Bucs, Ravens strike fear in their playoffs opponents.(Tampa Bay Buccaneers; Baltimore Ravens)

With the playoffs getting underway this weekend, everyone wants to know who the favorites are in each conference, but there aren't any. It's the crappiest of crapshoots. If the editors would let me ramble, I could construct a plausible argument for every qualifier.

Last Sunday, the Lions got wrapped up in the spirit of the season and gave the Rams playoff life. In this topsy-turvy season, how fitting would it be if Rams quarterback Kurt Warner caught fire and set the rest of the NFC ablaze? That possibility can't be discounted. Heck, these guys weren't even supposed to be playing. It's rare when a defending champion is the lowly sixth seed and the conference underdog. History says it is a long shot that the Rams will repeat, but talent (mostly on offense) could say otherwise.

Though there isn't a clear-cut, put-your-money-where-your-mouth-is lock for Super Bowl 3 5, there are a couple of teams that scare would-be opponents more than others. Last week, I spoke with a number of coaches and scouts from both playoff and non-playoff teams alike, and the general consensus was that nobody wants to face Tampa Bay or Baltimore.

Here are some reasons why, plus a a look at two players who will play pivotal roles for teams that might face Tampa Bay or Baltimore.

The Buccaneers

Shaun King's inconsistency casts some major doubts on the team, but the second-year quarterback showed some moxie in crunch time on December 18 in the team's playoff-clinching, shoot-out victory over the Rams--a defining game for a team whose scores usually resemble a Supreme Court vote. King doesn't have the skills to bring his team back from a large deficit or carry the offense when the running game bogs down, but guys such as defensive tackle Warren Sapp and running back Warrick Dunn rarely put him in those situations. In a league filled with skilled technicians, King is a handyman who simply finds ways to get the job done. But with such a stifling defense and diverse ground attack, all King really needs is a set of pliers and some duct tape.

What separates coach Tony Dungy's team from the wannabes is its opportunistic defense and special teams. Before discovering balance against the Rams, it was almost dumb luck if the offense scored-though it hardly seemed that way on any of the team's seven return touchdowns. In fact, this unit shifts from defense to offense more effectively than the hometown Lightning of the NHL.