Let's Debate: The Top Strength, Question Mark and X-Factor for All 14 Playoff Teams

The NFL remains a league that provides hope for aspiring teams to turn things around quickly, with seven new division winners and six new playoff teams this season. But in a playoff field that some think is the most wide open in recent years, individual teams' strengths and weaknesses are as vital as ever. 

So, we decided to take a closer look at what each team's top strength is, what their biggest question marks are and who might be their biggest X-factors this postseason. Before Saturday's Los Angeles Rams-Carolina Panthers kicks off the postseason, let's see what might teams' strengths, flaws and key players could determine who lifts the Lombardi Trophy in Santa Clara next month. 

[NFL Playoffs Preview: 5 Bold Predictions for the Postseason]

AFC

No. 1 seed: Denver Broncos (14-3)

Biggest strength: Head coach Sean Payton quickly built the Broncos into a Super Bowl contender in his third season with the Broncos. But the foundation of his team’s success has come on the defensive side of the football, where defensive coordinator Vance Joseph has constructed one of the stingiest defenses in the league, leading to head coaching interviews this hiring cycle. The Broncos led the NFL with a franchise record 68 sacks, finished second in total yards allowed (278 per game) and third in points allowed per game (18.3).  However, Denver forced just 14 takeaways this season, tied for 26th in the NFL. 

Biggest question mark: Bo Nix tied Russell Wilson for the most wins in his first two seasons in the league with 24. The Oregon product has been clutch at the end of games this season, helping Denver go 11-2 in one-score games during the regular season. However, Nix is 0-1 in the postseason, so how he performs in the playoffs in high-leverage situations remains a question mark for the Broncos. Denver also struggled consistently moving the ball at times this season, averaging 22 points per game over the last eight games of the year. 

X-factor: Denver has one of the best offensive lines in the league, led by Pro Bowlers in left tackle Garett Bolles and guard Quinn Meinerz. The Broncos allowed a league-low 23 sacks during the regular season and managed to play at a high level while dealing with six different offensive line combinations this year. Denver’s 758 yards before contact are seventh in the NFL, according to Next Gen Stats. Denver’s ability to control the offensive line playing in bad weather at home in the playoffs could be a key to winning for this defense-led team. 

No. 2 seed: New England Patriots (14-3)

Biggest strength: The Patriots are led by second-year MVP candidate Drake Maye, who finished tops in the NFL in passer rating (113.6), third in passing touchdowns (31) and fourth in passing yards (4,394). Maye also led the league in completion percentage (72.0%) and yards per attempt (8.9). His 450 rushing yards are fourth among quarterbacks. New England’s offense is averaging 28.8 points per game under the direction of Maye, second in the NFL. 

Tom Brady on the MVP race: Drake Maye or Matthew Stafford?

Biggest question mark: Can New England get back to playing stingy run defense? During the final eight games of the season, the Patriots allowed 131 rushing yards a contest. However, through the first nine weeks of the season, New England led the league by holding opponents to 75 yards per contest. The recent return of defensive tackle Milton Williams from an ankle injury should help, but the Patriots will have to play stout up front against a team that wants to run the football in the Chargers. 

X-factor: Mike Vrabel’s coaching playoff chops should be a boost for the Patriots as they enter the postseason. The former New England linebacker is just the fourth different coach in NFL history to win 14 or more games for a team he previously played for on the field. He is also one of just seven people in NFL history to win 12 or more games as both a player and coach for the same team. The Patriots are just the sixth team in NFL history to improve from winning four or fewer games in one season to winning 13 or more the following season. Vrabel’s experience as a player and coach should help to provide stability for this young and inexperienced roster. 

No. 3 seed: Jacksonville Jaguars (13-4)

Biggest strength: First-year head coach and offensive guru Liam Coen has Trevor Lawrence playing his best heading into the postseason. Lawrence has a career-high of 38 total touchdowns this season, leading a Jacksonville offense averaging 28 points a game, No. 5 in the NFL. Lawrence has benefited from the midseason trade of Jakobi Meyers to create chunk plays in the middle of the field in the passing game. And Lawrence’s ability to push the ball down the field is balanced by Travis Etienne and the running game, who rushed for 1,107 yards and seven scores. 

