NFL Playoff Picture: Scariest Potential Opponent for Every Division Leader

Every team has a matchup that their coaching staff dreads, whether they'll admit it or not. As they do their homework and scout the teams, they can envision having a problem stopping an element of said team's offensive or defensive attack.

Come playoff time, division leaders are paying close attention to their draw for this exact reason. Here, I exam the eight division leaders and the team they should fear the most, accompanied by a fear meter.

NFC North: Green Bay Packers 13-1

The Packers were running roughshod through the league for the first 14 weeks until this past Sunday in Kansas City. The Chiefs used a variety of looks and kept pressure on Aaron Rodgers, sacking him four times.

The Team They Should Fear The Most:

San Francisco 49ers

Why:

You must have a great team defensive performance to beat Green Bay, as the Chiefs did. The 3-4 scheme has given the Packers front problems before, as the Chargers also sacked Rodgers four times in the Packers' narrow victory in Week 9.

In addition, you must run it effectively. The Niners have one of the best rushing attacks in the NFL, currently ranked ninth. They also stop the run—they are number one this year, as they are yet to allow a rushing TD.

Fear Meter (Scale of 1 to 10)

The Niners will knock off the Packers if the Cowboys don't get to them first.

NFC East: Dallas Cowboys 8-6

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones says the Cowboys are scared of the Eagles. Well, if the Cowboys make the playoffs, the Eagles won't, so it doesn't apply here.

The Cowboys have the talent to defeat any team in the NFL, but questions still remain about their leadership, both on the field and on the sidelines. Now, with DeMarco Murray out for the season with a broken ankle, the running game they had found is now in question.

Felix Jones did go for 108 yards last week against the Bucs, but hell, I could get 45 on them.

The Cowboys are searching for consistency.

The Team They Should Fear The Most:

New Orleans Saints

Why:

The Cowboys have feasted on bad teams this year. They have only one win over a team with a .500 record or better (San Francisco in Week 2). The losses the Cowboys have endured this season have come to explosive offenses.

Right now, aside from Green Bay, the Saints offense is the best in the NFL. In addition, they would be playing the Saints in the Superdome. That is an environment so hostile, you must have strong leadership and a running game to win.

Fear Meter (Scale of 1 to 10)

Dallas would almost certainly fold like a lawn chair in a game at the Superdome.

NFC West: San Francisco 49ers 11-3

The Niners are the most physical team in the NFC and perhaps the NFL. Forget about running the ball, but that isn't a death wish against San Fran. Though you still have to run it to keep balance, effectiveness on the ground isn't essential to defeat them.

Of the Niners' three losses, they have allowed only 64 yards per game and 2.4 yards per carry to their opponents.

However, the passing games have exploded for 286 yards per game and exposed their 19th-ranked pass defense. 

The Team They Should Fear The Most:

New Orleans Saints

Why:

Drew Brees and company are healthy on the offensive side of the ball. The Saints have a healthy supply of weapons, and they are playing their best football right now. Brees is about to eclipse the 5000 yard mark in passing, and he hasn't thrown an INT since Week 9. 

Through the Saints' current six-game win streak, Brees has a 73 percent completion rate, he's averaging 339 yards per game and has 16 TDs, no picks and a QB rating of 121.1.

He is hot and the Niners may not be able to control tempo enough to stay with the Saints. 

Fear Meter (Scale of 1 to 10)

New Orleans may be undeniable right now.

NFC South: New Orleans Saints 11-3

With the exception of their close loss in the season opener to Green Bay, the Saints have fallen to subpar teams in Tampa Bay and St. Louis.

The Saints must guard against the let-downs, as they have a 3-1 record against teams that would be in the playoffs, if they started today. 

The Team They Should Fear The Most:

Green Bay Packers

Why:

This is purely psychological. The Saints had an opportunity to win or at least tie the game against Green Bay to start the season, but the Pack made a goal-line stand to hold on.

