NFL Playoff Picture: Where Each Team Can Go from Here

At the start of the 2011 season, every team had the mindset of winning the Super Bowl.  That is the goal for every player, owner, coach and fan.  For some, that goal is still alive and well, while for others, the thought of gaining momentum for the 2012 season is priority No. 1. 

It is now at the point in the NFL season where teams look at their schedules, rankings and position to determine if they have a legitimate shot at making the playoffs.  Some teams such as the Green Bay Packers and New Orleans Saints have already clinched their playoff spots.  Others such as the Denver Broncos and Oakland Raiders are fighting for that top spot in their division. 

Some interesting stories that continue to arise in the football world include whether or not the Indianapolis Colts will draft Andrew Luck to sit behind Peyton Manning.  Can the Packers repeat?  Will the Broncos draft another quarterback? 

With all that in mind, it looks like the future is starting to take shape for most teams, and it will be interesting to see what happens to them.

Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens have already clinched their playoff spot, and it looks like they are poised to make a serious run for the Lombardi trophy. 

Baltimore’s defense is ranked both in the top five for rush and pass defense.  They only allow 197.9 yards in the air and 90 yards on the ground per game.  These are both impressive numbers, landing them as arguably the best defense in the league. 

With future Hall Of Fame players and Pro Bowl-caliber players holding down that defense, it looks like they will be incredibly difficult to score against in the playoffs. 

The only real issue that many fans have with this team is the fact that their offense is so volatile.  One game they will score 40 points with quarterback Joe Flacco throwing for four touchdowns, or they can score six points all on field goals.  Either way, it seems as if nobody is surprised by what happens. 

Luckily for that offense, they still have one of the game's best in Ray Rice.  Rice has acquired over 1,000 yards this season and is preparing for a grueling postseason. 

Although their offense is something of concern, the defense will always give them a chance to win regardless of which team they are playing.  Look for the Ravens to make a big push in the playoffs.  

Cincinnati Bengals

The Cincinnati Bengals are one of the most surprising stories of this NFL season.  They were a team known for being dirty and disorganized.  Carson Palmer had basically left the team, and things were not looking good for the future of that organization.

Then comes quarterback Andy Dalton.  The rookie out of TCU began his career playing at a veteran's level.  Dalton came in to a less-than-ideal situation and took command of the offense.

Unfortunately for Dalton, he has much more to do before this year is finished.  His team is currently 8-6 and in a tight battle for the Wild Card playoff spot.  Other teams in the hunt include the Chargers, Broncos, Jets and Titans.  They all either have the same record or are one game back.  With just two weeks left, it is going to be a photo finish for one of these teams. 

All those teams listed above have great talent, coaching and gumption.  The Bengals are fully capable of acquiring that Wild Card berth, especially with their next opponent being the struggling Arizona Cardinals.  However, they finish off their season against the Baltimore Ravens, which will be a challenging and potentially necessary win on their record.  

Cleveland Browns

The Cleveland Browns are currently 4-10 and mathematically eliminated from the playoffs.  They struggled with both the offense and rush defense, with the only bright spot being the pass defense.  

If anything can be taken from this season, it is that they have the third-best pass defense in the league, allowing just 188.4 yards per game in the air.

Their four wins came against the Jaguars, Colts, Dolphins and Seahawks.  Needless to say, they did not beat any quality opponents.

Peyton Hillis was far from spectacular and, quite frankly, underperformed from what fans expected of him.  He only has 445 yards and three touchdowns.  The quarterback situation is also shaky with second-year player Colt McCoy. 

McCoy does have some upside to him, but he has not shown that he can be a quality quarterback in the NFL on a consistent basis.  This will most likely have to be dealt with, depending on how much faith management has in him. 

Look for some major shifts in this team for the next season.  The quarterback situation will have to be looked at alongside nearly every part of the rest of the team.  

