Denver Broncos

Jake Plummer AP I look for the Broncos to try and get back to the power game using Reuben Droughns, a good inside runner ... a tough, physical runner. Tatum Bell has played well for them in the second half of the season. He gives them that outside guy, with good speed and a burst. Denver's best chance to advance in the playoffs is to run the football and control the clock. ... The problem is you can't trust Jake Plummer to not make the big mistake in a playoff game. He's a talented quarterback, but you want him to manage the game more and really only throw when you have to. Jake's going to throw for 300 yards and three touchdowns, but it's those two interceptions -- and that last one on that last drive -- that kills you and sends you home from the playoffs. ... The Broncos need to use their two big safeties to intimidate the Colts receivers. John Lynch and Kenoy Kennedy are two of the biggest hitters in the league. They want to keep everything in front of them, and make Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne pay when they come across the middle. Denver needs to go Cover 2 and hammer those guys early and make them question how badly they want to work the middle of the field in the passing game. ... The key for Denver's defense might be Reggie Hayward, if he can generate some pass rush from right end. He's got 10˝ sacks this season and he's playing his best football right now. The Broncos don't want to have to blitz the Colts a lot, and play man coverage behind it, so they've to get some pressure from the four-man rush.

Indianapolis Colts

Peyton Manning AP If there is a way to slow the Colts offense down, it's by loading up on the run and stopping Edgerrin James. They have too many weapons at the receiver position, and obviously their quarterback is playing phenomenally well. But the times they do struggle is usually when they don't get a good run-pass mix. If you can take James away to some degree, it makes them focus on their passing game. And they're going to throw the ball on anybody, but if you can get them a little frustrated and into a throw-throw-throw mode, you have a better chance to succeed. ... The X-factor for the Colts in the playoffs might be their two tight ends, Marcus Pollard and Dallas Clark, both of whom can run very well. They really stretch the middle of the field and make it hard for you to get your safety into the box. Peyton Manning is the best play-action passer in the league. As soon as those safeties start creeping up, he's going to put it in James' belly, pull it out and the defense is going to get caught. ... Robert Mathis is really getting it done. He's turned into Dwight Freeney Jr. this year. They have the ability to get pressure on both sides of an opponent's quarterback now, and force the quarterback to step up into the waiting arms of Montae Reagor on the inside. ... The Colts defense still isn't very physical or very tough, but they've got two excellent pass rushers, and Indy's defensive line still wants to get up field as fast as it can on every snap. If you're Denver, you want to run a lot of draws with that undersized offensive line, and hope Freeney and Mathis are flying right past the ball.

San Diego Chargers

Antonio Gates Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images This is definitely the no-name team in the playoffs. It doesn't get the credit it deserves. The Chargers got one of the toughest, most physical defensive front sevens in the playoffs. Jamal Williams is a stud. Probably one of the most underrated defensive tackles in the league. He's just a block-gobbler as a nose tackle. ... I love their linebackers, too. Randall Godfrey has bounced around, but he's found a home and he's playing great. Donnie Edwards is having a career year, and they've gotten 10 sacks from Steve Foley this season. There are no stars, but they play as well as a unit as anybody I've seen. ... The Jets are a good matchup for the Chargers. Don't be fooled by New York's Week 2 win at San Diego. The Chargers are playing much better football these days . ... To beat San Diego, you've got to attack its corners. You're not going to just line up and pound away at the Chargers front seven. They're too tough, too physical for that. ... Drew Brees right now is making such good decisions with the football. This year he's throwing the ball away when nothing's there. And more than ever he's getting outside of the pocket and making some plays with his feet. ... Teams definitely found out how to defend Antonio Gates a bit more late in the season. His numbers have gone down. He's getting a lot more bracket coverage, with a linebacker and a safety over the top. That's why the state of Keenan McCardell's hamstring is so important. He's the only play-maker they have at receiver. If teams take Gates away, can the Chargers still move the ball? That's the key question.

