NFL Playoffs 2015: Analyzing Legacy Implications for Top Super Bowl Contenders

The NFL playoffs are always the time when legacies are shaped. Thanks to the caliber of quarterbacks remaining in the postseason picture, this weekend's divisional round and beyond is sure to be packed with heated debates based on the outcomes.

As dangerous as the Wild Card Round winners are, though, the top two seeds from the respective conferences are rightly considered the top Super Bowl favorites.

On the strength of an elite defense and a six-game winning streak, the reigning champion Seattle Seahawks have incredible 2-1 odds to hoist the Lombardi Trophy again. If the oddsmakers wind up correct, their Legion of Boom secondary will face one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time from the AFC.

Read on for a list of updated Super Bowl XLIX odds, along with a breakdown of a potential championship's significance for each of the four teams.

Team	Odds
Seattle Seahawks	2-1
New England Patriots	10-3
Green Bay Packers	11-2
Denver Broncos	6-1
Dallas Cowboys	7-1
Baltimore Ravens	18-1
Indianapolis Colts	18-1
Carolina Panthers	25-1

Seattle Seahawks (2-1)

Dynasty talk can officially commence if the Seahawks win the Lombardi Trophy in back-to-back years.

To get every team's best shot as the defending champs, overcome early adversity and injuries, and still be standing atop the NFC is a testament to the culture coach Pete Carroll has established.

It also helps that Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson is arguably the best at generating a big play out of a busted one. Meanwhile, running back Marshawn Lynch leaves opponents busted with his bruising style on the gridiron.

A physical matchup against an underdog with a chip on its shoulder in the Carolina Panthers looms. Carolina rallied to win the NFC South with a 7-8-1 record, using a similar formula Seattle has had for its success, as noted by the NFL's Director of NFC Football Communications, Randall Liu:

Having the energy to defeat the pesky Panthers and then turn around to square off with either Green Bay or Dallas and their explosive, balanced offenses would only add to the Seahawks' impressive resume.

As was hinted in the introduction, if either of the top two AFC seeds advance to the Super Bowl, Seattle will either get a second straight shot at Denver's Peyton Manning, or take on New England legend Tom Brady.

The going isn't all that easy for the Seahawks. Their "12th Man" fans will have to be in full force at CenturyLink Field to ensure that they punch a ticket to Glendale, Arizona for the grand finale.

Winning a second consecutive Super Bowl would only bolster Seattle's already-excellent camaraderie. Wilson and middle linebacker Bobby Wagner have their rookie contracts expiring. The Seahawks can't let them go as free agents in 2016, as Wilson will be considered a truly elite player if he has a second ring in just three years in the NFL.

As long as those two cornerstones are still around, the majority of Seattle's nucleus is otherwise intact for deep playoff runs in the years to come.

New England Patriots (10-3)

The dynastic reputation the Patriots carry is more due to their steady regular-season prominence and stranglehold on the AFC East. But the last time New England was the last team standing came roughly a decade ago, following the 2004 campaign.

Brady and coach Bill Belichick have been stuck on three Super Bowl rings. Right, what a tough life. It's still raised questions about the stupendous duo's place in history.

That's in spite of Brady's amazing overall record, as observed by ESPN's John Buccigross:

One could argue that Brady and Belichick have done more with less for longer than just about any QB-coach combination ever. There aren't any personnel excuses for advocates of either to pin blame on, though, as this is the most complete Patriots team in recent memory.

New England has the secondary to match up with anyone, thanks to the presence of safety Devin McCourty and lockdown cornerback Darrelle Revis.

The Baltimore Ravens have been a tough adversary for the Patriots, but Ravens veteran receiver Steve Smith recognizes the strength of New England's defensive backfield, via Christopher Price of WEEI:

Brandon Browner is a former Seahawk and excels against the biggest receivers with his physical style of coverage on the outside. That will help the Pats mount strong pass rushes as they continue their journey through the postseason.