Biggest question mark: Can Jacksonville consistently get to the quarterback? The Jaguars finished with 32 sacks during the regular season, 27th in the NFL. Jacksonville’s 32.5% pressure rate is top 10 in the league. However, the Jaguars face the most talented quarterback in the postseason in the opening round in Josh Allen. The Bills allowed a 28.4% pressure rate offensively this season, fourth best in the NFL. But there’s no question Jacksonville can stop the run. The Jaguars have not allowed a 75-yard rusher this season and have held teams to a league-best 85 rushing yards per game. 

X-factor: The Jaguars enter the postseason riding the momentum of an eight-game winning streak. During that stretch, Jacksonville won by an average of 18 points a game. The Jaguars are also 7-2 at home this season, but will have to deal with Buffalo fans traveling South and making their voices heard at EverBank Stadium. Coen and the Jaguars have the added motivation of being a home underdog hosting the Bills in the first round of the playoffs. 

No. 4 seed: Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7)

Biggest strength: The Steelers have a first-ballot Hall of Fame quarterback leading them in Aaron Rodgers. And he’s playing his best football at the right time — at the end of the season, heading into the playoffs. Rodgers has completed 66.5% of his passes for 1,236 yards, with five touchdowns and no interceptions in the final five games of the year, with the Steelers winning four of those. The 42-year-old Rodgers gives Pittsburgh a steady hand at quarterback who can expertly guide the offense in a game where head coach Mike Tomlin is looking for his first playoff win in a decade. 

Biggest question mark: DK Metcalf was fortunate that the Steelers managed to reach the playoffs while serving a two-game suspension for striking a fan. Now, Metcalf gets a shot at redemption by returning to an offense that desperately needs a downfield threat to stretch the offense. Metcalf led the Steelers in receiving yards (850), yards per reception (14.4) and receiving touchdowns (6) during the regular season. Pittsburgh needs Metcalf to have a significant impact on offense for the Steelers to win a game in the playoffs. 

X-factor: The Steelers finished the regular season with 27 takeaways, fourth in the NFL. But they face a team in the Texans that has just 12 turnovers, second-best in the league. Can Pittsburgh’s front seven create enough pressure to make C.J. Stroud uncomfortable and cough up the football? Edge rushers T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith need big games for the Steelers. 

No. 5 seed: Houston Texans (12-5)

Biggest strength: Speaking of the Texans, they bring to the postseason one of the top defenses in the league. Houston’s 29 takeaways are No. 3 in the NFL. The Texans are No. 1 in total defense (277 yards allowed per game) and No. 2 in scoring defense (17.4 points allowed per game). And Houston is riding a nine-game winning streak entering the postseason, with an ascending team led by a dangerous defense. 

Biggest question mark: Can Stroud get hot and continue to elevate his game in the postseason? During Houston’s nine-game winning streak, Stroud completed 62% of his passes for 1,339 yards, with eight touchdowns and three interceptions for a 92.3 passer rating. Stroud has also been solid in the postseason, completing 66% of his passes for 976 yards, with four touchdowns and one interception for a 100.5 passer rating. With a dominant defense, the Texans just need a solid, efficient performance from Stroud in the playoffs. 

X-factor: One of the top big-bodied receivers in the league, Nico Collins finished with his third 1,000-yard receiving effort in a row during the regular season. Now, the Texans need Collins to play big in the postseason against a vulnerable Pittsburgh secondary that allowed 30 touchdowns during the regular season, tied for eighth-most in the league. 

No. 6 seed: Buffalo Bills (12-5)

Biggest strength: Easy call, it’s Josh Allen. Yes, I know Matthew Stafford and Drake Maye are battling it out for MVP honors, but Allen is the best player left in the tournament. The path has been cleared, with top QBs like Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrow out. It’s Allen’s time to put the Superman cape back on and carry this team. Allen is responsible for 32 total touchdowns and just four interceptions in his postseason career. 

Tom Brady on Bills’ Super Bowl window, Can Josh Allen lead them to a win?

Biggest question mark: Buffalo has allowed 136 rushing yards a game this season, which is the fifth-worst mark in the NFL. The Bills also have struggled defensively on third down, allowing teams to convert 41.4% of the time, No. 24 in the league. Over the last five seasons, the Bills have given up an average of 33 points a game in the team’s losses in the postseason. 

