NFL Playoff Scenarios: 3 Teams in Desperate Need of Home-Field Advantage

With the playoffs a mere three weeks away, several teams have already clinched spots in the postseason.

Just because a team is clinched a spot doesn't mean it can rest on its laurels, however. There is still plenty of positioning to be decided and those decisions could have a major effect on how some teams perform.

Home-field advantage is pretty important throughout the NFL season, and that is never more apparent than in the playoffs. Playing in front of a hostile crowd, with the stakes as high as ever, can be too much for some teams to handle. Because of that, here are three teams that desperately need home-field advantage in the playoffs.

San Francisco 49ers

Sure, they have played a weak schedule and reside in the easy NFC West, but the San Francisco 49ers have accomplished a lot this season. The Niners have already clinched the division and currently sit in second place in the NFC behind the unbeaten Green Bay Packers.

At 10-3, the 49ers would receive a first-round bye and home-field advantage until at least the conference championship game—if the playoffs started today.

Unfortunately for them, however, there are still three games left to be played in the regular season. The Niners have been excellent at home this season, with a record of 6-1, and would really benefit from getting a home game in the playoffs.

They hold only a tiebreaker over the New Orleans Saints right now. If the Saints get the No. 2 spot, then the Niners will only have home-field advantage in the first round. San Fran's defense is portable, but I'm not sure quarterback Alex Smith can hold up in a playoff atmosphere on the road.

Houston Texans

The Houston Texans have faced a lot of adversity this season. Despite that, they have won their first AFC South crown and will be in the postseason for the first time in franchise history. The biggest reasons for that are an incredible running back tandem in Arian Foster and Ben Tate, as well as a vastly improved defense under new defensive coordinator Wade Phillips.

The Texans essentially control their own destiny in terms of securing home-field advantage in the playoffs.

Houston is 10-3 and the de facto No. 1 seed in the AFC based on tiebreakers. That could certainly change, but the Texans must do everything in their power to ensure it doesn't. Not only are the Texans 5-1 in Reliant Stadium this season, but they need to protect their rookie quarterback.

Fifth-round rookie T.J. Yates has been thrust into the starting role due to injuries to Matt Schaub and Matt Leinart. Yates has held up very well so far, but the last thing an unheralded rookie needs is a high-pressure, playoff road game.

New Orleans Saints

Along with the Green Bay Packers and Baltimore Ravens, the New Orleans Saints are the best home team in football. Because of their incredibly skilled offense—led by the likes of Drew Brees, Jimmy Graham, Marques Colston and Darren Sproles—the Saints work very well on the fast track of the Superdome.

Not only are the Saints 6-0 at home this season, but they are 7-1 in domes in general, and Brees' passing numbers are far superior indoors than when he has to play in the elements.

I think last season's playoffs were the perfect example of why the Saints need home-field advantage. Despite the fact that they finished 7-9, the Seattle Seahawks got to host the Saints in the first round of the playoffs last year (since they won the NFC West). Although there was overwhelming sentiment that the Saints were the better team, the Seahawks played inspired football in front of the hometown crowd and ousted New Orleans.

If the Saints can outperform the 49ers over the last three weeks of the season, then they'll have an advantage on the road to the NFC Championship Game.