Which NFL teams will play in the Super Bowl?

Writers from around the Tribune Co. predict which teams will play in the Super Bowl at the end of the upcoming season, which begins Wednesday night. Feel free to join the conversation with a comment of your own.

Athan Atsales, Los Angeles Times

It will be the Baltimore Ravens’ Joe Flacco vs. the Green Bay Packers’ Aaron Rodgers in the Super Bowl. Considering that matchup at quarterback, who wouldn’t like the Pack to win another Vince Lombardi trophy?

Flacco has had difficulties getting over the AFC playoff hurdle, so once he gets Baltimore to the big game you can bet there will be more lessons to be learned about playing on the biggest of stages. Rodgers already has passed that test.

Although it will be low scoring since the Ravens are quite stingy on defense, have to believe Baltimore’s conservative offense will be no match on the scoreboard compared to the multi-faceted Green Bay arsenal.

Paul Doyle, Hartford Courant

We’ve learned from the defending champion Giants that picking a Super Bowl team is difficult, before or during the season. Who saw a Super Bowl team when the Giants fell to 6-6 with a loss to the Packers in Week 12 last season?

So we’ll close our eyes and toss a dart. There hasn’t been a repeat Super Bowl champ since the 2004 Patriots, and we’re guessing it won’t happen this year.

The Packers -- the team that seemed destined for a title back in Week 12 of 2011 -- seem poised to avenge their failure and get to the Super Bowl. With MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers leading a high-powered offense and a potentially improved team that will benefit from an influx of youth, the Packers have the look of a title team.

Can the Patriots return to the Super Bowl after losing to the Giants last year? As good as Tom Brady is, the offense concerns us and the defense seems to lack playmakers.

We’ll go with the Ravens, still an elite defensive team. Joe Flacco and Ray Rice will churn out enough offense to carry Baltimore to the Super Bowl, where they’ll lose to Rodgers and the Packers.

Let’s talk again in Week 8. By then, we might be picking a Dolphins-Bucs Super Bowl.

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