AFC Playoffs: Why No Team Is Safe

As the NFL season winds down, the playoff picture starts to fill out.  This season has been filled with strange events (http://bleacherreport.com/articles/978523-nfl-8-reasons-why-this-has-been-one-of-the-strangest-nfl-seasons) and has left us with a chase for the final wild card spot in the AFC.  

The New York Jets currently hold the sixth spot in the conference and control their fate in getting into the playoffs.  The Cincinnati Bengals, Oakland Raiders and Tennessee Titans are all fighting for that final spot.

Unlike recent years, there is not one team who is a lock to walk through the AFC and make the Super Bowl.  

Recent NFL teams that were dominant include:

2003, 2004, and 2007 New England Patriots

2009 Indianapolis Colts

2009 New Orleans Saints

The following are AFC playoff teams and the reasons why they could lose in the playoffs.

Houston Texans

The Houston Texans began the season looking like they had all the tools to win the AFC South.

With Peyton Manning getting hurt and the Colts lost without him, the Texans did just that.  They are currently 10-3 because of their dominant defense, which is ranked among the best in the league, along with stud running back Adrian Foster and quarterback Matt Schaub.

Why they can be beaten:

The biggest problem with the Texans is the absence of their starting and backup quarterbacks. Matt Schaub was put on injured reserve after Albert Haynesworth broke his foot.  

One-time college star and Heisman winner Matt Leinart was ready to take over the duties of quarterback of the Texans and lead them into the playoffs but then he got hurt as well.  

This left the Texans with rookie T.J Yates, who they turned to in Week 12 against the Jaguars. Yates so far has won all three games he has played in; However, it is still uncertain how good he is and how he can handle the NFL playoffs.

Other key issues with the Texans include Mario Williams' injury that will keep him out the rest of the season and Andre Johnson's nagging hamstring injury that has caused him to miss seven games so far this year.

Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens have made the playoffs the past three seasons but have not been able to take the next step and make it to the Super Bowl.  This season they have beaten the Pittsburgh Steelers twice and sit atop the AFC Conference at 10-3.  However, the Ravens have had trouble beating the Steelers when it counts...the postseason.  The Ravens pack a nice punch behind their always-strong defense and Ray Rice.

Why they can be beaten:

The Baltimore Ravens have had some inexplicable losses this season.  They have been able to beat top AFC teams like the Steelers, Jets and Texans, but they have also lost to the Seahawks and the Jaguars.  These losses probably have occurred because of the inconsistent play of their quarterback Joe Flacco.  

Flacco was beginning to progress in the league but this year he has taken 10 steps backwards.

His 15 touchdowns this season are 10 shy of last year's total, while his nine interceptions are one shy of his number the previous year.  His QB rating has dropped more than 13 points from last year and is lower than the oft-criticized Mark Sanchez.  

Joe Flacco's struggles leaves the Ravens without an elite quarterback in a league that is heavily reliant on the passing game.  The Ravens may not be able to ride the defense and running game throughout the playoffs.

The lingering injury of Ray Lewis is also a concern.  While the defense has not struggled in his absence, his leadership on the field in crucial playoff games against the Steelers and Patriots could be missed if he can't get healthy.

New England Patriots

The New England Patriots are once again among the best teams in football.  They are 10-3 and Tom Brady is having one of his best years.  They have shot down the notion that the New York Jets were going to win the AFC East.

Why they can be beat:

As much as the Patriots offense has excelled this season, the defense has struggled. Tom Brady and the offense can only do so much.  Injuries on the defensive side have not helped the Pats either.  Teams with good offenses can beat the Patriots because the Pats defense will allow the team to keep up with their offense.  

For the most part, teams that win have good defenses.  The once-dominant defense of the "genius" Bill Belichick has turned into one of the worst defenses in the league.

Denver Broncos

The Denver Broncos started off the season 1-4, and they looked like they could potentially be a part of the Andrew Luck sweepstakes.  Then they turned to a guy who has become, to say the least, a phenomenon.  

Tim Tebow has gone 7-1 and has the second-best winning percentage among starting quarterbacks with at least five starts this year.  Tebow's success is no secret and since taking over the Broncos, the entire team has stepped up its game.  

The defense has been dominant over the past few weeks and is crucial to their success.  The defense is the main reason why Tim Tebow has been in a position to win games in the fourth quarter.

Why they can be beaten:

How long can the Broncos win with last-minute comebacks?  Is there really some outside force helping Tebow?  If the Broncos are going to make it anywhere in the playoffs they are going to have to start playing games for four quarters and not just playing well in the fourth quarter.  

Tim Tebow is not close to being a complete quarterback and does not have the same skills as the best quarterbacks in this league.  The Broncos secondary is getting long in the tooth and it's showed, as they have struggled at times this year.  Good quarterbacks like Tom Brady and Ben Roethlisberger will be able to do well against them.

Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers are the most decorated franchise and one of the most consistently good teams in the NFL, and they are once again poised to make another run at the Super Bowl this year.  Their defense has been among the best in the league, as it always is, and their offense possesses a balanced attack.

Why they can be beaten:

A major issue surrounding the Steelers is the health of their quarterback.  Ben Roethlisberger has been banged up this year and his injuries may hinder his play enough to keep the offense from succeeding in the playoffs.  This showed a little last Thursday against the Browns, when they only managed to put up 14 points.  

The Steelers may also have some distractions if James Harrison continues to deliver cheap hits and gets suspended again.

New York Jets

The Jets, who have been to back-to-back AFC championship games, have been inconsistent in 2011 but have started to turn it on late in the season.  The Jets were the only team that is fighting for the last wild-card spot to win last week, thus allowing them to be in a position to control their own fate. 

Why they can be beat:

The Jets philosophy the past two years has been "ground and pound."  They went away from this a little this year, though, as they tried to rely on the passing game more.  The struggles of the offensive line have caused them to struggle offensively and they still are not completely in sync.

The Jets defense is their best asset, and at times they have been inconsistent as well.  The loss of Jim Leonhard for the second straight year could be crucial.  When the Jets lose, it usually means that they beat themselves.