NFC Playoff Picture: Wild-Card Winners Run Treacherous Road in Postseason

Three of the last four Super Bowl winners have been NFC teams. Two of those four were wild-card teams.

We've seen clubs get hot at just the right time and roll into the postseason with a big chip on their shoulder. The Green Bay Packers and New York Giants, the last two teams to do it, are the perfect examples of what it takes to win every postseason game on the road and still triumph in the Super Bowl.

They did it with quarterback play and defense.

This year's wild-card teams—and the race is still open—will likely feature the Atlanta Falcons, Detroit Lions and/or Dallas Cowboys.

Seattle, Chicago and Arizona all trail the 9-5 Falcons and Lions by two games with two games to go. The Cowboys, at 8-6, have to play the Eagles and Giants with the NFC East on the line. Of the three NFC East teams, Dallas is the only one with a legitimate shot at a wild-card spot should the Giants win out.

The scenarios are many, but the success rate is minimal.

This year's NFC features two dominant teams in the Green Bay Packers and San Francisco 49ers.

The defending champion Packers have lost one game all season while the 49ers have only lost one game at home. Even if San Francisco don't lock up the No. 2 seed, the New Orleans Saints will and they are undefeated at home this year.

Meanwhile, the Giants—who can only reach the postseason by virtue of NFC East title—would get the chance to host at least one postseason game.

For either Atlanta, Detroit or—by some crazy twist of fate—Dallas (Falcons lose out, Cowboys beat Eagles but lose to the Giants), the road is extremely treacherous.

Whichever team earns the sixth seed will have to start praying now, as they'll either have to travel to New Orleans or San Francisco.

The Saints are the league's No. 1 passing offense and the 49ers are the league's No. 1 rushing defense. The two teams have combined to lose only one game at home this season and hold a true home-field advantage over any opponent that walks into their stadium.

As for potentially playing the Giants at MetLife, Eli "Clutch" Manning hasn't been to the postseason in two years. However, he is playing some of his best football and certainly remembers what it takes to win in the postseason. Big Blue may look dead right now, but they are a dangerous team if they actually wake up and make the playoffs.

If the 6-8 Eagles somehow win the East (Eagles win out, Cowboys lose out, Giants lose to Jets but beat Cowboys) they'll be one of the most dangerous teams in the entire postseason. We spent all year talking about what a disappointment they've been, but their division has been just bad enough to keep them alive.

If the Cowboys host the Lions or Falcons (or somehow the Seahawks, Cardinals or Bears) that will be the best opportunity to pull off an upset.

Tony Romo and the Cowboys can certainly put up numbers, but they are not noted for their clutch play. Still, they are an explosive offense with a dominant pass rusher on defense. Whoever visits will have a tough time, regardless.

The NFC wild-card race is exactly that—wild—and whoever earns those fifth and sixth seeds will have a treacherous road to run before they even think about taking on the Packers or 49ers/Saints in their stadiums.