NFL Playoff Bracket: Ranking the Depth for Every Team Left

One of the main keys to winning consistently in the NFL is drafting well in order to populate your roster with quality depth. To even reach the postseason most teams have to weather injuries to key players and the way to make those losses mean a whole lot less is to have quality backups in place. 

Among the remaining teams in the NFL playoffs, most have solid depth charts. Here is how they stack up against each other depth-wise as we enter the final stretch of playoff games. 

1. Green Bay Packers

The Green Bay Packers ran their record to 15-1 this season and have won 21 of their last 22 games and it hasn't been because of dumb luck. To go on a streak like that a team needs to be able to weather off days and injuries and the Packers have been able to do that thanks to their depth.

Aaron Rodgers is obviously the key to Green Bay's offense, but as backup Matt Flynn showed in Week 17 against the Detroit Lions, he can come in and perform in a pinch.

At running back, Ryan Grant, James Starks and Brandon Saine are all healthy and can all play. The Packers also have a ridiculous level of depth at receiver, as Jordy Nelson, Greg Jennings, James Jones, Donald Driver and Randall Cobb have all made an impact at some point this season, while Jermichael Finley is, at times, one of the NFL's best tight ends.

With Chad Clifton back at left tackle for the playoffs, the offensive line will be even stronger, as Marshall Newhouse will move to a backup role. 

Defensively the Packers were able to survive the loss of Nick Collins thanks to Morgan Burnett's quick maturation. They have a solid front-seven and while injuries to linebacker Clay Matthews or defensive tackle B.J. Raji would hurt, Green Bay would be able to get through that. 

At this point the Packers have to be considered the deepest team left in the postseason thanks to their incredibly efficient offense that takes advantage of all of its weapons and gets them involved. 

2. Houston Texans

The Texans have survived this season solely because of their depth. Season-ending injuries to Matt Schaub and Matt Leinart left them using their third-string quarterback, while top running back Arian Foster and top receiver Andre Johnson missed chunks of the season thanks to hamstring injuries. In addition to that, stud defensive end/linebacker Mario Williams is also on injured reserve, yet somehow Houston managed to win its division.

If quarterback T.J. Yates goes down the Texans have the experienced Jake Delhomme behind him, and if Foster somehow gets injured again both Ben Tate and Derrick Ward showed they can fill his shoes admirably.

Having Johnson back at receiver gives them much more depth as Jacoby Jones, Kevin Walter and Bryant Johnson can all step in if needed. Tight end Owen Daniels has a capable backup in Joel Dreessen as well.

Defensively their depth isn't anything to write home about but they have solid guys all around that could help in a pinch. 

Thanks to their fantastic depth on offense, the Texans have been able to reach the divisional round of the playoffs against all odds.

3. New York Giants

The New York Giants boast as solid a three-man receiver tandem as anyone in the NFL, with Hakeem Nicks, Victor Cruz and Mario Manningham. At tight end Jake Ballard has emerged as a legitimate threat, while Bear Pascoe and Travis Beckum can be counted on as well.

At running back Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw have both come out of nowhere of late to provide some production, while D.J. Ware looked solid in spots this season as well. 

The real area of strength on New York's roster is along the defensive front, where Justin Tuck, Jason Pierre-Paul, Osi Umenyiora and Dave Tollefson combined for a ridiculous 35.5 sacks this season from the defensive end spots. Linval Joseph, Chris Canty and Rocky Bernard man the middle of the line and have been solid as well.

The area of concern entering the season was the secondary thanks to losing cornerbacks Terrell Thomas, Bruce Johnson and Brian Witherspoon for the year in the preseason. But Corey Webster, Kenny Phillips, Antrel Rolle and Aaron Ross have held strong against all odds.

4. New England Patriots

The Patriots have always prided themselves on drafting well to develop depth, but like the Saints their depth doesn't go too far past the skill positions. 

At running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis, Stevan Ridley and Danny Woodhead are all interchangeable and can all gain yards. 

