For the better part of this season, there was no clear "best" team in the NFL. For awhile, the Texans and the Falcons were the frontrunners, but they've been somewhat off their game coming down the stretch. Meanwhile, teams like the Broncos, Patriots, Seahawks and Redskins have hit their stride.
Of the teams mentioned above, the most intriguing team is the Denver Broncos. Peyton Manning has been a thorn in the side of 31 NFL teams since he was drafted in 1998, and that's what made the Broncos' early struggles so confusing. They quickly grew out of those struggles.
Over the past ten games, the Broncos have been nearly flawless, winning all ten games by a total of seven points or more, and six of those games were won by a total of ten or more points.
The Broncos haven't exactly had a cupcake schedule either. Over the past ten games, the Broncos have played the Chargers (twice), Saints, Bengals, and the Ravens.
The Broncos have a tough road to the Super Bowl in front of them. If the current standings hold up for another week, the Broncos would likely host the Patriots in the divisional round of the playoffs. Should they move on, they would almost certainly face the Texans or the Ravens, although it's very possible the Bengals or the Colts could find themselves in Denver at some point too.
If I was a betting man, which I'm not due to an unfortunate amount of bad luck, I would be putting my money on the Denver Broncos and Peyton Manning.
