Super Bowl Predictions: 10 Potential Playoff Teams Who Won't Make It To Dallas
Super Bowl predictions are in full swing with all the potential playoff teams nearly set for the postseason.
The way I see it, the road to Dallas goes through the Atlanta Falcons and the New England Patriots. While they're the favorites to make it to the Super Bowl, it's never a sure thing. You never know what can happen in any given week.
Every team in the playoffs has a shot to make it to the Super Bowl and you can never count anyone out. The New York Giants' run to a Super Bowl victory in 2007 is a testament to that.
Baltimore Ravens
1 of 10
Why they could make it: The Baltimore Ravens were preseason favorites by many to make it to the Super Bowl and they’re certainly not out of contention just yet.
The Ravens have an excellent defense and their offense has made improvements.
Their recent win over the reigning Super Bowl champs will do wonders for their confidence heading into the postseason.
Why they won’t make it: Anquan Boldin has been more of a decoy for their offense than anything else this season.
Ray Rice is having a solid season, but he didn’t make the leap people expected him to have after last year’s breakout campaign.
The Ravens defense has been vulnerable on both the ground and through the air and if they can’t rely on the strongest facet of their team, they won’t make it to Dallas.
Chicago Bears
2 of 10
Why they could make it: The Chicago Bears have an explosive offense and a suffocating defense. Those are recipes for success and they will need to ride both to have any chance of succeeding in the postseason.
Lovie Smith has guided a Bears team to the Super Bowl in the past and that was with Rex Grossman behind center. Jay Cutler is certainly an upgrade.
Why they won’t make it: Jay Cutler and the team’s offensive line.
Cutler is a turnover machine waiting to explode and the Bears’ inept offensive line will only exacerbate the issue.
The Bears running game is inconsistent and they need to have some balance on offense if they hope to keep defenses from keying in on the passing attack.
Kansas City Chiefs
3 of 10
Why they could make it: The Kansas City Chiefs have made great strides this season. They went from bottom dweller to contender in just one season and they pose a threat to nearly anyone in the AFC.
The team has one of the most dangerous weapons on offense in Jamaal Charles and their running game is top in the league.
Why they won’t make it: While Kansas City is much improved, they’re far from being a complete team.
In the receiving corps, Dwayne Bowe is the only real threat and his inconsistency is well known.
Matt Cassel is not a championship caliber quarterback and his health concerns can carry over into the playoffs.
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Indianapolis Colts
4 of 10
Why they could make it: Peyton Manning. You don’t really need any more reason than that.
Manning is one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play in the NFL and he alone propels the team to victory on a weekly basis.
Why they won’t make it: The Indianapolis Colts are out of sorts this year.
After making it to the Super Bowl last season, the Colts were considered favorites to make it back, but they’ve been far from dominant.
The defense can’t stop anyone on the ground and injuries have decimated their roster.
New Orleans Saints
5 of 10
Why they could make it: New Orleans is the reigning Super Bowl champ and their team is almost entirely intact from last season.
The Saints are one of the most complete teams in the NFL. They don’t have any real weakness and most importantly, they have Drew Brees behind center.
Sean Payton showed last season he has what it takes to guide this team to the promised land and he may still have a few tricks up his sleeves to get back to the biggest stage in the NFL.
Why they won’t make it: New Orleans is having a great season, but they don’t look quite the same as the championship team from last year.
They need to have more consistency in their running game if they want to have any balance on offense.
New York Giants
6 of 10
Why they could make it: The New York Giants are well coached and they're one of the most complete teams in the NFL from top to bottom.
The Giants have one of the highest rated defenses, they have explosive weapons on offense and they have a championship pedigree.
Why they won’t make it: The Giants are their own worst enemy. They turn the ball over more than any team in the league and they have a sad special teams.
The Giants have been inconsistent this season and they can't afford to make any mistakes once the postseason begins. One mistake and they could be out of the mix.
New York Jets
7 of 10
Why they could make it: The New York Jets have been one of the best teams in the NFL for the majority of the season. Of all the potential playoff teams in the AFC, they’re the only team to have a victory over the New England Patriots—the overwhelming favorite in the AFC—this season.
Their defense hasn’t been as dominant as it was last season, but they still have one of the best in the NFL.
Why they won’t make it: The team is inconsistent, particularly on offense.
They have a great offensive line, great running backs and great receivers.
However, on any given week, Mark Sanchez can be brilliant or absolutely putrid. The quarterback position is the most important in the NFL and the team’s success will ultimately fall on his shoulders.
Philadelphia Eagles
8 of 10
Why they could make it: Michael Vick and the Philadelphia Eagles have arguably the most explosive offense in the NFL.
Vick is in a two way race with Tom Brady for the MVP award and he's unstoppable on offense. The best teams can hope to do is limit his output to curb the damage, and even then it won't be much.
Why they won't make it: The Eagles have a poor offensive line and they have trouble protecting the most elusive quarterback in the NFL. If they also have trouble opening up running lanes, they don't stand much of a chance without any balance on offense.
The team has also been decimated by injuries and that lack of depth could really hurt them once the postseason begins.
Pittsburgh Steelers
9 of 10
Why they could make it: The Steelers have the best defense in the NFL and we all know that defense wins championships.
Rashard Mendenhall has developed into one of the best running backs in the NFL and Mike Wallace is one of the biggest deep threats in the league.
The team has a championship pedigree and they're well coached. They are likely the biggest threat to the New England Patriots.
Why they won't make it: The Steelers offensive line is poor and they have trouble protecting Ben Roethlisberger. Roethlisberger can scramble and improvise on his feet, but he can only do so much when he's constantly seeing pressure in his face.
If Troy Polamalu is hobbled or out for any portion of the postseason, the Steelers defense is just not the same.
St. Louis Rams
10 of 10
Why they could make it: The defensive mind of head coach Steve Spagnuolo.
Spagnuolo cut his teeth with the New York Giants as their defensive coordinator and his schemes are some of the best in the league. His ability to create confusion and chaos is second to none and he may still have a few tricks up his sleeve that we haven't seen.
Why they won’t make it: The team has a rookie quarterback, no true threats at the receiver position and they're far from being a complete team.
The team is still a few years from being a true contender, but they have a very promising future ahead of them.
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