2014 NFL Divisional Playoffs Picks: NFC Power Rankings

2014 NFL Divisional Playoffs Picks: NFC Power Rankings: With the Wild-Card Round of the NFL playoffs wrapping up last weekend, the top seeds are set to join the fight in the Divisional Round this weekend, and if the opening round was any indication, the NFC playoff matchups are going to be plenty exciting. After all, New Orleans and San Francisco both won on the road on field goals as time expired to advance. Now, four teams remain that all won at least 11 games during the regular season coming with two teams coming from the West Division and the other two coming from the South Division. On that note, here is a look at how the remaining NFC playoff teams stack up going forward.

1.      Seattle Seahawks

As if being the top seed and getting to play all their games at home where they are 15-1 over the past two years isn’t enough, a first-round upset by New Orleans means the Seahawks will get to face the Saints in the Divisional Round instead of San Francisco. Seattle’s top-rated secondary matches up perfectly with the Saints’ one-dimensional, pass-happy offense, and the Seahawks already own a 34-7 victory over New Orleans this season. The road to the Super Bowl is likely going through Seattle.

2.      San Francisco 49ers

The 49ers definitely seem to be playing their best at the most opportune time. After winning a physical battle with Green Bay in the freezing cold at Lambeau Field, San Francisco has now won seven games in a row. The defense looked sharp as it stifled Aaron Rodgers, and the offense has looked much more balanced since receiver Michael Crabtree has returned. Granted, a Divisional Round matchup with a Carolina team that beat them 10-9 in San Francisco earlier this year isn’t ideal, but the 49ers are at full strength this time around with the aforementioned Crabtree providing a big boost to the offense. Even though the 49ers were just 1-3 against the teams still alive in the NFC bracket, a showdown with Seattle for the NFC crown seems like a real possibility.

3.      Carolina Panthers

The Panthers’ defense is legit and so are their chances of winning the NFC. After all, they are hosting a 49ers’ team in the Divisional Round that they already beat in San Francisco earlier this year. Carolina’s lack of explosive weapons on offense does raise some red flags, but with a QB like Cam Newton that can make incredible plays whenever he touches the ball, the Panthers might be able to score enough points to support their stellar defense. At the very least, Carolina has a puncher’s chance in the NFC.

4.      New Orleans Saints

The good news is that the Saints survived an average performance by Drew Brees and their offense to score their first-ever road playoff win over a Philadelphia team with the worst secondary in the NFL. The bad news is that they now have to head to Seattle to face a Seahawks team with the best secondary in the NFL for the second time this year. The first time around, New Orleans was on the wrong end of a 34-7 beatdown, and considering Seattle is 15-1 at home over the past two seasons, the Saints are facing a near-impossible task.

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