NFL's Most Indispensable Non-Quarterbacks Among 2015 Playoff Teams
Star power is prevalent in today's NFL. Stars have always been there, of course, but in this world of social media and big-money endorsement deals, the concept of star power has grown to an unprecedented level.
How much does it really mean, though?
We often talk about "playmakers" and "game-changers" when discussing the game's greatest talents. The reality, however, is that very few players actually carry the potential success or failure of their teams on their shoulders—non-quarterback players, anyway.
There are very few non-quarterbacks in the league that a team cannot hope to win without, but they do exist. As a prime example, just look at how the offense of the New York Giants fared on Sunday night (1-of-13 on third or fourth down, three interceptions, 17 points) without star receiver Odell Beckham Jr. in the lineup.
The Giants had already been eliminated from playoff contention thanks to a Washington Redskins win the night prior. Had New York's hopes still been alive, however, they would have died there on the field without Beckham.
Which players headed to the 2015-16 postseason would have a similar effect by being absent for a playoff game? Could the New England Patriots survive without Rob Gronkowski? Would the Minnesota Vikings falter without Adrian Peterson?
This is exactly what we're going to look at today.
These are the playoff's 10 most important non-quarterback players. Signal-callers do not apply, and only players on confirmed or potential playoff teams will be considered.
Larry Fitzgerald, WR, Arizona Cardinals
1 of 10
It should be fairly obvious that quarterback Carson Palmer is the most indispensable player the Arizona Cardinals have. The team couldn't win a playoff game without him last season, and he is playing at an MVP-type level this season. He's thrown for more than 4,500 yards, has 33 touchdowns to just 10 interceptions and has a rating of 106.8.
Much of Palmer's success can be attributed to veteran wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, who earns our selection for most valuable non-quarterback here.
Fitzgerald is in the midst of one of the best seasons of his career, which is saying a lot considering the guy's likely a future Hall of Famer. The 12-year veteran has already tied a career high in receptions with 103 and has produced 1,160 receiving yards to go with eight touchdowns.
In addition to being a top-tier pass-catcher, Fitzgerald is a true veteran leader on Arizona's offense. Yet his contributions don't end there. Fitzgerald is also a capable and willing blocker, which is one way his leadership is of the by-example variety.
Fitzgerald is rated as the top blocking receiver in the entire NFL by Pro Football Focus. His willingness to engage defenders helps spring the running game and the short passing game for the Cardinals. Bubble screens and swing passes are just a lot more effective with Fitzgerald down range throwing blocks.
Because he is able to contribute in so many different ways on the Arizona offense, we have to pick Fitzgerald as the one non-quarterback the Cardinals would find it hardest to succeed without in the postseason.
Chris Harris Jr., CB, Denver Broncos
2 of 10
The Denver Broncos are headed to the postseason thanks to the strength of the team's defense. Much of what the defense does is predicated on its cornerback play.
Yes, you could make a case for a pass-rusher like Von Miller being indispensable, but the Broncos have other pass-rushers who can fill in. Six players on the Denver defense have at least 4.0 sacks this season.
The reason Denver's defense is so good is because of its cornerbacks.
The cornerbacks in Denver have to be able to excel in both man and zone coverage, because coordinator Wade Phillips will change schemes on the fly. They also have to be able to disguise coverages, make open-field tackles and perform well in run support.
Chris Harris Jr. is capable of doing all of these things.
So far this season, Harris has produced 57 tackles, two forced fumbles, two interceptions and a defensive touchdown. He is also rated third overall among all cornerbacks by Pro Football Focus for the year.
Pro Football Focus rates Harris 40 spots higher than coverage-mate Aqib Talib, who probably grabs more of the attention because of his physical play. This is why we'll give Harris a slight edge over Talib as our indispensable player, even though the reality is that it would be difficult for the Broncos to do what they do best defensively without either guy.
Talib has produced 40 tackles, three interceptions and two defensive touchdowns.
Thanks to these two, the Broncos have the league's first-ranked pass defense (199.1 yards per game allowed) and should have an opportunity to best any passing attack come playoff time.
Eric Berry, S, Kansas City Chiefs
3 of 10
At the beginning of the season, we probably would have been quick to label running back Jamaal Charles as the most irreplaceable non-quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs. Yet Charles was lost for the season, and the Chiefs have survived just fine.
