The time has come – the playoffs are finally here! 14 teams are now going into the last race of this season, the Green Bay Packers and the Tennessee Titans have play-free as the respective number 1 seeds. But is that why they are also going into the fight for the two Super Bowl tickets as favorites? SPOX-Editor Adrian Franke sorted the 14 playoff participants at the start of the postseason.
NFL Power Ranking zum Playoff-Start
14. Pittsburgh Steelers
Ranking after week 12: 25.
I had already written it on Monday that I hadn’t seen the Steelers coming into the playoffs after this season. But that doesn’t change how I rate this team, especially now when it comes to the heavyweights: The offense is extremely limited and ultimately hopes that Big Ben will make two or three shot plays and that his receivers will do dump-offs make spectacular plays on long third downs. As soon as the defense gets pressure on Roethlisberger and the run game is controlled to some extent, this offense goes nowhere in my eyes. And then the question is whether the Steelers Defense can keep Pittsburgh in the game. That would be primarily the task of pass rush, and if possible without flashing. At the same time, we’ve seen the Steelers regularly this season that run defense is falling apart. Aside from one wild game full of fluky moments, I don’t see how Pittsburgh holds up in the playoffs.
13. Las Vegas Raiders
Ranking after week 12: 18.
The fact that the Raiders are in the playoffs at all, after everything that has happened to this franchise over the course of this season, is a remarkable achievement in itself. Derek Carr has undoubtedly had his ups and downs this season, but what is undeniable is that he has continued to play aggressively, attacking defenses and making enough big plays in several games to give the Raiders a chance. Even when Darren Waller was absent, even after the loss of Henry Ruggs. The short passing game over Waller and Renfrow has to be an elementary part of the identity of this offense for the playoffs, if only to hide the weak offensive line. Defensively, meanwhile, the Raiders have a clear identity, starting with one of the better edge-rusher duos of the season – Maxx Crosby undoubtedly deserves a place on the All-Pro team – with an improved secondary behind it. Still, the Raiders are not a team that wins games with its defense.
12. Philadelphia Eagles
Ranking after week 12: 16.
First of all, I have to emphasize once again what an achievement it is that the Eagles are in the playoffs this year. In a supposed transition year, with a rookie head coach, in the first season with Jalen Hurts as a starter. And it took a while until all the pieces of the puzzle came together, I wrote about it last week. What we got was a somewhat counter-cyclical offense, with an excellent offensive line and an athletic quarterback, and that will be the identity of that team in the playoffs. Is that enough to shock the Buccaneers in the first round? Perhaps, the Eagles also have the playmakers with DeVonta Smith, with Dallas Goedert, with the running backs to annoy a defense in some other way. But it will also depend on the offense, because the Eagles Defense has some pillars like Darius Slay or Fletcher Cox, but this unit will not support the team.
11. New England Patriots
Ranking after week 12: 4.
The Patriots will play their first playoff game without Tom Brady since January 1999 against Buffalo on Saturday, and that may well describe what a lucky bag the Patriots are when it comes to the playoffs. The offense definitely looked shakier again over the last third of the season, which is to be expected somewhere if you have a rookie quarterback and not a variety of explosive weapons. The identity of this team is clear: win the line of scrimmage with the offensive line, physically run the ball downhill, make few mistakes – and then win games defensively. That can work because the Patriots have an excellent secondary, an incredibly physical front and the usual flexible linebackers, as well as Belichick, who brings all these threads together. But it’s a shaky formula for success in today’s NFL.
10. San Francisco 49ers
Ranking after week 12: 11.
This win against the Rams, with which San Francisco climbed into the playoffs on the last day of the game, was somewhere symbolic of this team. When the offense is in rhythm, when the run game works, when Shanahan can create matchups and when Jimmy Garoppolo can primarily act as game manager and only has to make a few big plays and when the defensive front can usurp the game – then it’s an incredibly uncomfortable team that can cause problems for pretty much any opponent. This also applies to the playoffs. And all of it happened in the second half, so the Niners turned the game around. But when, like in the first half, the opponent can attack the secondary and Garoppolo has to make plays from the pocket under pressure, San Francisco looks very, very beatable. With Trent Williams back, the offensive line is a real pound, Deebo Samuel is the This season’s all-purpose weapon and George Kittle a walking mismatch. I think the 49ers will be a very uncomfortable opponent for the Cowboys in the first round and have absolutely the potential to take out Dallas.
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