OLIVER KIMOKEO | sports editor

During the holiday season, the NFL is my favorite sport to watch on television. The NFL is exciting because there are only 16 regular season games, which helps put importance on every single game played.

I follow the NFL intensely and I love to speculate where teams will be at the end of the season. The season is already three quarters over with four more weeks to play.

The New England Patriots are the class of the NFL. Throughout the 2000s, I have been hesitant to give the Patriots the “dynasty” label. This year, however, they have earned the right to call themselves a dynasty despite close wins in the last two weeks. If there is any team capable to become the first undefeated team since the 1972 Miami Dolphins, it is the Patriots.

Speaking of the Dolphins, they have been hopelessly horrendous all year. I do not see them winning any of the remaining games and they will be the first winless team since the 1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The Patriots are a virtual lock for the No. 1 seed in the AFC. All they have to do is defeat the 9-3 Pittsburgh Steelers and they will have home-field advantage all the way to Super Bowl XLII.

At the end of the regular season, this is how the AFC playoff field will look: Patriots (No. 1), Indianapolis Colts (No. 2), Steelers (No. 3), San Diego Chargers (No. 4), Jacksonville Jaguars (No. 5), and Cleveland Browns (No. 6). The Patriots are my pick to win the AFC championship.

The Dallas Cowboys and the Green Bay Packers have emerged as the best NFC teams this season. Eight days ago, the Cowboys defeated the Packers, 37-27 in a battle between the 10-1 teams.

The Cowboys have been impressive this season and quarterback Tony Romo is a leading NFC candidate for the MVP award. So far, the Cowboys’ lone loss is to the Patriots.

There is a going to be a battle for the No. 6 seed in the NFC field. There are seven teams in competition at the moment to gain the last seed into the NFC playoffs. The No. 6 seed will not be decided until the final week.

This is how the AFC playoff field will look: Cowboys (No. 1), Packers (No. 2), Buccaneers (No. 3), Seattle Seahawks (No. 4), New York Giants (No. 5), and Minnesota Vikings (No. 6). The Patriots are my pick to win the AFC championship. The Packers are my pick to win the NFC championship.

The Patriots and the Packers will battle in a rematch of the Super Bowl XXXI held in January 1997. This season’s Super Bowl will be a high-scoring affair as quarterbacks Brett Favre and Tom Brady will be trading touchdown after touchdown. Also, Super Bowl XLII will the first Super Bowl to enter into overtime.

At the end, the Packers will be on top. Favre will retire after a storybook ending, leading his rejuvenated Packers to a Super Bowl win. The final score will be: Packers 45, Patriots 39 in overtime.