The NFL Playoffs get underway this weekend with the Wild-Card Round. Who’s a key player or coach that could have a big impact on each team’s chances to make noise in the postseason?
For this exercise, we’re excluding quarterbacks and head coaches. So, we’ll pick a non-quarterback or an assistant coach for each team.
AFC
Denver Broncos (7-seed): Nik Bonitto, OLB
The obvious choice would be Patrick Surtain II. After all, the elite cornerback is the runaway favorite for NFL Defensive Player of the Year.
Surtain’s impact is enormous on the Denver defense, but we’ll go with Bonitto due to how crucial it will be to pressure the AFC quarterbacks, starting with NFL MVP favorite Josh Allen.
If the Broncos — an 8.5-point road underdog — are to take down the Buffalo Bills, it will surely feature disrupting Allen in the backfield. Allen has been sacked on just 2.82% of his dropbacks this season (the best mark of his career), and that’s played a big part in his outstanding season as a passer.
Bonitto finished third in the NFL with 13.5 sacks sacks this season.
Pittsburgh Steelers (6-seed): T.J. Watt, OLB
The Steelers’ offense has been brutal of late, last topping 17 points scored in Week 14. There’s no reason to expect that to change as the playoffs arrive vs great teams in hostile environments.
We know the Steelers can play defense, at least, and that’s where they’ll have to show out to have a chance to upset the Baltimore Ravens as 9.5-point road underdogs.
Two-time NFL MVP (and likely runner-up this time) Lamar Jackson has been incredible this season, with 41 passing touchdowns (and four rushing touchdowns), four interceptions, and a league-best 119.6 passer rating. It will be up to Watt and the Pittsburgh pass rush to slow Jackson down.
Houston Texans (5-seed): Bobby Slowik, OC
After being a hot head-coaching candidate last offseason, the perception of Slowik has taken a big hit in his second year as offensive coordinator for the Texans.
Houston quarterback C.J. Stroud went from a 2023 rookie season that featured 23 passing touchdowns, five interceptions, an NFL-best 273.9 passing yards per game, and a 100.8 passer rating, to a 2024 sophomore campaign that included 20 passing touchdowns, 12 interceptions, 219.2 passing yards per game, and an 87.0 passer rating.
In what was a potential statement game for the Texans at home on Christmas Day in Week 17, they were embarrassed by the Ravens, 31-2. The Houston offense didn’t score a single point.
Slowik needs to get this offense on track and put Stroud in the best position to succeed if the Texans are going to make any noise in the postseason.
Los Angeles Chargers (4-seed): Quentin Johnston, WR
Rookie wide receiver Ladd McConkey has emerged as the go-to weapon for quarterback Justin Herbert, and the Chargers making a deep playoff run likely features McConkey being highly productive. But Johnston is a huge wild card that the Chargers also need to perform in the postseason.
Johnston, a first-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, has had a rollercoaster ride so far in the pros. The 6-foot-4 wideout had 55 receptions for 711 yards and eight touchdown receptions in his second NFL season. He’s had a few big games, like in Week 18 when he had 13 receptions for 186 yards. But he’s also had brutal drops in key moments and has generally been very inconsistent.
If Johnston can mix in some big plays and not have devastating drops, he can provide a big boost to the Los Angeles offense.
Baltimore Ravens (3-seed): Derrick Henry, RB
Let the big dog eat.
Henry has taken things to another level in Baltimore alongside Lamar Jackson and under the scheming and play-calling of offensive coordinator Todd Monken. In 2024, Henry averaged a career-best 5.9 yards per carry, ran for 1,921 yards, and led the NFL in rushing touchdowns with 16.
The Baltimore offense is a buzzsaw, and it’s picking your poison in terms of focusing on trying to contain Jackson or Henry. When Henry is getting loose or bulldozing the defense, that opens up more for Jackson to work magic as the world’s best dual-threat quarterback.
Buffalo Bills (2-seed): Greg Rousseau, DE
Josh Allen is far and away the face of the Bills, and he’ll likely be the primary factor in deciding how far Buffalo goes this postseason.
But the Bills’ defense will need to step it up if they’re to finally get past the Kansas City Chiefs and other top AFC teams. Being able to pressure the quarterback will be very important, and Buffalo ranked 18th in sacks and 23rd in sack percentage this season. The Bills’ defense will need to be more effective and efficient in the postseason.
Greg Rousseau led Buffalo in sacks this season with eight, and he finished ninth in the NFL in tackles for loss with 16.
Kansas City Chiefs (1-seed): Chris Jones, DT
While Patrick Mahomes has understandably gotten most of the attention among Chiefs players for the organization’s three Super Bowl titles over the last five years (and currently back-to-back championships), Jones has been a game-wrecking force on the defensive side of the ball.
