NFL Predictions 2012: Overlooked Teams That Will Earn a Playoff Berth

The NFL features a handful of surprises that fans rarely, if ever, see coming each and every season. 

Sometimes a team like the San Francisco 49ers comes out of nowhere to challenge for the NFC Championship, while other times a late draft pick like Tom Brady develops into a Super Bowl MVP.

Here, we will run down overlooked teams set to earn playoff berths in 2012. 

Let's begin. 

Seattle Seahawks

Pete Carroll's Seattle Seahawks are ready to make the leap from 7-9 to postseason contenders in 2012.

Although questions at quarterback need to be answered this fall with rookie passer Russell Wilson starting under center for Seattle, the Seahawks have a defense and a running game reliable enough to earn a wild-card berth out of the NFC West.

Seattle ranked seventh in scoring defense last season, allowing less than 20 points per week. The Seahawks also ranked inside the Top 10 in yards allowed per game, holding opponents under 333 total yards on average.

Offensively, running back Marshawn Lynch rushed for more than 1,200 yards last season and will help make Wilson's life that much easier this fall. 

With the NFC West looking wide open, aside from the defending division champion the San Francisco 49ers, the Seahawks are poised to finish with a  9-10 record and a playoff berth in the NFC this season.

Tennessee Titans

Many people forget that the Tennessee Titans went 9-7 a year ago and nearly stole an AFC wild-card spot.

Their greatest weakness a year ago, though, was their down running game, which ranked 31st in the NFL and averaged just under 90 yards per week.

Chris Johnson will be back this fall though, looking for his fifth consecutive season of having at least 1,000 yards on the ground. 

Similarly to the running game, the passing game will be much improved in 2012. Second-year quarterback Jake Locker is a dual-threat signal-caller.

Locker boasts a quarterback rating of 99.5 through five career NFL games and averaged seven yards per rush in just a few attempts last season while playing behind veteran Matt Hasselbeck.

In the end though, it will be the Titans' tremendous scoring defense that earns them an AFC wild-card berth this winter. Tennessee allowed less than 20 points per game in 2011, which gave the team a ranking of eighth in the NFL in that category. 

Chicago Bears

The Bears added a feared offensive weapon this past offseason in wide receiver Brandon Marshall, who already has a friendly relationship with quarterback Jay Cutler from their days in Denver.

Marshall had more than 1,200 yards receiving last season with the Miami Dolphins and has surpassed the 1,000-yard receiving mark in each of his past five NFL seasons. 

Do not underestimate the QB-WR tandem of Jay Cutler and Brandon Marshall in Chicago this fall.

In addition to boasting a stout defense highlighted by its ability to shut down the run, the Bears have a dominant rushing attack, led by Matt Forte.

Forte averaged a career-best 4.9 yards per carry last season with Chicago and will have the help of Michael Bush in the Bears' backfield in 2012.

Bush quietly rushed for 977 yards and seven touchdowns in Oakland last season and has a rare 6'1", 245-pound frame to unleash on opponents. 

With the Green Bay Packers the favorites to win the NFC North this season, I would like the Chicago Bears to overtake the Detroit Lions as the NFC Wild Card this winter.

Follow Bleacher Report Featured Columnist Patrick Clarke on Twitter All Season Long For More NFL Predictions, Reaction and Analysis.