NFL Playoff Picture: San Francisco 49ers and Playoff One-and-Done Teams

With the end of the season in sight, it’s time to start figuring out how this whole playoff picture is going to shape up.

Teams are fighting like cats and dogs to get into the last few remaining spots in the playoffs, but at this point, no team is safe.

The following list is of the teams that will back into the playoffs, only to be slaughtered in the first round.

Enjoy it while it lasts!

San Francisco 49ers

Quite possibly the biggest fraud in the NFL right now, the San Francisco 49ers are starting to come to Earth already.

While their defense has remained stellar, it isn’t what it appears to be. The 49ers secondary of Carlos Rodgers, Dashon Goldson and Tarell Brown is the most overrated in the sport.

A team like New Orleans or Detroit with a potent passing game would pick apart San Francisco’s defense. With the defense giving up points, the pressure on mediocre QB Alex Smith will be too much, and he will fold like a beach chair.

Chicago Bears

Just like the 49ers, the Bears defense is all about stopping the run but can be destroyed by a serious air attack. That’s not even their biggest issue.

While Jay Cutler was an absolute nightmare, he looks like a dream now that Caleb Hanie is under center. Cutler is sidelined by a broken thumb and its subsequent surgery, so the leader of this team heading into the playoff hunt is Hanie.

Surprisingly, Hanie didn’t look terrible in his first game, but it was his three interceptions that lost the game for the Bears. If he can protect the ball, Bears will sneak into the playoffs and be destroyed in the first round.

Denver Broncos

The way the Denver Broncos defense is playing right now, I don’t see a reason why the team can back its way into the playoffs.

While many people don’t want to admit it, Tim Tebow is playing well enough to not turn the ball over. Combine that with the steady dosage of run plays from the backs, and Tebow will put the team in contention as long as the defense stays hungry.

It’s obvious that Tim Tebow can’t lead the team to victory if they get down by 30 points, but if it’s close within the last quarter or so, you can’t help but feel confident in the 5-1 starter.

Too bad their ancient defense won’t hold up!

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