Highlighting Playoff Sleepers in Every NFL Division

The NFL, at least in recent times, has been dominated by parity. 

According to John Clayton of ESPN, the average turnover rate for playoff teams since 1998 is a whopping 6.14, and no fewer than five teams a season since 1996 have failed to make the playoffs the next year. 

There's simply no more guarantees that if you make the playoffs in Year X, you'll be back in the postseason in Year X+1.

With that reality in mind, we should take a closer look at a team from each division that might be considered a "sleeper" ahead of 2012.

NFC East: Washington Redskins

Never underestimate the kind of effect a talented rookie quarterback can bring to the table. 

With Robert Griffin III in Washington, everything has changed. This is no longer a franchise we can count on to finish near the bottom of the NFC East most years. In fact, it may not be long before we're expecting the Redskins near the top every season. 

But for 2012, it's not out of the realm of possibility to think Griffin III can't do exactly what Andy Dalton did in Cincinnati last season. With a stable presence at quarterback, and a capable roster around Griffin III, Washington could make some playoff noise.

NFC West: Seattle Seahawks

There may not be a more underrated team in the NFC than the Seahawks, but that comes with the assumption that head coach Pete Carroll is going to find a capable starting quarterback out of the three he currently has on the roster.

His decision at that position will likely determine whether Seattle is a playoff team or limps in with another below .500 record. 

Matt Flynn was given $10 million guaranteed to help right the Seahawks' ship at quarterback, but Tarvaris Jackson, the incumbent starter, will start training camp as the team's No. 1. Rookie Russell Wilson has shown potential but may be a year or two off. 

If Carroll can get more consistent play from his quarterback, Seattle should have everything it needs to earn an NFC Wild Card spot. 

NFC North: Chicago Bears

How easy people forget where the Bears were last season when Jay Cutler broke his thumb and was lost for the season. This was a 7-3 football team that was well on its way towards getting back to the playoffs, even with the emerging Detroit Lions in the Bears' division.

The Bears are a different looking outfit in 2012, however. 

New GM Phil Emery added Pro Bowl receiver Brandon Marshall, who averaged over 100 catches a season while he was with Cutler in Denver. He represents the first true No. 1 receiver the Bears have possessed in a decade or longer.

Running back Michael Bush and backup quarterback Jason Campbell were also added to help ensure the disaster of 2011—when Chicago lost both Cutler and Matt Forte and then stumbled to a 1-5 finish—doesn't happen again. 

The NFC North is ultra-competitive with Detroit and Green Bay, but Chicago has all the pieces necessary to make another playoff run. 

NFC South: Carolina Panthers

The Panthers 2012 season hinges on the development of Cam Newton at the quarterback position. 

If he takes a step forward—avoiding the "sophomore slump" in the process—Carolina could be a factor in the different feeling NFC South this season. He first needs to cut down on the turnovers (17 interceptions, five fumbles) to take that step. 

The state of the division gives Carolina some hope entering next season.

Consider that the Saints are likely taking a step backwards after everything they have been through this offseason, and the Falcons are entering a critical season for both Matt Ryan and Mike Smith at the helm. Tampa Bay was an offseason winner, but how many times have we seen those kind of teams fall on their face in year one?

The Panthers could steal a couple more wins within the division (Carolina finished just 2-4 in 2011) and make a legitimate run at the postseason.

AFC East: Buffalo Bills

The Bills may not technically be a "sleeper" team, but the time is now for Buffalo to finally get back into the postseason. 

Team MVP Fred Jackson returns from a mid-season injury in 2011, and the Bills did well to lock up receiver Stevie Johnson this offseason. 

But the real excitement comes from the defensive side of the ball, where the Bills struggled down the stretch last season. 

Buffalo added defensive ends Mario Williams and Mark Anderson in free agency and drafted cornerback Stephon Gilmore, three new pieces that should help remake a defense that was railroaded late in 2011.

If the Bills are better defensively, there's no reason why Buffalo shouldn't be in the postseason. 

AFC West: Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs might be the best team no one is talking about as the 2012 season approaches. 

While there will always be a certain amount of question marks around Matt Cassel and the quarterback position, the Chiefs should be getting back to what made them a tough out in 2010. 

Recovering running back Jamaal Charles (ACL) will be joined in the backfield by bowling ball Peyton Hillis, who will attempt to do his best Thomas Jones impression this season. If Charles and Hillis, along with free-agent signee Eric Winston, can get the Chiefs back to the top of the NFL in rushing, this will be a surprise team in the AFC West. 

AFC North: Cincinnati Bengals

It would be hard to call the Bengals a "sleeper" playoff team in 2012, considering Cincinnati fit that exact description last season. But they are still third fiddle to the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers, and the Cleveland Browns probably aren't ready to get out of the divisional cellar. 

AFC South: Tennessee Titans

The Titans aren't without problems on either side of the ball, but I would imagine more than a few national columnists will pick them as a team in the AFC that can win a playoff spot in 2012.

A turning point will likely be a quarterback, where the Titans have a decision to make between veteran Matt Hasselbeck and 2011 first-rounder Jake Locker. Hasselbeck was solid for most of 2011, but Locker had flashes of brilliance in his short time filling in. 

In the end, either quarterback could probably get the Titans on the brink of the playoffs. This was a team just a win away from cracking the postseason a year ago, and running back Chris Johnson was a ghost for most of it.