NFL Playoff Scenarios: Which Teams Will Struggle the Most to Make the Playoffs?

The NFL Playoffs are right around the corner and teams are jostling for position down the stretch. Some like the Chargers and the Bears seem to be kicking it into gear at just the right time. Other teams are struggling.

Here are some of the surprising teams that might not make it to the finish line. And the reasons why.

Seattle Seahawks

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SEATTLE - NOVEMBER 28: Head coach Pete Carroll of the Seattle Seahawks gestures during the game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Qwest Field on November 28, 2010 in Seattle, Washington. The Chiefs defeated the Seahawks 42-24. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Ge

Early in the year it appeared that the Seahawks would have a different attitude with new coach Pete Carroll. They cam out of the blocks with a 31-6 demolition of San Francisco. After that they generally played .500 ball winning one then losing one, winning two and then losing two. recently however, the wheels have come off. It isn't that they have lost four out of the last five. They've been getting blown out. Losing by 30, 34, 15 and 18 respectively. It is hard to believe but it looks like the 5-6 St. Louis Rams are now the team to beat in the NFC West. With Seattle soon fading into the Rams rearview mirror. 

New York Giants

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EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - NOVEMBER 28: Eli Manning #10 of the New York Giants throws a pass against the Jacksonville Jaguars at New Meadowlands Stadium on November 28, 2010 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images)

When Eli Manning and the Giants lost back to back games to Dallas and Philadelphia it appeared the New York football Giants were on their way to another last season flame out like last year. On Sunday they were getting hammered by the Jacksonville Jaguars at home until they righted the ship in the second half and pulled out a win. They have a tough end of the year schedule with games against Philadelphia and Green Bay, however, and the Giants could easily miss the playoffs for a second year in a row.  

San Diego Chargers

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SAN DIEGO - OCTOBER 31: Antonio Gates #85 of the San Diego Chargers plays against the Tennessee Titans in the game at Qualcomm Stadium on October 31, 2010 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)

They're on a four game winning streak. They just thumped Peyton Manning and the defending AFC Champs on Sunday and they're every experts pick to win their division after another horrendous start. The problem is they have no margin for error. It all comes down to their divisional showdown with Kansas City. If they lose that game they'll most likely be two games down and the Chiefs will own the tiebreaker based on head to head competition. (The Chiefs won the first match-up between the two.) And they are the only team remaining on the Chiefs schedule with a .500 record. Which means it pretty much comes down to beating the Chiefs or going home. 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

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BALTIMORE, MD - NOVEMBER 28: Josh Freeman #5 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers is almost sacked by Haloti Ngata #92 of the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on November 28, 2010 in Baltimore, Maryland. The Ravens defeated the Buccaneers 17-10. (Photo by Lar

I want to say one thing. I love Josh Freeman. I think he's going to be a star in this league. But he might have to watch this year's playoffs at home just like me. The Bucs are having a good season at 7-4. The problem is they play in a division with two of the best teams in the league. The red hot Atlanta Falcons and the defending champion New Orleans Saints. Worse yet they are ahead of the Bucs in the standings. Tampa Bay does have the advantage of playing both teams head to head in the final five weeks but it will be difficult to pass both of them. That means they will probably have to slug it out with four other teams for two Wild Card spots. That means they will most likely be left to the whims of the NFL's convoluted tiebreaker system on the last week of the season.  

Jacksonville Jaguars

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EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - NOVEMBER 28: Maurice Jones Drew #32 of the Jacksonville Jaguars in action against the New York Giants on November 28, 2010 at The New Meadowlands Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

Maurice Jones-Drew is another player I love to watch play the game. But for Jacksonville to make the playoffs they will most likely have to win their division. That means they need to beat the Indianapolis Colts in three weeks. Both the Jaguars and the Colts have relatively easy schedules from here on out with four games against sub-.500 teams. That means whoever wins their divisional showdown will go to the playoffs and the other team will go home. The Jags do have one advantage, however. They currently own the tiebreaker since they won the first game. That means the pressure is really on the Colts. 

Indianapolis Colts

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INDIANAPOLIS - NOVEMBER 28: Peyton Manning #18 of the Indianapolis Colts waits for a play to come from the sidelines during the NFL game against the San Diego Chargers at Lucas Oil Stadium on November 28, 2010 in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Chargers won 3

It is almost unimaginable to think of the NFL Playoffs without Peyton Manning. Sure, we've seen him flame out in the first round before but to miss them entirely. That sounds ridiculous. But the bottom line is this. At 6-5, the Colts are playing catch-up with five teams for the Wild Card slot. And both the Jets and the Patriots are 9-2 while Baltimore and the Steelers are 8-3. That's quite a lot of catching up to do and none of those teams look like they're ready to collapse any time soon. Add to that the numerous injuries the Colts have had this year and the outlook Manning's Indianapolis team is not very good.

As far as I can tell it comes down to this. Beat Jacksonville in three weeks or go home. That's going  to be tough considering they have a tough time stopping the run and Jacksonville is a very good running team. Normally I would never bet against Manning, but his receiving corps is so thin and the team so beat up that I don't know if he can do it. Back to back 3 interception games aren't the norm for this future Hall of Famer.