NFL Playoff Predictions: One Player on Each Team Who Could Cost His Team a Win

Every NFL player's ultimate goal is to reach the Super Bowl. And now, those on the Giants, Patriots, 49ers and Ravens are one step away from the Promise Land.

And on each of those clubs we're all pretty clear on who the most reliable players are.

For the Giants and Pats, it's the Super Bowl MVP winning quarterbacks, Tom Brady and Eli Manning.

In Baltimore, it's their future Hall of Famers, Ray Lewis and Ed Reed.

And by the Bay, it's the stars of that super front seven, Justin Smith and Patrick Willis.

But how about those players who aren't so reliable? 

Each team has someone that, this week, will have to be on to produce a conference championship.

Baltimore Ravens: Bryant McKinnie, OT

Bryant McKinnie has been a tremendously pleasant surprise for the 2011 Ravens: cut by the Vikings for being overweight and signed late in the preseason, only to become a 16-game starter. 

But last week, the Ravens offensive line showed considerable holes and McKinnie was as responsible as anyone. 

On that Houston Texans' goal line stand late in the third quarter, McKinnie got no movement on the down lineman in front of him and Baltimore is lucky that it didn't cost them the win.

But more of a concern has to be the Ravens' pass protection. Houston has a promising young pair in J.J. Watt and Brooks Reed, but they made those two look like Lawrence Taylor and Leonard Marshall during that second half. And McKinnie was a major reason why. 

We all know that the Patriots' pass defense is among the worst STATISTICALLY in the AFC. But if Mark Anderson and Shaun Ellis play as well as they did Saturday against Denver —along with a good tackle in Orlando Franklin—they won't have to worry about Joe Flacco picking them apart. 

New England Patriots: Kyle Love, DT

The Patriots may run a 3-4, and have one of the NFL's best nose tackles in Vince Wilfork, but they ran a lot of four down lineman fronts against Denver in order to slow down Tim Tebow and the NFL's top running game.

All in all, they did a good job: how else would you describe a 45-10 drubbing? But they did allow a total of 144 yards and in the first half Willis McGahee made some fine runs, including his touchdown.

Denver's read-option, shotgun scheme was a part of that but there were times when the Broncos' offensive line was able to get considerable movement along the Patriots' defensive line.

There's little doubt that Baltimore will try to get Ray Rice the ball early and often in the AFC title game. In that case, the Pats may have to stick with that four-man front, putting  tremendous weight on Love at the point of attack; even if the Ravens double-team Wilfork with Matt Birk and Ben Grubbs or Marshal Yanda, they'll have a Pro Bowl-caliber guard to face Love. 

San Francisco 49ers: Alex Smith, QB

I'll be the hater, the bandwagon holdout.

Alex Smith was incredible last week in the divisional matchup with New Orleans. In many ways—throwing the ball, running the ball, avoiding turnovers—he completely outplayed Drew Brees. 

And maybe that fourth quarter performance was the moment that validated his top selection in 2005 and will springboard him to a great career. 

But even if that is the case, I can't help but believe that he is in for a much different scenario in Candlestick than the one he experienced last Saturday.

Time after time, Smith was able to burn the Saints and blitz-happy Gregg Williams, whether it was on his 28-yard touchdown run or the deep balls to Vernon Davis. 

Perry Fewell and the Giants don't have to use exotic alignments and schemes to pressure the passer: they have the NFL's best front four. They'll either get to Smith with four and force him to throw under pressure, or the seven men in coverage will make a play on the ball. That could lead to turnovers, bad throws or sacks, all of which can ruin the 49ers' Super Bowl dream.

Of course, we've all been wrong about Smith before. 

New York Giants: Antrel Rolle, FS

To be perfectly honest, I agree with Antrel Rolle's recent criticism of 49ers tight end Vernon Davis. (Whether or not he actually should have went on the radio and said as much....that's another matter.)

After all, players still in the postseason should never actively root for any team under any circumstance. Sure it's nice to have a home playoff game, especially a home NFC Championship Game. But rooting? That's for the fans.

Davis and the 49ers very well might regret hoping for a visit from the Giants. 

But they may not. And if that's the case, I expect Davis will have a huge hand in the outcome.

He thrashed the Saints last week, out-leaping the secondary for receptions, eluding tacklers or making the big play over the middle. 

Part of that, however, has to be due to the Saints' blitz-happy approach and the fact that Roman Harper is really more of a linebacker than a safety. The Giants will aim to defend Davis—the 49ers' best offensive player—with more traditional coverages.

Certainly not on every play, but oftentimes, Rolle will be the one charged with man-coverage on Davis or be the player sitting in the deep-half or deep-middle whose responsibility it is to make a play. Since he gives up three inches and more than 50 pounds to Davis, that could be a disaster for the Giants.