NFL Playoffs 2012: Each Team's Player with Most Momentum Going into Playoffs

There aren't too many players in the NFL who are hotter than New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees at the moment. But Brees isn't the only man who has been riding high as of late. Every team in the NFL Playoffs has a player who has carried a lot of momentum into the postseason.

It's every athlete's goal to gather some momentum going into the playoffs. A player like Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan can have a solid year in the regular season, but it isn't going to mean a lick if he doesn't preform when it counts: in the playoffs.

Here's a list of every current team's player who has gathered the most momentum going into the playoffs.

Denver Broncos: Demaryius Thomas

I know, not seeing Tim Tebow here might be a shock to you.

However, wide receiver Demaryius Thomas has emerged as Tebow's top target after the loss of Eric Decker to injury.

Needless to say, Thomas has run with the opportunity. He put on a show with some fireworks at the end against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first round of the playoffs. He caught four passes for 201 yards including a walk-off 80-yard touchdown catch in overtime.

But the playoff game wasn't the only time Thomas played well this season.

Thomas caught 25 passes for 448 yards and three touchdowns during the last five games of the regular season. Those are impressive numbers when taking into account the Broncos' weak passing game.

New England Patriots: Tom Brady

I mean, really, who else would it be for the New England Patriots?

With quarterbacks like Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees putting up the type of numbers they are, Tom Brady had a very quiet 5,235-yard, 39-touchdown season this year. His 5,235 yards passing was a personal career high as well.

Despite a lackluster defense and lifeless running game, Brady led the Patriots to a 13-3 record and a first-round bye in the playoffs. That is impressive in and of itself, but one could argue what Rodgers did in Green Bay as even more impressive.

Nonetheless, Brady was fantastic in 2011 and will be carrying in a ton of momentum into the postseason.

Houston Texans: Arian Foster

Many thought that the season was over for the Houston Texans after they lost quarterback Matt Schaub for the season with a foot injury.

They were still going to make the playoffs, but how deep they would go was another question. T.J. Yates did a decent job filling in at quarterback, but his 3-3 touchdown-to-interception ratio during the six games he played left the Texans feeling a little skeptical.

In stepped Arian Foster.

He has run for an average of 114.5 yards per game and five touchdowns in the last five contests, including an impressive 153-yard performance against the Cincinnati Bengals in the first round of the playoffs.

If the Texans are going to beat the Baltimore Ravens in the divisional round, they're going to need a big-time game from Foster.

Baltimore Ravens: Terrell Suggs

Terrell Suggs has made a strong case for the Defensive Player of the Year award this season.

Suggs accumulated 70 tackles, 14 sacks, two interceptions and seven forced fumbles during the regular season.

On top of that, he turned on the jets at the perfect time. He had eights sacks and five forced fumbles in the last six games of the season.

"T-Sizzle" has always been considered to be one of the best pass-rushing outside linebackers in the NFL, but he could have moved his name to the top of the list after his performance in 2011.

New Orleans Saints: Drew Brees

If you happened to pass by Drew Brees on the street and reach out to shake his hand, you might walk away with third-degree burns.

The New Orleans Saints quarterback is hotter than hot and the moment, and quite frankly, he has been all season. 

He has passed for a NFL-record 5,476 yards this season, breaking the previous record held by Dan Marino that he set in 1984.

He has also been shredding apart opposing defenses as of late. During his past four games, Brees has passed for 1,574 yards (393.5 yards per game) 17 touchdowns and only three interceptions.

If he is able to carve his way through the San Francisco 49ers defense next weekend, and potentially outgun Aaron Rodgers the following week, we might just have to give him the MVP award.

San Francisco 49ers: Michael Crabtree

The San Francisco 49ers faithful must be beaming with joy right now.

Yes, they went 13-3 this season and have the best defense in the NFL. Both warrant a very happy and satisfied fanbase.

However, wide receiver Michael Crabtree has finally shown that he can be a legitimate No. 1 receiver or at the very least, a top-tier No. 2 target.

The former top-10 pick of the 2009 NFL draft has always had potential, but injuries and absence from every preseason and training camp of his career have prevented him from establishing a rapport with quarterback Alex Smith.

Well, now the two are finally on the same page. Crabtree has caught 13 passes for 171 yards and two touchdowns during the final two games of the season—although one TD pass was from David Akers.

New York Giants: Eli Manning

Justin Tuck was right—you can't spell "elite" without Eli.

Whether he was telling everyone how to actually spell the word "elite" or if he was referring to Eli Manning being an elite quarterback, he was right either way.

To put it simply, the New York Giants don't make it this far in the season without Manning at quarterback.

It wasn't only the last few games of the season that Manning has gathered some momentum either. Besides his stellar performance against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 17, Manning wasn't playing all that well.

Manning has actually been gathering momentum the entire 2011 season. He arguably had the best season of his career and put the team on his back as he carried them to the postseason.

The Giants are a very dangerous team right now, especially with Manning under center.

Green Bay Packers: Jordy Nelson

Whether you want to believe it or not, Jordy Nelson is now a regular of the Lambeau Leap.

The Green Bay Packers wide receiver has silenced his critics this year after his impressive 1,263-yard, 15-touchdown season.

Even if there are people out there who still think Aaron Rodgers is equally responsible for Nelson's production in the NFL, I assure you that they have quieted down as of late.

During the last two games of the regular season, Nelson caught 15 passes for 277 yards and five touchdowns.

With Greg Jennings' absence, it's safe to say that Nelson has become Rodgers' new favorite target.