LogFAQs > #964699544

KCF's Playoff Power Rankings

1. Portland Express
2. Miami Dolphins
3. St. Louis Rams
4. San Juan Orcas
5. Baltimore Ravens
6. New England Patriots
7. Columbus Pioneers
8. Washington
9. Pittsburgh Steelers
10. San Francisco 49ers
11. Chicago Bears
12. Detroit Lions

The Express had the league's top defense, both in terms of yardage and points. They used three different starting HBs, and all three have been great. If they get back HB DeMarco Murray and LG Rodney Hudson by the time their first playoff game kicks off in the divisional round, they will hands down be the most complete team in field. The path to the Super Bowl in the AFC is far more difficult than in the NFC, but you have to like the Express' chances against anyone.

The Dolphins do pose the biggest challenge to Portland though. They are 10-2 with Sam Keller starting for them, and while they've had their fair share of injuries on both sides of the ball with +3 starters out for most of the season, they finished in the Top 5 on both offense and defense. They are without two of the best defenders in the game in CB Joe Haden and MLB Jordan Tripp, and if Tripp doesn't play in the Divisional Round, that could be trouble for the young and inexperienced front seven if they end up having to play the Patriots, whom Miami has lost to twice this season. Still, they have enough healthy star power to where a fourth Super Bowl title is a real possibility.

The Rams remain one of the best defensive teams in the league, but they have really missed WR Patrick Turner as they back into the playoffs with a four-game losing streak. It helps that the NFC field is pretty weak this year, but if they are to vanquish their inner demons and play in the Super Bowl, they will need one of their HBs to step up and provide average efficiency as a team YPC of under 3.5 will not cut it.

The Orcas have really ascended defensively under the current leadership as they finished the season 4th on D. The scary thing for the rest of the league is that we just don't know how their offense will fare because they have never been healthy all season, with 2+ starters not suiting up for all but the final game of the season. They still managed to finish 16th despite all the injuries to their best skill position players and after having to replace two Hall of Famers in the offseason. HB Knowshon Moreno has been good when healthy, but he hit the injury report for the third time this season, and it is unknown at this point if he will play in the divisional round. The Orcas won't have to face the Rams at that point, so they should be the clear favorites regardless over the other four, but anything can happen.

The Baltimore Ravens ultimately tumbled out of the Top 10 in both offense and defense, but they finished 11th and 12th respectively in those categories, so still very good. They cleaned up their turnover differential that was shockingly abysmal last year. Superstar HB Doug Martin had another outstanding year playing in all 16 games again. That being said, this team feels a little vulnerable with all the mounting injuries and QB Kirby Freeman turning in his worst full season in the league. They are talented and perform well enough to where a deep playoff run is certainly possible, but so is a one-and-done.

The Patriots had several opportunities to secure home field through the playoffs but ultimately blew it and will go on the road to face a team with a losing record. They lost the last time this scenario played out. If they can avoid embarrassment, they could be a sneaky Super Bowl pick despite how much they have clearly overachieved this season with Sam Fucking Bradford at the helm. They are 3-0 against the Dolphins and Express this season, so I have to feel inclined that they could have what it takes. Unless the Steelers stun everyone, they will have to win three road games en route to the Super Bowl though, which is the main reason why I put them below the Ravens.

Yes, I am putting the 7-9 Pioneers 6th. This is not the Pioneers from most of the season where 3/4 of their starting LBs kept rotating injuries. This D really righted the ship once people got healthy. They ultimately finished below average, but if were were to just take into account the final third of the season, they might have had a Top 5 D. Ryan Lindley has been an excellent fill-in for the injured Russell Wilson, and Markus Manson was hot in the final stretch and had his best season with Columbus since he was an MVP finalist in S13. They are much better than their record indicates.

That too applies to Washington who had a Top 5 offense even with all the injuries, including two QBs who had 0 career snaps heading into the season, and a defense that finished in the top half. If there's anything that I'm worried about, it's the running game where current starer Ryan Williams has as many fumbles as TDs. They face a defensive-oriented team in the 49ers, so they have a tough test using backups at several key offensive positions. Because the NFC is so weak and the clear two best teams have injury concerns, Washington might be the best dark horse candidate in the field. Still, this ranking feels right.

The Steelers are pretty much fine on both sides of the ball. They are adequate on offense with a productive but roughly average efficieny running attack, a safe but vanilla passing attack, and a balanced and moderately effect defense. They basically need their opponents to make mistakes, and they got nine wins this season in part of their +10 turnover differential, but that be in part of their schedule because they beat up on the bad and mediocre teams and went 1-4 against those in the playoffs.

After being subjected to such a bad passing offense with Christian Hackenberg, the 49ers turned to the disgruntled Mitchell Trubisky in possibly his final season in the bay and were rewarded with two wins and five passing TDs from Mitch. Their defense ended up in the Top 10, so it would seem that they were on the upswing, but then HB Thomas Rawls was lost for the year. This is not a team built to win through the air, so perhaps more than any other team, a late-season injury has significantly reduced their Super Bowl chances. Their path for victories will now have to be led by the defense, which is certainly feasible with this NFC playoff field, but it will still be mighty difficult.

The Bears are not built for playoff success. They have the lowest-ranked defense to ever make the playoffs by finishing dead last in the league, and I would imagine that their 29th ranked running attack is also the worst to make it into the playoffs. Their best defensive player is also done for the season. Luckily for them, they face my 12th ranked team in the wild card round, but it would be a major suprise to see them two rounds from now.

The Lions are not ranked as poorly as the Bears, but the 20th ranked running attack and 26th ranked defense are hardly something to be proud of. The Bears were tied for 3rd with a +8 turnover differential to help explain their record, but the Lions are -2. QB Jared Goff has been playing well and HB Alex Collins had 225 yards, which maybe bodes well as they face the 31st ranked rushing D in Chicago, but I don't know, there just isn't a lot to like here. At least they are the healthiest that they've been all season.