Cincinnati Bengals and 7 Teams That Will Be Surprise Playoff Contenders

The 2011 NFL season has been quite a surprising one.

The Philadelphia “Dream Team” Eagles have a losing record and frankly, do not look very good.

Tom Brady, while still on pace to break Dan Marino’s record, looks shockingly flawed. 

And to top it all off, teams like the Cincinnati Bengals, Detroit Lions and San Francisco 49ers are all looking forward to the playoffs, not looking forward to getting cozy on the couch and watching the playoffs on television. Actually playing in the playoffs!

In this crazy NFL season, here is a look at unexpected teams that have very realistic playoff aspirations.

Detroit Lions

The Detroit Lions are a team that has been poised for success for years, but injuries and inconsistent play have derailed them.

This year is looking like the time that the Lions can finally break through.

Quarterback Matthew Stafford has stayed healthy (fingers crossed), even surviving a gruesome ankle/knee injury against the Atlanta Falcons.

Calvin Johnson is piling up receiving yards as if they were Jenga blocks. He has made countless game deciding catches this season and will continue his dominance in the weeks to come. 

Detroit’s defense has also improved. Despite Ndamukong Suh’s reputation for dirty play, he is one of the most skilled defensive tackles in the league.

The Lions’ remaining schedule is not a piece of cake. But despite Detroit's two games against the Green Bay Packers, the Lions can win every other remaining game and strut into the playoffs.

San Francisco 49ers

I never thought I would be writing these words. The San Francisco 49ers are virtually a lock to make the playoffs.

It helps that they play in the hapless NFC West, but it also helps that new coach Jim Harbaugh has injected life into a previously downtrodden franchise.

Alex Smith is finally performing within himself. He has thrown just two interceptions all season while completing easy passes.

Frank Gore has given the offense life, improving drastically after a slow start to the season.

And San Francisco’s defense cannot be overlooked. The 49ers are ranked first in the NFL in rushing defense and have not allowed a team to score more than 25 points once all season. 

As a virtue of their division, the 49ers basically have a cakewalk into the playoffs. Two games against the Arizona Cardinals and St. Louis Rams can push a team into the postseason.

Buffalo Bills

Almost equally as unlikely as saying the San Francisco 49ers will make the playoffs is saying the Buffalo Bills will be right there next to them.

Buffalo is doing all the right things in terms of football. The team is relying on undrafted, unknown role players to step into starring roles and lead a team to success.

So far, so good.

The Bills’ quarterback is Harvard grad Ryan Fitzpatrick. Their leading wide receiver is Stevie Johnson out of the University of Kentucky (wait…there are people who went to UK that can actually play football? I’m from Kentucky so I’m allowed to make that joke). Running back Fred Jackson attended Division III Coe College.

Buffalo is currently tied for first place in the AFC East and has all the football gods on their side. Buffalo will carry their under-the-radar talent to the playoffs.

Philadelphia Eagles

If I had made this prediction at the beginning of the season, most fans would have looked at me dumbfounded. Why would the Philadelphia Eagles be a surprise to reach the playoffs? 

Well, the season has started and fans have every reason to think that the Eagles are done for. They are a miserable 3-5, having dropped four games in a row during one stretch.

Despite this incredible mediocrity, I’m not ready to write off Michael Vick and the Eagles quite yet.

In a Sunday night pasting of the Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia looked as if it had finally found its stride. The offense was eating up yards, the defense was not letting the Dallas offense operate at all, and the team was playing together.

Of course, the next week, Philadelphia lost to the Chicago Bears. Not all was bad in that game, however. Chicago has traditionally been one of the best teams at defending Michael Vick. The Eagles still must make improvements on defense, but they showed that they have come a ways from the beginning of the season. 

The Eagles have played the majority of their tough games already. Their end of the season schedule is not easy, but there will be games against the Arizona Cardinals and the Miami Dolphins to help out the team.

Don’t count out the Eagles yet. They will still make a late run.

Cincinnati Bengals

The Cincinnati Bengals are currently sitting pretty with a 6-2 record in the AFC North, tied atop their division with the traditionally powerful Baltimore Ravens.

The Bengals have won five in a row including a matchup with the equally surprising Buffalo Bills.

The reason for the Bengals current and continued success? The absence of drama in the locker room and the introduction of Andy Dalton at quarterback.

Carson Palmer’s “retirement” and Chad Ochocinco’s heightening antics and declining productivity adversely affected the team. With a rookie quarterback and wide receiver in A.J. Green, the Bengals are starting fresh and putting the past behind them.

The Bengals have a tough schedule ahead of them, facing the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens twice. However, if the Bengals keep playing the way they have thus far, the playoffs will not be far from their grasp.

Houston Texans

The Houston Texans have had a habit of starting seasons strong and then leveling off and fading back into obscurity as the games wear on. 

This team does not seem like it will follow the same blueprint.

The Texans are currently atop the AFC South, surging behind the strong play of running backs Arian Foster and Ben Tate. Rookie J.J. Watt has been extremely impressive and is boosting a defense ranked near the top of the NFL in almost every category.

Houston does not have a tough road ahead of them. Only two of the teams they will face have winning records. The Texans will be able to follow their defense into a secure playoff berth.

Zero Teams from the AFC West

Is it possible to have a conference with no playoff teams? Last season, the worst conference distinction belonged to the NFC West. This year? The AFC West.

The Kansas City Chiefs, San Diego Chargers, and Oakland Raiders are all 4-4 and ranked first in the division. The Denver Broncos are threatening at 3-5. When it is possible for a team to threaten with a losing record, (unless they are quarterbacked by Michael Vick and have three of the best corners in the league. Tim Tebow, you are not Michael Vick. Just…no) your conference is very bad.

The Chiefs have had some good stretches, but simply do not look like a playoff team.

Philip Rivers is doing the best job he can of making incredible plays to keep the Chargers in games and then throwing interceptions or fumbling to ensure his team will lose.

The Raiders would have been my pick before Jason Campbell was lost for the season. Carson Palmer is just not ready to lead a team to the playoffs yet. Or ever. 

The AFC West should give its playoff slot to a more deserving team from a better conference. Maybe the AFC East or NFC North? It’s the right thing to do.