NFC Championship Game 2012: Ranking the 4 Most Important Players

The New York Giants face the San Francisco 49ers in Sunday's NFC championship game, with the winner heading to Indianapolis and the Super Bowl.

Both teams feature some serious playmakers, guys who will need to step up for their respective teams in a big way if they are to hope to earn this all-important win.

In the following slides, I detail two players from each team that will make the biggest impact on Sunday's game.

QB Eli Manning, New York Giants

As a team, The New York Giants have been on fire in the playoffs, and much of that has to do with the excellent performances put up by their quarterback, Eli Manning.

Manning has thrown for 607 yards for six touchdowns and a single interception in his team's two playoff games. He's been sacked just twice and has completed passes to nearly every eligible receiver on his offense.

Should the Giants beat the Niners on Sunday, it will be because of what Manning manages to accomplish against the league's best defense.

If he can avoid multiple interceptions and shake the considerable pressure he's sure to face, then he should be able to complete enough passes and score enough touchdowns to build a lead.

If he cannot, it's going to be a long, difficult day for the Giants. Without Manning performing at a high level, the Giants don't have a chance of winning. He's easily the single most important player for New York this week.

LB Aldon Smith, San Francisco 49ers

Rookie San Francisco 49ers linebacker Aldon Smith is the team's sack leader this season, with 14 in the regular season and one last week on New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees.

His addition has turned the 49ers' defense from strong to dominant this season and there's no doubt he will play a major role in Sunday's NFC championship matchup against the New York Giants.

Giants quarterback Eli Manning has been sacked just twice in his two playoff games, but that number is likely to increase on Sunday when he faces Smith and the other 49ers linebackers.

When the two teams met in the regular season, Manning was sacked just once and not by Smith. However, as the team's most ferocious pass rusher, Smith is clearly one of the most important 49ers to take the field on Sunday.

If he manages to do what he's done well all season long, it's going to be a struggle for Manning to lead his team to victory.

DE Jason Pierre-Paul, New York Giants

The San Francisco 49ers aren't the only team taking the field in this game that has a brutal pass rush. The hallmark of the New York Giants defense is how well and how often they can get to opposing quarterbacks, and they'll surely be seeking to do more of the same in this Sunday's NFC championship game.

First and foremost in that effort is second-year defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul, who has the most sacks of any Giants defender this season, with 16.5. He also has two forced fumbles in the regular season and 86 total tackles.

Pierre-Paul has had an amazing season and his presence is likely to be felt against the 49ers offense on Sunday. Even if he doesn't manage to sack San Francisco quarterback Alex Smith, the amount of pressure he brings on every play could be enough to force him into making bad throws or perhaps even an interception.

The Giants' overall pass-rushing success this year has been up and down, but Pierre-Paul has been consistently playing at a high level. He's easily the most important player the Giants will field on defense this week.

TE Vernon Davis, San Francisco 49ers

Though 2011 wasn't the best year of San Francisco 49ers tight end Vernon Davis' six-year career, his performance in the team's divisional round playoff win over the New Orleans Saints last week has proven how invaluable he is to San Francisco's offense.

On the year, Davis has 67 receptions for 792 yards and six scores, and last week caught seven passes for 180 yards and two touchdowns. The yardage is the highest ever gained by a tight end in a playoff game, and it represents just how useful a talented tight end can be to his quarterback.

Niners quarterback Alex Smith has had the best year of his career, with 17 touchdowns to just 5 interceptions. However, the 49ers' passing offense has been mainly conservative, with Smith averaging just under 200 yards per game in the regular season.

Big plays don't come easily or often for Smith, but when they do, they most reliably come from Davis. In last week's win, Smith targeted Davis 10 times, the same amount of passes thrown to wide receiver Michael Crabtree.

However, Crabtree wasn't as sure-handed as Davis, hauling in just four of them, albeit one for a score. If Smith is going to move the ball down the field with his arm, then he's likely going to be looking for Davis most often.

A talented tight end is one of the most important things a team can have, and it's because the Niners have one that they've made it past the Saints and into the NFC championship game.