Power Ranking Each NFL Playoff Team

With the regular season finally over, it is time to examine each of the 12 teams who qualified for a spot in the postseason.

As the NFL playoffs have showed us before, once you get into the playoffs anything can happen and any team has a legitimate shot of walking away with a Super Bowl championship.

The fan bases of these 12 teams are assuredly buzzing, and although they all have a chance, let's take a look at the ranking of each of the playoff teams heading into Wild Card Weekend.

12. Denver Broncos

AFC Seed: 4 (AFC West Champions)

Record: 8-8

First Game: vs. Pittsburgh Jan. 8, 4:30 p.m. EST

Despite being one of the most talked about teams this season, the Broncos' Super Bowl hopes seem slim going into the playoffs.

The Broncos are led by controversial quarterback Tim Tebow, who led Denver on a 7-1 run in his first eight starts but finished the season with three straight losses.

Denver backed into the playoffs only because of Oakland's inability to lock up the division, losing four of the last five games.

Denver's defense was solid this season, and they led the league in rushing, However, having to face off against the Steelers in the opening round may be too much to handle for Denver.

In order for the Broncos to be competitive, Denver will need Tebow to step up.

Tebow finished the season with just a 46.5 percent completion percentage and a 72.9 quarterback rating.

Playing at home could mean the Broncos are capable of pulling off an upset, very much the way we saw last season with Seattle over New Orleans. The chances of the Broncos running through three games in the AFC to make the Super Bowl seem very unlikely.  

11. Cincinnati Bengals

AFC Seed: 5

Record: 9-7

First Game: at Houston Jan. 7, 4:30 p.m. EST

The second wild-card spot in the AFC was hotly contested in the latter weeks of the season with the Bengals, Raiders, Titans and Jets all having chances to find their way into the playoffs. 

At the end though, it was the Bengals who surprised many with a 9-7 record and grabbed the No. 6 spot in the AFC despite losing their final game of the season against the Ravens.

The Bengals are led by rookie quarterback Andy Dalton, who will likely be behind only Cam Newton for Rookie of the Year consideration. 

The former TCU quarterback finished the season with over 3,300 passing yards and 20 touchdowns to just 13 interceptions.

The real strength of Cincy, though, has been its much-improved defense. The Bengals finished the season seventh in the league defensively.

However, Cincinnati lost all four of its games against fellow AFC North playoff teams Baltimore and Pittsburgh and looks to be a year or two away from being Super Bowl contenders.

While Cincy making the postseason is certainly a large accomplishment, with teams like the Patriots, Steelers and Ravens in front of them, the odds will be stacked against them to make the Super Bowl this year. 

10. Houston Texans

AFC Seed: 3 (AFC South Champions)

Record: 10-6 

First Game: vs. Cincinnati Jan. 7, 4:30 p.m. EST

For the first time in their history, the Houston Texans will make a playoff appearance after winning the AFC South.

For many years now, the Texans have been so close to the postseason only to miss out in the final few weeks because of an inconsistent defense.

This year, Houston has the second-ranked defense in the NFL in terms of yards per game despite having to play without former No. 1 overall pick Mario Williams. This, along with their great running game led by Arian Foster, resulted in an outstanding season for the Texans, despite fumbling three games down the stretch.

Houston has been marred by injury more then any other team. After their all-pro quarterback Matt Schaub was lost for the season, backup Matt Leinart went down with a season-ending injury in his first start as Schaub's replacement.

Since then, the Texans have been forced to rely on third stringer T.J. Yates to get the job done at quarterback.  

Yates played surprisingly well in his first two games but lost his second two, throwing zero touchdowns in either game.

Yates was injured in the Texans' season finale versus the Titans, but it looks as though he will be healthy enough for the Wild Card Game versus the Bengals.

If the Texans were healthy, there is no telling how dangerous they could be, but without Schaub it will be highly unlikely the Texans can challenge for an AFC Championship.

Having said that, Houston is fully capable of beating Cincinnati, and a home playoff win would still be a special moment for the Texans and their fans. 

9. New York Giants

NFC Seed: 4 (NFC East Champions)

Record: 9-7

First Game: vs. Atlanta Jan. 8, 1:00 p.m. EST

The last team to clinch a playoff spot, the New York Giants wrapped up the NFC East with a victory over the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday night.

The Giants have been guided through an up-and-down season by the play of quarterback Eli Manning. 

Manning had arguably his best season as a pro this year, throwing for nearly 5,000 yards and 29 touchdowns and leading his team to numerous fourth-quarter comebacks.

The Giants are last in the league in rushing and 27th in defense, but in my opinion both of those statistics are skewed. 

