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AFC
San Diego Chargers
The Chargers ended the regular season with the best record in the NFL, and for good reason. They are simply the best team in the league. They run the ball as well as any team not named the Falcons, and they are 7th in the league at stopping the run. That's a great formula for success in the playoffs.
Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens are just loaded with talent on defense, and will be a tough task for any team they face in the playoffs. There's just no obvious way to attack them because they defend both the run and pass very well. Unfortunately, they don't run the ball as well as they defend it, which will allow teams to focus more on stopping the Steve McNair connections with Mark Clayton and Todd Heap.
New England Patriots
The patriots have three huge keys that will make them very dangerous in the playoffs; great coaching, a quarterback named Tom Brady, and a stingy defense. When it comes to playoff experience, there isn't a team richer in it than New England. The combination of Bill Belichick and Brady has produced three Super Bowls already, and the simply know how to win this time of year.
Indianapolis Colts
The Colts have a serious problem on defense, and it's going to take the offseason to begin to correct them. Their inability to stop the run is not just a slump. Instead, its been a downhill spiraling trend since early in the season. If the Colts can somehow find some type of bandage to paste on this gaping head wound they call a run defense, they could be as dangerous as anyone in the postseason.
New York Jets
The Jets come into the playoffs on a roll, but they've done it largely against a weak closing schedule. They don't really run the ball well, and they are among the weaker teams at stopping the run, which doesn't bode well for a long stay in the playoffs.
Kansas City Chiefs
When you look at the Chiefs on paper, they are average in just about every facet of the game. Perhaps that's why they ended the season with a 9-7 record. However, they have one of the premier runners in the NFL in Larry Johnson. And he can put this team on his back and carry them at times. But Kansas City is going to have to produce an above average defensive effort if this team is going to do anything more than go one-and-out. In a tough AFC conference, the Chiefs probably aren't going real deep into the postseason.
NFC
Chicago Bears
The Bears have got to do a better job protecting the football during the playoffs. They can't afford another letdown game by Rex Grossman, and he could get the hook if he doesn't protect the ball. The Bears defense has got to turn it back up a couple notches as well, or this team could suffer a disappointing end to a promising season.
New Orleans Saints
The Saints offense matches up well with the rest of the defenses in the NFC field. They have so many weapons, and can hurt you in so many ways. And Drew Brees is great at orchestrating all the pieces.
If they can figure out a way to consistently stop the run on defense, there's no reason they can't make it all the way to Super Bowl XLI.
Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles enter the playoffs as the hottest team in the NFC, and have been surprisingly efficient with Jeff Garcia at quarterback. If he continues to protect the ball and make plays within the Eagles West Coast offense, this team could be very dangerous. They seem to be peaking at just the right time.
Seattle Seahawks
The Seahawks have stumbled into the playoffs, having won just one of their last four games. But there is good news. There are still a lot of the same parts in place from last year's team that went to Super Bowl XL last January, and Mike Holmgren is a crafty, experienced head coach. If someone can find the switch to turn the intensity back on, this team could be dangerous in a weak NFC field. But if they continue with the lethargic efforts that barely put them over .500, it will be a short postseason for the Seahawks.
Dallas Cowboys
Just a couple months ago, the Cowboys looked like a team on a mission. Now they seem to be searching for an identity. Heading into the season, the team appeared to have a potent defense to hang their hats on. But the once-promising unit has been gouged lately, and an answer doesn't seem to be on the immediate horizon.
New York Giants
The Giants are a team that lacks leadership, which was a big factor in the team finishing just 8-8 despite possessing a lot of talent. They have a solid running game, but there isn't a single facet of their game that is dominating. They also have serious problems defending the run, which will probably be their undoing early in the playoffs.