X-factor: The NFL’s leading rusher during the regular season, with 1,621 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns, James Cook provides balance in the running game to Allen. The Bills led the NFL in rushing during the regular season, averaging 160 rushing yards a game. And Buffalo should lean on Cook even more in the postseason. Cook averaged 18 carries a game this season. Over his pro career, Cook has averaged 15 rushes a game and has only rushed for 100 yards once in seven playoff games. Cook should be more of an integral part of Buffalo’s offense this postseason, even against teams that are good against the run, like Jacksonville. 

[NFL Playoff Predictions: Every Round Picked, Ending With a Bills vs. Rams Super Bowl]

No. 7 seed: Los Angeles Chargers (11-6)

Biggest strength: Justin Herbert is Josh Allen-lite. He’s played banged up all season, including a broken left hand down the backstretch of the season. However, Herbert finished among the top passers during the regular season, ranking seventh in passing touchdowns (29) and ninth in passing yards (3,727). Herbert also got it done with his legs, finishing with a career-high 498 rushing yards. Herbert led his team in rushing in seven games this season. 

Biggest question mark: Will the Chargers have five healthy bodies to line up on the offensive line? Los Angeles lost its bookend, first-round tackles for the season in Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt. The Chargers have played 29 different offensive line combinations this season, and the result has been Herbert suffering the most quarterback pressures (268) this season. How the Bolts protect Herbert so he can push the ball down the field and carve out rushing lanes for Omarion Hampton and Kimani Vidal will go a long way in deciding how competitive their road contest is against the Patriots. However, Hampton has missed the first two days of practice for the Chargers this week. 

X-factor: Derwin James is the unquestioned leader of L.A.’s defense. The most versatile defender on defense and a perennial Pro Bowler for the Bolts, the Florida State product needs to show up big for the Chargers to have a chance against New England’s big-play offense, led by Drake Maye. Per Next Gen Stats, James is one of five defenders to align on the line of scrimmage (123 snaps), at linebacker (231) and at safety (141) for at least 100 snaps each this season, per Next Gen Stats.

NFC

No. 1 seed: Seattle Seahawks (14-3)

Biggest strength: Head coach Mike Macdonald and defensive coordinator Aden Durde have assembled one of the best defenses in the league in their second year together with the Seahawks, allowing a league-low 17.2 points per game during the regular season. The Seahawks are first in rushing yards allowed per play (3.74 yards a carry) and third down conversion rate (32%). The Seahawks are led up front by defensive tackles Leonard Williams and Byron Murphy II (14 combined sacks), linebacker Ernest Jones IV (team-high 126 tackles and five interceptions) at the second level of the defense and versatile defensive backs in rookie Nick Emmanwori and Devon Witherspoon. Seattle plays with at least five defensive backs a league-high 815 defensive snaps during the regular season, according to Next Gen Stats.

Biggest question mark: Sam Darnold played winning football when the games mattered most at the end of the season, including an overtime win at home against the Los Angeles Rams and on the road in a victory over the San Francisco 49ers that earned Seattle the No. 1 seed in the NFC. However, Darnold finished with 20 turnovers during the regular season, the main reason the Seahawks finished second in the NFL with 28 turnovers. Darnold must continue to play mistake-free football in the postseason if the Seahawks are to advance to the Super Bowl. 

X-factor: A midseason addition in a trade with the New Orleans Saints, receiver Rashid Shaheed has been a revelation in the return game for the Seahawks, including a momentum-changing 58-yard punt return for a score in their Week 16 win over the Rams.  Shaheed also has a 100-yard kick return for a touchdown and serves as a deep threat to stretch the field on offense.  

No. 2 seed: Chicago Bears (11-6)

Biggest strength: The 1-2 punch of veteran D’Andre Swift and rookie Kyle Monangai has been lethal for the Bears this season. Chicago averaged 144.5 rushing yards a contest, third in the NFL. The Bears also rushed for at least 135 rushing yards in two matchups against the Green Bay Packers during the regular season, the franchise’s opponent this weekend. Chicago’s revamped offensive line has been a key to the team’s success in the running game. The Bears finished with 911 rushing yards before contact, second in the NFL, per Next Gen Stats.

