The 2015 NFL season is about to come to a close. It seems like only yesterday Dez wasn’t catching the ball and the Seahawks weren’t running it on the one yard line. Just kidding, Cowboys and Seahawks fans. I’m a Green Bay fan, so my punishment has been this entire season, for the most part.

Anyway, I’m going to predict the playoffs all the way through to the Super Bowl! Now, I’m not an expert or an analyst, so my predictions will pretty much just be based on gut reactions to the match-ups and my own knowledge of the teams, so don’t expect a lot of finesse in my justifications.

Just as a reminder:

AFC Playoff Bracket:
1. Denver Broncos (12-4)
2. New England Patriots (12-4)
3. Cincinnati Bengals (12-4)
4. Houston Texans (9-7)
5. Kansas City Chiefs (11-5)
6. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-6)

NFC Playoff Bracket:
1. Carolina Panthers (15-1)
2. Arizona Cardinals (13-3)
3. Minnesota Vikings (11-5)
4. Washington Redskins (9-7)
5. Green Bay Packers (10-6)
6. Seattle Seahawks (10-6)

I've already had to rewrite this two or three times, mostly due to the fact that I had assumed certain teams would win and others wouldn't, and I was dead wrong. So, with that vote of confidence, let's go!

AFC Wildcard Round:

6. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-6) at 3. Cincinnati Bengals (12-4)

A really lucky Steelers team has managed to once again get into the playoffs, against all odds! Andy Dalton won’t be back until the Divisional Round most likely, so that means, more than likely, A.J. McCarron will be starting his first playoff game in the NFL. While I trust in the experience of the offensive talent like A.J. Green, Giovanni Bernard, and Jeremy Hill, the Steelers have too good of an offense, arguably the best in the league. Pittsburgh will repeat their Week 14 match-up and defeat the Cincinnati Bengals to advance to the Divisional Round.

Final Score: Steelers 30 – Bengals 24

5. Kansas City Chiefs (11-5) at 4. Houston Texans (9-7)

After the proverbial turnstile that was the Houston quarterback position this season (four: Brian Hoyer, Ryan Mallett, T.J. Yates, and Brandon Weeden), the team from Texas has actually made it to the playoffs. Still, it won’t be enough to beat the hottest team in the NFL. Alex Smith will march into Houston and bring the Chiefs their first playoff win 1994 and his own first win since 2012.

Final Score: Chiefs 31 – Texans 21

NFC Wildcard Round:

6. Seattle Seahawks (10-6) at 3. Minnesota Vikings (11-5)

Seattle is back in the playoffs ... again. A rematch from Week 13, where the Vikings were pummeled in all facets. Seattle will come back to Minnesota and win again, propelling themselves further on another Super Bowl chase. The Vikings had trouble with the limping Green Bay offense the previous weak (despite the fact they won), with James Jones burning the Vikings for over a hundred yards. Seattle are much more synced up with their receivers and quarterback than Green Bay has been this season, and the Vikings will leave the playoffs in the first round.

Final Score: Seahawks 28 – Vikings 14

5. Green Bay Packers (10-6) at 4. Washington Redskins (9-7)

Playoff Football in Washington! The Capitol is abuzz! And against a Green Bay team that made it into the playoffs by great play in the first half of the season and not much in the second half (6-2 in the first eight games, 4-4 in the last eight games). Captain Kirk is playing about as well as any quarterback right now, and with the help of DeSean Jackson and Jordan Reed, Cousins will lead the Redskins to their first playoff victory since the 1992 season, and Washington fans have gotta like that. (Zing!)

Final Score: Packers 20 – Redskins 24

AFC Divisional Round:

5. Kansas City Chiefs (12-5) at 2. New England Patriots (12-4)

Chiefs and Patriots! Rivals for Life! Right? What an up-and-down season Kansas City has had: a one-and-five start, the loss of Jamaal Charles, and the use of so many young players. I originally wrote, "You don't vote against Brady," but after seeing the Suh (I hate that guy) hit and Brady limping, I have a hard time backing the Patriots if one of the best to ever play isn't at 100 percent, even if playmakers like Edelman and Amendola are all back in the lineup.

