NFL Playoff Picture: Teams That Can Make an Unlikely Super Bowl Run

With the playoffs almost here, it's not too early to take a look at what might happen. For the sake of this argument, I am not looking at the elite teams that already have 10 or more wins. It wouldn't be a surprise for them to make a Super Bowl run.

The same is not true for these teams. Two of them aren't even in the playoffs yet, while the other two sit at 9-6. Still, when the postseason begins, don't be surprised if these teams do better than you expect. 

Oakland Raiders

While Darren McFadden remains a mystery, it's worth considering that—with McFadden—this offense has four guys that are legitimate threats to score from anywhere on the field. Imagine the Raiders against a team like the Patriots, who struggles on defense. Imagine them against the Steelers or Ravens, who often don't score a lot. 

Sure, they would be underdogs, but the Raiders have what it takes to beat the top three teams in the AFC. Consider that, and consider what their likely first-round playoff matchups will be. 

If they win the division, they will get a home game against the Steelers or Ravens. If they win the wild-card race, they will go on the road to face the Texans. The Raiders have already beaten a healthy Houston team this year, while the team the Texans field in the playoffs will be anything but healthy. 

Denver Broncos

The Broncos have two things working in their favor. One is that—if they make the playoffs—they will get to host a game on Wild Card Weekend. Playing at altitude always benefits the Broncos.

Secondly, despite a losing streak, the Broncos believe that they are in a game until the end. 

However, what the Broncos can't do is face the Patriots. The Patriots are the one team in the AFC that will consistently put up points. That forces Tim Tebow to pass, and the Broncos won't win if that happens. 

That being said, if they face a team like Baltimore or Pittsburgh, the Broncos' chances go up significantly. It's not that those teams are any worse than the Patriots, but they don't score points like New England does. That will keep the Broncos close. Tim Tebow has proven too often that if you keep him around, he will burn you.  

Detroit Lions

The Lions have one large factor working in their favor. 

Okay, he's not all they have, but Calvin Johnson is an unstoppable force. If Matthew Stafford is given time, the Lions will score a lot of points. 

Something else they have working in their favor is an elite pass rush. Johnson, along with the defensive line, gives the Lions a great chance to hide their weakness. 

Detroit's problem is that they don't defend the run. In any close game, they're going to have problems.

However, if Calvin Johnson gets them out to a nice lead and takes the run away from their opponent, their pass rush makes this team dangerous. 

Atlanta Falcons

The Falcons really don't have a weakness. They have a good quarterback in Matt Ryan, good weapons in Tony Gonzalez, Roddy White and Julio Jones, and a strong back in Michael Turner. On defense, the Falcons are also strong. 

They may not have a player like Calvin Johnson that can take the game over, but this really is one of the more complete teams in the league. Never underestimate that. 

It's hard to find a weakness to exploit when the weaknesses aren't there. That's what will work for the Falcons.

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