As far as pass catchers, the Patriots have Wes Welker and Deion Branch playing very well, while Chad Ochocinco has gotten better as the season has gone on. Backups Matthew Slater and Julian Edelman haven't done a whole lot this season, but tight ends Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez have been the best tandem in the league at that position. 

There aren't a whole lot of quality backups on New England's defense, and that is a serious concern if someone goes down. The starters have done the lion's share of the work this season on that side of the ball, and the defensive front of Shaun Ellis, Vince Wilfork and Mark Anderson have all been solid. 

The back-seven has struggled all year against the pass but New England has improved in that area as the season has gone on. 

5. Baltimore Ravens

Other than Ricky Williams at running back, the Baltimore Ravens really don't have any quality depth on offense. Along the offensive line Andre Gurode could provide a boost if one of the team's three stud interior linemen went down, but every other offensive spot has big time question marks as far as depth is concerned.

Lee Evans and Torrey Smith start at wide receiver, and backups and Tandon Doss, LaQuan Williams haven't done much all season. Meanwhile Anquan Boldin, who has been struggling with a knee injury, is reportedly practicing without limitations and will play against the Texans on Sunday. His return to full speed activity will certainly help. 

Defensively the Ravens have plenty of depth but don't even really need it. They have a veteran squad that plays through most injuries as it is.

But in a punch Pernell McPhee and Arthur Jones can fill in for Cory Redding and Haloti Ngata at defensive end and Brandon McKinney could probably do a serviceable job in place of Terrence Cody at nose tackle. 

Brandon Ayanbadejo and Paul Kruger provide solid depth at linebacker, while Tom Zbikowski, Chris Carr and Jimmy Smith assist in the secondary.

6. San Francisco 49ers

The San Francisco 49ers have made it through this season thanks to a hard-nosed approach on both sides of the ball. Luckily for them they haven't suffered too many injuries, but if they were to the team does have some depth to help out.

Quarterback Alex Smith has had an excellent year as a game manager this season, but waiting in the wings if he gets hurt are rookies Colin Kaepernick and Scott Tolzien. I like the upside of both guys, but neither would be ready to step in and make a difference in a playoff game.

At receiver Michael Crabtree is essentially operating by himself after the team cut Braylon Edwards. Ted Ginn, Kyle Williams and Brett Swain don't exactly get me thinking of impact receivers. Tight end Vernon Davis does possess a capable backup in veteran Justin Peele though, and running back Frank Gore has Kendall Hunter behind him, and the rookie ball-carrier has been solid this season.

The 49ers have some depth along the offensive line as Alex Boone, Daniel Kilgore and Chilo Rachal can all play in a pinch.

Most of San Francisco's defensive depth is focused in the secondary, but Carlos Rogers, Donte Whitner, Dashon Goldson and Tarell Brown have been consistent enough all season that guys like Reggie Smith, Chris Culliver and C.J. Spillman haven't been needed much. 

The 49ers have some depth but haven't needed to use it much this year thanks to a relatively healthy season.

7. Denver Broncos

Offensively the Denver Broncos have some depth problems, and with Eric Decker out this week Demaryius Thomas and Eddie Royal are the only true pass catchers available. Matt Willis has had some catches this season, but isn't what I'd call a reliable target. Tight end is another problem as Daniel Fells only has 19 receptions this year and backup Virgil Green only has three.

At running back Willis McGahee is backed up by Lance Ball and Jeremiah Johnson, as a season-ending injury to Knowshon Moreno robbed the Broncos of their true change of pace back. Meanwhile, if quarterback Tim Tebow goes down I don't even want to think of what Denver's current offense would look like with backup Brady Quinn running the show.

On defense the Broncos do have some depth, but the loss of Brian Dawkins for the season really hurt the team's secondary, as rookie Quinton Carter has had to step up and become a leader.

The starters in the front seven have been solid for most of the year but there is a significant drop-off with the second string.