Jones pressures quarterbacks like a premier defensive end, and he does it from the interior of the line at defensive tackle. It’s a nightmare matchup for many interior offensive linemen. And it’s a great weapon to have when you’re trying to prevent quarterbacks like Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, and Justin Herbert from going off.
NFC
Green Bay Packers (7-seed): Josh Jacobs, RB
The Packers are hopeful that quarterback Jordan Love will be able to play in the team’s NFC Wild-Card Round game at the Philadelphia Eagles, but it remains to be seen how effective he’ll be even if he’s able to go. Love left the Packers’ Week 18 loss to the Chicago Bears with an injury to his throwing arm, and he was replaced by Malik Willis.
So, if Love isn’t 100%, Jacobs becomes an even more vital piece to the Green Bay offense.
Jacobs ran for 1,329 yards and 15 touchdowns in the regular season, to go with 36 receptions for 342 yards and a touchdown. He’ll need to be on his A-game to have much success vs an Eagles defense that ranked ninth in rushing yards per carry allowed (4.3) and second in rushing touchdowns allowed (9).
Washington Commanders (6-seed): Kliff Kingsbury, OC
This is a huge opportunity for Kingsbury to show that his offensive scheme and play-calling can succeed deep into the season vs top teams and that he can overcome adjustments by the opposition. And especially when he has to do so with a rookie quarterback (Jayden Daniels), albeit with one that has been excellent this season.
With an impressive postseason showing, Kingsbury — former Arizona Cardinals head coach — would greatly help his chances to land another head-coaching job this offseason.
Minnesota Vikings (5-seed): Brian Flores, DC
Flores is one of the most creative and heat-bringing defensive minds in the sport. He’s been known to (figuratively) put top quarterbacks in a blender.
While superstar wide receiver Justin Jefferson and the play of quarterback Sam Darnold will be of utmost importance, Flores is the x-factor capable of leading the Vikings past the NFL’s top teams. When opposing teams prepare to face Minnesota, game-planning vs Flores will be at the top of their minds.
Los Angeles Rams (4-seed): Puka Nacua, WR
Head coach Sean McVay does a brilliant job scheming players open to begin with, but Nacua finds ways to get open and make big plays on his own.
After battling injury and missing extended time earlier in the season, Nacua performed like an elite receiver the rest of the way. From Weeks 8-17 (the Rams rested key starters in Week 18), Nacua had at least 97 receiving yards seven times.
The receiving duo of Nacua and Cooper Kupp is a big problem for opposing defenses, and Nacua has turned into quarterback Matthew Stafford’s top target.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-seed): Liam Coen, OC
Dave Canales landed a head-coaching job with the Carolina Panthers last offseason after being the Buccaneers’ offensive coordinator in 2023, and Coen could follow that OC-to-HC trend this offseason.
Coen — the University of Kentucky offensive coordinator in 2023 — has taken the Tampa Bay offense to new heights in 2024.
The Bucs ranked third in the NFL in yards per game (399.5) and fourth in points per game (29.5). The offense was both incredibly efficient and balanced, ranking third in the NFL in passing yards per game (250.4) and fourth in rushing yards per game (149.2). Quarterback Baker Mayfield had the best season of his career in many statistical categories, including in passer rating (106.8), where he ranked fourth, and in completion percentage (71.4), where he ranked third.
Philadelphia Eagles (2-seed): Saquon Barkley, RB
How could it be anyone else?
Barkley put together a mind-blowing season, with an NFL-best 2,005 rushing yards (5.8 yards per carry) and 13 rushing touchdowns, to go with 33 receptions for 278 yards and two touchdowns.
Quarterback Jalen Hurts has been in concussion protocol, and his status for the Eagles’ game against the Packers remains in question. If Hurts is unable to go and Kenny Pickett is the Philadelphia starting quarterback, the Eagles will have to count on Barkley even more to carry the load on offense.
Detroit Lions (1-seed): Aaron Glenn, DC
The Lions are incredibly well-coached across the board, with head coach Dan Campbell and offensive coordinator Ben Johnson getting most of the attention. But Glenn has done a fantastic job as well, and there’s a good chance that he — like Johnson — is the head coach of an NFL team in 2025.
Glenn stepped up when the Lions needed him most in Week 18, with Detroit completely shutting down a Minnesota Vikings offense to secure the No. 1 seed in the NFC with a 31-9 beatdown. Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold completed just 18-of-41 passes for 166 yards.
We know that the Lions will be able to score points. Detroit’s offense led the NFL in points per game this season at 33.2. Their Super Bowl hopes will likely depend on the defense being able to perform at least decently to complement the juggernaut offense in the postseason.