Tom Brady previews Bears vs. Packers, Who will win the playoff rematch?

Biggest question mark: Caleb Williams showed marked improvement in his second season, finishing with a franchise-record 3,942 passing yards, with 27 touchdown passes and just seven interceptions under the direction of first-year head coach Ben Johnson. However, Williams finished with a league-low 58% completion percentage and will be asked to raise his level of play, with both the USC product and his head coach entering the postseason for the first time as a pairing. Williams and Johnson get the benefit of playing at home. Along with that, Johnson can lean on his postseason experience as an offensive coordinator with the Detroit Lions. However, the Bears enter the postseason on a two-game losing streak and have not won a home playoff game since the 2010 playoffs. 

X-factor: The Bears have been one of the most opportunistic defenses in the league, forcing an NFL-high 33 takeaways during the postseason. But can Chicago continue to lean on takeaways to carry the defense? Chicago allowed 24.4 points per game during the regular season, 23rd in the NFL. The Bears are the first team in league history to lead the league in takeaways, allow at least 23 points per game and make the postseason.

No. 3 seed: Philadelphia Eagles (11-6)

Biggest strength: The Eagles have been one of the stingiest defenses in the second half of the regular season. Since making a midseason trade for edge rusher Jaelan Phillips before the start of Week 10, the Eagles have allowed a league-low 15.6 points per game. Phillip has totaled 34 quarterback pressures during that time. Philadelphia’s talented secondary has been at the forefront of the team’s success defensively, holding opposing offenses to an NFL-low 14 passing touchdowns this season. Shutdown corner Quinyon Mitchell has allowed a 41.7 completion percentage in coverage during the regular season. 

Biggest question mark: Philadelphia’s passing offense has struggled to create explosive plays through the air all season. The Eagles average 194 passing yards a game, 23rd in the league, and have gone three-and-out on a league-high 28% of their drives this season. Jalen Hurts has 11 touchdown passes and no interceptions in Philadelphia’s 11 wins during the regular season, and six touchdowns and six interceptions in the team’s six losses. 

Tom Brady on ‘dangerous’ Eagles, Can they repeat as Super Bowl champions?

X-factor: While Hurts' passing numbers have been uneven all season long, all the reigning Super Bowl MVP does is win games. Since elevating to a full-time starter during the 2021 season, Hurts is a league-best 56-22. His six playoff wins over that period are second behind Patrick Mahomes (11). Last season, Hurts joined Tom Brady and Mahomes as the only quarterbacks with at least six playoff wins and a Super Bowl MVP award before turning 27 years old. 

No. 4 seed: Carolina Panthers (8-9)

Biggest strength: Rookie Tetairoa McMillan developed into a No. 1 receiver for the Panthers this season. He finished with a franchise rookie record of 1,014 receiving yards on 70 receptions. McMillan also led all rookies with seven receiving touchdowns. McMillan accounted for 44.5% of Carolina’s air yards this season, resulting in the second-highest team air yards share among pass catchers in the league, trailing only Jaxon Smith-Njigba (48.6%), per Next Gen Stats.

Biggest question mark: What Bryce Young are the Panthers going to get in the postseason — the one who threw for 54 yards in a loss to the Seahawks in Week 17 or a franchise-record 448 in a Week 11 win over the Atlanta Falcons? Young’s shown improvement this season, finishing with a career-high 23 touchdown passes and 11 interceptions. The Panthers are going to need more consistency in got-to-have-it moments this postseason. However, one thing working in Young’s favor has been his ability to come through in the clutch. Young’s 12 game-winning drives in the fourth quarter or overtime are the most in the NFL since the start of the 2023 season.

X-factor: Rico Dowdle led the Panthers with 1,076 rushing yards, his second straight season rushing over 1,000 yards. Dowdle’s running back mate, Chuba Hubbard, finished with 511 rushing yards. Carolina’s ability to control time of possession by running the football offers one of the few paths to victory for the team with the worst point differential in the postseason (minus-69). The Panthers face a Rams’ defense that allows 4.3 yards per carry, which is 19th in the league. 

