NFL Playoff Picture: 4 Teams on the Rise After Week 15

Though much of the 2011 NFL playoff picture has come into focus after Week 15, a number of wild-card spots are still up in the air, as well as overall seeding.

There are a number of teams angling for those two up-for-grab spots and four of them saw their chances of securing one of them rise after notching their respective victories.

Here are those four teams and why they just might get to play postseason football after all.

Detroit Lions (9-5)

The Detroit Lions managed a come-from-behind win in a stellar Week 15 contest against the Oakland Raiders that instantly vaulted them back into the NFC playoff picture. With a win in Week 16, they've clinched a berth and will see the postseason for the first time since 1999.

Detroit has had an up-and-down season, marred by injuries, mistakes, controversy and of course, the pressure of some exceedingly high expectations. For the first time in recent memory, the Lions entered an NFL season with all manner of positive buzz, thanks to the team being more complete and chock-full of talent than ever before.

Quarterback Matthew Stafford spent the offseason working on his durability, and it shows. While he suffered from a broken finger on his throwing hand that kept him and his offense down for a few weeks, he's not missed any time, finally shaking off all of the quips about his supposed fragility once and for all.

Thanks in part to the efforts of elite wide receiver Calvin Johnson, Stafford is now just the third Detroit quarterback in franchise history to surpass 4,000 passing yards. He has 33 touchdowns to just 14 interceptions and he's averaging just under 300 passing yards per game.

Offense isn't the only thing the Lions have going for them—there's also that much-hyped defense. The Lions are out-tackling and out-sacking their opponents on a weekly basis, and they've also notched 18 interceptions and 16 forced fumbles this season.

If they can divest themselves of the little mistakes, the mental errors and of course, the penalties, the Lions could be a very dangerous playoff team, indeed. Their biggest test will be winning on the road, but as they're 5-2 right now as a visiting team, it shouldn't stymie them too much.

Dallas Cowboys (8-6)

Because the Dallas Cowboys defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Saturday night and the New York Giants fell to division-mate Washington Redskins on Sunday, the Cowboys have sole possession of the NFC East and the best shot to make the playoffs than any of the other teams in the division.

The NFC East has been the most changeable division in football this season, first with the Redskins holding the advantage before dropping off the radar, leaving just the Cowboys and Giants to duke it out for their division's playoff spot.

The Cowboys have been extremely inconsistent in recent years and they've never seemed able to live up to their potential. However, this is easily one of the best Dallas teams, if not the best, of the Tony Romo era and they have a chance to make quite the postseason impact if they can manage to hold onto their divisional lead.

The NFC East is likely to come down to Week 17, when the Cowboys and Giants meet for the second time this season. With the Cowboys having the momentum at present, they appear to be the favorites to win out. However, appearances can be deceiving and considering how many times the lead has changed in the East division, don't anticipate buying Cowboys playoff tickets just yet.

San Diego Chargers (7-7)

Though technically in third place in the AFC West, the San Diego Chargers aren't out of the playoff discussion just yet.

With their win in Week 15 over the Baltimore Ravens and losses by both the Oakland Raiders and Denver Broncos, the Chargers have found themselves just one game back from the top spot in the division with just two games left to play.

San Diego went into the season as heavy favorites to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl. While they struggled to meet those expectations, starting the season 4-1 and then embarking on an embarrassing six-game losing streak before winning their most recent three games, the up-in-the-air nature of the AFC West this season has only benefited the team down the stretch.

Next up for San Diego are two difficult contests against the Detroit Lions and Oakland Raiders. The Chargers will need to win out while the Raiders and Broncos need to notch more losses if they are to take control of the division and make it into the postseason.

That's not impossible, to be sure, but it would be better for the Chargers' chances and their fans' cardiac health if the team was going into Week 16 more in control of their own destiny.

Cincinnati Bengals (8-6)

The Cincinnati Bengals are just out of playoff contention, edged just slightly by the New York Jets, who have the advantage based on win percentage against common opponents.

But with the Jets uncharacteristically collapsing in December and the Bengals winning their own contest in Week 15, there's easily an ever-increasing opening for the Bengals to be the third AFC North team in the playoffs this year.

Cincinnati has been one of the season's more surprising teams, notching a winning record despite having a rookie quarterback, Andy Dalton, running the offense. He's been helped immeasurably by fellow rookie A.J. Green, who has all the makings of an elite receiver even in his short time in the league.

Though Green has a shoulder injury, he vows to play through it, which is good news for a Bengals team that desperately needs to win out if they want to secure a wild-card playoff berth.

It's not going to be easy; the team first hosts the Arizona Cardinals in Week 16 and then the venerable Baltimore Ravens to close out the season.

But if they can grab those two wins, they're in a much better position to see the postseason as one of the most unlikely teams to earn such an honor in 2011.