the division title?

AFC West: San Diego -- It's not going to be particularly pretty at any point this season for the Chargers, but some how, some way, I see them piecing together nine or 10 wins and trumping the three mediocre teams they share the division with. But hey, we already know the 14-2, top-seeded playoff entrant wasn't the way to go for the Bolts, so maybe they'll be more dangerous in the January underdog role.

San Diego's second-half schedule features just two teams that are currently under .500, but if the Chargers get on a roll, they can beat anybody, anywhere.

AFC Wild Cards: Tennessee and Cleveland.

The Titans don't have much offense, but they don't need a ton of it to win. They've held six of their eight opponents to 14 points or fewer, and they're 5-1 in those games, with only a 13-10 loss at Tampa Bay ruining that record. Something tells me Vince Young is going to play far better in the second half than he did in the first, and you have to like a Tennessee running game that is starting to control the clock and complement the defense.

As for Cleveland, even if it comes out of the next two games with losses at Pittsburgh and at Baltimore, don't give up on the Brownies. At 5-5, they'd still be in decent shape to put four or five more wins on the board and make the playoffs for the first time since 2002. Cleveland isn't getting it done on defense, but the Browns offense has something special building, and you can't help but be entertained by a team that has won its past three games 41-31, 27-20 and 33-30 (in OT).

AFC Playoff seeds: 1. New England, 2. Indianapolis, 3. Pittsburgh, 4. San Diego, 5. Tennessee, 6. Cleveland.

Wild card round: Pittsburgh defeats Cleveland, San Diego defeats Tennessee.

Divisional round: New England defeats San Diego, Indianapolis defeats Pittsburgh.

AFC Championship: New England defeats Indianapolis.

Super Bowl XLII: New England defeats New Orleans.