The NFL Playoffs are currently underway and many fans are excited and nervous to see how far their team can go. Others are left playing franchise mode in Madden 20 hoping to take their favorite team to the Super Bowl themselves.
It can be a tough time for NFL fans in early January as some look towards next year, while others have to endure overtime losses that feel so sudden and damaging. Let’s take a moment to look at and rank all 12 of the NFL teams that made the playoffs following the 2019 NFL season.
12 Philadelphia Eagles
Now, the Philadelphia Eagles may have only lost by 8 points, but their place here is more about their roster that was active for the playoffs. Out of all of the 12 teams that made it, the Eagles were easily the most handicapped due to numerous injuries among their entire starting roster.
The biggest hits were being without their two best offensive linemen as well as their top three wide receivers. Even with the little amount of hope that was left, their starting quarterback was knocked out of the game early against the Seahawks due to having concussion-like symptoms.
11 New England Patriots
It’s weird to have the Patriots this low on any list relating to the playoffs as they’ve been the most dominant team in the NFL postseason the last two decades. The truth of the matter is that they just weren’t a very good football team this year outside of their defense, which towards the end of the year also began to show its weak spots.
Even the biggest Tom Brady fans are having to admit that age is starting to play a factor in his performance, which is only made worse by the lack of talent the team has put around him.
10 New Orleans Saints
The most shocking loss on NFL Wildcard weekend had to be the Minnesota Vikings throttling the New Orleans Saints inside the Super Dome.
Drew Brees and that reliable offense were shut down by a Vikings defense that came out to play with a purpose. Brees looked uncharacteristically off-kilter at points and his deteriorating arm-strength limited what Sean Payton could do from a play-calling perspective. The Saints have some big decisions to make in the offseason as their string of playoff letdowns continues.
9 Buffalo Bills
Everyone sporting a Buffalo Bills jersey in early January of 2020 was hopeful that the organization’s playoff win drought would finally be over. Whether by luck or skill, Deshaun Watson’s spectacular sack evasion in overtime directly led to the game-winner that sent Bills Mafia home for the season.
Their defense was stout throughout the year, especially against the pass but they couldn’t overcome the offensive struggles. Between Josh Allen’s poor decision-making late, or the passive play-calling in the 2nd half, the Bills gave away their 16-point lead.
8 Houston Texans
Out of all of the teams that won on NFL Wildcard weekend, the Houston Texans are the ones who escaped with a victory. Throughout the majority of their game against the Buffalo Bills, they didn’t look good on either side of the ball. Thanks to big plays by both J.J. Watt and Deshaun Watson late into the game they managed to put together just enough to come away with the win.
Most people are counting them out against the surging Kansas City Chiefs, which is a fair assessment considering how great that Chiefs team has looked in recent weeks.
7 Seattle Seahawks
When you have Russell Wilson behind center you assume that you’ll always have a shot in any game you’re playing. Is it worrisome that the Seahawks struggled and only won by one possession against an injury-riddled Philadelphia Eagles team playing a 40-year-old backup quarterback?
Sure, but they match up pretty well against a Green Bay Packers team that has been up and down on both sides of the ball. Jadeveon Clowney can also be a game-wrecker on any given day, so it will be interesting to see how he performs.
6 Green Bay Packers
As previously mentioned, the Green Bay Packers have been all over the place during the 2019 NFL season. At times their defense has looked elite, while at others it has been susceptible to great plays by mediocre offenses. Speaking of offense, the Packers have seen their worst days on the side of the ball with Aaron Rodgers.
Father time waits for no one and it’s quite apparent that Rodgers is starting to see the effects of his humorous surgeries and years of getting pounded by defenses. He’s still Rodgers though, so it’s hard to count him out of leading his team to a last-second victory.
5 Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are coming off of a victory against the New England Patriots, which is a pretty significant accomplishment. Knocking off a team with as much sustained excellence as the Patriots have had over the last two decades takes a special type of coach and team.
Mike Vrabel’s Titans aren’t flashy or trendy, but week in and week out they compete with a level of toughness not often mirrored by their opponents. It also helps to have a running back that’s as big as Khalil Mack and as fast as Michael Thomas.
4 Minnesota Vikings
Kirk Cousins managed to do the impossible and win not only on the road but took home the victory in a primetime game. The Minnesota Vikings offense never looked great, but they put up points when they needed to, in order to win the game.
Their real impressive performance came from a defense that made Drew Brees and that stellar Saints offense look average at best. Shutting down an offense of that caliber with that much talent is quite a feat, it’s even more impressive when you do it on the road in the playoffs.
3 San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are the team in 2019 that has felt all year long that they’ve been underrated and overlooked by the media. They sport one of the most complete and competitive rosters in the NFL and are left wondering why they’re not given more respect every week.
When it comes to the NFL playoffs, however, the reasoning is quite simple. No one knows how Jimmy Garoppolo will fair in this type of pressure-filled moment. When you have players like George Kittle and Nick Bosa you have a pretty good chance of winning regardless.
2 Kansas City Chiefs
When it comes to the Kansas City Chiefs it’s hard to ever question or worry about their offense. They have the reigning league MVP and several weapons that give defenses headaches weekly.
Their Achilles heel has been their defense in recent years, but as of late it looks to have taken a major step forward. If that defensive side of the ball can become even slightly formidable it will be hard for any team to take out the Chiefs. Arrowhead Stadium is supposed to be a serious home-field advantage, but so was the New Orleans Super Dome.
1 Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens have been a force that took over the NFL in a major way this year. They committed to building an offense around their young star quarterback Lamar Jackson and are being rewarded with an MVP-level season from him.
Their defense is often overshadowed by what their offense and Lamar Jackson are doing, but statistically, they’re one of the best units in the league. In many ways, it feels as if they’re a team of destiny in 2019 and with the New England Patriots eliminated a new king must be crowned.
NEXT: Madden 20: The 10 Most Dominant Defensive Players That Can Wreck An Offense
