The NFL's 2013 Postseason Playoffs on the road to Super Bowl XLVII

Are you all ready for some football, because the playoffs are back. After seventeen unpredictable weeks there are only twelve teams left standing in the NFL's postseason. Any given Sunday has paid off for these NFL teams. As the next few weeks whittle away at these twelve remaining teams, a Super Bowl champion will emerge.

I'm going to take a much different type of approach then I did from last year's season. I'm not going to make any bold predictions, but instead I'll just lay out some simple facts about these playoff teams, and let you all pick the team who you think will reign on top this year. Twelve teams are still alive, and another twenty teams are finished, and sitting at home now. Here's a look at all twelve of the 2013 postseason playoff teams who are on the road to the Super Bowl.

Baltimore Ravens - (AFC North Division Champions @ 10-6) It was reported that they had the 2nd hardest schedule in all of the NFL this year, and judging from their injury list this certainly looks true. Their record was 9-2 before running into a 3 game losing streak, but they did end their season on a semi positive note. The Ravens have been in the postseason playoffs now for the last five years under the direction of coach Harbaugh. As a die hard Baltimore Raven's fan I have to stick with my team, but a successful playoff run depends heavily on a healthy Ray Lewis and the once great Baltimore defense who only allowed 165 points all season long when they won the Super Bowl against the New York Giants, 12 years ago, back in 2000.

Houston Texans - (AFC South Division Champions @ 12 -4) This is one of the toughest teams that the NFL has seen this season. The Houston Texans may boast the best record in the AFC, but they certainly aren't the most dangerous team in the playoffs. Despite having an explosive rushing attack they lack an explosive passing attack.

Denver Broncos - (AFC West Division Champions @ 13-3) After giving up their star quarterback Tebow from last year, and settling for an old quarterback could indeed prove to be a bad idea in this post season. They are the number one seed in the AFC, and they have the home field advantage throughout the playoffs. The Denver Broncos have no major weaknesses, and this makes them one of the the scariest teams in the AFC heading into the playoffs.

New England Patriots - (AFC East Division Champions @ 12-4) The New England Patriots are more of a complete team than they have been in years, and that's a good thing considering they are a Super Bowl contender every season. Even without Rob Gronkowski, the Patriot's passing game is one of the most explosive in the league. Right now their biggest flaw is an easily exposed secondary.

Cincinnati Bengals - (AFC Wild Card Team @ 10-6) The Bengals are in one of the most competitive divisions in all of football. The Bengals could be a real threat in the postseason this year. Their defense is highly underrated, and they rank in the top half of the league in every major statistical category. The Bengal's biggest flaw is the lack of receiving options outside of A.J. Green.

Colts - (AFC Wild Card Team @ 11-5) As a die hard Baltimore fan there is no lost love for a team that moved out of their beloved city in the middle of the night leaving nothing but trash cans behind. Even though this may have been a long time ago, it's still fresh in many people's minds in Charm city. If nothing else good comes out of this postseason other than a Colt loss then it will make a lot of people very happy. They were the worst team in the NFL last season, and it's a miracle that the Colts have even managed to clinch a postseason berth this year. Their run defense is horrific currently ranking 30th in the NFL, their run offense only ranks 22nd in the league, and they are the king of turnovers.

Atlanta Falcons - (NFC South Division Champions @ 13-3) The Falcon's defense isn't spectacular, but it forces big mistakes at crucial times and manages to contain explosive offenses. The team could struggle if Matt Ryan fails to find his groove during a playoff game. The Falcons demise could actually be their running game with the lack of an explosive running game. They hold the number one seed in the NFC, and with that comes home field advantage throughout the playoffs. This could just be the ticket that those angry Atlanta fans are looking for as a way to get revenge for that botched call in the National League wild card game that may have cost the Atlanta braves their World Series hopes. You can read all about that here - MLB Baseball's Tarnished Wild Card Game And in the deep South this is all still fresh on everybody's minds, how one bone headed referee could wipe out a 162 game season with one botched call.

San Francisco 49ers - (NFC West Division Champions @ 11-4-1) The 49ers strike gold with a high of nine of their players being named to the pro bowl this year. Under the leadership of coach Jim Harbaugh, the second of two brothers who are coaching playoff teams for two straight years, the 49ers have a top seed in the playoffs after coming off of an impressive home streak. The 49ers biggest flaw is their young quarterback Colin Kaepernick making boneheaded mistakes that could lead to the 49ers' demise.

Green Bay Packers - (NFC North Division Champions @ 11-5) The Packers are one of the most dangerous teams in all of the NFL, as they are led by one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, and an underrated defense that is just starting to regain it's health back. The Packers biggest flaw is the inability to protect their quarterback Aaron Rodgers, and if they can get that straightened out then a Super Bowl victory may just be in their future.

Washington Redskins - (NFC East Division Champions @ 9-6) The Redskins flawed pass defense could be fatal, as the NFC playoff field boasts some of the most explosive aerial attacks from playoff teams. The Redskin's quarterback RG3 still may not have completely gotten over that beating he took from the Baltimore defense in week 14.The Redskins go into the playoffs on a seven game winning streak after defeating the Dallas Cowboys in the final regular season NFL football game.

Seattle Seahawks - (NFC Wild Card team @ 11-5) The Seahawks recent dominant streak has not just billed them as NFC West contenders for years to come, but as clear Super Bowl contender this postseason. The Seahawks biggest flaw are their Struggles Away from Centurylink Field. The Seattle Seahawks are one of the most under-rated teams in all of the NFL, and they might just shock everyone by the time the postseason is over.

Minnesota Vikings - (NFC Wild Card Team @ 10-6) With a great running back like Adrian Peterson who was just 9 yards shy of Eric Dickerson's single season 2105 yard rushing record set back in 1984, and an underrated defense that always seems to make big plays, the Vikings have found themselves in the playoffs this postseason. Their biggest problem this year is their passing game, which they will most certainly will need with the line up of teams that they have to play in the postseason.

(All games & complete scores will be posted here as they become available)

Saturday January 5th 2013

Houston Texans - 19

Cincinnati Bengals - 13

Sunday January 6th 2013

Baltimore Ravens - 24

Colts - 9

Saturday January 5th 2013

Green Bay Packers - 24

Minnesota Vikings - 10

Sunday January 6th 2013

Seattle Seahawks - 24

Washington Redskins - 14

Saturday January 12th 2013 (In Double Overtime)

Baltimore Ravens - 38

Denver Broncos - 35

Sunday January 13th 2013

New England Patriots - 41

Houston Texans - 28

Saturday January 12th 2013

San Francisco 49ers - 45

Green Packers - 31

Sunday January 13th 2013

Atlanta Falcons - 30

Seattle Seahawks - 28

Note: These four games combined produced the most points ever scored in an NFL playoff weekend - 276

Sunday January 20th 2013

Baltimore Ravens - 28

New England Patriots - 13

Sunday January 20th 2013

San Francisco 49ers - 28

Atlanta Falcons - 24

Note: The four teams in the conference championship games are the same from last year with one exception, and that is the Atlanta Falcons replaced the NY Giants. It looks like my predictions from last year were simply a year before their time - 2012 NFL post season - "My Predictions"

Sunday January 27th 2013

NFC - 62

AFC - 35

Sunday February 3rd 2013

Baltimore Ravens - 34

San Francisco 49ers - 31