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Six NFL stars who could power their teams to the Conference Finals this weekend
The NFL playoffs are defined by pressure, and when every scheme has been exhausted and every tendency accounted for, the biggest game-changing moments come down to the league’s stars stepping up and delivering when it matters most.
From the incredible fourth-quarter comeback led by the Chicago Bears’ Caleb Williams to the earth-shattering impact plays created by Houston Texans' edge rusher Will Anderson, many of the games on Wild Card Weekend were decided by individual brilliance.
As we now look ahead to the Divisional Round this weekend, we highlight six players with the talent and form to help power their teams one step closer to the sport’s ultimate prize: Super Bowl LX.
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Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR - Seattle Seahawks
The 23-year-old receiver will be itching to get back on the field after his side enjoyed a first-round bye, and the prospect of a rested Smith-Njigba should strike fear into the heart of the 49ers' secondary when the two sides meet on Sunday.
The talented wideout led the league in receiving yards with 1,793 and tied for third in receiving touchdowns with division rival Puka Nacua of the Los Angeles Rams.
After watching Nacua’s sensational performance in the Rams’ Wild Card win over Carolina, Smith-Njigba will be motivated to remind everyone why he is not only the NFL’s premier receiver but also the frontrunner for Offensive Player of the Year.
As the Seattle Seahawks welcome their divisional rivals to Lumen Field, the All-Pro wideout will be looking to build on the combined 208 receiving yards he piled up across two meetings with San Francisco earlier this season.
The fact that Smigh-Njigba has never scored a touchdown against the team from the Golden Bay will likely be the last thing on his mind when he takes to the field on Sunday.
Instead, his focus will be on sending Seattle to the NFC Conference Finals for the first time since the 2014/15 season.
James Cook, RB - Buffalo Bills
Last weekend's underwhelming performance against Jacksonville doesn't diminish the outstanding season James Cook has had for the Bills.
His impact has been undeniable. The 26-year-old led the league with 1,621 yards on the ground, added 291 through the air, and scored a combined 14 touchdowns.
Cook has proven he is not only one of the league’s top running backs, but also the player Josh Allen leans on most in an offense short on elite pass-catching weapons.
Whilst he only rushed for 46 yards against the Jaguars, we must remember that Jacksonville's defense never allowed more than 75 yards to an opposition tailback all year, despite facing Jonathan Taylor, Christian McCaffrey and Kyren Williams.
Going into Denver, all eyes will be on Josh Allen, but don't be surprised if it's Cook who proves to be the Bills' difference-maker against the imposing defense of the AFC's No.1 seed.
Matthew Stafford, QB - Los Angeles Rams
Even at 37, Stafford has somehow played as well as any quarterback in the league this season, and now finds himself neck and neck with Drake Maye in the MVP race.
He leads the league in passing yards with 4,707 and has left everyone in the dust when it comes to passing touchdowns with 46, twelve more than the Lions' Jared Goff in second.
If that wasn't enough, Stafford passed 60,000 career passing yards this season, becoming only the tenth player in history to reach this mark, and now ranks with the sixth most passing yards of all time.
Stafford's experience and leadership make him a must-watch this week, and as the only starting quarterback left in the playoffs who has won a Super Bowl, he and the Rams have a clear advantage when they go up against a young Chicago Bears team with little playoff experience.
Brock Purdy, QB - San Francisco 49ers
With Brandon Aiyuk sidelined all season with an ankle injury, Nick Bosa tearing his ACL in September, and Fred Warner breaking his ankle in October, even the most loyal San Francisco 49ers fans could be forgiven for doubting whether this team had enough left to reach the playoffs.
But fast forward to January, and head coach Kyle Shanahan has dragged his ailing roster to a 12-5 record despite being in the most competitive division in the league.
A major reason San Francisco has been able to weather the storm is Purdy, the man once dubbed 'Mr Irrelevant' after being drafted with the 262nd and final pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Purdy has steadied the ship, and after a 250+ yards and two touchdown game in a 23-19 win against the reigning champions in Philadelphia, he has San Francisco believing they can go all the way.
The 26-year-old is a proven quantity in the postseason. He powered the 49ers to the 2022 NFC Championship game as a rookie and led them to the Super Bowl the following year before falling just short in a 25-22 overtime loss to Patrick Mahomes and the dominant Kansas City Chiefs.
The odds are stacked against Purdy as he faces Seattle's dominant defense, but if Purdy has proven anything throughout his career, it's that he should never be counted out.
Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson Jr., DE - Houston Texans
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All-Pro Will Anderson and Pro Bowl Danielle Hunter have been the pillars of a Texans defense that is one of the best in the league.
The Texans started the season 0-3 and finished 12-5, thanks in no small part to the contributions of this fearsome duo.
- Read next | NFL Divisional Round playoffs: Can the Patriots overcome the Texans' defensive juggernaut?
Houston’s defense has been suffocating all season, allowing the second fewest points per game while ranking sixth against the pass, fourth against the run, and seventh in the league with 47 sacks.
Over half of that pressure has come from Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson Jr., who have combined for 27 sacks between them.
As they prepare for a road game vs. the Patriots and MVP candidate Drake Maye, Anderson and Hunter will be licking their lips at the prospect of facing an offensive line that struggled against the Chargers in the Wild Card round.