Pittsburgh Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers have already clinched a playoff spot and are on their way to making yet another Super Bowl title run.  Having one of the league's premier defenses and multiple offensive Pro Bowlers, the Steelers are looking good.

Unfortunately for them, the loss against the 49ers has shown some flaws in their game that need to be fixed.  With all the hype surrounding that defense, allowing over 20 points against an average San Francisco offense is slightly alarming.  Even more alarming, however, is that in that same game, the Steelers offense only gained three points.

Ben Roethlisberger is injured, which is probably where most of these issues stem from.  However, for an offense that was built around a solid run game, an injured quarterback sure is having some impacts for Pittsburgh’s offensive output.

Big Ben will need to get healthy soon if they want to make a solid playoff run.  Although their defense is solid, it can only hold off a team such as the New Orleans Saints or Green Bay Packers for so long until they manage to put up close to 30 points on the board. 

Currently, things don't look too good for this Steelers team; however, when playoffs start and players are healthier, they will not be a team to overlook.  

Chicago Bears

The Chicago Bears were on pace to clinch a Wild Card berth, yet they saw their dreams diminish just as quarterback Jay Cutler was injured. 

Cutler was hitting his mid-season stride before his injury and was playing like one of the best in the league at his position.  He was averaging a QBR of somewhere in the mid 90’s, which is pretty good in comparison to the rest of the NFL's starting quarterbacks.

The current Bears quarterback is Caleb Hanie, and it does not look like he is the answer to their problems.  Granted, it is difficult to put Hanie in that position and expect him to bring the team into the playoffs. 

Even Matt Forte, their main offensive threat, was injured late in the season.  Things are not looking too good for the Chicago Bears, who have the Green Bay Packers up next and are desperate for a win to stay alive in the Wild Card hunt. 

As painful it is for all Chicago fans out there to hear, they will have to start looking at next season and what they can do to better their chances when everyone is healthy.  It does not seem as if the Bears will make it past the regular season this year.

Detroit Lions

Detroit is another one of those teams that surprised almost everyone this year.  Even for those devoted fans and analysts who believed the Lions are a solid team this year, it would be hard-pressed to believe they knew exactly how good. 

Matthew Stafford started of this year extremely hot, and alongside him was his partner-in-crime Calvin Johnson.  Together these two were in contention for the best quarterback/ receiver tandem in the league. 

Stafford has amassed 4,145 yards and 33 touchdown passes (14 of those going to Calvin Johnson).  They have the fifth-best passing attack in the league, torching defenses for 282.8 yards per game. 

However, although their offense is hot and their defense is solid, it is difficult to really give this team a legitimate chance at winning it all.  This is not to say that they will not or cannot, it is just that with more experienced teams such as the Packers, Steelers and Saints, it is difficult to give them an edge. 

Although the Lions are very talented and are going to be a force in the near future, they will make the playoffs but most likely lose before reaching the Super Bowl.  

Green Bay Packers

Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers will officially not go undefeated.  It looks like this entire season was all for nothing. 

Now that we are done with that, let's look into what really matters for them, winning the Super Bowl.  They look to be one of the greatest teams the NFL has ever seen.  Even with their first loss in a full calendar year, they still are one of the most fun teams to watch.

Aaron Rodgers is arguably the best in the league at his craft.  Rodgers has amassed 4,360 yards passing along with 40 touchdowns to only six interceptions.  These are some incredible numbers, mainly because he is throwing at 68.1 percent accuracy. 

His receivers and tight ends are some of the most athletic and skilled players in the league.  The only real “flaw” to this offense is the running attack, which is not necessarily a flaw but more so a result of having one of the best passing attacks in the game.

The defense, although statistically not very good, creates turnovers and manages to find ways to win in late-game situations. 

Nothing has happened in the regular season that gives way to believe that a repeat Super Bowl is in the makings.  Until they lose, the Green Bay Packers will still be expected to win.  

Minnesota Vikings

Unfortunately for the Minnesota Vikings, they are 2-12 and have been eliminated from the playoffs.