New York has two fully capable running backs in Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw if they commit to the running game. They also have great pass rushers in Jason Pierre-Paul and Osi Umenyiora.

The NFC's six playoff teams are all capable of winning, but in the end I had to rank them the lowest because of their inconsistencies in those areas, especially defensively. 

Having said that, their matchup with the Falcons could go either way, and if they get out it is sure that Green Bay or San Francisco would not be thrilled to see the Giants in their NFC Divisional playoff game. 

8. Detroit Lions

NFC Seed: 6

Record: 10-6

First Game: at New Orleans Jan. 7, 8:00 p.m. EST

For the first time since 1999, the Detroit Lions have made the playoffs.

Behind young, talented players like Matthew Stafford, Calvin Johnson and Ndamukong Suh, the Lions have been one of the most pleasant surprises this season, finishing with a 10-6 record and the No. 6 seed in the NFC bracket. 

Detroit's offense has been its strength this season—especially the passing game. 

In his third season in the NFL, Stafford threw for over 5,000 yards and 41 touchdowns and developed into one of the most underrated QBs in the league. 

The bad news for the Lions is that by losing their final game to the Packers and falling to the six seed, they are now forced to face Drew Brees and the red-hot New Orleans Saints. 

Detroit's defense has been sub-par this year, and Brees has been playing completely lights out this year. As special as the Lions' season has been, if they don't step up defensively, their playoff run could end quicker than anyone in Detroit is hoping. 

7. Atlanta Falcons

NFC Seed: 5 

Record: 10-6

First Game: at New York Giants Jan. 8, 1:00 p.m. EST

Many people seem to be overlooking the Falcons going into the playoffs, but the fact remains, they have one of the most talented rosters in the NFL.

Atlanta comes into the postseason with a 10-6 record, having grabbed the first wild-card spot in the NFC. Atlanta is led by a balanced attack on offense behind Matt Ryan and Michael Turner, as well as a strong run defense. 

Many people forget the falcons have won 23 games over the past two regular seasons. Last year, they ran into the buzz saw that was the Green Bay Packers in the playoffs, but this year they will go in with much lower expectations and could surprise a few teams.

Their game against the Giants could go either way, and the key for Atlanta will be its secondary and how it can hold up against Eli Manning.

If Atlanta can get by the Giants, they will be a tough challenge for the Packers or 49ers in the divisional round. 

6. San Francisco 49ers

NFC Seed: 2 (NFC West Champions)

Record: 13-3

First Game: vs. TBD Jan. 14, 4:30 p.m. EST

For the top six on my list, it was really splitting hairs as I truly believe any of the six of them can be Super Bowl champions, but I decided to start with the Niners at No. 6.

San Francisco has had a tremendous season under first-year coach Jim Harbaugh, jumping out to a 13-3 record, winning the NFC West and earning a first-round bye.

The Niners are led by their excellent defense. The 49ers D is fourth in NFL in yardage and first against the run. 

Offensively though, San Fran may struggle on the big stage. Running back Frank Gore had a good season and the team ranks eighth in rushing, but the jury is still out on quarterback Alex Smith and his ability to lead the team through the playoffs.

Although Smith had a huge season—easily the best he's had since being picked No. 1 overall in 2005—he has failed to meet expectations overall as a pro.

If Smith can keep up the momentum he gained in the regular season, then the Niners can beat anyone. 

5. Pittsburgh Steelers

AFC Seed: 5

Record: 12-4

First Game: at Denver Jan. 8, 4:30 p.m. EST

The defending AFC Champions have as good a chance as ever at adding another Super Bowl title to their prestigious franchise. 

Not surprisingly, the Steelers have the league's top-ranked defense once again, which led them to 12 regular-season victories.

However, Pittsburgh was unable to beat the Ravens in either one of their contests and ended up making the playoffs through the wild-card spot, meaning another run to the Super Bowl will likely take place exclusively on the road.

Pittsburgh has also lost its game-changing running back Rashard Mendenhall for the postseason after he tore his ACL in the Steelers' final regular-season game versus the Browns.

Nevertheless, the Steelers still have one of the best teams on paper in the playoffs and a quarterback who already holds two Super Bowl titles to his name.

Assuming Pittsburgh gets by Denver in the Wild Card Game, they will have to go on the road and beat either Tom Brady and the Patriots or a Ravens team they have already lost to twice this season. 

4. New England Patriots

AFC Seed: 1 (AFC East Champions)

Record: 13-3

First Game: vs. TBD Jan. 14, 8:00 p.m. EST

Tom Brady and the New England Patriots put together another solid regular season this year, putting up 13 wins and winning the AFC's right to hold home field throughout the playoffs. 

