3 NFL Wild Card teams that can make a postseason run

For the most part, we almost never see Wild Card teams truly make a deep playoff run in the NFL. However, there are three teams who can do just that in the playoffs this year. This does feel like a year where parity has been abundant. I do think there are clear favorites in each conference to represent in the Super Bowl, but this year's Wild Card teams have a lot of potential to make a run.

In the AFC, the three Wild Card teams are the Cleveland Browns, Miami Dolphins, and Pittsburgh Steelers. In the NFC, the Wild Card teams are the Philadelphia Eagles, Los Angeles Rams, and Green Bay Packers. None of these teams are a complete juggernaut, but for varying reasons, three of these six teams can make a deep run in the playoffs this year.

3 NFL Wild Card teams that can make a postseason run
1. Cleveland Browns

I think this is an obvious team that can make a playoff run. At the No. 5 seed, Joe Flacco and the Browns will travel to Houston to face the AFC South champions. The Browns did beat the Texans in Houston a few weeks ago, but that was without CJ Stroud. I see the Browns as a very dangerous team, as Flacco owns a 10-5 playoff record from his time in Baltimore, and is uber efficient in the postseason.

The Browns also have the best defense in the AFC playoffs, and when you're this late in the season, defense is what typically prevails. I think unless something catastrophic happens, this team can make a huge run. Flacco has been throwing the ball all over the yard as the offense has really been elevated by Flacco's almost carefree play. Watch out for the Browns.

2. Miami Dolphins

There are definitely some valid criticisms of the Miami Dolphins. Not only are they horribly banged up, but the team limped to the finish line this year and ended up losing their grip of the AFC East, so they have to travel in the first round of the playoffs. However, the Dolphins have an explosive offense and perhaps the best defensive coordinator in the NFL in Vic Fangio.

I simply think that Miami, even with their countless injuries, still has enough explosion to go on a run. Tua Tagovailoa has at times looked like an unstoppable QB and their defense did hold the Buffalo Bills' offense to just 14 points in Week 18. The Dolphins' defense matches up well against their first-round opponent in Kansas City, so I think if they can beat KC, they can go on a run.

3. Los Angeles Rams

Perhaps another very obvious Wild Card team that can make a postseason run, the Los Angeles Rams are just two years removed from winning the Super Bowl, and many of their players from the 2021 year are still with the team. And most importantly, their head coach and QB are still in place. LA began the season pretty slowly, even seeing Matthew Stafford not do too much through the air.

However, over the last month and a half of the season, the Rams truly turned their season around; the offense broke out and Stafford played out of his mind. And all of a sudden, the Rams enter the postseason with 10 wins and a Super Bowl-winning core still in place.

I think the Rams can beat the Detroit Lions in the first round, and this is a team that just went on a SB run, so I don't see how they can't do it again.