The
Atlanta Falcons have the best chance at making an appearance in the
Super Bowl because they have the experience of getting there, having done so just last season. This time, though, they have the luxury of being underdogs, which will allow them to play free and loose in the postseason. The
Falcons struggled with a
Super Bowl hangover during the regular season and many gave up on them -- this will be the first time they'll be able to play without worrying about the burden of expectations.
The
New England Patriots are the best team in the league, and there's only one team that scares them: the
Kansas City Chiefs. Look back
to Week 1, when Andy Reid's
Chiefs stunned the football world in beating the defending
Super Bowl champs at Gillette Stadium. When K.C. is clicking, this team is hard to beat.
For me, it's a close race between the
Rams and
Saints. Both teams are good in all three phases: offense, defense and special teams. The
Rams might be ranked higher statistically, but I wouldn't trade that for experience at this point in the season. I'm taking the
Saints.
Los Angeles is hot heading into the playoffs. Since the
Rams lost to the
Eagles in Week 14, they've been dominant with
a statement win over Seattle and
a division-clinching win over Tennessee. (Yeah, I don't care about
the Week 17 loss, when they rested key players.)
Todd Gurley is on fire, finishing the regular season with more than 2,000 scrimmage yards,
Jared Goff has improved immensely under Sean McVay and Wade Phillips' defense is flying around. This team is primed for a run.
I'm taking the
New Orleans Saints on this one. They are balanced on offense, and the run game is opening up pass plays for
Drew Brees down the field. The offense has traditionally been good under Sean Payton, but it's the defense that has impressed me this season. The pass defense has improved down the stretch and the
Saints are tied for seventh in the NFL in sacks (42).
