2012 NFL Playoffs: 8 Clutch Players Who Are Built for Prime-Time Games

The Wild Card Round of the 2012 NFL playoffs is in the books, and with it went the wild cards, as the eight division champions will do battle next week for a shot at a conference title game appearance and potential Super Bowl berth.

Each of those teams has at least one (and in many cases, more than one) player that seems to always come up biggest when the spotlight shines brightest, including the esteemed group of NFL stars listed here.

Tom Brady: QB, New England Patriots

After leading the New England Patriots to a victory over the heavily favored St. Louis Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI, quarterback Tom Brady sent a message to the rest of the NFL that he's as clutch as they come.

And on the heels of a career-high 5,235 passing yards, Brady has the Patriots poised to make another run at a championship.

Ray Lewis: LB, Baltimore Ravens

Linebacker Ray Lewis is the last remaining player on the roster from the Baltimore Ravens' inaugural season, and the 13-time Pro Bowler has come up huge for the Ravens when they needed him most innumerable times, averaging more than 115 tackles a season over the last 11 years.

Arian Foster: RB, Houston Texans

The Houston Texans earned their first postseason victory in franchise history with a win over the Cincinnati Bengals last week, and third-year running back Arian Foster was a huge part of the reason why, racking up more than 190 total yards and scoring a pair of touchdowns.

Tim Tebow: QB, Denver Broncos

He may not make it look pretty, but there's no denying that Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow seems to step up his game when it matters most, including in last weekend's wild win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, when the second-year pro threw for 316 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for another score.

Charles Woodson: CB, Green Bay Packers

Quarterback Aaron Rodgers may well be the most valuable player in the National Football League this season, but cornerback Charles Woodson is the leader of the Green Bay Packers defense, and with 54 career interceptions and 11 career touchdowns Woodson always seems to come up with the big play when needed.

Patrick Willis: LB, San Francisco 49ers

Linebacker Patrick Willis of the San Francisco 49ers is the unquestioned leader of the National Football League's fourth-ranked defense, and after averaging nearly 140 tackles a season over his five-year career Willis gets to wreak havoc in the playoffs for the first time this year.

Drew Brees: QB, New Orleans Saints

As goes quarterback Drew Brees so go the New Orleans Saints, and after throwing for an NFL-record 5,476 yards in 2011, the 11-year veteran seems poised to lead the Saints deep into the playoffs and quite possibly all the way to Indianapolis.

Eli Manning: QB, New York Giants

New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning threw for a career-high 4,933 yards in 2011, and as the eigh-year pro showed in leading the G-Men to a win over the undefeated New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII, Manning is one of the most clutch performers in the NFL at his position.