Six NFL Teams That Will Crash the Playoff Party in 2010

One of the best things about the NFL is the parity that exists in the league.

No other sport comes close to matching the parity in the NFL.

Just two years ago, in 2008, the Miami Dolphins made the playoffs with an 11-5 record one year after going 1-15 and finishing with the worst record in the league.

Tell me what other sport that happens in.

You can't.

That's part of the reason why the NFL is the most popular sport in the country.

At the start of every season, every fan genuinely believes his or her team has a shot to make the playoffs, and they're right in believing so.

You can't say that about Royals or Pirates fans.

Over the past five years there have been at least six teams (half the playoff field) in the playoffs that weren't the year before, and three years there were seven teams.

I did this piece last year, and I nailed four out of six teams, including the Super Bowl-winning New Orleans Saints and the surprising Cincinnati Bengals.

Now for my picks for this year.

Miami Dolphins

As a Jets fan, this kills for me to say this, but the Dolphins are looking good. They already had a great running game and now upgraded the passing game by adding one of the best receivers in the game, Brandon Marshall.

Chad Henne should take major strides this year in his first full year as a starter and with Marshall in town. Don't forget they also added Karlos Dansby to help shore up the middle of the defense. They also have a pair of second-year corners in Vontae Davis and Sean Smith, who will only get better.

The Dolphins are a well-coached and disciplined team and should find a way to sneak in the playoffs for the second time in three years.

Tennessee Titans

If Jeff Fisher had put in Vince Young earlier, the Titans would probably have made the playoffs last season. Instead, he stuck with an old, ineffective Kerry Collins for six games (the Titans went 0-6), and that effectively cost the Titans a chance at the playoffs.

Vince recaptured some of his rookie year magic, leading the Titans to an 8-2 record down the stretch. Coupled with the tantalizing play of Chris Johnson, the Titans have a dynamic backfield. If the Titans can get a consistent pass rush, they can challenge the Colts in the AFC South.

Pittsburgh Steelers

I'm not that worried about Ben Roethlisberger's suspension. He'll likely only be banned for four games, and whether it's Byron Leftwich or Dennis Dixon at the helm, they have both proven that they are capable of leading the team.

Also, Rashard Mendenhall should be featured more as he gets a full season as the starter. But perhaps the biggest difference in this year's Steelers team will be a healthy Troy Polamalu. When he was on the field last year, the Steelers were a completely different team.

I also get the sense that the team suffered from a "Super Bowl hangover" last year and will be hungry to recapture its Super Bowl glory of two years ago.

Atlanta Falcons

The Falcons finished 9-7 last season, marking the first time in franchise history that the team has had back-to-back winning seasons. However, it didn't result in a playoff berth.

In the offseason the Falcons filled their glaring hole at cornerback by signing Dunta Robinson. While Robinson may be a tad overrated, he is still far superior to their other options at corner. They also drafted outside linebacker Sean Weatherspoon in the first round, and he should be able to come in and start right away, giving their linebacker corps a serious boost.

With Matt Ryan entering his third season and Michael Turner fully recovered from his ankle injury, the Falcons are primed to take a huge step forward next season.

San Francisco 49ers

The 49ers have been on the cusp of making the playoffs for a couple of years now, and this is the year that they will finally break through the wall.

The 49ers have the talent. They swept the Cardinals last season and nearly took down the Colts and Vikings. Most of their success will depend on former No. 1 overall pick Alex Smith. Smith showed some promise last year and will be in the same offensive system for consecutive years for the first time since college.

He has two great targets to throw in Vernon Davis and Michael Crabtree. Frank Gore and the running game should receive a nice boost this year after the 49ers drafted two offensive linemen in the first round.

New York Giants

With the Jets taking up all the headlines in New York now, the Giants are flying under the radar, right where they want to be. After a disappointing season last year, the Giants are motivated not to let that happen again.

The offense will be fine, and I expect Eli Manning to his game to another level as Hakeem Nicks emerges, giving him two reliable targets to throw to. The question with this team is the defense.

The defensive line should be improved with Osi Umenyiora and Chris Canty both fully recovered from their injuries. Add in Antrel Rolle and hopefully a 100 percent Kenny Phillips, and the secondary should be significantly better than last year.

This article is also featured on Cippin on Sports.