NFL Playoffs Power Rankings for 2011: New England Patriots Most Powerful NFL Playoffs Team?

Which NFC Team is Most Powerful & Do They Have Chance to Make Super Bowl in 2011?

Todd Jacobs, Yahoo! Contributor Network
Jan 2, 2011 "Share your voice on Yahoo! websites. Start Here."

The NFL Playoffs are determined for NFL Wild Card Playoffs Weekend. Who has the inside track to AFC and NFC title games? Will Michael Vick be healthy to start the NFL Playoffs? Will Troy Polamalu be ready to go in the Pittsburgh Steelers first NFL Playoffs game. How far do the Pittsburgh Steelers drop in the NFL Power Rankings if Polamalu is out? All these questions and more will be answered with this quick analysis of the 12 NFL Playoffs teams.

No.1. New England Patriots

No one can question the New England Patriots being the number one ranked team in the NFL Playoffs Power Rankings. Tom Brady has been deadly accurate all season and he is the hands down NFL MVP winner this season.

Defensively, this New England Patriots team is young but they have developed as one of the best and most aggressive defensive units in the NFL. Rookie Devin McCourty has made his mark as one of the best NFL corners in the league and Jerod Mayo may be young but he makes up one of the best linebacker duos in the NFL with Patrick Chung.

No.2. Philadelphia Eagles

Throw out the Philadelphia Eagles last two games. With the best athlete in the NFL in Michael Vick, this team is dangerous as long as they are alive in the NFL Playoffs. The Eagles rate as the number two NFL Playoffs Power Rankings team with Michael Vick in charge of some of the best offensive weapons in the NFL.

DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin are two of the best deep out route runners in the NFL and LeSean McCoy is a running back with tremendous running ability and great hands. The Philadelphia Eagles are worthy of the number two NFL Playoffs Power Ranking.

No.3. Atlanta Falcons

Matt Ryan and Atlanta Falcons rank as the number three NFL Playoffs Power Ranking team based on their number one seed in the NFL Playoffs and their explosive offense. Next to the Philadelphia Eagles, the Atlanta Falcons may have the next best set of offensive weapons in the NFL. This team is solid on defense but aside from John Abraham up front they are a faceless defense that gets the jobs done.

No.4. New Orleans Saints

Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints struggled to start the NFL season but their position at number four in the NFL Playoffs Power Rankings is well deserved. Brees has been holding this team together through the bad times and now as they travel to take on the NFC West champs the New Orleans Saints are ready to make another Super Bowl run.

No.5. Pittsburgh Steelers

Offense is the major drawback for this Pittsburgh Steelers team. If the Steelers had a high powered offense they would rank higher than fifth in the NFL Playoffs Power Rankings. Defense will win the Pittsburgh Steelers their NFL Playoffs games this post season and a healthy Troy Polamalu will be the key to them advancing pas the NFL Divisional Playoffs.

No.6. Indianapolis Colts

Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts made it into the NFL Playoffs by the skin of their teeth but they are still worthy of ranking sixth among the NFL Playoffs Power Rankings. Manning and the Indianapolis Colts have Joseph Addai back in the fold and that could propel them past the NFL Divisional Playoffs this post season.

No.7. Green Bay Packers

Aaron Rodgers and this Green Bay Packers offense is explosive and they have the potential to upset some teams in these NFL Playoffs starting with the Philadelphia Eagles who rank second in the NFL Playoffs Power Rankings. Defense is the unsung hero of this team and Michael Vick began studying them two days before he knew they would play them.

No.8. Chicago Bears

The Chicago Bears are off the first weekend of the NFL Playoffs but they will be forced to play a much better team in the NFL Divisional Playoffs this post season. The Chicago Bears low NFL Playoffs Power Rankings is due to thie inconsistent offense but their defense could be what pulls them through their first week of the NFL Playoffs.

No.9. Baltimore Ravens

The Baltimore Ravens should win their first NFL Wild Card Playoffs match up with the Kansas City Chiefs but their lack of a consistent offense will catch up with them in the NFL Divisional Playoffs. Ed Reed is still the best game breaker in the NFL and if anyone can turn the Baltimore Ravens on a dime it is Ed Reed.

No.10 New York Jets

Mark Sanchez and the New York Jets will face the Indianapolis Colts on NFL Wild Card Playoffs Weekend but the main reason they rank number ten in the NFL Playoffs Power Rankings is because of their decline over the last three weeks of the NFL season. The New York Jets backed into the NFL Playoffs and Sanchez was unsure of himself late in the NFL season.

No.11. Kansas City Chiefs

The Kansas City Chiefs have the worst NFL regular season schedule among the NFL Playoffs teams. Matt Cassel looked completely out of sorts in his last game against the Oakland Raiders and his offensive coordinator is heading to coach for the Florida Gators once the Kansas City Chiefs are knocked out of the NFL Playoffs. All these factors went into ranking the Chiefs eleventh in the NFL Playoffs Power Rankings.

No.12. Seattle Seahawks

The Seattle Seahawks will have home field advantage for the first game of the NFL Playoffs but they will be a touchdown underdog to the New Orleans Saints on NFL Wild Card Playoffs Weekend. Whether it is Matt Hasselbeck or Charlie Whitehurst in the game, the Seattle Seahawks are by far the worst team to make the NFL Playoffs in the history of the NFL and they are well deserving of their number 12 ranking in the NFL Playoffs Power Rankings.

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NFL Playoffs Power Rankings for 2011: New England Patriots Most Powerful NFL Playoffs Team?

Which NFC Team is Most Powerful & Do They Have Chance to Make Super Bowl in 2011?

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