The Packers are one of the few teams that can keep up with New Orleans offensively, and they have more playmakers on defense, even though they give up tons of passing yardage.

The Saints should have a little fear about coming up short in another shootout. 

Fear Meter (Scale of 1 to 10)

The Saints can beat the Packers, as they showed in Week 1.

AFC North: Baltimore Ravens 10-4

The Ravens are a difficult team to figure out. Every time you think they are on a roll, they experience a setback that doesn't make a lot of sense. It is true, the Chargers are on their annual December run, but to lose 34-14 was strange to say the least.

The fact that it happened in the game Ray Lewis returned from injury makes you wonder, had the Ravens begun to transition into an identity without the man that symbolizes the organization as much as any other player in the NFL does for his team?

The Team They Should Fear The Most:

Pittsburgh Steelers

Why:

The Ravens have already defeated Pittsburgh twice this season. A playoff meeting would be the third meeting of the year. That is always a difficult trick to pull, especially when the teams are so evenly matched.

The Steelers have their struggles right now, namely with Roethlisberger hobbled, but I wouldn't bet against them in a third meeting. 

Fear Meter (Scale of 1 to 10)

Another close contest, but my gut says the Steelers would pull it out if Ben is at least 85 percent.

AFC East: New England Patriots 11-3

The Patriots put a little bit of distance between themselves and the rest of the top AFC teams with their destruction of Tim Tebow and Denver last week.

There is no defense strong enough to hold New England down for 60 minutes, if they can't move the ball efficiently through the air. 

The Team They Should Fear The Most:

Pittsburgh Steelers

Why:

The Steelers have already defeated the Patriots this season. They handed them their first of consecutive losses in Week 8 and 9.

To beat the Patriots, you have to put pressure on Brady. Not just with your pass rush, but also with your offense. If it's just a nice defensive game plan, but the team isn't capable of taking advantage of stops, ultimately Brady will eat you alive.

The Steelers are one of the only teams in the NFL that can do both. 

Fear Meter (Scale of 1 to 10)

The Patriots are one more dominant performance away from being placed in the same category as New Orleans.

AFC West: Denver Broncos 8-6

Tim Tebow should be in the top three vote-getters for the MVP award. You won't be able to attribute any eye-popping stat to him besides the one that matters the most: wins.

Still, the team depends very much on stellar defense, as well as a solid run game. If they are unable to dominate defensively and control tempo, even Tebow will have problems pulling out wins.

In Denver's wins with Tebow, they have allowed only 16 points per game, in the losses they've allowed 43 per game. 

The Team They Should Fear The Most:

New England Patriots

Why:

What happened to the Broncos this past Sunday would happen if these two teams played five more times. The Broncos simply don't have the weapons offensively to defeat the Patriots.

Bill Belichick and Tom Brady are too good with executing and adjusting to lose to what amounts to a very one-dimensional team. 

Fear Meter (Scale of 1 to 10)

As magical as this year has been, this is not the time...yet.

AFC South: Houston Texans 10-4

What happened to the Texans this year is a shame. This was team that had a legitimate shot at going to the Super Bowl before they lost not one, but two QBs.

They also lost their best pass-rusher when they lost Mario Williams and the best WR in Andre Johnson. Johnson won't be back until Week 17, so they will literally limp into the playoffs.

Even with that, the Texans offense has been decent; the defense is the unit that needs to step up. 

The Team They Should Fear The Most:

Baltimore Ravens

Why:

The Texans already dropped a game against the Ravens this year in Week 7. The Ravens sacked Matt Schaub four times, while holding Arian Foster to only 49 yards on the ground. It will take an experienced team, especially at the QB position, to defeat Baltimore in the postseason.

TJ Yates does not qualify, especially considering some of his weapons may still be hobbled.

This team can't beat Baltimore.

Fear Meter (Scale of 1 to 10)

If healthy, I'd take the Texans to come out of the AFC.