NFL: Patriots, Steelers, Vikings and Co.: The Playoff Power Ranking

The playoffs are finally here! While 20 teams are starting their off-season – possibly with new coaches – the twelve other teams will get really serious starting on Saturday: Can the Buffalo Bills continue to write their fairy tale? What are the Philadelphia Eagles doing without Carson Wentz in the postseason? Where are the Saints, Rams and Steeles? Is there a home super Bowl for the Vikings, and what are the New England Patriots doing? The SPOX power ranking for the playoffs provides clarity, the complete playoffs can be seen live on DAZN!

Last ranking (prior to week 13): 18

The story about the Bills is great, of course. For the first time in this millennium Buffalo returns to the playoffs, for fans and long-time Bills players it’s a real treat. But when you put on your analytical glasses again, it’s clear that there won’t be much to gain for this Bills team: Buffalo has constant run-defense problems, the passing-open is insanely inconsistent and in the overall picture of the playoffs, the taillight is seen. The Run Game makes this team competitive on a good day, but it is already known that the decision to use the beaten LeSean McCoy in the Wildcard round will be made shortly before the game starts. Tyrod Taylor is a kind of “Game Manager Plus”, but he needs help around him. From the Pass-Defense, led by a very good secondary, he will get them – which makes the wildcard duel with Blake Bortles more exciting. More than a surprise in Jacksonville, however, this Bills team cannot realistically be trusted.

Place in last ranking: 19

The Titans have the quarterback advantage over Buffalo – and that’s enough not to have the red lantern at least. Tennessee is an incomplete team in many respects: it starts with an opener that lacks any speed element on the one hand, but on the other hand is extremely one-dimensional and backward in terms of play calling and play designs, and focuses too seldomly on Marcus Mariota’s strengths. Tennessee is the only playoff team with fewer passing touchdowns (14) than interceptions (17). In Mariata’s game there is a huge discrepancy between play action and standard passing, which is all the more problematic as your own run game could not even begin to tie in with the dominant pre-season. The Run-Defense is good, sometimes very good even – the pass-Defense is not really. The latter will presumably mean a quick break in the first play-off round against a reawakened Chiefs Passing Game.

Placement in previous ranking: 10

Is Jacksonville exactly what Jaguars fans had to fear throughout the season? The recent performances of Blake Bortles give justifiable reasons for this assumption. Suddenly you saw harakiri passes in coverage, bad technique in your pocket, inaccurate balls over the middle – and as a result costly turnovers. If Bortles at least plays solidly, the Jags are dangerous – if he plays like during the three-game series just before the end of the regular season, you have to have Jacksonville on the screen as contender. But currently there is no analytical reason for this assumption, while at the same time the run game is ailing despite the solid offensive line. Jacksonville has the best cornerback duo (by far!) and the overall best pass defense of the entire playoffs, in the run defense they have to defend themselves more disciplined against a team like Pittsburgh and Buffalo as shown in Week 17. The bottom line, however, is that this team only goes as far as Bortles allows. And that is not too far when you look at the current form.

Place in previous ranking: 1

In principle a similar model as for Jacksonville. Philly has to win games with the Defense and Run Game and take the ball out of Nick Foles’ hand as often as possible. The advantage of the Eagles over the Jags is that the defense is more complete, Philly can defend the pass and the run very well. In addition, the Run Game is more stable than the Jaguars. But here too the question is: How far can the Eagles go with Foles? Philly was with Carson Wentz one of the most aggressive teams in the league (17th-fourth-down-conversions, first place in the league) and in third down he was pretty good. Wentz gave the offense an additional element in these critical situations, while Foles has been more of a block on the leg of the offensive for a long time. Doug Pederson now has two weeks to prepare Foles, but the drop-off from Wentz to Foles is too big in the overall brilliantly cast NFC playoffs.

Page 1: From Buffalo to Philadelphia

Page 2: From Carolina to Los Angeles

Page 3: The leading group: Two NFCs, two AFCs