NFL Playoff Predictions: 4 Teams That Could Struggle in Cold Weather

We see it happen every year, it's the cold weather that acts as that second opponent for a team struggling to play well in January.

2011 will be no different, with the exception that there's more cold weather, AFC teams who play outdoors in comparison to just one in the NFC (Green Bay).

So, here are some teams that could struggle in bitter weather.

New Orleans Saints

It happened in the 2006 NFC title game at Chicago and then again last season on the road in Seattle, the New Orleans Saints fell to a cold weather city franchise.

And it's not like the Saints were a cakewalk or overrated team in 2006 or 2010. Each year, they had a high-powered offense but struggled away from the Superdome.

This season, New Orleans has improved in road games as the year has progressed but not to the extent where it's enough to be convinced they'll win at Green Bay in January.

For one, they have road losses to the Rams and Buccaneers, so excluding cold weather, improvement is needed.

Now, they have beaten the Falcons, Titans and Vikings on the road, however, only Tennessee is an outdoor team, but it'll never get Green Bay-esque cold in January. Make no mistake about it, the Saints do have the potential to win the NFC and the Super Bowl.

However, when they won it all in 2009, they had home-field advantage and are 0-2 in their recent postseason road games.

Detroit Lions

Much like the Saints, the Lions need to prove they can win more consistently on the road.

They got a big comeback win over the Raiders in Oakland, however, that doesn't prove they can best the Packers at Lambeau.

For one, Detroit is vulnerable in the trenches and have been all season. Their rush offense ranks No. 28, and they average just 97 per game. Defensively against the rush, the Lions allow almost 140 per game and rank No. 27.

And with their offense being so heavily reliant on the passing game, we know the weather will play a big role in limiting that success. Any team who runs the rock against the Lions and can play halfway decent pass defense will beat them.

Along with the weather conditions, Detroit's passing game will suffer, and 2011 will finish in disappointment.

Dallas Cowboys

The Dallas Cowboys have a balanced offense that goes as Tony Romo goes.

The defense has a solid pass rush, ranks No. 7 in run defense but is extremely vulnerable against the pass. So, the cold weather elements would help them, no?

In some sense yes, but that would also take away from their own passing game. Playing a team like Green Bay is tough enough, once you account for bad weather and their opportunistic defense and throwing the ball, it's damn near impossible.

As for their rush offense, Felix Jones is solid, but he can't carry the load by himself. Being that DeMarco Murray has been out of commission, Dallas will be one-dimensional in having to throw the ball.

Now, it's not that Tony Romo can't have success through the air as his targets are quite good. Problem is, can we trust him?

No, because as evidence by his inconsistency throughout the postseason and the Cowboys' inconsistency since the 1997 NFL season, Dallas will be fortunate to make the playoffs let alone make a deep run.

Houston Texans

Any team with a balanced offense can defeat the Houston Texans.

The Saints proved it in Week 3, Oakland and Baltimore shortly thereafter, Carolina last week and the Colts this week.

Now, obviously the Colts are the worst of that group, however, they had a balanced approach and it worked to perfection.

The Panthers rank in the Top 10 in both passing and rushing, and despite a vulnerable defense, Carolina stole one in Houston. As for the Raiders, that game was before QB Jason Campbell went down, and Oakland was a multidimensional threat.

We already know what the Saints and Ravens are capable of.

As for Houston, that's how you attack their defense because remaining balanced will keep them honest. Offensively, it's simply a lack of experience combined with the injuries. If a team can stack the box and limit Arian Foster even if he hits 100 yards and blanket the WRs, it prevents them from stretching the field.

A team who can play man coverage all day as none of their WRs are good enough to beat single coverage with Andre Johnson out; the rest will just pounce on the ground game and wear 'em down.

Defenses like Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Denver, and the Jets matchup well.

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