NFL Power Rankings Week 12: Top Teams That Are Locks to Go Deep in Playoffs

I cannot believe that Week 12 of the NFL football season starts in two days.

It feels like just yesterday we were discussing the lockout ending and how the Cincinnati Bengals were going to be the worst team in the league.

Well that prediction certainly didn’t come true, so let’s make some new ones and this time try to peg which teams topping the power rankings are definitely going to make a deep playoff run this year.

San Francisco 49ers

This is another team that people would have called you crazy for predicting a playoff season and even a first-round bye for a few months ago.

Credit new coach Jim Harbaugh for getting his team to believe in him and themselves because they are now a legitimate contender.

They possess the stingiest rushing defense in football and that is a huge component in playoff success.

Teams look to pound the football and play good defense come January, and this Niners squad can do both. Look for them to meet this next team in the NFC Championship.

Green Bay Packers

No surprises here.

The Packers are arguably the best team in football, and there is talk of them going undefeated this season.

They’ll certainly have a first-round bye and have home field advantage throughout the playoffs, something they did not possess as the sixth-seeded wild card team last year.

Aaron Rodgers is the best QB in football right now and he will have the high-powered Green Bay offense steamrolling into the championship game and possibly the Super Bowl.

Houston Texans

Call me crazy, but I think Matt Leinart can get it done for Houston to close out the season and contend in the playoffs.

The Texans have so many weapons and one of the best total defenses in the NFL to boot.

If Arian Foster and Ben Tate continue to be the best 1-2 combo of RBs in the league, they will just need Leinart to make basic throws and manage the game, something he will excel at.

Teams have won Super Bowls with a lot worse players under center.

Alex Kay’s Week 12 Power Rankings  

1. Green Bay Packers

2. San Francisco 49ers 

3. New England Patriots

4. Pittsburgh Steelers

5. New Orleans Saints

6. Baltimore Ravens

7. Houston Texans

8. Chicago Bears

9.  Detroit Lions 

10. Atlanta Falcons

11. New York Giants

12. Dallas Cowboys

13. Cincinnati Bengals

14. Denver Broncos

15. Oakland Raiders  

16. New York Jets

17. San Diego Chargers  

18. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

19. Philadelphia Eagles

20. Tennessee Titans

21. Buffalo Bills

22. Miami Dolphins 

23. Kansas City Chiefs 

24. Minnesota Vikings 

25. Arizona Cardinals

26. Carolina Panthers

27. Seattle Seahawks

28. Washington Redskins

29. St. Louis Rams

30. Jacksonville Jaguars

31. Cleveland Browns

32. Indianapolis Colts