NFL Playoffs 2012: Players Who Will Cement Their Place as NFL Stars

Look no further than the 2012 NFL playoffs and Andre Johnson, Victor Cruz and Matthew Stafford if you want to see a player cement himself as a star in this league.

The biggest moments in the sport demand big performances from players, and more often than not it's the stars that have to step up and do some heavy lifting.

These three players have been great at times, but in order to really cement yourself as a star in this league you have to make it happen in the playoffs.

Let's break down their regular-season performances and look forward to how they will cement themselves as stars:

Andre Johnson, WR, Houston Texans

I don't think it's a stretch to say that Johnson is the star player for the Texans, and many consider him to be one of the best receivers in the league.

His 706 receptions 9,656 yards and 52 touchdowns in his nine years with the Texans goes a long ways toward proving that point, but he and the Texans have never been to the playoffs.

Now that they are finally in, Johnson has the chance to step up and prove that he is indeed a star in this league, and he can make it happen when the games really matter.

He had a rough season this year dealing with injuries and thus only played in seven games, but he's going to be active against the Bengals.

Snagging a few touchdowns and leading the Texans to their first-ever playoff win would be huge for Johnson.

Victor Cruz, WR, New York Giants

Victor Cruz came out of nowhere to establish himself as at least the second best receiver on the Giants squad, and some would argue that he's the most explosive.

He's got incredible speed and good hands, which led him to 1,536 yards and nine touchdowns this season.

He's quickly becoming Eli Manning's favorite target, and if he can remain hot and help the Giants win in the playoffs he will go from a surprise player to a legit star.

Matthew Stafford, QB, Detroit Lions

There's no doubting that Matthew Stafford is a star player for the Detroit Lions, and he's starting to cement himself as one of the better quarterbacks in the league.

He had an incredible season, with 5,038 yards and 41 touchdowns, and he also managed to stay healthy.

We all know that quarterbacks aren't measured by regular-season success in the NFL, though, so he's gotta play big in the Lions matchup against the Saints.

For the record, I don't expect the Lions to win, but I do expect Stafford to have a good game and prove that he deserves to be called a star.