Each NFL playoff team's fatal flaw: 12 problems that can end a season
Channel: احلم وشاهد
Date: 2019-01-04

NFL playoffs  Every team's fatal flaw'
Each NFL playoff team's fatal flaw: 12 problems that can end a season
Two months ago, the NFL’s heavy hitters looked invincible. Before Cooper Kupp went down and Kareem Hunt went viral. Before Josh Gordon went sideways and the New Orleans Saints went to Dallas.

Now? Each of the NFL’s top four playoff seeds carry some kind of vulnerability into these playoffs, making this one of the most wide-open Super Bowl sprints in recent memory. From top to bottom, any franchise appears legitimately capable of pulling off a string of postseason upsets — a reality underscored by the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles standing as potentially the weakest team in this year’s playoff.

With that in mind, here’s a look at the potential fatal flaw for each team in the NFL postseason.
Achilles: The back end of the defense (linebackers and secondary).

The league-leading 137 penalties on offense are a concern. That would easily be the most consistent problem all season if it weren’t for the fact that the defense can’t stop anyone consistently. At this point, opponents know that K.C.’s linebackers and defensive backs have significant issues holding up in prolonged coverage when pressure doesn’t get home. And they haven’t been consistent filling space in run support, either. There’s a chance safety Eric Berry makes all the difference in scheme discipline and this shores up after the postseason bye week. But Berry won’t be at his peak and is one man inside a back seven in need of playmakers to handle a pass-happy playoff field. In losses this season, opponents have had ample success spreading the Chiefs out and doing damage in intermediate space. While chunk plays (40+ yards) are always a concern, the backbreaker for Kansas City is the league-worst 65 pass plays of 20+ yards given up this season. If the Chiefs can’t solve that, it will bite them again in the postseason.