NFL Power Rankings: Most Dangerous Teams Soaring into Playoffs

True contenders flourish when snow is falling, not when the leaves do. It isn’t how you start, but how you finish. The following teams are finishing through the line this regular season and will be dangerous come playoff time.

If you’re team isn’t on this list and they’re matched up with a team that is on this list this postseason, prepare yourself for disappointment. Here are the six hottest teams in the NFL.

6. Detroit Lions

There isn’t a cornerback in the NFC that can shut down Calvin Johnson. And so much for that collapse, as Detroit is on a three-game winning streak after slaughtering the San Diego Chargers 38-10.

5. Pittsburgh Steelers

With a healthy Ben Roethlisberger, the Steelers have only lost one game all season long that wasn’t to the Ravens. As long as their QB is healthy and they dodge their division rival, Pittsburgh could be Super Bowl-bound yet again.

4. Baltimore Ravens

No team in the AFC has defended their home turf this season like the Ravens. A record of 8-0 at home and 4-1 in their last five, expect nothing less in Week 17 than for Ray Lewis and company to eliminate the Cincinnati Bengals from the playoffs and lock up a first-round bye.

3. Green Bay Packers

The Packers pride is still stinging a bit from their loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, but they’re undefeated at home and the road to the Super Bowl goes through Lambeau Field. And there aren’t many NFC defen…scratch that, defenses in the entire league that are talented enough to slow down Aaron Rodgers.

2. New Orleans Saints

In many people’s eyes not the Packers, but the Saints are the team to beat in the NFC.  I wouldn’t go that far just yet, but there’s no questioning who’s the hotter team as New Orleans is on a six-game winning streak.

1. New England Patriots

Tom Brady doesn’t need a defense. They may surrender a league-high 412.1 yard per game, but Bill Belichick’s crew is still the hottest team in football riding a seven-game winning streak into Week 17.

Baltimore is praying the Buffalo Bills pull off a miracle this week because no one wants to go into Gillette Stadium in January to face off against a scorching Brady Bunch.

David Daniels' Week 17 Power Rankings

1. Green Bay Packers (14-1)

2. New England Patriots (12-3)

3. New Orleans Saints (12-3)

4. Baltimore Ravens (11-4)

5. San Francisco 49ers (12-3)

6. Pittsburgh Steelers (11-4)

7. Detroit Lions (10-5)

8. Atlanta Falcons (9-6)

9. Houston Texans (10-5)

10. Cincinnati Bengals (9-6)

11. New York Giants (8-7)

12. Philadelphia Eagles (7-8)

13. Denver Broncos (8-7)

14. Oakland Raiders (8-7)

15. Dallas Cowboys (8-7)

16. Tennessee Titans (8-7)

17. New York Jets (8-7)

18. Arizona Cardinals (7-8)

19. Seattle Seahawks (7-8)

20. Carolina Panthers (6-9)

21. San Diego Chargers (7-8)

22. Kansas City Chiefs (6-9)

23. Buffalo Bulls (6-9)

24. Chicago Bears (7-8)

25. Miami Dolphins (5-10)

26. Washington Redskins (5-10)

27. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-11)

28. Cleveland Browns (4-11)

29. Minnesota Vikings (3-12)

30. Indianapolis Colts (2-13)

31. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-11)

32. St. Louis Rams (2-13)

David Daniels is a featured columnist at Bleacher Report and a syndicated writer. Follow him on Twitter.