Packers vs. Seahawks: Unheralded Players Set to Shine in NFC Championship Game

The Seattle Seahawks and Green Bay Packers look like evenly matched teams on paper, which is why it is easy to envision their NFC championship clash being decided by some unexpected contributors.

There is no denying that the Seahawks and Packers have gotten to this point by virtue of their star players performing at a high level. The likes of Russell Wilson, Marshawn Lynch and Richard Sherman have been lights out for Seattle. Similarly, Green Bay has enjoyed fine performances from Aaron Rodgers, Jordy Nelson and Clay Matthews.

At the same time, both teams have strong role players capable of stepping up and making big plays in important moments. Here is a closer look at some of those players and a breakdown of why they'll have a major impact on the NFC Championship Game.

Ricardo Lockette

Seahawks wide receiver Ricardo Lockette doesn't have a particularly long track record of statistical success, but the 28-year-old wideout has made some explosive plays when given the opportunity.

During the regular season, Lockette caught just 11 passes, but they went for 195 yards and two touchdowns. With a yards-per-catch average of nearly 18, it is clear that Wilson doesn't shy away from looking in his direction down the field.

Lockette should have even more opportunities to contribute than usual as rookie wide receiver Paul Richardson is out with a torn ACL. In the wake of that unfortunate news, head coach Pete Carroll tabbed Lockette as someone who he expects to step up, according to Curtis Crabtree of Sports Radio KJR:

Interestingly enough, Lockette enjoyed his best game of the season in Week 1 against the Pack. He caught a pair of passes for 38 yards, including a 33-yard touchdown. The Green Bay defense allowed 26 touchdown passes during the regular season, which means it can be thrown on, and that bodes well for Lockette.

Perhaps the one thing working against Lockette is his volatility. That was on full display last week against the Carolina Panthers when a boneheaded penalty knocked the Seahawks out of field-goal range, per Gregg Bell of The News Tribune:

It can be argued that those types of actions will give Carroll pause in terms of putting Lockette on the field, but it certainly seems as though he has the inside track at being the No. 3 receiver in this game.

If he can get behind the defense even one time Sunday, then he'll have a major effect on the result of the game.

Andrew Quarless

The tight end position wasn't featured heavily in Green Bay's offense during the regular season, but Andrew Quarless is a physically gifted player who has served as a nice safety valve for Rodgers over the past couple years.

Quarless caught 29 passes for 323 yards and three touchdowns this season, which is certainly modest production. A big reason for that, though, is the fact that he has to share touches with wide receivers Nelson, Randall Cobb and Davante Adams as well as running back Eddie Lacy.

When the Dallas Cowboys decided to take Nelson out of the game last week, Quarless stepped up. The former Penn State star made four grabs for 31 yards and a touchdown, which was a huge help in terms of knocking off the Cowboys.

As pointed out by NFL.com's Gregg Rosenthal, Quarless has made the most of his opportunities over the years:

In addition to that, Quarless seems to have the mentality needed to thrive in the postseason. According to Tom Rock of Newsday, the 26-year-old tight end believes the team is more equipped to beat Seattle now than it was in Week 1.

"We didn't really have a true identity," Quarless said. "This offense, we're based on grit, we're based on discipline."

Green Bay will undoubtedly have to play tough in order to compete with the Seahawks. That may mean that running the ball and working the short passing game will be paramount.

If that is the case, then Quarless will definitely be a player worth keeping an eye on.

Kevin Williams

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Seattle's defense is absolutely stacked with talent from top to bottom, which is why it is often easy to forget about certain players. Defensive tackle Kevin Williams is among those who haven't received as much credit as they deserve.

This is Williams' first season with the Seahawks after 11 strong years with the Minnesota Vikings. The former Oklahoma State standout made the Pro Bowl six times and was named an All-Pro on five occasions during his time in the Twin Cities. His track record speaks for itself, but most assumed that he was on his last legs entering the 2014 campaign.

In actuality, the 34-year-old veteran has been an awesome presence. He has been so good, in fact, that even Carroll has been impressed by his contributions, according to Bell:

During the regular season, Williams had 30 tackles and three sacks. For his career, Williams has taken down the quarterback 63 times, which is an elite number for a defensive tackle.

It can be argued that Williams has lost a step or two over the years, but Carroll believes he has remained effective in large part due to his fundamentals, per Todd Milles of The News Tribune:

The Packers were very much committed to the run last week with Lacy, and there is a solid chance that they'll employ a similar strategy in the NFC Championship Game. Green Bay will want to prove that it isn't afraid to get physical with Seattle, and running the ball may be the best way to do that.

If the Packers do go in that direction, then expect plenty of rotating at the defensive tackle position for the Seahawks. Williams is presumably hungry for a Super Bowl ring, and he'll play as hard as humanly possible to earn a shot at one.

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