NFL Power Rankings: Under-the-Radar Contenders That Deserve More Love

If you pay attention to ESPN and assorted other major sports enterprises, you might get the idea that the NFL playoff picture consists solely of giant images of Tim Tebow and Aaron Rodgers.

In reality, it's a little more complex than that. There are a lot of teams still fighting for a chance to go to the postseason, and the final three weeks of the season are going to be pretty hectic.

Sadly, some contenders have gotten lost in the shuffle, and simply aren't getting the credit they deserve. This is partially because they're on the outermost fringe of the playoff picture, and it's partially due to a lack of national coverage.

Because I'm a nice guy (or at least a guy who's capable of being nice), I figure I'll dish out a few well-deserved shoutouts.

Here are three NFL contenders that deserve more love.

Seattle Seahawks (No. 19)

Conventional wisdom suggests that the Seahawks are a team with subpar personnel and a subpar offense that is lucky to even be in the same division as the almighty San Francisco 49ers.

Actually, the Seahawks aren't half bad. They certainly were at one point, but they've won four out of their last five games and they suddenly have a legit shot at sneaking into the postseason for the second year in a row.

To be sure, the Seahawks have their work cut out for them as far as actually getting to the playoffs, and I don't think they're actually going to get there. But what people have to realize is that it's pretty remarkable that the Seahawks are in this position at all seeing as how they have Tarvaris Jackson as their quarterback and a defense that doesn't exactly strike fear into the hearts of opponents.

That makes me think that the Seahawks are in good shape going forward. All they really need is a quarterback who is a little more reliable than Jackson, and they could very well be ready to contend in 2012.

Of course, keeping Marshawn Lynch around will be key for the Seahawks this offseason. He's going to be a free agent, and the Seahawks should know that they can't afford to let him walk.

Perhaps they can sweeten Lynch's deal in some way...

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Arizona Cardinals (No. 18)

It makes sense that the Seahawks are in the playoff race, as they've gotten some great running from Lynch and have played four of their last five games at home.

However, it doesn't make any sense that the Cardinals are in the playoff race. They looked awful during a six-game losing streak this season, and in all honesty they haven't looked much better in the last couple weeks.

Yet they've managed to win five of their last six games, the most recent of which was a big victory over the 49ers. This stretch is even more impressive when you consider that the Cardinals have done it all with a bare minimum of input from starting quarterback Kevin Kolb.

It should be noted that the Cardinals have gotten a little lucky in their last two games, as they benefited from Jason Garrett icing his own kicker and some faulty replay machinery against the 49ers. But hey, they can't be blamed for that.

Will the Cardinals' recent luck hold long enough for them to make the playoffs? I doubt it, but it could happen seeing as how there's really not much competition for the NFC's second wild card spot. 

It's a shame nobody is going to notice the Cardinals if they miss out on the playoffs.

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Tennessee Titans (No. 12)

The Titans were a great story early on, but the focus quickly shifted off them when they fell back to the pack as the season went along. When people did check in, it was merely to take stock of Chris Johnson's latest struggles.

Right now, it's time to take the Titans a little more seriously than that. They're a legit threat to earn the AFC's second wild card berth, and it could be theirs if they win out.

And don't think the Titans can't win out. They have two games left against the Indianapolis Colts and Jacksonville Jaguars, and then they get to play a Houston Texans squad in Week 17 that will likely have nothing to play for.

Exactly who will start at quarterback—rookie Jake Locker or veteran Matt Hasselbeck—is a situation worth monitoring, but I'm of the mind that the Titans will be okay no matter who they choose. Collectively, they're a good team, and they've gotten where they are despite not having solid quarterback play since the start of the season.

There's no reason to think they can't go any further.

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Zachary D. Rymer's Week 15 Power Rankings

Rank	Team	Record
1	Green Bay Packers	13-0
2	Baltimore Ravens	10-3
3	New Orleans Saints	10-3
4	San Francisco 49ers	10-3
5	Pittsburgh Steelers	10-3
6	New England Patriots	10-3
7	Houston Texans	10-3
8	Denver Broncos	8-5
9	Atlanta Falcons	8-5
10	New York Jets	8-5
11	Cincinnati Bengals	7-6
12	Tennessee Titans	7-6
13	New York Giants	7-6
14	Dallas Cowboys	7-6
15	Detroit Lions	8-5
16	Oakland Raiders	7-6
17	Chicago Bears	7-6
18	Arizona Cardinals	6-7
19	Seattle Seahawks	6-7
20	Philadelphia Eagles	5-8
21	San Diego Chargers	6-7
22	Miami Dolphins	4-9
23	Buffalo Bills	5-8
24	Washington Redskins	4-9
25	Carolina Panthers	4-9
26	Jacksonville Jaguars	4-9
27	Cleveland Browns	4-9
28	Kansas City Chiefs	5-8
29	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	4-9
30	Minnesota Vikings	2-11
31	St. Louis Rams	2-11
32	Indianapolis Colts	0-13