NFL Playoff Picture: Saints and Teams with Best Chance of Unseating Packers

The Green Bay Packers may no longer be chasing an undefeated season after losing to the Kansas City Chiefs last week, but there is no question that they are still the most dangerous team in football. As a result of that, they are still the clear favorites to win the Super Bowl.

You never know what can happen in the NFL, though, and that means that the Packers are far from a sure thing to win back-to-back Lombardi Trophies. There are sure to be many pitfalls along the way, and with the right game plan, it isn't impossible to pull off the upset.

Here are three teams with the potential to follow in Kansas City's footsteps by knocking off the Packers.

San Francisco 49ers

Perhaps the biggest reason why the Chiefs were able to beat the Packers was because of a well-balanced, ball control offense. Quarterback Kyle Orton was very effective while a stable of running backs got the job done on the ground.

One team that I think compares favorably in that regard is the NFC's current No. 2 seed, the San Francisco 49ers.

Not only do the Niners have an excellent running game thanks to Frank Gore and Kendall Hunter, but quarterback Alex Smith has been very smart and decisive with the football this year. He doesn't need to make big plays as long as he methodically moves the ball down the field.

The Niners are also a decent matchup because they simply can't be run on. The Packers are a pass-first team, but San Francisco completely eliminates the threat of the run. Aaron Rodgers will be able to pass on them, but if the Niners can possess the ball, then it may not matter.

Baltimore Ravens

While the Baltimore Ravens wouldn't be able to meet the Packers until the Super Bowl, I think they're the AFC representative with the best chance to unseat the defending champs.

In a lot of ways, they are quite similar to the 49ers. Baltimore is a run-first team thanks to workhorse running back Ray Rice, and it can chew up the clock with the best of them. The Ravens are more of a threat than the Niners in the passing game, though, particularly if quarterback Joe Flacco is on his game.

Furthermore, the Ravens may very well have the most complete and all-around best defense in the league. They are equally proficient at stopping the run and the pass and are great at pressuring the quarterback.

Rodgers responds quite well to pressure, but the Ravens would likely be able to knock him around a bit. The Ravens' chances would likely be contingent upon Rice's ability to carry the load, and I think he would give them a legitimate shot.

New Orleans Saints

While they may be a departure from the 49ers and Ravens, the New Orleans Saints impressed me more than any other team against the Packers this season. They weren't able to beat them like the Chiefs did, but the Saints looked like a much bigger threat in the season's opening game.

Perhaps the only quarterback in the league playing up to Rodgers' level right now is New Orleans' Drew Brees. Thanks to him, the Saints can hang with the Packers in a shootout.

New Orleans lost by eight points to Green Bay to begin the season, but it was actually much closer than that. Saints running back Mark Ingram was stopped at the goal line to end the game.

New Orleans may not have a defense that is well-equipped to slow down Rodgers, but few teams do. The mere fact that the Saints can score with the Packers, however, could pose a major challenge. All it might take is one mistake to decide that game, and that makes the Saints very dangerous.