New York Jets

Curtis Martin Chris Trotman/Getty Images When you look at them objectively, the Jets haven't played well in a while. Their quarterback, Chad Pennington, has been disappointing, especially in big games. But I think what gives the Jets a chance is the 1-2 punch of Curtis Martin and LaMont Jordan at the running back position. Those guys are the engine that drives the offense. ... It's time for Justin McCareins to step up and be the play-maker they thought he would be all season. The primary receiver, Santana Moss, is a smaller guy and he's drawing a lot of double-team coverage, so McCareins needs to draw some of that attention away from Moss. In turn, that would allow Moss to get the ball more, whether it be on screens, reverses or whatever. He needs to make more happen if they're going to advance. ... I actually think Pennington's shoulder is sound enough, but I don't think he was playing all that well before he got hurt. Their passing offense was struggling early in the season. He just hasn't played that well since signing his new contract. ... The Jets need John Abraham to come back strong in order to make a run, but their young guys on defense are going to hold up just fine in the playoffs. You have to like Jonathan Vilma, Victor Hobson and Erik Coleman. They've played in big college games. These games won't be too intimidating for them. ... Where I worry about New York is at cornerback. Donnie Abraham is starting to show some signs of age, and David Barrett has been only average. The Jets' front seven will be solid, and good against the run like they've been all season.

New England Patriots

Corey Dillon Al Bello/Getty Images The Patriots are still the team to beat until somebody actually knocks them off. They've got the rings to prove it. They went into Pittsburgh earlier in the year and the Steelers jumped all over them. But come playoff time, it's different. ... Don't forget, they've got the best coach in the playoffs. In both conferences. Bill Belichick can come up with schemes week in and week out to stop an opponent's offense. People know that Belichick owns Peyton Manning, and he owns the Colts. I think both the Colts and Manning believe that. Belichick is a guy who can definitely get in the head of an opposing team's quarterback. ... It's going to be tough for New England this month if Ty Law isn't healthy at cornerback. The Patriots defense is gritty and tough, but they're going to need Law to help them keep offenses like the Colts in front of them. New England doesn't play well from behind, so it's important it takes the lead in every game. ... That's where Corey Dillon really helps on offense. With Dillon running hard, the Pats do a much better job of controlling the clock and can keep the Colts' and Steelers' offenses off the field. That will also help take the pressure off Tom Brady and get them to their play-action passing game with those speedy receivers down the field. ... There's not a quarterback I'd rather have in the playoffs than Brady, Manning included. Brady is going to make the right decisions, and he's the most mentally tough quarterback in the league. And what a leader. He's the centerpiece of that offense. ... The key will be the Patriots' play at cornerback. If they can get Eugene Wilson and Asante Samuel on the field, they've got a chance.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Ben Roethlisberger AP The Steelers have a big-time swagger to them right now, but they deserve it. They're playing outstanding football in every phase. Winning at Buffalo last week just showed everyone how good and how deep this team is. ... They were good enough to win last week without Ben Roethlisberger, but I don't think they're good enough to win in the playoffs without him. That's why they need his rib injury to be completely healed in time for their divisional game. He gives their whole team such confidence and they can do so many more things with him in there compared to Tommy Maddox. ... If there's anything that scares you, it's that the Steelers are still pretty beat up. They've got some guys like Clark Haggans, Deshea Townsend and Kendrell Bell who may not be 100 percent for the postseason. The one thing that is helpful to them is that they blew some teams out early in the season and got their backups some playing time. That experience helped them last week at Buffalo. ... Duce Staley will be the guy in the backfield for them if he's healthy. He gives you a little bit more wiggle and playmaking ability. Jerome Bettis has been great, and he really played well when Staley went down. But at his age, he can wear down pretty quickly. If you were to ask opposing defensive coordinators who they'd rather face, they'd tell you Bettis. Because if you can penetrate, get into the backfield and make him move and redirect, he's not a guy who's going to be able to beat you outside.

Scout's Take: NFC