It’s that time of year again. Football teams across the country are heading into playoff games, and all are preparing in different ways. Some will try to squeeze in an extra practice or two, others will focus more on watching film and there will be a handful that will treat it like any other game.

So, what’s the secret? What’s the best way to prepare for the postseason?

I’m confident that no matter how you are preparing, your team will fall into one of three categories heading into early November: The underdog, the surprise team or the favorite. Your preparation should be slightly different based on which category your teams falls into. Here are my tips for how each type of team should get ready for the playoffs.

The underdogs

The underdogs have nothing to lose – and that may be what makes them so dangerous. There are lots of reasons a team falls into this category: They may be having a bad year, injuries, new coach, etc. When you are playing on a team that isn’t expected to do much in the postseason, it’s time to pull out all the stops. Encourage your team to shake it up in practice. Focus even more on having fun to keep the team loose and look into some trick plays.

You’ll find that teams don’t mind playing as the underdog when they’re having a good time and can unite over the “us against the world” mindset. Have fun and know that if you’re going down, you’re going down swinging.

The surprise team

Maybe your team wasn’t expected to have the success it had this season, and you don’t know what to expect going into the postseason. You aren’t yet a favorite, but you probably upset some top teams this season – and maybe lost to some you should have beaten.

Getting the best performance out of a surprise team is to focus on the positives of the season. Pretend like the losses never happened and show the team what it is capable of when firing on all cylinders. Talk about building a foundation of success. This will encourage your team that even with a loss, there are bright days ahead – and they could be this season.

The favorite

The favorite will have the largest target on its back and will feel the most pressure heading into the playoffs. They’re expected to win, and anything less than a championship will be considered a disappointment, so it’s important to keep this team in “business as usual” mode.

It will be tempting to try and squeeze in some extra work – and for some teams this may be needed – but keeping your routine the same as during the regular season will give the team confidence in itspreparation and ability. Sometimes, extra work can make players question if you doubt their ability.

The bottom line is this: Every team is going to be different and will prepare differently. Some players will be obsessive in their preparation (think Peyton Manning) and that will work best for them. Others may need to get away and focus on just having fun. Be sensitive to your team and regardless of the outcome, you will have a successful postseason.

Nick Ragsdale is a football-loving, blog-writing contributor to USA Football, an Indianapolis Colts season ticket holder and parent. He likes tacos, movies and short walks on the beach (the sand can get hot).