It is a shame too because they do really have pretty good talent on that squad.  At quarterback they have an up-and-comer in Christian Ponder, and at running back they have Adrian Peterson and Toby Gerhart. 

Surprisingly enough, the defense is also pretty stacked up front.  If they can better that No. 30-ranked pass defense, this team looks to be a pretty young but talented team for next year.  

Houston Texans

The Texans have already clinched their playoff spot in the AFC South.  After years of the Indianapolis Colts' dominance over this division, it is interesting to see how the Texans do in the postseason. 

Current quarterback T.J. Yates has been doing a decent job at filling in for injured Matt Schaub and Matt Leinart. 

Houston’s rushing capability is one of the best in the league, averaging 151.8 yards per game on the ground.  The defense is following that trend by only allowing 96.8 yards on the ground and 181.1 yards in the air.  These numbers are similar to the defensive stats of the Baltimore Ravens. 

On paper, the Houston Texans look to be far better than many others in the postseason already.  They are confident in their capabilities as a team to make a serious run towards the Super Bowl.

The only thing holding them back is injury.  Hopefully they can get everyone back in time for critical postseason games and practices.  If not, it looks unlikely that T.J. Yates can lead this team against elite squads.  

Indianapolis Colts

The biggest question surrounding the Colts is when Peyton Manning will return.  It seems like a viable one considering the first year that he took off due to rehabbing a serious neck surgery turned this powerhouse into a 1-13 team.

They are obviously looking at the future at this point, since the playoffs are a far-off dream for this season at the least. 

As many of us have already heard, the drama really lies in whether or not the Colts (who are most likely going to have the first pick of the draft) should draft a quarterback, a concern of many fans since Peyton Manning is still on the roster.

It seems as if they are going to draft a young talent to play behind Peyton Manning for a few years and carry on his legacy in Indianapolis.  However the only real problem with that is the money.  If the organization is going to spend first-pick type money, they are going to want him to start and win them some games. 

Either way, the future still looks bright for this team that needs to rally around someone.  That someone was not Curtis Painter.  They will find someone to replace him, whether it is Manning back from surgery or a new acquisition from the draft.  

Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jaguars are 4-10 this season and won't enter the postseason.  The team was sold, and the head coach was fired.  During a time of duress such as this, the last thing that you want for the team is a new coach and system. 

Unfortunately for them, that’s exactly what happened.  The team was sold mid-season, and the record was primarily the reason. 

This team has a great group of players in Maurice Jones-Drew and a fairly decent defense.  With the right coaching and addition of some key players, this team can be good again. 

Whether that means the quarterback situation needs to be addressed or the organization believes in Blaine Gabbert, something needs to improve at that position.  

Tennessee Titans

The Titans are in an interesting position.  They are currently 7-7 and still have a decent chance at making the playoffs by stealing a Wild Card spot. 

Their next two games are against the Jaguars and the Texans.  The Jaguars should be a win on paper, and the Texans might end up resting their starters in preparation for the postseason.  This would allow the Titans to potentially finish with a 9-7 record.

If something happens where the other teams vying for this spot end up losing the last two, this could help boost the Titans chances.

However, if the Titans end up missing the playoffs, they have a very good team for the future.  Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck has thrown for close to 3,000 yards and 15 touchdowns.  Running back Chris Johnson has finally returned to form, and Jake Locker has shown some promising starts. 

The future looks bright for this team regardless of what happens at this point.  Regardless of if they make the playoffs, the real showing will be in the next few years.  

Atlanta Falcons

The Atlanta Falcons are 9-5 and have a pretty good chance at making the playoffs this year.  With a top-10 passing attack and rush defense, things are looking pretty good for this organization.

Matt Ryan is playing like his old self again.  Running back Michael Turner is putting up some big numbers, and that defense is holding it down for Atlanta.

Playing at the dome in Atlanta is one of the hardest things for a team to do.  The Falcons are battle-tested and are going to be a tough team to beat in the postseason.  

