2012 NFL Playoffs: Ranking the 12 Playoff MVPs After Divisional Weekend

The playoffs are a chance for NFL stars to shine the brightest, and shine they did.

The NFL playoffs so far have been full of surprises, and at the root of these upsets have been some big names and some surprising young talent.

Here are the 12 players who were most impressive in the playoffs so far.

Calvin Johnson, Detroit Lions

He didn't win a playoff game, but Calvin Johnson proved beyond any question that he is the best receiver in the NFL.

His 211 yards and two touchdowns tell a tale of dominance, but his importance goes beyond numbers.

He was truly the Lions' only offensive threat, and even with a New Orleans Saints defense geared towards stopping him, Johnson was completely dominant.

In 2011, the NFL learned what Calvin Johnson can do with a quarterback. With an extra year's chemistry with Matthew Stafford, Johnson could be even better in 2012.

Arian Foster, Houston Texans

While the Texans are eliminated, Arian Foster cannot be blamed. He has been lights-out in the postseason, accumulating 285 yards in just two playoff games.

Foster dominated both the Cincinnati Bengals and the Baltimore Ravens defenses, two of the better run-stopping units in the NFL. He willed the Texans to a dominating performance against the Bengals, and he was instrumental in keeping the Texans competitive with the Ravens.

All in all, Foster has proven that he is one of the top three backs in the NFL. Hopefully he gets more chances to show what he can do in a playoff setting, because what he's shown so far has been thrilling to watch.

Demaryius Thomas, Denver Broncos

With respects to Tim Tebow, Demaryius Thomas was the catalyst for the Broncos' surprising upset of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Denver and Pittsburgh fans alike will remember Thomas' game-ending touchdown catch for a long time, but lost in the fervor of his amazing play was that he torched the Steelers secondary all game.

The Broncos completely dominated the second quarter, and Thomas was the reason. He got behind the Steelers defense repeatedly, allowing the Broncos to score 20 points in the second quarter alone.

Thomas might not always put up huge numbers with Tebow at quarterback, but he is the perfect fit for the Broncos' deep passing attack.

J.J. Watt, Houston Texans

No defensive player was more dominant in the playoffs than J.J. Watt.

His 3.5 sacks were tied with teammate Brooks Reed for the playoffs lead, and his interception return for a touchdown completely turned the Texans' game against the Bengals.

After a promising, if somewhat quiet, rookie year, J.J. Watt has proven that he will be a name to watch in the future. He looks like a future star.

Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints

Unfortunately, it was too little, too late for Drew Brees against the San Francisco 49ers, but watching Brees in the playoffs was glorious to behold.

Brees threw for 928 yards in just two games. He completely dominated the Lions secondary, and he was remarkable in helping the Saints get back into the game against the 49ers.

While he might not be the best all-around quarterback in the NFL, Brees' assault on the record books shows that he is quite possibly the best pure passer in the NFL.

Brees will be back in the playoffs, and undoubtedly he will shred opposing secondaries again.

Hakeem Nicks, New York Giants

Hakeem Nicks has been great for the Giants in his career, but he seems to be taking the steps toward elite status in the playoffs.

Nicks has been absolutely remarkable for the Giants as they have cruised to two playoff victories. Nicks is among the best jump-ball receivers in the NFL, making him a dynamic goal-line threat.

He also has enough speed to get deep and strong hands to make acrobatic catches. He has used all of his considerable talents to dominate opposing secondaries as the Giants have made their way to the NFC championship game.

If Nicks continues this level of play in 2012, he will be considered among the best receivers in the NFL.

Lardarius Webb, Baltimore Ravens

He might be the most obscure name on this list, but his contributions to the Ravens victory were on display for all to see on Sunday.

Webb completely blanketed anyone he covered, and when T.J. Yates was brave enough to throw his way, Webb made Yates pay.

His two interceptions were extremely impressive, but the way he blanketed receivers was perhaps even more so.

As a free agent in 2012, Webb earned himself a lot of money with his performance against the Texans.

Vernon Davis, San Francisco 49ers

Does anyone remember when Vernon Davis was looking like a bust? No one should remember anymore.

What Davis did against the Saints secondary was remarkable, plowing through defenders and making big plays across the field.

When the 49ers were forced into a shootout, Davis answered the call, taking over the game and giving Alex Smith a tremendous target.

With the game on the line, Davis was at his best, and his performance was instrumental in the 49ers victory.

Ed Reed, Baltimore Ravens

Ed Reed's performance on Sunday completely overshadowed anything else, and it will be remembered by Ravens fans for a very long time.

Reed played with a bit of hesitance all year, but against the Texans, Reed continuously sacrificed his body to attack the ball.

It worked.

Reed came down with an interception, but he also had two passes fall out of his hands.

Reed would not be content, though, until the game was won. On the Texans' last play, Reed flew through the air to bat down Yates' Hail Mary pass, rolling his ankle in the process. Still, he won the Ravens the game.

Worth noting is that his comments on Flacco have been a bit of a hit on his reputation but, really, Reed did not say anything particularly inflammatory. He did, though, put more pressure on Flacco, which could hurt the Ravens' chances.

Watch out for Reed against New England.

Tom Brady, New England Patriots

Watching Tom Brady carve apart the Broncos secondary was like watching an expert surgeon at work. He was precise to the point of being robotic.

Brady has shown this season that he is at the apex of his career in terms of pure passing ability. He can destroy any defense, any time, and if the Patriots are to win a fourth ring, it will come from Brady's obscene passing performances.

To kick off the Patriots' playoff run, Brady dominated the Broncos secondary, throwing for a whopping six touchdowns.

Nothing more needs to be said about Brady. Just enjoy watching him take on the best defense he's faced all year against the Baltimore Ravens.

Alex Smith, San Francisco 49ers

Vernon Davis was on the fringe of being a bust at one point in his career, but Alex Smith actually was one.

Six years into his NFL career, Smith was at a crossroads and nobody really thought he'd amount to anything.

Jim Harbaugh was the only one to believe—but now, everyone has joined Harbaugh on the Alex Smith bandwagon, and for good reason.

In a shootout with Drew Brees, Alex Smith won. There are very few quarterbacks in the league who can say that.

He did it numerous ways: running for a touchdown, throwing accurate deep passes and throwing precision short passes. With Vernon Davis taking over, Smith did his part in finding him in crunch time.

Alex Smith looked like Joe Montana against the Saints, and if he can continue his clutch play, the 49ers could reach the promised land yet again.

Eli Manning, New York Giants

Teams that go 9-7 aren't supposed to make the playoffs, let alone win in them. Someone didn't tell that to Eli Manning.

Not only is Eli leading his team to victory, but he is making it look easy. Manning has been stellar in picking apart the Falcons and the Packers secondaries, avoiding mistakes and making big plays.

Eli may have just turned the corner from good to elite. If that's the case, the Giants might just end up Super Bowl champions.