NFL Playoff Predictions: 4 Teams That Will Excel in the Postseason

The postseason historically benefits those teams that have been there before, though of course surprises are certainly possible and do happen every year.

In the following slides, I examine four teams that should perform well if and when they earn a playoff berth. These are teams practically built for a deep postseason run and know what it takes to do so.

The New Orleans Saints

Since winning the Super Bowl in 2009, the New Orleans Saints have never been out of the playoff discussion, this year included.

They sit atop the NFC South and it's doubtful they will stumble so significantly in their remaining three games to not see the field in January.

Though the Saints were caught exposed in last season's playoffs, losing their first game to the 7-9 Seattle Seahawks in embarrassing fashion, the team is stronger this year and more capable of divesting themselves of the type of errors that cost them a chance at the Super Bowl in 2010.

The Saints boast the highest-yardage passing offense in the league and have a top-10 run game as well, and though their defense is a liability, giving up an average of 268 yards in the air and 110 on the ground per game, it has cost them just three games.

As long as Drew Brees is New Orleans' starting quarterback, the team will remain playoff contenders. And considering the season he's having, look for the Saints to make it all the way to the NFC Championship game this year.

The Pittsburgh Steelers

Since 2001, the Pittsburgh Steelers have missed the playoffs just three times. Since Ben Roethlisberger took over at quarterback, the team has reached three Super Bowls, winning two of them.

No other team in the NFL is as experienced in the postseason as the Steelers, and once they secure a berth this season, they will immediately be considered heavy favorites to win the championship yet again.

Pittsburgh appears to be a entirely different team once the playoffs begin, with any of their earlier-season missteps usually wiped away by their unwavering desire to add another Lombardi trophy to their extensive collection.

Though the Steelers fell twice to division-rival Baltimore Ravens in the regular season, Baltimore's never had much success against them in the postseason, and this year shouldn't prove any different.

Should Pittsburgh make it to the AFC Championship game, look for them to reach their second Super Bowl in as many years. Once they hit January, they're nearly unstoppable, and they're easily the most intimidating team an opponent can face in the playoffs.

The Green Bay Packers

Considering the dominant way the Green Bay Packers marched through the playoffs in 2010 en route to their first Super Bowl victory since Brett Favre was under center, it made sense that the team started the 2011 season as heavy favorites to repeat as champions.

Though back-to-back Super Bowl victories are hard to achieve, they aren't impossible. And with the Packers at 12-0 and seemingly unstoppable, it doesn't seem so far-fetched to assume the team should roll into the championship game for the second straight year.

The Packers can attribute the majority of their success this year (and last) to the play of quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers is on his way to the best year of his career, having completed 69.6 percent of his passes for 4,125 yards, 39 touchdowns and six interceptions so far.

His accurate passing ability has more than made up for a weakening Packers defense that has given up 20 or more points in seven games this year and allows teams both great and small to throw for an average of 288.5 yards against them.

While that defense may prove to be a liability when it matters most, it hasn't harmed the team enough to cost them any wins this year.

The Packers have momentum on their side, to be sure, but they also have talent and drive. If the Packers don't return to the Super Bowl this year, it will be a surprise.

The New York Jets

The New York Jets are a playoff-minded football team, if head coach Rex Ryan is to be believed. While wins are nice, Ryan's focus is solely on driving his team to a Super Bowl victory.

In the last two years, the team has come close, only to fall short in the AFC Championship game, losing first to the Indianapolis Colts in 2009 and the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2010.

Despite never making it to the big game, those two consecutive conference championship appearances make the Jets quite the threat in the postseason. There's no telling what the unpredictable team can manage to do once they're in the playoffs and they're not likely to be satisfied with AFC runner-up for yet another season.

But first, the Jets have to secure that postseason berth. Right now, they're locked into a Wild Card spot, but three games remain, in which anything can happen.

The Jets' remaining three contests—against the Philadelphia Eagles, New York Giants and Miami Dolphins—are certainly winnable, but a misstep or two could see them sitting at home in January.

If they keep hold of that Wild Card berth, however, they'll be quite the force to be reckoned with in the postseason, that's certain.