Every year, there are gripes about which teams should or shouldn't have made the NFL Playoffs. Of course, after the 2024 season, a team like the Cincinnati Bengals is front and center after winning five games in a row, but too late. But all things considered, this is a pretty reasonable and good group of 14 teams. There aren't really that many teams that were left out after the 2024 season that we would want to see in there, other than Joe Burrow and that Bengals offense.
So with a pretty strong lineup of teams overall, there aren't many teams that don't belong in the postseason, if any.
There are, however, some teams getting overrated a little bit as we head to the playoffs. Or maybe some teams that have been overrated since earlier in the year. Who are the top three most overrated teams in the playoffs this year?
3 most overrated teams in the NFL Playoffs starts with the Steelers
1. Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers were probably a little underrated earlier this season, but as the year has gone along, I think they've been one of the most overrated teams in the league. This Steelers defense has struggled since the very beginning of December and part of that is due to the fact that the offense -- led by Russell Wilson -- isn't helping enough.
The Steelers have scored 17 points or less in four straight games, and it's no wonder that they've lost all four of those. There was a lot of talk in the middle of the year about Russell Wilson "cooking" again and proving Sean Payton and the Broncos wrong, but that talk has dissipated substantially and Pittsburgh fell from the 3rd seed to the 5th seed to the 6th seed in one fell swoop. It feels like they're going to be an easy out for the Ravens in the Wild Card round.
2. Houston Texans
One win in the playoffs could change the perspective of the Houston Texans completely, but this team looks like it's getting a one week late start on its trips to Cabo as opposed to competing in the postseason. Just look at the duds the Texans put up late in the season, including almost getting shut out by the Baltimore Ravens were it not for a safety.
Houston has the 19th-ranked offense in the NFL and the 14th-ranked defense. They have beaten no one of note since October 6 when they upset the Buffalo Bills.
This Houston team has a reputation based on what they did last year, not what they've been in 2024.
3. Minnesota Vikings
This might trigger some Vikings fans but let's take a look at a few metrics that indicate this team's regular season may have been a bit of fool's gold. The Vikings have been one of the league's worst rushing offenses on a per-carry basis (26th). They have been middle of the pack or worse in the red zone both offensively (19th) and defensively (18th).
Not only that, but the Vikings have turned the ball over 21 times, more than every other playoff team except the Buccaneers (23 giveaways).
Now, this team has to go on the road after Sam Darnold's worst game of the year. It could be rough.