New England's offense was once again nearly unstoppable. Brady put up his most ever passing yards at over 5,200 to go along with 39 touchdowns—the second-most in his career.

Although Brady's performance was slightly overshadowed by Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees, he once again was worthy of MVP consideration and to be looked at as one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL.

Offense will not be the area of concern for New England. In fact, three of my top four teams on this list struggle defensively. 

The Patriots finished 31st in overall defense this year but gave up just 342 total points, putting them 15th and emphasizing their bend-but-don't-break defensive style. 

The issue is that despite their regular-season success, New England has failed to capture another Super Bowl title since losing their star-studded defense of the mid-2000s that propelled them to three Super Bowl Championships.

It's never a good idea to count out New England, and having home-field advantage will only increase their odds. However, the defense will have to perform better than in recent years in the postseason if Brady is going to add a fourth Super Bowl ring to his finger. 

3. Baltimore Ravens

AFC Seed: 2 (AFC North Champions)

Record: 12-4

First Game: vs. TBD Jan. 15, 1:00 p.m. EST

The Ravens got the better of their AFC North rivals Pittsburgh this season, including two wins against the Steelers en route to winning 12 games and the AFC North.

Baltimore is hoping the first-round bye and home-field advantage will finally be the difference to put them over the top of their postseason woes of the last few seasons, including last year's loss at Pittsburgh.

Baltimore's defense continues to dominate as they finished with the league's third-best unit this year. The trend of dominate offense versus dominate defense is actually somewhat of a theme in this year's playoffs as teams like New Orleans, Green Bay and New England have great offenses, while Baltimore, Pittsburgh and San Francisco have the latter.  

I'm putting my faith in Baltimore in the AFC though, not only because of their top-notch defense but also because of their balance.

While Joe Flacco has taken a step back numbers wise this season, he has proved before that he has what it takes to win playoff games, and he made big comebacks numerous times in the fourth quarter this year. 

Also Ray Rice put in another great season, rushing for over 1,300 yards at 12 touchdowns. 

Baltimore just feels like the most complete team in the AFC right now and could be getting their first opportunity at another Super Bowl title in over a decade. 

2. New Orleans Saints

NFC Seed: 3 (NFC South Champions)

Record: 13-3

First Game: vs. Detroit Jan. 7, 8:00 p.m. EST

Despite not having a bye in the first round, you would be hard pressed to find a team that enters the postseason hotter than New Orleans.

The Saints have won seven consecutive games, and Drew Brees is having one of the best individual seasons from a quarterback in NFL history.

Brees is throwing at a completion rate of over 70 percent, to go along with 46 touchdowns only 14 INTs—and an NFL record 5,476 yards.

The Saints offense is clicking in a way that it did when this team won the Super Bowl two seasons ago, and there are few teams who look like they will be able to slow them down—especially in the Superdome.

The one weakness the Saints have is defensively, where they rank 24th in the NFL. However, the Saints have not allowed a team to score more than 20 points in their last five games, which is more than enough for Brees and the offense.

The Saints have shown that away from the Superdome they are susceptible, losing in a shocker to Seattle last season.

It will be very interesting to see once they have to travel in the second round (if they can get past Detroit) how they will stack up. But personally I'm not betting against Drew Brees in any situation right now.

1. Green Bay Packers

NFC Seed: 1 (NFC North Champions)

Record 15-1

First Game: vs. TBD Jan. 15, 4:30 p.m. EST

The best team in the NFL all season long has to be considered the favorites to defend their Super Bowl Championship heading into the postseason.

The Packers lost just once this year to Kansas City and looked like they had anything but a Super Bowl hangover the year after capturing their first championship since 1997. 

Aaron Rodgers is the only reason why Drew Brees isn't a lock to win the MVP award. Rodgers has thrown 45 TDs and 6 INTs while putting up an unbelievable 122.5 QB rating.

The Packers have the league's worst defense in yards allowed, and yes, they will give up points. 

But they are also one of the league's best takeaway teams, and a lot of those yards given up came in the second half of blowout victories for Green Bay.

The Green Bay offense is so good they even managed to score 45 points without Rodgers last week as Matt Flynn took over as QB.

At the end of the day, Green Bay is the best team on paper, and I expect them and the Saints to meet once again for the NFC Championship, where the winner takes on Baltimore in the Super Bowl.

But as previous playoffs have shown, you just never know. Any one of these 12 teams could get hot at the right time and make a Super Bowl run. That's why the NFL playoffs are so fun to watch.

For now, the Packers are No. 1, but by the time a champion is crowned...who knows?