Five Under-the-Radar Potential Playoff Teams

Originally posted by MILFS:

Originally posted by theninermaniac:

The panthers are gonna be good with cam newton in his second year. They could have a great offense this year. They had a solid draft too with keuchly and silatolu.

I have a feeling that Newton will have a sophomore slump.

I agree to an extent too. I think he will "slump" in some ways but still have a good year overall. I just don't think he'll be AS effective doing some of the things he did last year. That Carolina secondary will be their biggest question I think. Carolina didn't really improve the interior DL either. Basically, if their run D and pass D both stink still, they're going to have a hard time winning games. Teams that adjust to Cam will limit the Panthers scoring and that defense is going to have to help them at some point.

I think they can certainly win at least 7 games though.

I don't really think any of the teams listed are "under the radar" teams. Imo all of their fan bases are likely predicting a play off trip this season.

That Bills defense is sick. They might have the deepest DLine in the NFL, and their LB depth is really good. Ton of talent in the secondary too. All they need is Fitzpatrick, Steve Johnson, and their RBs to show up and they can make the playoffs IMO.

Originally posted by sincalfaithful:
More worried about the Seahawks making a playoff push

Same here.

The Hawks are gonna be a great team to hate this year (read: good competition).

Originally posted by WillistheWall:

That Bills defense is sick. They might have the deepest DLine in the NFL, and their LB depth is really good. Ton of talent in the secondary too. All they need is Fitzpatrick, Steve Johnson, and their RBs to show up and they can make the playoffs IMO.

They've built that team to stop Tom Brady. They might have the best defense in that division this year.

The Eagles

Originally posted by OnTheClock:

Originally posted by WillistheWall:
That Bills defense is sick. They might have the deepest DLine in the NFL, and their LB depth is really good. Ton of talent in the secondary too. All they need is Fitzpatrick, Steve Johnson, and their RBs to show up and they can make the playoffs IMO.

They've built that team to stop Tom Brady. They might have the best defense in that division this year.

Agreed. I'm only a little worried about their offense. Not sure their TE is good enough and where is their 2nd WR? QB, Johnson, Spiller, and Jackson are all pretty good though.

LOL @ the raiders.

Originally posted by WillistheWall:
Agreed. I'm only a little worried about their offense. Not sure their TE is good enough and where is their 2nd WR? QB, Johnson, Spiller, and Jackson are all pretty good though.

Yup! I agree. I wouldn't count out David Nelson as a viable #2 WR if healthy though........ just saying.

Raiders will be top 10 they have no D is McFadden gets hurt again they are top 5

Originally posted by Mike8016:

The Bears are legit. If Cutler didn't get hurt they would of made it last season

Not over Detroit, maybe over atl, but then again the bears would be a wild card at most and got destroyed by the g men or the saints who absolutely destroyed a healthy bears team. Until they get a good ol and a qb that doesn't throw a ton of ints (especially in the red zone......the league leader) they will be nothing more than a wild card team that gets beat in the wild card game or divisional round by a team like gf or the niners if they are lucky

What sucks is our whole division is going be tough and all of them always play us hard. It will be a very competitive division we probably wont run away with it again but hopefully can still win it.

Originally posted by 24plus25er:

Colts
Vikings
Raiders
Bills
Cardinals ( )

Interesting list.

Vikings are going to have to have a lot of players shockingly improve and among rookies, stun the world in the rookie seasons. I can't see them making it over Detroit and Chicago, but the Vikings do have a young team that they're working towards building into a competitive group. They need to protect Ponder though -- adding Schwartz and Kalil should help.

Looking at their starters and key depth..

QB: Ponder
RB: Peterson, Gerhart, Todman
WR: Greg Childs, Percy Harvin, Jerome Simpson, Jarius Wright, Michael Jenkins
TE: John Carlson, Kyle Rudolph, Rhett Ellison
LT: Kalil
LG: Charlie Johnson
C: Sullivan
RG: Schwartz
RT: Phil Loadholdt

DL: Jared Allen, Kevin Williams, Fred Evans, Christian Ballard, Everson Griffin, Trevor Guyton, Brian Robison
LB: Greenway, Brinkley, Audie Cole, Henderson, Tyrone McKenzie
CB: Antoine Winfield, Josh Robinson, Chris Cook, Chris Carr, Brandon Burton, Zack Bowman
FS: Mistral Raymond
SS: Harrison Smith

If Childs has no lingering injury issues, he will become a legit #1. That will give the team four very good young receivers. With that, if the Vikings secondary improves with its young players, and they add themselves another interior OL, including a center, in the next off-season, they could be set to fight for the playoffs in 2013 with Ponder perhaps set to really breakout in his 3rd year.

Originally posted by 24plus25er:
Colts
Vikings
Raiders
Bills
Cardinals ( )

Out of all those teams you mentioned the Bills are the only realistic team of those 5