Can the Giants repeat? Can Ray Lewis continue to strike fear into helpless quarterbacks? Will Peyton Manning bounce back with the Broncos?

All of these questions and more will be answered in this 2012 football season. Here are the Globe’s annual predictions for the NFL season, a season which is sure to cause many thrills, emotions, and contreversy yet again.

Predictions:

AFC East:

1. New England Patriots (1)

2. New York Jets

3. Buffalo Bills

4. Miami Dolphins

AFC North:

1. Baltimore Ravens (2)

2. Cincinnati Bengals (6)

3. Pittsburgh Steelers

4. Cleveland Browns

AFC South:

1. Indianapolis Colts (4)

2. Houston Texans (5)

3. Tennesee Titans

4. Jacksonville Jaguars

AFC West:

1. Denver Broncos (3)

2. Oakland Raiders

3. Kansas City Chiefs

4. San Diego Chargers

NFC East:

1. New York Giants (4)

2. Dallas Cowboys

3. Washington Redskins

4. Philadelphia Eagles

NFC North:

1. Green Bay Packers (1)

2. Chicago Bears (5)

3. Detroit Lions (6)

4. Minnesota Vikings

NFC South:

1. Atlanta Falcons (3)

2. Carolina Panthers

3. New Orleans Saints

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

NFC West:

1. San Francisco 49ers (2)

2. St. Louis Rams

3. Seattle Seahawks

4. Arizona Cardinals

Playoff Picture:

AFC:

Round One-

(1) Patriots and (2) Ravens have a bye week in the first week of the playoffs.

(3) Broncos over (6) Bengals

(5) Texans over (4) Colts

Round Two-

(5) Texans over (1) Patriots

(2) Ravens over (3) Broncos

Round Three-

(2) Ravens over (5) Texans

NFC:

Round One-

(1) Packers and (2) 49ers have a bye week in the first week of the playoffs.

(3) Falcons over (6) Lions

(4) Giants over (5) Bears

Round Two-

(3) Falcons over (2) 49ers

(4) Giants over (1) Packers

Round Three-

(3) Falcons over (4) Giants

Super Bowl-

The Falcons and Ravens will face off in the Super Bowl this year. Though the game will be close, clutch plays from the Ravens’ defense will propell Baltimore to victory. Ravens’ running back Ray Rice will be named Super Bowl MVP.

Ravens 24, Falcons 20.

MVP- Peyton Manning

Offensive Player of the Year- Aaron Rogers

Defensive Player of the Year- Vonn Miller

Coach of the Year- John Harbaugh

Offensive Rookie of the Year- Andrew Luck

Defensive Rookie of the Year- Michael Brockers