Carolina Panthers

The Panthers, at 5-9, are going to miss the playoffs this year.  However, their future looks incredibly bright with rookie sensation Cam Newton.

As a rookie, he led his team to the No. 10 passing attack in the league.  He amassed over 3,700 yards passing and threw for 17 touchdown passes.  Granted he also threw 16 interceptions, which is pretty high, but it seems as if he will be given a pass due to his rookie stature.

Carolina has great receivers in Greg Olsen and Steve Smith and runners in DeAngelo Williams and Cam Newton himself. 

The offense looks to already be set, so the defense is what needs the real work.  They need to look at either picking up a good corner or good linebacker to help solidify that defense.  

New Orleans Saints

The Saints have already clinched their division and look to be one of the best offenses in the game.  In fact, they are on par with, if not better than, the New England Patriots and the Green Bay Packers. 

With Drew Brees leading that offense on the field, and Sean Payton calling the plays on the sidelines, they are a nightmare duo for any defensive coordinator.  Along with Brady and Rodgers, Brees is on pace to smash Dan Marino’s single-season passing record. 

The Saints have the league's best passing attack at 331.4 yards per game.  What is equally impressive is that while doing that, they also managed to have the No. 8-ranked rush in the league, earning 125.4 yards per game. 

New Orleans will make a serious push for the Lombardi trophy simply by outscoring opponents.  Not to say that the defense is terrible by any means, but this offense is unreal and nearly impossible to keep up with.  

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Bucs started off the year playing pretty well.  They were one of those good surprises that every NFL season has.  However, it all seemed too quick because only seven games in is when the disaster started. 

Tampa Bay is currently 4-10 and eliminated from the playoffs.  Although Josh Freeman started off playing very well, it is clear he was not ready for the grueling schedule of a full NFL season.  Whether management decides to keep him or not, that position needs to become more consistent.

Defense is another issue needing to be addressed in the future either with drafts or free agents.  Both the pass and rush defense were ranked close to last in each category against the league. 

With a struggling offense, a shaky defense will only lead to more losses.  Starting the development of that defense will be crucial.  

Buffalo Bills

Buffalo is in a surprising skid in recent weeks.  Although they started off 5-2, the recent losing streak now puts them at 5-9.  At first, the fans all believed that the Bills were a special team to come out of nowhere. 

Ryan Fitzpatrick was playing phenomenal, and the defense was showing their support by playing lights out as well. 

However, they have been eliminated from playoff contention and are off to another rebuilding season.  The quarterback position seems fine with Fitzpatrick, and the organization has some great talent in C.J. Spiller. 

The biggest issue with this team was the defense, and more specifically the rush defense.  Look for the Bills to strengthen their defensive front or linebacker position to better position themselves next year.  

Miami Dolphins

Miami has turned it on as of late, managing to scrape up a 5-9 record.  Overall not too bad considering the players they have, however not good enough to make the playoffs. 

One of the biggest concerns it the lack of a franchise quarterback.  Although Matt Moore is a decent player, he seems better suited to be a backup. 

Reggie Bush has been playing pretty well, leading the Dolphins to the seventh-ranked rushing team in the league, averaging 127.4 yards per game. 

Aside from the quarterback spot, the passing defense really needs to improve.  Look for the Dolphins to pick up a corner in next year's draft if at all possible.  

New England Patriots

New England has already clinched its playoff spot with an 11-3 record.  They have the league's best quarterback in Tom Brady and the league's best coach in Bill Belichick. 

Along with them, they have arguably the best tight ends in the game (Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski).  However, even with all these offensive factors, they still have one pressing issue: their defense.

The New England defense is appalling and close to dead last in all categories defense-related.  Although their record is hard to dispute, it is difficult to fall on board with a team that gives up that many yards per game.  Especially when entering into the post season when defense and running the ball are key priorities, it is difficult to give New England an edge.

