It will be a tough fight but it is every year.
Over the last 16 years, there has been significant turnover among playoff teams with 50% of playoff teams not making the playoffs the following year.
The below article is from September of last year so it doesn't cover the 2011 season but again, of the 12 playoff teams in 2010, only 6 of those ended up making the playoffs in 2011.
Making the playoffs both years were New Orleans, Green Bay, Atlanta, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, and the Cheatriots***.
2010 playoff teams Seattle, Philly, Chicago, the Jets, Colts and Chiefs failed to repeat and were replaced by Detroit, the Giants, San Francisco, Cincinnati, Houston, and Denver.
"In every year since 1996, at least five of the teams that made the playoffs the prior year ended up on the outside looking in."
http://profootballta...ayoff-turnover/