NFL Playoff Schedule 2012: Stars Under High Pressure in Conference Title Games

The Lombardi Trophy is up for grabs following the elimination of the Green Bay Packers on Sunday. While Tom Brady's New England Patriots are now the odds-on favorite to capture the NFL's ultimate prize, there are three other teams just as hungry to emerge victorious.

Here are three stars from those “other” contenders that will need to step up during conference championship weekend.

Ray Lewis

It appears rumors of Lewis' demise were greatly exaggerated because he looked like the same dominant force he's always been versus the Houston Texans. Few defensive players in the history of the NFL have had the impact on a unit as Lewis has with the Baltimore Ravens defense.

Lewis and Co. face a very difficult test against the aforementioned Brady next weekend. It will be up to him to make sure his teammates are prepared to slow down New England's high-powered offense, including the tight end duo of Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez.

Lewis has certainly lost a step or two since his prime, but he's still the most competitive guy on the field at all times. He'll need every ounce of that internal fire to keep those tight ends in check. It's a game where Lewis can assert that he's still one of the league's premier players.

Hakeem Nicks

Nicks is off to one of the biggest starts in postseason history, but with great results come sky-high expectations. That's a lot of pressure to deal with for the New York Giants star while going up against an elite defense like that of the San Francisco 49ers.

Now that he has four touchdowns in two games, you know the 49ers are going to focus on shutting him down and forcing Eli Manning to look elsewhere. While Victor Cruz and Mario Manningham are both solid targets, the onus is still on Nicks to make a few momentum-changing plays down the field.

He's been able to tear up two subpar secondary groups, but will he be able to match that success next Sunday? It's a question that could very well end up deciding which team advances to the Super Bowl.

Alex Smith

Even though he still isn't receiving the national respect he deserves, Smith is playing a prominent role in the 49ers' rise. He's never going to become an elite passer, but he fits the system perfectly and forces defense to stop stacking the box against Frank Gore.

The Giants defense, led by its vaunted pass rush, has rounded into form at exactly the right time. After dealing with injuries for the entire season, the unit stepped up in a huge way over the past two weeks to shut down Matt Ryan and Aaron Rodgers.

Both those quarterbacks have better a reputation than Smith, so now's the time for San Francisco's signal-caller to step up and prove he can lead a Super Bowl offense.