Every NFL Playoff Team As A Comic Character

The NFL Playoffs begin this weekend, and the bracket is one of the most unexpected line-ups in the last decade.

Traditionally bad teams have run the league, some dark horses snuck into the competition at the last minute, and teams like New England are still finding a way to enter the dance year after year.

Since comics and football are both fun pasttimes, we thought it would be fun to match up this year’s playoff teams with famous comic characters. Every team has a personality, just like all of these characters we love so much.

Take a look as we match up all 12 NFL playoff teams with their perfect comic counterparts.

Miami Dophins – Aqualad

All water connections aside, the Dolphins and Aqualad have one major thing in common – they aren’t really necessary here.

Not to discount the hard work Miami has put in this season, but they stand out as the black sheep of this year’s playoff picture. Sure, they hold their own, but they don’t really compare to Nightwing, Wally West and Raven.

The Dolphins – like Aqualad – are nice to have around, but would you really notice if they were gone?

Detroit Lions – Green Lantern

The passing attack for the Lions is one of the best arial threats in the game, so they’ve earned the right to patrol the night skies as the Lantern.

The thing about the Green Lantern though – he’s never been very interesting on the ground. Hal Jordan can be incredibly bland when he’s not zooming through space, and the Lions running game leaves a lot to be desired.

If these guys stick to the air, they’re one of the coolest shows around.

Oakland Raiders – Carl Grimes

The Raiders have a lot of attitude, grit, and determination. They also play with an incredibly large chip on their shoulder. However, the Raiders are heading into the playoffs without their Rick Grimes-esque fearless leader; Derek Carr.

The All-Star quarterback broke his leg in the second-to-last week of the season, and many of the Raiders’ Super Bowl aspirations were dashed.

Even without Carr, the rest of the team still embodies the young core values of the new-look Raiders, so they still get paired with a Grimes family member. 

And c’mon, that eye patch!

New York Giants – The Sentry

The Giants are the forgotten heroes of the NFL playoffs time and again, when will they start getting the respect they deserve?

Like Sentry, the Kings of The Meadowlands can often be overlooked, but they shine when they’re in the spotlight.

The Giants have missed the playoffs quite a few times in the last ten years, but they’ve also beaten the mighty Patriots in the Super Bowl – twice. Sentry can often be forgotten about, but when you read his comics, you realize just how much he shines.

Houston Texans – War Machine

War Machine is tough, hard-working, and constantly around – just like the Houston Texans. The unfortunate part, is the two are also similar in their biggest flaw: Their lack of a leading man.

War Machine can be great at times, but he will always be the back-up to Iron Man. The Texans can’t find a reliable QB to save their lives, and that lack of a franchise-face is going to cost them.

 

Green Bay Packers – The Human Torch

Heading into the playoffs, no team is hotter than the Green Bay Packers. Aaron Rodgers is having one of his best streaks since coming into the league, and the team is firing on all cylinders.

Their current hot-streak makes them a perfect match for the Human Torch. The team has also adopted a bit of an edge as of late, and that even further solidifies their Johnny Storm status.

 

Pittsburgh Steelers – Bane

Strong, resiliant, and bad to the bone – the Pittsburgh Steelers are matched up with the longtime Batman villain Bane.

If you’re not from Pittsburgh, you probably hate the Steelers. They embrace the bad-boy attitude and continue to wear the badge proudly. The strength of Bane also makes for a great fit, as the Steelers have one of the strongest running games in the league.

And, to top it all off, Bane’s famous stadium scene from The Dark Knight Rises was filmed at Heinz Field. 

 

Seattle Seahawks – Totally Awesome Hulk

The Seahawks are fun, exciting, hard-hitting, intelligent, and – most importantly – green. Sounds like a perfect match for the Hulk.

They don’t get the classic Hulk tag though, as their inventive brand of football is a little more new-age than one might expect from Bruce Banner. Amadeus Cho however, seems right up their alley.

 

Kansas City Chiefs – X-O Manowar

Just like X-O Manowar, the Chiefs are a team that has worked for years to get the recognition they deserve. They’ve never been that bad, but they’ve never been enough to be made fun of. 

Now that they’ve put in the work, the Chiefs are making the entire league aware that they are a powerful force that’s here to stay. The recent runs of Valiant’s cornerstone character X-O Manowar have proven the same.

 

Atlanta Falcons – Sam Wilson

Sam Wilson has been traditionally referred to as The Falcon, so that connection is obvious. But the character traits give him a strong connection to this Atlanta team as well.

The Falcons are a high-flying spectacle of a team, with an offense that is meant to have defenses worried. They’re also a fun-loving bunch that enjoys their time on the field.

With their recent successes, the Falcons are looking more like Captain America-era Sam Wilson.

 

Dallas Cowboys – Spider-Man

The Dallas Cowboys are young, entertaining, and all-around high on life. It’s impossible not to love the show put on by rookies Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott.

Well, unless you live in Philadelphia or D.C.

Spider-Man is a young hero that uses his entertaining antics to cause fans to fall in love with him over the years. He’s a perfect fit for these young Cowboys.

 

New England Patriots – Negan

Led by Tom Brady and Bill Belichick, the New Englad Patriota have spent years molding themselves into the villains of the NFL.

Other teams fear the Patriots, but they also respect them. No matter how much hate is thrown the Pats’ way, it’s impossible to doubt their level of sheer talent and ability.

Negan is the biggest foe of The Walking Dead, and he is not to be messed with. Like the Patriots, he also doesn’t always use the cleanest of methods to get the job done.

Whatever works, right?