However, here comes Tom Brady and Bill Belichick.  Brady knows how to win, period.  Belichick teams typically flourish in the postseason, and for that it is also difficult to root against them.  They just recently lost Andre Carter to injury, which is a big hit to this defense.

One of the first areas this team needs to address for the future will be the defense.  However for now, their main concern is the postseason, which if all of Belichick’s seasons have told us, will be fun and drama-filled.  

New York Jets

The Jets are at 8-6 and have a pretty good shot at making the playoffs with a Wild Card berth.  They will most likely need to win out the rest of the season, which will be difficult going against the New York Giants and Miami Dolphins.

The concern that always comes up is not the defense but Mark Sanchez and that struggling offense. 

If they make the playoffs, look for a more ground-oriented offensive scheme and a better defense.  

Dallas Cowboys

The Dallas Cowboys, at 8-6, look pretty good to win their division and advance to the playoffs. 

Tony Romo has picked up his play, and the rest of the offense has started getting itself in gear for the postseason.  Dallas’ passing attack is ranked seventh in the league while the rush is ranked No. 11. 

Not to mention the top-10 rush defense and decent pass defense, this team will be deadly in the postseason. 

They are going to make it difficult for whomever they play to score and keep up with their point-scoring capabilities.  Both the present and future look bright as long as Romo can play consistently. 

New York Giants

The Giants are in a must-win situation with the New York Jets.  At 7-7, they need some good things to happen while also winning out the rest of their schedule.

Unfortunately, it does not look good for them making the playoffs.  If they do not, it would be by the narrowest of margins. 

In the future, the Giants are going to have to find either better backs or better linemen because they were dead last in yards per game on the ground at 86.1. 

New York’s defense played decent although statistically not very good on paper. 

The future looks bright for this Giants squad.  

Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles were one of the most-hyped teams in the history of the NFL.  They were deemed the "Dream Team" but showed everyone that they could not live up to the hype. 

At a record of 6-8, they do not look like they will make the postseason this year.  However as any real fan would have guessed, throwing a bunch of good players into a team does not make it a championship contender. 

With that in mind, the future for the Eagles looks incredibly bright.  Even if they do not make the playoffs, they can still go ahead and boost up that defense or offensive line (whichever seems more necessary) and go at it next year. 

If the Eagles can keep this same roster and add another year of chemistry and practice, they will be a dangerous team in years the come.  Look for the Eagles to miss the playoffs but almost certainly make it next year.  

Washington Redskins

Washington is 5-9 and eliminated from playoff contention. 

Quarterback Rex Grossman will most likely be the starter in 2012, but it seems as if he is not the answer.  He can be a very good backup but as a franchise quarterback, he does not show that x-factor that is necessary to thrive in this league.

One of their biggest concerns however was the lack of a running game.  Ranked No. 29 in the league, the Redskins either need to solidify that offensive line or pick up a great running back in the draft.

The rest of the team on defense and passing seem to be decent, and just like any other team will require improvement throughout the offseason.  

Denver Broncos

The Broncos have shown that they have one of the best overall team mentalities in the league. 

While Kyle Orton failed to deliver wins for Denver, Tim Tebow has not.  Tebow has led his team back into playoff contention and even division-winning contention.  Denver will still need to win out to secure their spot, but the Oakland Raiders and San Diego Chargers are finding ways to give it to them. 

Luckily for Denver the next two games are against struggling Buffalo and Kansas City.  These seem like a favorable schedule for the Broncos. 

The Broncos are interesting because offensively there is so much disparity amongst the team.  They are ranked No. 1 in rush yards per game and yet second to last on yards thrown per game. 

The Broncos offense has had to change dramatically with Tebow at the helm, and all the credit has to go to the coaching staff.

If the Broncos make the playoffs, do not expect them to get very far.  However, they could surprise us with a solid run game and great defense to hold teams to a low score.  

Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs will need to focus on building the team overall.  Matt Cassel is a decent starting quarterback, but unfortunately he was injured.

