NFL Playoffs 2012: Ranking the Top Performances of Wild Card Weekend

It was most certainly a wild weekend in the NFL thanks to some great Wild Card games. Defensive TDs, turnovers, overtime and even a safety.

Still, there are those players that rose above the rest and dominated regardless of the opponent. So, here are the top performances from the first weekend of this season's NFL playoffs.

5. Eli Manning: QB, Giants (vs Falcons)

Most likely the least appealing Wild Card game of the weekend, the New York Giants hosted the Atlanta Falcons for the right to play at Green Bay in the Divisional round.

Here, Giants QB Eli Manning began slow after a Falcons safety put Big Blue down 2-0 early in the second quarter.

As the game progressed, however, Eli's dominance began to really take part. A TD pass before the half put New York up 7-2 and in a second TD pass to really gain momentum heading into the fourth quarter, Manning connected with Hakeen Nicks for a 72-yard strike late in the third.

Another TD to Mario Manningham late iced the game for the Giants en route to a 24-2 win. Manning finished 23-of-32 for 277 yards and three TDs with no picks. His QB rating was 129.3, the second best performance of his postseason career.

With only nine incompletions heading into Green Bay, there's much confidence and momentum for Manning and Co.

4. Calvin Johnson: WR, Lions (at Saints)

Although the Detroit Lions fell to the New Orleans Saints for a second time in 2011, receiver Calvin Johnson proved to be an unstoppable force.

In being targeted 15 times by QB Matthew Stafford, Johnson caught 12 passes for 211 yards and scored two TDs. He outperformed every other receiver in the game and the next closest was New Orleans' Marques Colston with 120 yards.

The middle of the second quarter was where Megatron scored his first TD to give Detroit a 14-7 lead and they went into halftime up 14-10.

Then it got cold for the Lions. New Orleans went on a 28-7 run from the second half kickoff until Johnson scored again late in the fourth. Regardless of the Saints' plan to start the second half blanketing Johnson, perhaps Stafford should have just targeted him all game long.

As we all know, Megatron is Detroit's only true opportunity to keep pace with a team like New Orleans since the Lions' defense can't stop anyone.

3. Arian Foster: RB, Texans (vs Bengals)

Against the NFL's No. 10 ranked rushing defense that allowed just 104.7 yards per game, Houston running back Arian Foster gained 153 rush yards on 24 carries and scored two TDs.

And it was his second TD that really solidified Houston's place in the playoffs as Foster scored from 32 yards out down the sideline. He ran around and through Cincinnati's tough run defense on that play, which gives the Texans a lot of confidence next week at Baltimore.

For the game Foster averaged 6.4 yards per carry and also caught three passes for 29 yards.

This was a major step up from his first performance against Cincy, because in the regular season meeting Foster only gained 41 yards on 15 carries while also losing a fumble.

Well, he didn't fumble this time and thanks to a supportive defense, carried Houston on the ground with the Ravens' No. 2 ranked rush defense (92.6 yards per game) on his mind.

2. Drew Brees: QB, Saints (vs Lions)

Just another day at the office for Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints.

Needing to outplay Detroit's Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson, Brees knew he needed to have a big game. Well, needless to say it was nothing short of amazing.

33-of-43 for 466 yards and three TDs en route to a 45-28 win and a date with the 49ers in San Francisco, Brees diced up the Lions like he had done to all defenses in 2011.

What's more impressive though, are the zero interceptions.

This marks the fifth straight postseason game where Brees did not throw a pick and he has 13 TDs to zero interceptions in his last five playoff contests.

He finished with a QB rating of 134.4 and although it was against a susceptible Lions defense, you would think that Detroit somewhat knew how to stop Brees having already played him once.

Clearly it didn't matter and now the 49ers are shaking, because if a shootout happens in the Bay Area at Candlestick Park, there's no way Alex Smith can match Brees possession-for-possession.

1. Tim Tebow: QB, Broncos (vs Steelers)

Once again Broncos QB Tim Tebow had a completion percentage below 50 percent in going just 10-of-21 against the Steelers and their No. 1 ranked pass defense.

It was certainly a mismatch as Denver also ranked No. 31 in passing while Tebow had thrown just one TD to four picks and 439 yards combined between the final three regular season games. Needless to say, Denver lost all three to finish 8-8 but were fortunate and still won the AFC West.

Well, despite completing just 47.6 percent of his throws against Pittsburgh, Tebow didn't turn the ball over, was not sacked or pressured like the Steelers had done to an abundance of other QBs, and he bought time better than ever before.

By game's end, Tebow had thrown for 316 yards and two TDs while also rushing for 50 yards on 10 carries, including one rush TD.

Against one of the NFL's best defenses, one of the most polarizing athletes in the world accounted for 366 total yards and scored three TDs without turning the ball over.

Remarkable.

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