As 2012 comes to a close, Athlon will count down the top individual performances in each major sport from the year, culminating with a full list of the top 50 performances of the year.

It is important to remember that for the NFL, 2012 started with the end of the 2011 regular season and the playoffs, in addition to the first 15 weeks of the current season. That’s why Tom Brady’s record-tying performance against Denver in last season’s AFC Divisional Round comes in at No. 1 on this list, even though the game was played back in January.

The San Francisco 49ers and New England Patriots face off tonight at 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC in what could potentially be a preview of Super Bowl XLVII. The 49ers (9-3-1) are trying to hold Seattle off for the top spot in the NFC West, while the Patriots (10-3) could potentially knock Houston from the top of the standings in the AFC. This also is a matchup of one of the league’s top defenses in San Francisco trying to slow down a New England offense that’s been lighting up the scoreboard most of the season.

A betting preview of every game (against the spread) on Sunday and Monday in Week 15.


Locks of the Week
Rematches of heated rivalries, a neutral site home game in Canada and a nine-game losing streak all look good to go this week.


Packers (-2.5) at Bears

NFL Week 15 previews and predictions for every game on the schedule:

Bengals (7-6) at Eagles (4-9)
Philadelphia ended its eight-game losing streak — the team’s longest run of futility in 42 years — on a last-second TD at Tampa Bay. Now the Eagles look to end a four-game losing streak at home. If they do, the game will be a close one; Philly’s four wins this season have come by a combined six points.
Bengals by 3

Athlon Sports' weekly rankings of NFL teams. The New England Patriots have moved into the top spot after knocking out previous the No. 1 Houston Texans, while no team is playing worse than the recently humiliated Arizona Cardinals.

Here are our NFL Power Rankings following Week 14 of the season:

The players and coaches may hog the spotlight, but success in sports usually starts from the top. Those owners who sign the checks and make the right hires have the ability to not only change the fate of their respective teams, but to significantly improve their sport and, in some cases, impact the course of history. These are 10 of the best examples of the greatest owners in sports history.

The Houston Texans and New England Patriots will wrap up Week 14 in the NFL when two of the AFC’s top teams meet up tonight at 8:30 p.m. ET on ESPN. The Texans (11-1) currently lead the Patriots (9-3) and the rest of the conference in the quest for home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. Besides trying to gain ground on the Texans for that coveted top seed, the Patriots would like nothing more than to send a signal to the visiting team that they are the ones who currently wear the AFC crown.

A betting preview of every game (against the spread) on Sunday and Monday in Week 14.


Locks of the Week
Three of the worst teams in the league will be flown over by the sputtering J-E-T-S, soaring Dirty Birds and upstart Hawks.

NFL Week 14 previews and predictions for every game on the schedule: