2012 NFL Playoffs: 5 Biggest Untold Storylines of the Playoffs

Ok, so enough about Tom Brady, Eli Manning, Tim Tebow and all the other storylines we've had crammed down our throats ad nauseam over the past three weeks.

What about some of the storylines that were conveniently (for certain teams/players) swept under the rug as the 2012 NFL Playoffs continued to gain steam?

We live in a day and age where very few things go ignored, but there were a few under-the-radar topics that caught our eye over the past month.

Let's examine the top five untold storylines of the 2012 NFL Playoffs.

5. Alex Smith's Story of Redemption

Coming into the 2012 postseason, Alex Smith was known as a "game manager"—he exits the playoffs as a legit NFL quarterback.

In two games, Smith racked up 495 yards passing and five touchdowns (zero interceptions) en route to a QB Rating of 101.0.

Had the 49ers been able to catch a couple breaks, we would be talking about an Alex Smith versus Tom Brady matchup in less than two weeks.

Although the 49ers may look to add some depth at the quarterback position during the offseason, it's clear that head coach Jim Harbaugh has found his man.

4. Houston Texans' Injury Situation

Despite three interceptions and a 28.8 QB Rating from third-string quarterback T.J. Yates, the Houston Texans still managed to lose by just seven points to the Baltimore Ravens in the second round of the playoffs.

How would this game had turned out if Matt Schaub were at quarterback and Mario Williams were starting at outside linebacker?

Furthermore, would the Texans have been playing this game at home if Schaub hadn't been knocked out for the season in Week 10?

We all know injuries play a major role in the NFL game, but I'm surprised we didn't hear more about the Texans hanging with the Ravens in spite of T.J. Yates' performance.

3. Ndamukong Suh's Disappearance

For all the talk we hear coming from the enigmatic Detroit Lions defensive end Ndamukong Suh, he sure was awfully quiet in their first-round game against the New Orleans Saints.

Suh did not record a single tackle in the game and was credited with three assists and a half-sack.

We heard a lot about Calvin Johnson's epic performance (12 receptions for 211 yards and two touchdowns), but Suh's goose egg versus the Saints garnered very little attention from the media.

2. New Orleans Saints Defense Giving Up 64 Points in Two Games

We heard all about Drew Brees and the Saints' high-powered offense, but very little was discussed regarding the combined 64 points the Saints defense surrendered over their two playoff games.

Both the Lions and the San Francisco 49ers were able to go over the 400-yard mark in total offense against a porous Saints defense that never seemed in-sync with one another.

New Orleans must upgrade at numerous positions on defense if they have any plans of returning to the Super Bowl with Drew Brees at quarterback.

1. Aaron Rodgers' Underwhelming Performance

Aaron Rodgers was having what many were calling the greatest season in NFL history in 2011-12, until it all came crashing down against the New York Giants in the second round of the playoffs.

Rodgers' 122.5 QB rating during the regular season was the highest in NFL history, which makes his 78.5 rating against the Giants that much more puzzling.

Rodgers averaged just 5.7 yards per attempt against New York after averaging 9.2 yards per attempt over 15 regular-season starts.

He also lost his first fumble of the season against the Giants—another very little known fact about this underwhelming postseason performance.