With the regular season in the rear view mirror, twelve teams have the opportunity to win the Superbowl. With the reigning Superbowl champions, the Denver Broncos, eliminated from the playoffs, a change is in the making. The NFC features the Cowboys, Seahawks, Packers, Falcons, Giants, and Lions. The AFC will showcase the Patriots, Chiefs, Steelers, Texans, Raiders, and Dolphins. With so many teams that each have their own unique style of play, the playoffs should be exciting and intense.

The biggest story in the NFC, and arguably the NFL, has been the dominance of the Dallas Cowboys. With a losing record last year and an injury to franchise quarterback Tony Romo in the preseason, nobody could have predicted the rise of the Cowboys to a 13-3 record, and the #1 seed in the NFC. The Cowboys are fighting to be the first team in NFL history to win the Superbowl under a rookie quarterback, Dak Prescott, and he has played magnificently. They also feature one of the deadliest running games in the NFL with running back Ezekiel Elliott and a strong offensive line.

The Seahawks are one of those teams who will be featured in the playoffs for years to come, due to their consistency. Once again, this Seattle team is powered by their stout defense. However, their offense can still be formidable. Quarterback Russell Wilson is nothing less than a star. He controls the offense, even with lackluster receivers and an average running game. Expect the Seahawks to advance at least past the first round of the playoffs.

Like the Seahawks, the Packers are one of those teams who find themselves in the postseason year after year. Unlike the Seahawks, however, the Packers are fueled by their offense. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers is a future Hall of Famer. His ability to move in the pocket and throw with pinpoint accuracy is nothing short of perfection. While the Green Bay defense may not be anything special, Aaron Rodgers cannot be underrated.

The Falcons have finally put themselves in a position to win after years of being good, but not good enough. Yet again, the Falcons possess a potent offense with quarterback Matt Ryan, wide receiver Julio Jones, and the emergence of running back Devonta Freeman. With a first round bye, the Falcons should be able to rest their injured players. This team shouldn’t be overlooked, even with their past flops in the postseason.

The Giants are back in the playoffs after a few years of absence, and are looking better than ever. Wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. is a stud. His ability to make plays is what keeps the offense afloat. The Giants struggle with a less than stellar running game and the turnovers of quarterback Eli Manning. The defense was heavily upgraded in the offseason with the additions of Oliver Vernon and Janoris Jenkins. While the Giants would have to win three road games to reach the Superbowl, the last time they had to do this a a wild card team, the Giants won the championship.

The Lions are the final team featured in the NFC, and in my opinion, fans should keep their expectations low. Quarterback Matt Stafford can be elite quarterback, but is inconsistent. The Lions also feature an incredibly weak running game. With the retirement of wide receiver Calvin Johnson, the offense just isn’t what it used to be. The defense is decent, but it can’t be solely relied on. The Lions should put up a good fight, but a Superbowl win is out of reach.

The AFC is a completely different story, with two very distinct sides. Not much more can be said about the Patriots, Chiefs, and Steelers. The Patriots possess arguably the best quarterback, Tom Brady, and coach, Bill Belichick, of all time. Their offense is nothing short of perfection. The Chiefs are once again led by their strong defense and play of quarterback Alex Smith. With the addition of wide receiver Tyreek Hill who can do just about anything on offense or special teams, the offense could be even better. The Steelers are powered by their dynamic offense yet again. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, running back Le’veon Bell, and wide receiver Antonio Brown make the Steelers into one of the best offenses in the game. There is no clear cut winner amongst these teams, so the AFC is really up for grabs.

As for the other teams in the AFC, the Texans, Dolphins, and Raiders, sorry to say this, but winning just isn’t realistic. All three of these teams have the same problem: quarterback issues. The Texans are stuck between two below-average quarterbacks, Brock Osweiler and Tom Savage, to lead the team. Osweiler was brought in as a free agent with high expectations, but he hasn’t panned out. The Dolphins and Raiders were both having terrific seasons after years of poor performance. That changed with both starting quarterbacks, Ryan Tannehill for the Dolphins and Derek Carr for the Raiders, fell to injury. Even the Raiders backup quarterback got injured, so it’s up to rookie Connor Cook to lead the Raiders. With literally zero NFL experience for Cook, the situation is bleak for the Raiders. For the Dolphins, there is a chance Tannehill comes back for the playoffs, but he would need to be 100% healthy for the Dolphins to have any chance to win.

Playoff time is always exciting in football. When every game means so much, then stakes are unrivaled. With no obvious favorite to win it all, the intensity is even higher.