2012 - "The Year of Goodell's Wrath"
When the Saints somehow start the year 2-0, King Roger I is not pleased. Additional fines rain down, including one of Tom Benson for "Dirty Dancing" on the sidelines after the opener. The Saints eventually fold under the pressure, leaving room for "Clean-Cut Cam" Newton and the Panthers to win the NFC South.
When the cap-strapped Redskins waddle out to 4-2 under electrifying rookie Robert Griffin III, we find out that bounties CAN be all right, as long as they are paid from the royal purse. King Roger advises opposing warriors to "go low", and RGIII is done with an ACL by mid-season and the Skins slide back to a familiar 6-10. Since the Giants won the division last year, it is the turn of the other royally-approved team, the Eagles, to win.
The Packers and Niners cruise, and eventualy meet in the NFC championship, sending Green Bay back to the Super Bowl.
The Broncos and Jets each win their division - the Jets in the second occurrence of divine intervention that will come to be known as the "Tebow Effect" in years to come. The uber-motivated Peyton Manning rips through the regular season but finally comes up short against the Jets, who re-discover the fact that it's a lot easier to play good defense if you rush the passer. The Texans waltz through the AFC South, easily the worst division in the conference, while Baltimore finds their window closing and falls to Pittsburgh, restocked through an amazingly successful draft. The Steelers ride a revitalized running attack to the AFC Championship.
Since two royally approved franchises have succeeded to the Super Bowl, King Roger decrees an entertaining event, which Green Bay wins 38-35.