Evaluating the chances of success for NFL playoff hopefuls

The NFL playoffs are just around the corner, and all of the participants (or potential participants) have reason for hope and reasons to wring their hands.

The AFC field is set; Sunday’s games will settle the AFC seedings. In the NFC, Atlanta, Green Bay, San Francisco and Seattle have qualified; Washington, Dallas, Minnesota, Chicago and the New York Giants are still in the running.

A glance at the teams:

Houston

One and done: The Texans have been out of sync in two of the last three games, particularly on offense. Matt Schaub has one touchdown pass in the last 15 quarters.

Going all the way: This team has shown amazing resiliency after losses. After losing to Green Bay, the Texans blew out Baltimore by 30. After losing to the Patriots, Houston beat Indianapolis by 12. The Texans might be in a down cycle at the moment, but they’re the best bounce-back team in football.

Denver

One and done: A likely scenario for the Broncos has them taking an 11-game winning streak into the bye, then facing New England in the divisional round. No one game-plans better against Peyton Manning than Bill Belichick — the Patriots handed the Broncos their most recent defeat — so that would be a daunting challenge.

Going all the way: When people think Broncos they think Manning. But he’s actually playing on the weaker side of the ball for them. Denver’s defense has been phenomenal and has scored six touchdowns and two safeties. The Broncos lead the league with an average of 3.2 sacks per game, and they rank third against the run.

New England

One and done: The offensive line has had big problems protecting Tom Brady in the last two games, and that unit is really hurting with injuries. If the Patriots were to face Cincinnati in the first round — the most likely outcome — they could have problems with the fierce pass rush of the Bengals, who are second to Denver in sacks with 47.

Going all the way: The Patriots average an NFL-best 35.3 points per game, nearly a touchdown more than second-place Denver. They’re wickedly effective with their no-huddle attack and they now have a ground game that gives them balance. They’re putting points on the board the way they did in 2007, when they averaged 36.8 and came oh so close to a perfect season.

Baltimore

One and done: Yes, they are coming off a commanding victory over the nose-diving Giants, but the Ravens lost three in a row before that. They backed into their division title, and it’s unclear whether last Sunday’s win was simply a fleeting positive surge or real momentum.

Going all the way: The Ravens are rich in playoff experience and know how to win at this time of year. They came within an eyelash of reaching the Super Bowl last season, and they have the seasoned personnel to make another run, especially in a muddled AFC that lacks a truly dominant team.

Indianapolis

One and done: It’s easy to forget that the Colts are loaded with rookies on offense. Andrew Luck hasn’t played especially well in two of the last three games, and he hasn’t gotten a lot of protection from his line. What’s more, they’ll be hitting the road in the postseason.

Going all the way: Can anyone top the Colts’ Hollywood feel-good story? Overall, Luck has been spectacular, and Bruce Arians deserves to be the first fill-in to win coach of the year. This team wins just about every close game, and for added inspiration now has Chuck Pagano back. It may sound crazy to say the Colts will reach the Super Bowl but no crazier than it would have sounded in August to say they’d make the playoffs.

Cincinnati

One and done: A.J. Green is phenomenal, but the Bengals don’t have a second receiver to siphon some of the pressure off him. Since Mohamed Sanu suffered a season-ending foot injury in early December, Cincinnati has waited for someone else to step up. That hasn’t happened.

Going all the way: It all starts on the defensive front for the Bengals, and their front four are stifling against the run and the pass. Geno Atkins leads all defensive tackles with 121/2 sacks, and defensive end Michael Johnson has a career-best 91/2.

Atlanta

One and done: The Falcons have perfected the one-and-done postseason, bowing out after one game in 2008, 2010 and 2011. That’s a huge psychological burden, just as it was for Marty Schottenheimer’s Chargers.

Going all the way: Atlanta is hitting its stride at the right time. The Falcons rebounded from a demoralizing loss to Carolina by trouncing the Giants and Lions by a combined 65-18.

Green Bay

One and done: All teams have injuries, but the Packers have been hit particularly hard by them. Among the star players who are either injured or just coming back from injuries are Charles Woodson, Clay Matthews, Jordy Nelson, Greg Jennings and Randall Cobb. That would make any coach nervous.

Going all the way: Aaron Rodgers isn’t getting as much most-valuable-player mention as he deserves this season. The Packers look to be peaking at the right time, and they might even have some semblance of a running game.

San Francisco

One and done: The likely loss of Justin Smith to an apparent torn triceps is huge for the 49ers’ defense. And they’re back to square one at wide receiver, with Randy Moss starting and the not-ready rookie A.J. Jenkins potentially pressed into action. San Francisco will have a hard time putting three receivers on the field.

Going all the way: The first half against New England showed how explosive the 49ers can be. They have a lot more deep-strike capability than they did last season, when they almost got to the Super Bowl. They also have a top-shelf running game and defense, assuming Smith comes back.

Washington

One and done: The Redskins won at Philadelphia last Sunday with Robert Griffin III back at quarterback, but their rookie sensation — fresh off a knee sprain — wasn’t running with the same explosiveness he did when healthy. If the threat of his taking off is diminished, what will that do to the effectiveness of the read-option offense?

Going all the way: Doubt RGIII at your peril. The guy has found a way to win with his feet and/or his arm, and he has pumped life and belief back into that organization. If the Redskins were to beat Dallas on Sunday to win the NFC East, they would probably open against a Seattle team that has struggled on the road.

Dallas

One and done: The Cowboys have to win at Washington to reach the playoffs, and they were undone by RGIII on Thanksgiving. Should they reach the postseason, they’ll need consistency from Tony Romo. They are 1-3 in playoff games that he has started.

Going all the way: Romo has been plenty hot lately, as the Cowboys are 3-1 in December. He has completed 66% of his passes over that span, with 10 touchdowns and one interception. If you’re going to catch fire, now is the time.

Seattle

One and done: If there’s an Achilles’ heel for the Seahawks, it’s that they have a spotty history on the road, although they did win their last two away from home — at Chicago, and a laugher over Buffalo in Toronto. It was just a month ago, though, that they lost at Miami.

Going all the way: No team is scarier than Seattle, which scored 58, 50 and 42 in its last three games. With cornerback Richard Sherman winning an appeal of his drug suspension, the defense will keep a key player. Quarterback Russell Wilson has made a compelling case for offensive rookie of the year.

Minnesota

One and done: Just getting into the playoffs will be a major chore for the Vikings, whose “easiest” path is by beating Green Bay on Sunday. No sense looking beyond that hurdle.

Going all the way: With the way he has run this season, less than a year removed from a devastating knee injury, Adrian Peterson has reminded us that we can’t rule out the near-impossible.

Chicago

One and done: The Bears need help getting in, but it’s perfectly plausible that they will qualify. They need to win at Detroit and have the Packers beat the Vikings. If the Bears do get that far, they’re still a team that lost three games in December.

Going all the way: Chicago’s defense looked dominant again in last Sunday’s win at Arizona, scoring a pair of touchdowns. The Bears are loaded with experienced players, and they have the potential to get hot in the playoffs, should they get that far.

New York Giants

One and done: The Giants need all kinds of help to sneak into the postseason. They need to beat Philadelphia and get a Washington win over Dallas, a Detroit win over Chicago, and a Green Bay win over Minnesota.

Going all the way: The Giants are cooked? We’ve been wrong about that before.

sam.farmer@latimes.com

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