Any lingering doubts about Brady and Belichick among the all-time greats due to their inability to finish the job over the past 10 years or so would be erased with another Super Bowl triumph.

A slip-up at home would have to rank among their biggest disappointments ever, unless Seattle proves too tough in the last game. The window for Brady to continue playing well is closing, so it's difficult to say how many better shots he'll have to win another ring before he starts truly declining.

Green Bay Packers (11-2)

Chris Graythen/Getty Images

The AFC quarterbacks are under far more pressure to deliver timely championships for their respective cities. For NFL MVP candidate Aaron Rodgers, who is dealing with a calf injury leading up to a divisional round clash with the Dallas Cowboys, it's not as pertinent.

Rodgers has years ahead of him to add to his one previous Super Bowl, and Mike McCarthy is entrenched as the long-term coach. McCarthy had an encouraging update on Rodgers' status on Monday:

What the Packers can do to build a foundation for the future is to establish a more physical identity. Having second-year stud Eddie Lacy serve as the feature back helps achieve that goal.

Missing most is tenacity across Green Bay's front seven. Its run defense improved down the stretch, yet it still ranked 23rd in the regular season. A great opportunity to reverse the finesse perception looms Sunday.

Defensive coordinator Dom Capers knows his Green Bay unit has a considerable task to tackle NFL rushing champion DeMarco Murray of the Dallas Cowboys.

"This is will be the best test that we've had," said Capers, per Fox Sports Wisconsin's Paul Imig. "I think this (Cowboys) offensive line is as good as there is in the league. Obviously by this running back's statistics, he can run and does a nice job receiving the ball out of the backfield. So this will be a challenge."

It should be a shootout in the divisional round, but if Rodgers' home record of late is any indication, his side figures to be moving forward:

An offense led by Rodgers should strike fear into any opponent. That is, unless that adversary resides in the Emerald City and has home-field advantage.

That would make any push Green Bay makes past the NFC title game an achievement in and of itself, provided it meets up with the Seahawks to determine the conference champion. Rodgers would have to assume the mantle as the unquestioned best QB in the league if he carries his team the distance.

Denver Broncos (6-1)

Doug Pensinger/Getty Images

A blazing-hot start to the year culminated in Manning declining as the regular season wore on. Waning arm strength was mostly to blame. If there were any health issues that prevented him from generating ideal velocity, he at least had a bye to rest.

The thin air in Denver will aid Manning's quest for a second Super Bowl at age 38, at least when he takes on his former team on Saturday.

Indianapolis now has a new face of the franchise under center in Andrew Luck, who is coming off his best career playoff performance versus Cincinnati.

That is the same Bengals defense that Manning threw four interceptions against in Week 16, which doesn't bode well for his chances to light it up against the Colts.

Thankfully for Manning and the Denver offense as a whole, C.J. Anderson has been a revelation.

In Week 17's victory over the Oakland Raiders, Anderson was extremely elusive and powerful, per Pro Football Focus (h/t Troy Renck of The Denver Post):

Anderson has been among the best backs in football and has alleviated the burden on Manning to carry the Broncos. The only Super Bowl Manning ever won came in a postseason in which he received good support from the backfield.

Thanks to Denver's No. 4 ranking in Football Outsiders' defensive efficiency ratings and Anderson's emergence, Manning has the luxury of relying on his teammates as much as ever to reach pro football's pinnacle once more.

Manning faces the most pressure among the stud QBs still alive in the playoffs to deliver a Lombardi Trophy.

With that said, he may have to do the least of the top four teams' field generals to pull it off and reshape his postseason legacy.

While Manning and Brady battle it out for bragging rights in their generation, there's a chance Rodgers and Wilson become the best of their respective eras as well—especially if they're able to defeat one of the two all-time greats in the process this year.

It's impossible to avoid focusing on the most important position in these legacy narratives, though that "defense wins championships" adage will sure gain popularity if Seattle is crowned champion.