No. 5 seed: Los Angeles Rams (12-5)

Biggest strength: Led by offensive guru Sean McVay, the Rams enter the postseason with the most explosive offense in the league, averaging a league-best 30.5 points per game. Quarterback Matthew Stafford is playing at an MVP-level, finishing with an NFL-high 4,707 passing yards and 46 passing touchdowns during the regular season. The Rams also have one of the best rushing attacks in the league, led by Kyren Williams (1,252 yards) and Blake Corum (746). Los Angeles also gets Davante Adams back from a hamstring injury, who led the league with 14 receiving touchdowns, despite missing the final thre games of the season. 

Biggest question mark: The Rams have had one of the worst special teams in the league, which led to McVay firing his special teams coordinator, Chase Blackburn, in December. The Rams gave up a league-worst 16 yards per punt return during the regular season, per Next Gen Stats. Harrison Mevis helped stabilize the kicking game after the team moved on from Joshua Karty, but his missed field goal during regulation led to an overtime loss at Seattle. Bottom line is McVay needs more consistency from special teams to close out games in the playoffs. 

X-factor: Puka Nacua led the Rams with 129 receptions for 1,715 receiving yards. He’s quickly ascended to being in the conversation as the best receiver in the league in three seasons and has some of the best hands in the game. Nacua has just six drops over the last two seasons after 15 drops in his rookie year, per Next Gen Stats. When McVay and Stafford need to dial up a big play or convert a critical third down, he’s designing something for the BYU product. 

No. 6 seed: San Francisco 49ers (12-5)

Biggest strength: Despite injuries to frontline players in left tackle Trent Williams and Ricky Pearsall, the 49ers are led by a passing game dominated by Christian McCaffrey and George Kittle, with quarterback Brock Purdy at the controls. The 49ers have averaged 31 points per game since Purdy has returned from a turf toe injury in Week 11. Purdy ranks third in the NFL with 19 total touchdowns and 105.6 passer rating since returning from injury.

Tom Brady on 49ers’ comeback struggles, Can Kyle Shanahan get over the hump?

Biggest question mark: With no Nick Bosa, Fred Warner and first-round pick Mykel Williams, the 49ers finished with a league-low 20 sacks and just six interceptions during the regular season. San Francisco is the first team to reach the postseason with 20 or fewer sacks and 10 interceptions in a season.

X-factor: Give San Francisco defensive coordinator Robert Saleh credit for building a defense good enough to reach the postseason without two of the best defensive players in the game available in Bosa and Warner. Kudos also goes to head coach Kyle Shanahan for designing an offense that scored enough points with Mac Jones at the controls for eight games (5-3 as a starter) and missing No. 1 receiver Brandon Ayiuk for an entire season. San Francisco’s experienced coaching staff gives the 49ers a puncher’s chance to win on the road against the defending champion Eagles. 

No. 7 seed: Green Bay Packers (9-7-1)

Biggest strength: Running back Josh Jacobs led the Packers with 929 rushing yards and 13 rushing touchdowns this season — the most rushing yards by any player without a 100-yard rushing game in 2025. Jacobs has 28 rush touchdowns over the last two seasons, which is tied for fourth-most in the NFL in that span. He’s also accounted for at least 120 scrimmage yards in two career playoff games. 

Biggest question mark: The Packers will miss pass rusher Micah Parsons, who’s out for the season with a knee injury that required surgery. When Parson was healthy, the Packers held opposing offense to 19 points per game and 287 yards per contest. However, the Packers are 0-4 since Parsons has been out of the lineup, with just three sacks over that period and allowing a league-high 171 rushing yards per game. Parsons led the league with 78 pressures through the first 14 weeks of the season. 

X-factor: Quarterback Jordan Love is 4-2 as a starter against the Bears, Green Bay’s opponent in the opening round of the playoffs. Love has totaled nine passing touchdowns and just two interceptions for a 116.6 passer rating in his career against Chicago. He also has his highest completion percentage (69%) and passing yards per attempt (8.5) against an opponent when facing the Bears.

Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for more than a decade, covering the Los Angeles Rams for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma News Tribune. Follow him on X at @eric_d_williams.

Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily!