NFL Playoff Predictions: 3 High Seeds That Will Be Upset Early in Postseason

The NFL playoffs are finally here. With the arrival comes the certainty of heart-breaking upsets that no one saw coming. No matter how highly ranked a playoff team is, teams are never safe from the lower seeds that have something to prove. Everything from the regular season doesn’t matter, and one game could end a season and championship dreams.

The postseason last year is a perfect example of high seeds being ushered from the playoffs early. In the NFC, the No. 1 seed Atlanta Falcons were defeated in the first game they played, and the third-seeded Philadelphia Eagles were also eliminated in the first game they played.

On the AFC side, the number one-seeded New England Patriots were defeated in their first game, as was the No. 3 seed Indianapolis Colts.

To make matters worse for high seeds, the sixth seed in the AFC last year advanced all the way to the AFC Championship game. Not to mention the Green Bay Packers, a sixth seed, won the Superbowl last year.

If history is any indication, high seeds this year are in trouble again. Lower seeds have nothing to lose and everything to prove after sneaking into the playoffs.

Here's three high seeds that will be bounced early from the postseason:

Houston Texans

The Houston Texans earned the right to being the third ranked team in the AFC Playoffs courtesy of a 10-6 regular season record and an AFC South Championship. Unfortunately for the Texans, the team is injured at the most important position—quarterback.

The Texans are a great defensive team, allowing less than 100 rushing yards per game. They also hold opponents on average to just above 17 points a game and only 285 yards. Offensively, the team has the second ranked rushing attack thanks to Arian Foster and Ben Tate.

Being the third seed has granted the Texans the luxury of playing at home in Reliant Stadium against the Cincinnati Bengals. The Texans defeated the Bengals earlier in the season in Cincinnati on a touchdown pass with two seconds remaining in the game.

The Bengals are a nightmare match up for the Texans. The Bengals have something to prove after most “experts” predicted them to only win two games this season. Rookie quarterback Andy Dalton is returning home to his state of Texas and the entire team has a chip on its shoulder.

Last time the two teams met, Cincinnati held Tate and Foster in check the entire game. If that happens again, the Texans could be in deep trouble having to rely on a third string rookie with a sore shoulder to win them a playoff game.

Expect the Houston Texans to bow out of the postseason in the first round.

San Francisco 49ers

The San Francisco 49ers were a nice surprise in 2011 accumulating a 13-3 record and winning the NFC West. The 49ers earned the second seed, a first round bye and home-field advantage in the NFC playoffs.

The 49ers are a solid team across the board, but the star of the show is the defense. The unit allows only 77 rushing yards per game, ranked first in the league. The unit also only surrenders 14 points a game, ranked second in the league.

On the offensive side of the ball the 49ers score about 24 points a game and rush for 127 yards, good for eight ranked in the league. The unit is led by quarterback Alex Smith, who has only thrown five interceptions on the season. Running back Frank Gore is a work horse with 1,211 yards and eight touchdowns.

Despite all of this, the 49ers will be eliminated in the first game they play in the postseason because of who they will have to play. The likely candidate is the New Orleans Saints, but they could also have to play the New York Giants or Atlanta Falcons.

All three teams have elite quarterbacks who could force the 49ers into a shootout that San Francisco can’t win. Drew Brees is an MVP candidate with over 5,000 yards passing and 46 touchdowns. The Giants and Falcons appear to be hitting their stride entering the postseason as well.

Despite the flashy stats, the 49ers played a mediocre schedule in a horrible division. The 49ers will have a hard time getting past an offense like the Saints. If the 49ers fall behind early, the team isn’t built to play catch-up and Alex Smith isn’t a quarterback that should attempt it.  Expect the 49ers to make an early exit this postseason.

Baltimore Ravens

The Baltimore Ravens hail from the AFC North, a division they swept this season. The sweep combined with a 12-4 record earned the Ravens the second seed in the AFC, along with a first-round bye and home-field advantage.

The pride of the Ravens’ organization has always been defense and this year is no exception. The unit allows just over 16 points a game and well under 300 yards per game. The defense is led by future Hall of Famers Ed Reed and Ray Lewis.

Quarterback Joe Flacco leads the offense, but it is running back Ray Rice that wins games for Baltimore. Rice has 1,364 yards and 12 touchdowns and is a threat to score on every play. His contributions in the passing game are huge as well with 76 catches for 704 yards and three touchdowns.

The problem for the Ravens is the AFC is stacked when it comes to defensive units. Several potential opponents have the ability to score quickly, and Joe Flacco and the Ravens aren’t built to win games in a shoot-out.

If Ray Rice is shut down, which AFC defenses are more than capable of doing, Flacco will have to throw an inordinate amount of times to win a game. Flacco’s No. 1 receiving threat Anquan Boldin has been held in check all year with only 887 yards and three scores.

If Flacco has to lead a one-dimensional offense, teams will take advantage. The Ravens have a chance of becoming complacent in their off week and a team like the Pittsburgh Steelers will take advantage of that en route to an early exit for the Ravens.