Final Score: Chiefs 31 – Patriots 27

6. Pittsburgh Steelers (11-6) at 1. Denver Broncos (12-4)

The Sheriff! Will he be back? That's a question that'll have to be answered by someone who has more access than me. Go ask Ian Rappaport. But what a crazy season for Pittsburgh, with three different quarterbacks, and the return and then departure of Le'Veon Bell, but this team has remarkably made it to the playoffs. Regardless of who the quarterback is for Denver, the outcome will be the same. The Broncos defense was humiliated in Week 15 when Roethlisberger burned Denver for 380 yards and three touchdowns. The Denver defense won't let that happen again, and whether Osweiler or Manning is under center, a shoddy Pittsburgh defense won't be able to stop the receiver tandem of Sanders and Thomas, and the running back tandem of Hillman and Anderson. Broncos will go to another AFC Championship.

Final Score: Steelers 21 – Broncos 30

NFC Divisional Round:

6. Seattle Seahawks (11-6) at 1. Carolina Panthers (15-1)

MVP favorite Cam Newton and the Panthers beat the Seahawks in Seattle in mid-October, and I have a feeling a team that has had the pressure of a perfect season lifted, but the frustration of losing to Seattle exactly a year before will propel the Panthers to the NFC Championship for the first time in Newton’s young career, dashing the hopes for Seattle's third trip to the Super Bowl in four Russell Wilson-led seasons. Additionally, the Panthers were able to play pretty well without starters like Johnathan Stewart or Ted Ginn Jr., and Cam was able to put up great numbers (admittedly, it was against Tampa Bay); but regardless, this team is primed for postseason success.

Final Score: Seahawks 21 – Panthers 29

4. Washington Redskins (10-7) at 2. Arizona Cardinals (13-3)

Two weeks after a romping against Seattle, the Cardinals will redeem themselves and show how they are (one of) the best team(s) in the league. Captain Kirk and the gang, coming off a win against the Packers, will put in a good effort, but the Cardinals superior defense and high-octane offense will take Washington down a notch. Worry not, Redskins fans; this is only the beginning of a very promising franchise, and you gotta like that. (OK, I'll stop.)

Final Score: Redskins 24 – Cardinals 35

AFC Championship:

5. Kansas City Chiefs (13-5) at 1. Denver Broncos (13-4)

Andy Reid’s red crew will come into Mile High for the second time this season, and they do what they did the first time they played the Denver Broncos (or if Osweiler is the starter, the Brockos) -- they will beat them. Admittedly, Brock Osweiler didn’t get a full game to play against the Chiefs, but the Chiefs are too good a team, and the Denver defense was exposed recently against teams like the Chargers, Steelers, and even the Raiders. Eric Berry returns a pick-six to send the Chiefs to the Super Bowl. (Sorry, Peyton.)

NFC Championship:

2. Arizona Cardinals (14-3) at 1. Carolina Panthers (16-1)

Another very excellent game and definitely the most difficult to choose out of all of the ones so far. Carson Palmer and Cam Newton both have had career years, and both deserve to go to their first Super Bowls. Both Bruce Arians and Ron Rivera have been amazing coaches and mentors to these teams, and this game could easily go either way. But I have to go with the young man from Atlanta, Number One, Superman. Newton rushes into the history books, bringing the Carolina Panthers to only their second Super Bowl in franchise history, surpassing the high-octane Cardinals. Besides, can you have imagined the Red Chiefs playing against the Red Cardinals? You'd have to adjust your television set.

Final Score: Cardinals 31 – Panthers 35

Super Bowl 50 (or Super Bowl L):

5. Kansas City Chiefs (14-5) vs. 1.Carolina Panthers (17-1)

The ultimate game in American football, the Super Bowl, is finally here! Newton vs. Smith, Reid vs. Rivera. No matter which side wins, it will be the first Super Bowl win for the coach and quarterback tandem (although Ron Rivera did win in 1985, as a player for the Bears, but he’s never won as a coach.)

Anyway, prediction: The Super Bowl record for rushing yards by a quarterback was set by Steve McNair in Super Bowl XXXIV with 64 yards. I say that both Cam Newton and Alex Smith rush for more than 64 yards in Super Bowl L. How’s that for a Bold Prediction, Marshall Faulk?!

Regardless, the one who will be holding the Lombardi Trophy at the end of the game will be:

(Drum roll, please)

Cam Newton, and the Carolina Panthers!

Newton will pass for over 200 yards and two touchdowns, and rush for over 60 yards and a rushing touchdown, as the Carolina Panthers win their first Super Bowl in their franchise history.

Final Score: Chiefs 27 – Panthers 34

I actually wrote this in my original draft: I can’t wait until Sunday night to see all of my picks be completely wrong because the Steelers got into the playoffs and the Jets didn’t.

“Das Jus Me Doe!” – the1janitor

What do you think?

Who are your Super Bowl picks?

How am I completely wrong?

Let me know in the comments below!