However, the defense did not step up nor did the run game for the Chiefs. 

Things are not looking too great for a 6-8 Kansas City team.  

Oakland Raiders

The Oakland Raiders have been in flux ever since the injury to Jason Campbell.  At the beginning of the season, fans and analysts were all in shock at how impressive Oakland looked.  

The run game was unstoppable, Jason Campbell was throwing darts, and the defense was holding their own.  This looked like a team poised to make the playoffs and do some damage. 

However, Campbell was injured and in came Carson Palmer.  Although Palmer is a quality quarterback, what do they do when Campbell returns?

The Raiders need to get their plans straightened up.  The talent is there to succeed, but it is important that they figure out a plan to better this franchise rather than doing what the organization has been doing for the past few years, winging it.

They still have a shot at winning the division over the Denver Broncos as long as they win out and the Broncos have a collapse.

San Diego Chargers

Unfortunately, the Chargers live and die by Philip Rivers’ arm.  There is no doubt that Rivers is a quality quarterback.  Some might even say he is up there with the elite quarterbacks.

However, he has not shown that he is capable of it this year, and the team has suffered.  The defense is great, and the offense is fine. 

If Rivers can cut down on his mistakes and the coaching staff gets a fresh look, they will be a force next season.  

Arizona Cardinals

Again, the Arizona Cardinals are not in the best of situations.  They do not have a true franchise quarterback and are most likely going to miss the playoffs.  Kevin Kolb and John Skelton have been playing decently enough to get this team to a .500 record.  However, with the only real offensive threat being a receiver (Larry Fitzgerald), it is going to be vital to find an impressive franchise quarterback for next season.

Some possible candidates in next year's draft include Matt Barkley out of USC, Robert Griffin III from Baylor and Andrew Luck out of Stanford.  The Cardinals need to find a player who can get Fitzgerald the ball. 

Although their record of 7-7 suggests they still have a shot at making the playoffs through a Wild Card berth, they would still need to beat out multiple 9-5 teams that would require some miracles in the process.

San Francisco 49ers

The San Francisco 49ers look like they could be the best team in the NFL.  Behind stellar overall play from the defense, the rest of the squad is following in the same footsteps. 

With an impressive win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, they are just proving their case more and more with every game that passes.

San Francisco has some of the best defensive players in the game such as Patrick Willis and Dashon Goldson.  They just need to get healthy and return back to the original squad that gave them that 11-3 record.

Seattle Seahawks

Surprisingly enough, for the lack of talent on the Seahawks' sidelines, they managed to pull off a pretty decent season. 

With the exception of running back Marshawn Lynch, the offense and defense on the Seattle Seahawks are a bunch of no-namers.  There is not much notoriety among these players, which is why it makes their 7-7 record so amazing.

Unfortunately, it does not look like they will make the playoffs this year unless a miracle occurs.  This should put the Seahawks into the tough position of looking towards next season and abandoning ship on this year. 

The first issue management has to tackle is the quarterback position.  Although Tarvaris Jackson has played decently, he is not a reliable starting franchise quarterback.  Once that is taken care of, look for the Seahawks to bolster down that defense.  

St. Louis Rams

St. Louis is a city of tradition.  They are a city of winning and pride.  Luckily for the Rams, the Cardinals won the World Series just a month ago. 

Things are ugly in St. Louis for the Rams.  They are 2-12 and really have no positives from this past season to bring forth into the next season. 

The Rams still have a solid quarterback in Sam Bradford despite however much he underperformed this year.  

The defense and offense all averaged to the mid and high 20’s.  This is nothing to be happy about considering this offense should have been doing better than they have been.  Strictly on talent, they were pretty well off.  They had Steven Jackson in the backfield along with Sam Bradford under center. 

They have two tough games to finish off the year against the Steelers and the 49ers, and then it is off to the drawing board once again.  Look for the Rams to draft for defensive needs and purposes.  The offense will be fine once everyone is healthy again.  That defense is where the management needs to focus.