NFL Conference Playoff Game Changers

Guys like Peyton Manning, Adrian Peterson, Brett Favre, Reggie Bush and Drew Brees will get the attention during the AFC and NFC Championship games, but what about anyone else? Which unheralded player(s) this week will become the X-FACTOR.

AFC Championship game – Sunday 3:00 PM ET – Jets at Colts

Jets RB Shonn Greene: The Colts D will be prepared for the run; they know the Jets won’t change their game plan especially since it has been working so well.

However the Colts’ D is small compared to the big Jets offensive line and Thomas Jones and Shonn Greene will take advantage of that.

Green has become the number one running weapon in the playoffs for the Jets, he is big, quick and wears outs the defense by pounding on the opposing defenses the entire game.

Green found the end zone in both playoffs games this year, with 135 yards against the Bengals and 128 against the Chargers.

Colts LB Gary Brackett: Indy won’t be expecting Mark Sanchez and the Jets offense to start throwing the ball early in the game. They will be content to defend the run and as I mentioned before, the Colts defense will need some help from the linebackers and Brackett could be a solution to stopping the Jets rushing game.

Brackett can contain both Jets running backs if he can read Sanchez and anticipate the snap and react faster than the Jets offensive line.

AFC Championship Game Odds:

New York Jets +7
Indianapolis Colts -7
O /U 39

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NFC Championship game Sunday 6:40 PM ET – Vikings at Saints

Vikings RB Adrian Peterson: I know you’re probably thinking how a guy like Peterson could be considered an X factor with his skills. Well, the reason being is that he hasn’t delivered in the most recent games. In fact, he only reached the 100 rushing yards mark three times this season. The Vikings need more from him.

He is averaging 66.1 rushing yards since the last time he ran for more than 100 yards in the season which was 8 games ago. The Saints might give the respect Peterson deserves at the beginning of the game but if he doesn’t produce early and often the New Orleans defense will rushing the passer or dropping their linebackers back to help in coverage.

Saints WR Robert Meachem: At the beginning of the season Robert Meachem wasn’t on any scouting report but he has gotten a lot of attention by scoring this year.

Even though he might not play due to an ankle injury but if he does play Meachem will be an important target for Drew Brees especially if you consider that he has great hands and can jump to make the catch.

The Vikings will be trying to first eliminate Marques Colston from the passing game, then Reggie Bush and finally Jeremy Shockey. This will allow Meachem to play in single coverage.

Expect Brees to look for him for the long ball.

NFL Playoffs Lines:

Minnesota Vikings +3
New Orleans Saints -3
O /U 52

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