It’s only a few days old, but the Giants’ Super Bowl victory is pass?. Here are five teams that didn’t play in Sunday’s big game but will be frontrunners to make it next season:
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5. Houston Texans » The Steelers, Lions and even Eagles could all be in this spot, but the Texans made the playoffs without Matt Schaub and have laid claim to the AFC South. With Schaub back and luck on the injury side, a team that’s pretty good might just be great.
4. San Francisco 49ers » No one is going to make the mistake of calling what coach of the year Jim Harbaugh did this season a fluke. San Francisco is far and away out in front in the NFC West.
3. New Orleans Saints » It’s a curse that Super Bowl XLVII will be at the Superdome, but the Saints’ dramatic playoff loss to the 49ers overshadowed that they might’ve been the best team in the NFL over the second half of the 2011 regular season.
2. Green Bay Packers » The grace period should still be in effect, but the Packers are threatening to replace the Patriots as the perennial favorite and a team that relies too much on Aaron Rodgers and its offense. Get better on defense, and get another ring.
1. Baltimore Ravens » The Ravens were so close this year, and they always seem to overcome quarterback problems. Their biggest issue next season: a quarterback problem.
– Craig Stouffer
