Ranking the Biggest X-Factor on Each NFL Playoff Team

Every NFL team has an x-factor: An important player who has a hard-to-describe influence on the game. These players can produce from a statistical standpoint or even affect the game by doing the little things.

An x-factor doesn't always have to be the best player on the team, however. There are some under-the-radar players in the NFL who have as big of an impact on the game as the superstars.

The San Francisco 49ers defensive end Justin Smith isn't one of the superstars on the team like Vernon Davis or Patrick Willis. However, he has as big an impact on the game as Davis and Willis, if not more.

Here's a list of every playoff team's x-factor, as well as a power ranking.

X-Factors on Each Previously Eliminated Team (In No Particular Order)

Cincinnati Bengals: Rey Maualuga 

He was instrumental in the Bengals' overall improvement on defense in 2011.

Denver Broncos: Demetrius Thomas

The former first-round pick showed promise this year. He stepped up big when Eric Decker went down with an injury. 

Pittsburgh Steelers: Antonio Brown

He had the second-most all-purpose yards in 2011. 

Detroit Lions: Calvin Johnson

I think he's the best wide receiver in the NFL. He's constantly double teamed which opens up lanes for his teammates to make plays.

Atlanta Falcons: Thomas DeCoud

He very quietly had a solid year in 2011. 

New Orleans Saints: Darren Sproles

He led the league in all-purpose yards during the regular season. He was also probably the best free-agent signing last offseason.

6. Houston Texans: J.J. Watt

Very seldom do we have a defensive lineman make the impact that J.J. Watt did his rookie year. It generally takes players a year or two to adjust to the speed and skill level in the NFL, but there was no such thing as a learning curve for Watt.

He is the perfect defensive end for Wade Phillips' 3-4 scheme. He's big, strong and athletic. What separates him from the rest of the pack is his non-stop motor which is crucial for defensive linemen to possess in the NFL.

He has made countless tackles downfield that a typical defensive lineman has no business making. He was also one of the major reasons why the Houston Texans have the fourth-best run defense in the NFL.

It's plays like this that assure the fact that he's going to have a bright future. Those types of game-changing plays also warrant nicknames. Teammate Connor Barwin has officially deemed Watt's new nickname "The Milk Man" because he always delivers.

It's also because he's white, but I believe it has to do more with the former rather than the latter.

5. New York Giants: Jason Pierre-Paul

In just two seasons in the NFL, Jason Pierre-Paul has forced us to mention his name with Jarred Allen and Julius Peppers as being one of the best defensive ends in the NFL.

The New York Giants rely on a persistent and disruptive pass rush from their defensive linemen in order to be successful. The secondary is a bit suspect, so the quicker the defensive ends get to the quarterback, the better.

With Pierre-Paul and Justin Tuck coming off of the edges, they can sometimes get away with that.

Pierre-Paul is a freak of nature athletically and uses it to his advantage in more ways than just rushing the passer.

He accumulated 86 tackles this season, which was the most of any defensive lineman in the NFL. He also had 16.5 sacks during the regular season, which was the fourth-most in the league.

Most impressive were his 23 tackles for a loss and 29 quarterback hits during the season, which, you guessed it, were the most of any defensive lineman.

His blocked kick against the Dallas Cowboys proves that he can truly do it all.

4. New England Patriots: Wes Welker

There were so many players to choose from on the New England Patriots. It was very tempting to pick Tom Brady as Patriots' x-factor, but Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez were also worthy candidates.

However, Wes Welker simply had a fantastic year in 2012.

His basic statistics indicated that he was one of the best wide receivers in the NFL. He led the league with 122 catches and had the second-most receiving yards with 1,569.

But those stats don't tell the whole story.

He led the league with 77 first down catches—tied with Calvin Johnson and Roddy White—which is one of the most underrated statistics for wide receivers. He also led the league with 732 yards after the catch.

Welker is the best slot receiver in the NFL, although having Brady as your quarterback surely doesn't hurt.

3. Baltimore Ravens: Ray Rice

The Baltimore Ravens offense goes where Ray Rice takes it.

Put simply, he is the offense.

He was third in the NFL in all-purpose yardage, but that could be a bit misleading. Darren Sproles and Antonio Brown are ranked ahead of him, but that's because they return both punts and kicks.

With the exception of possibly Sproles or LeSean McCoy, there really isn't a more versatile running back to compare to. Rice can catch the ball out of the backfield (76 receptions for 704 yards) and run it on the ground as well (291 carries for 1,364 yards.)

In the four games the Ravens lost during the regular season, Rice ran the ball only 36 times collectively. He did catch 27 passes for 201 yards, but the Ravens are a run-first team and tend to struggle when they deviate from that game plan.

2. San Francisco 49ers: Justin Smith

Everything the San Francisco 49ers defense was able to achieve this year was greatly due in part to Justin Smith.

Not many 3-4 defensive ends can do what Smith does because he is instrumental in both run defense and rushing the passer.

During running plays, he constantly demands double teams which allow his teammates, specifically linebackers Patrick Willis and NaVorro Bowman, to remain unblocked and make plays on the running backs.

On top of that, he has also compiled 7.5 sacks, which is very impressive for a player playing his position. But it's not only the sacks that tell the whole story.

Smith has one of the best bull-rushes in the NFL and is able to push any offensive lineman backwards in order to collapse the pocket. Even though it doesn't show up on the stat sheet, the 49ers thrived on collapsing the quarterback's passing pocket.

Smith was the main reason the 49ers were able to supply a ton of pressure while only rushing four linemen.

He was also the MVP of the 49ers defense this year, and quite possibly the NFL.

1. Green Bay Packers: Aaron Rodgers

Aaron Rodgers is the best x-factor left in the playoffs and it's hard to argue otherwise.

Yes, he is the team's best player and arguably the best player in the NFL. But everything the Green Bay Packers, the highest scoring team in the NFL, do on offense runs through Rodgers.

We all know about the jaw-dropping numbers that he puts up. His 45-6 touchdown to interception ratio is hard to fathom. His 68 percent completion percentage is simply incredible. His ability to move around in the pocket and buy extra time is something that no other "pocket-passing" quarterback possesses.

However, one skill that I think is surprisingly underrated is his ability to spread the ball all over the field.

Are you guys ready for the stat of the year? Rodgers completed passes to at least nine different targets in 11 games this year, including 12 during the Atlanta Falcons game Week 5.

This benefits the Packers in two ways.

First, it prevents defenses from focusing too much on one or two certain receivers because Rodgers can throw to anyone at any time.

Second, it keeps everyone on the offense in the flow of things, as well as mentally and physically in the game at all times. Even if you're the fifth-string tight end or the fourth backup option on a specific play, the ball could be coming your way on any given play. Not only does that keep everyone happy, but it keeps players loose and ready to make a play at a moment's notice. 

Rodgers does so much more than just put up gawking numbers.