NFL Playoff Picture: Cincinnati Bengals and the 3 Scariest Road Teams

If the 2011 NFL playoffs taught us anything, it's that the home team is never safe.

The road team won three of four games in last season's Wild Card Round. I'm not expecting that kind of success for the travelers this year, but a few lower seeds are capable of making a lot of noise in the postseason.

These are the scariest road teams in the 2012 playoffs:

Detroit Lions

The Lions have their fair share of issues, but scoring points isn't one of them. They put up at least 38 points in five of their 16 games this season.

Matthew Stafford was excellent this season, throwing for 5,038 yards and 41 touchdowns while completing 63.5 percent of his passes.

Of course, it's pretty easy to put up big numbers when you can throw to Calvin Johnson all day long. Johnson is the unquestionably the best wide receiver in the NFL. This season, he led the league with 1,681 yards, finished second in receiving touchdowns (16) and third in receptions (96).

The Lions also have the most fearsome defensive line in the NFL. If Ndamukong Suh and Kyle Vanden Bosch can get to Drew Brees, the Lions will have a great shot at upsetting the New Orleans Saints.

Cincinnati Bengals

I didn't like the Bengals' playoff chances because of their inexperience. However, they got a great draw in the first round, when they will take on the depleted Houston Texans.

The Texans' season was officially over when Matt Schaub got hurt in early November. They have an elite running game, but run stopping happens to be the Bengals' specialty.

The Bengals only give up 96.9 rushing yards per game and have allowed just 12 touchdowns on the ground this season.

If Andy Dalton and A.J. Green are on point, Cincinnati will advance to the second round.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Rashard Mendenhall might not play in Pittsburgh's first-round game, but the Steelers will beat the Broncos anyway.

They have a Super Bowl-tested quarterback and their defense is once again among the NFL's elite. Pittsburgh has the best pass defense in the league, allowing just 172.2 yards per game. It also gives up only 101.7 rushing yards per game, ninth best in the NFL.

With Ben Roethlisberger and their vicious defense, the Steelers are capable of making another Super Bowl run this season.