NFL Playoff Picture: Ranking the Wild Card Contenders' Super Bowl Chances

The NFL playoff picture is coming into focus with Week 14 of the football season upon us.

With the exception of Pittsburgh and Cleveland, four games remain for teams scrambling to keep their Super Bowl hopes alive.

One must look no further than last year's Green Bay Packers to realize a wild card team is capable of winning it all come February.

Including division leaders with slim leads, here are the wild card teams with the best, and worst, chances of making an illustrious Super Bowl run.  

12. Chicago Bears

Chicago Bears coach Lovie Smith must expect a lump of coal to be in his stocking this Christmas.

How else can you explain the bad luck the Bears have experienced this season?

Injuries to quarterback Jay Cutler and running back Matt Forte have derailed any hopes of a Super Bowl for the Bears.

Very unfortunate considering, when healthy, the Bears pose a legitimate threat to the undefeated Green Bay Packers.

Even without Cutler, the Bears had a shot at a wild card with the MVP-caliber campaign of Forte leading the charge.

With Forte now out with a knee ailment, expect Chicago to miss out on the postseason and be watching this year's Super Bowl from home.   

11.Oakland Raiders

What had happened was...ouch. 

That was tough to watch in Week 13 for fans of the Oakland Raiders. Hue Jackson's bunch traveled across the United States just to get thumped by a paltry Miami Dolphins team.

As a result, the Raiders fell behind Tim Tebow and the Denver Broncos in the AFC West standings. The Broncos currently hold the tiebreaker based on win percentage in division games.

Star runner Darren McFadden is not going to play versus the Packers in Week 14. Oakland desperately needs him back to assist Michael Bush and Carson Palmer on offense.

With tough games remaining versus Green Bay, Detroit and San Diego, expect the Raiders to fall short of the NFL playoffs.

 

10. Tennessee Titans

Few would have expected the Tennessee Titans to be playoff contenders given the turmoil surrounding a new coaching staff and the holdout by running back Chris Johnson.

However, devastating injuries to the Indianapolis Colts and Houston Texans have eased the schedule for the surprise team from Nashville.

The Titans would be the No. 7 seed if the playoffs began today, making them the first team on the outside looking in.

After the Saints, the Titans play the Colts, Jaguars and a depleted Texans team. Armed with a veteran quarterback, don't be shocked if the Titans sneak their way into the postseason. 

9. New York Giants

Sitting at 6-6, the season for the New York Giants has been less than spectacular.

The defensive secondary has been plagued with injuries, leading to a ranking in the bottom half of the NFL in both rush and pass defense. When defense wins championships, those stats make a potential title look out of reach.

All the doom and gloom can be turned to hope with two wins against the division rival Dallas Cowboys down the stretch.

Coming off four straight losses, the Giants play two of their last four against "America's Team," which could decide the NFL East.

Quarterback Eli Manning has made good on his self-assertion that he is an elite NFL passer. The Giants will need his best to make the playoffs and make an unlikely Super Bowl run.

8. Cincinnati Bengals

The Cincinnati Bengals have had the easiest road to a 7-5 record of any team in the NFL.

The young squad has only defeated one team with a record above .500. That team was the 7-5 Tennessee Titans.

The exciting duo of Andy Dalton and A.J. Green is sure to excite fans for years to come. Are they ready for a playoff run this season?

Unlikely, considering an unproven, inexperienced team without a formidable run game. 

7. Denver Broncos

Tim Tebow and the Denver Broncos has been mind-numbingly discussed by ESPN and the like for the past six weeks.

The numbers have all been mentioned. The Broncos are 6-1 with Tebow behind center. Tebow this. Tebow that.

But, are the Broncos a Super Bowl contender?

Denver has a good shot to win the AFC West and earn a home game in the NFL playoffs. Given the tough schedule of the Raiders, the Broncos may only need a 2-2 finish to make the postseason.

However, the Broncos lack the firepower on offense to make a deep playoff run. The weaknesses in Denver will be showcased on Week 15 against the New England Patriots.

It will be great for the NFL, however, to have No. 15 in the playoffs. Oh, and the rest of the Broncos. 

6. Detroit Lions

The lack of discipline on the Detroit Lions finally reared its ugly head as the calendar pointed towards the second half of the season.

Including head coach Jim Schwartz.

His well-documented feud with Jim Harbaugh coincided with a tailspin for the contending Lions.

Now, Detroit is currently on the outside of the NFC playoff picture and losers of three of its last four.

With the Chicago Bears struggling, there is hope for a wild card for the oft-penalized Lions. However, without a running game and veteran leadership, are they serious playoff contenders?

Not this year. 

5. Atlanta Falcons

Last year's NFC No. 1 seed has gone under the radar for most of this season. 

The Falcons made a major acquisition by drafting Julio Jones in the 2011 NFL draft.

What's the major difference between this team and last year's team?

Atlanta is losing the close contests that it won during its 13-3 campaign. The Falcons are 4-3 in games decided by seven points or less this year.

That includes a very degrading defeat to the Houston Texans who were starting T.J. Yates under center.

The Falcons should go 3-1 to finish out the year and enter the playoffs as the No. 5 seed.

Unfortunately for Atlanta fans, Matt Ryan and company have yet to show they are capable of moving past the first round come playoff time. 

4. New York Jets

There is much work to be done for the New York Jets to make the playoffs.

However, they have been here before and have excelled. For that reason, the Jets must be considered a wild card threat in the AFC playoff picture.

Rex Ryan's team has a manageable schedule down the stretch, playing zero teams that are above .500.

Shonn Greene has been impressive in recent weeks, holding down an improving run game at the right time.

Fitting, since the Jets make it a habit to peak at the right time. In a down AFC, it might just be the year for New York to make an unexpected run to the Super Bowl. 

3. Dallas Cowboys

Leave it to the Dallas Cowboys to lose to the lowly Arizona Cardinals after winning four straight.

A controversial timeout by Jason Garrett led to a missed field goal by kicker Dan Bailey late against the Cardinals.

The result was an overtime loss and increased importance on Sunday night's tilt against the New York Giants.

If the Cowboys can sneak into the playoffs either as a division winner or wild card, they have a new-found balance on offense because of DeMarco Murray.

Per usual, Dallas has the tools to make a deep run toward the Super Bowl. If it can nail down some consistency, this team will be dangerous come playoff time. 

2. Baltimore Ravens

The Baltimore Ravens have shown they can beat just about anybody in the NFL in 2011.

They have also shown they can lose to anyone.

Baltimore's season has been highlighted by big victories such as the two against the Steelers. Their season has also been diminished by head-scratching losses to the Jaguars and Seahawks.

Inevitably, the Ravens will have to defeat their old nemesis in Pittsburgh during the postseason.

Until they prove capable of overcoming that hurdle, the Ravens once again fall just shy of their AFC North rivals. 

1. Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers became the first AFC team to 10 wins on Thursday night with a gutsy win over the Cleveland Browns.

Ben Roethlisberger has proven to be one of the toughest athletes on the planet, finishing the game with a high ankle sprain.

Two of the Steelers' three defeats have come via humbling performances against the Ravens. However, Pittsburgh is armed with the confidence that it owns the Ravens in the playoffs. 

If both teams end up tied, the Steelers will play as the No. 5 seed in the AFC playoffs. That could mean a first round tilt versus, you guessed it, Tim Tebow and the Broncos.

It was nice seeing you, Tim. Better luck in next year's playoffs.