NFL Playoffs 2012: Power Ranking All 12 NFL Playoff Teams

With Wild Card weekend just two days away, let's power rank the 12 teams that made the 2012 NFL playoffs:

1. Green Bay Packers (15-1, No. 1 in NFC)

The Packers became the sixth team in NFL history to win 15 or more games during the regular season. Only the 1984 49ers and '85 Bears won the Super Bowl. 

2. New Orleans Saints (13-3, No. 3 in NFC)

Winners of eight straight games since putting forth a scary performance in St. Louis Halloween weekend, the Saints are arguably the hottest team in the playoffs.  

3. New England Patriots (13-3, No. 1 in AFC)

We're going to find out in a hurry this postseason if offense can continue to compensate for bad defense, as both the Patriots and Packers rank at the bottom of the NFL in total defense.

4. Baltimore Ravens (12-4, No. 2 in AFC)

If Joe Flacco can be a game-changer at quarterback, the Ravens are arguably the most balanced team in the playoff field.  

5. San Francisco 49ers (13-3, No. 2 in NFC)

Alex Smith was fantastic during the regular season in limiting turnovers, but he'll likely need to be the difference in a game or two in the postseason for the 49ers to win the NFC. 

6. Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4, No. 5 in AFC)

If Ben Roethlisberger's ankle is near 100 percent, the Steelers have to be a favorite to get back to the Super Bowl. If it's not, it's hard to see them advancing past the Divisional round. 

7. New York Giants (9-7, No. 4 in NFC)

Are we seeing a flashback to the 2007 season? New York rattled off two straight wins in must-win games, and they are plenty capable of going on the road and stealing a game if the get out of the Wild Card round.  

8. Houston Texans (10-6, No. 3 in AFC)

Would any team want to play Houston if Matt Schaub was still healthy? They are asking a lot from Arian Foster, Ben Tate and Wade Phillips' defense to cover for rookie quarterback T.J.Yates.

9. Detroit Lions (10-6, No. 6 in NFC)

If the Lions bring the same defense to New Orleans that showed up in Green Bay last week, the Saints' might as well pack their bags for San Francisco.  

10. Atlanta Falcons (10-6, No. 5 in NFC)

I don't think the Falcons would have been thrilled to go to New Orleans, but a trip to New York to face the red-hot Giants isn't going to be much easier.

11. Cincinnati Bengals (9-7, No. 6 in AFC)

After an impressive start to the season, rookie quarterback Andy Dalton has been exposed and battered over the second half of 2011. 

12. Denver Broncos (8-8, No. 4 in AFC)

Any team whose quarterback can't complete more than 6 of 22 passes in a playoff-clinching game won't make it far in the postseason.