In many ways, Kansas City has come together under head coach Andy Reid to form the type of complete team that can survive an absence. The Chiefs won without top receiver Jeremy Maclin in Week 7. They've been winning without star pass-rusher Justin Houston since Week 12.
There has been one constant on the team, though, that has not only played at a Pro Bowl level, but has embodied Kansas City's resilient nature perfectly. We're talking about safety Eric Berry, who made his return from lymphoma treatment this year to play in all 15 games.
If you don't believe he's been a difference-maker since his return, just check the film of last week's game for an example. It was Berry whose vicious hit prevented Cleveland Browns tight end Gary Barnidge from securing a pass near the goal line late in a four-point game.
If Berry doesn't make that play, the Chiefs might still be searching for their playoff ticket.
In total, Berry has racked up 61 tackles, 10 pass deflections and two interceptions. He is also rated fourth overall among all safeties by Pro Football Focus and was just named to the 2016 Pro Bowl.
“It’s one of those checkpoints,” Berry said of the Pro Bowl honor, via the team's official website. “You know I’m excited about it, but right now, I’m just focused on something different.”
Berry, undoubtedly, would like to help the Chiefs go on a postseason run. They have a very good chance to do exactly that (they've now won nine straight) as long as their defensive leader is on the field.
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Geno Atkins, DT, Cincinnati Bengals
4 of 10
The Cincinnati Bengals are literally loaded with talent on both sides of the football, which is why we're going with an interior defensive lineman as our most irreplaceable player.
The Bengals have so much offensive firepower that they can get away with losing a running back or a pass-catcher for a period and still operate. A bevy of talented defensive backs—including former first-round corners Leon Hall, Adam Jones, Darqueze Dennard and Dre Kirkpatrick—make the same true in the secondary.
The lines, however, are a bit of a different story. There is depth, to be sure, but guys like left tackle Andrew Whitworth and defensive tackle Geno Atkins don't grow on trees. We're giving a slight edge in terms of indispensability to Atkins here because the Bengals just spent first- and second-round draft picks on offensive tackles this offseason.
Atkins is the rare type of defensive tackle who can both stuff the run and pressure the quarterback. He has 39 tackles, 10 sacks and a forced fumble already this season. Pro Football Focus rates him second overall among defensive tackles for the season. Only Aaron Donald of the St. Louis Rams is rated higher.
Atkins' ability to create pressure from the interior allowed Cincinnati to do a variety of things in terms of defensive scheming. The Bengals can change alignments and flip the position of edge-rushers like Carlos Dunlap (13.5 sacks this season) and still have that one constant presence in the middle.
His presence also allows Cincinnati to put more defenders into coverage, because bringing additional pass-rushers via the blitz is rarely a necessity. His ability to clog the middle in short-yardage situations is a big part of why the Bengals are ranked first in scoring defense (17.5 points per game allowed).
Simply put, Cincinnati's defense would look different and operate very differently with an absent Atkins in the postseason.
Jordan Reed, TE, Washington Redskins
5 of 10
The Washington Redskins are your 2015 NFC East champions, and they can finish the season with a winning record by earning a victory on Sunday. Considering there wasn't a lot expected of Washington this season, it's a bit of a surprise.
Doug Farrar of SI.com wrote the following back in August:
"To put it simply, the NFC East is a two-horse race. The Giants and Redskins might as well prepare to settle for those participation trophies James Harrison doesn't like, because they won't be in the hunt come November and December.
Washington is still trying to find a way for Jay Gruden and Robert Griffin III to co-exist, and the Giants can only hope they've improved their defense enough to take advantage if Eli Manning puts together another career year.
"
Rarrar was right about a couple of things (had injuries not plagued the Cowboys, maybe most). The Giants might have been a playoff team without their league-worst defense (419.3 yards per game allowed). Gruden had to find a way to co-exist with Griffin, and he did it by benching him.
Gruden made Kirk Cousins his starter for the season, and Cousins (passer rating of 99.2) responded by playing well and leading his team to the postseason. Of course, Cousins got a heck of a lot of help from tight end Jordan Reed.
Despite missing two games, both losses, Reed has managed to grab 87 passes for 907 yards and 11 touchdowns. He's also emerged as Cousins' favorite target. According to Pro Football Focus, Reed has been targeted 107 times this season, three more than receiver Pierre Garcon.
Cousins and the Washington offense just wouldn't be the same if it went into the postseason without Reed.
J.J. Watt, DE, Houston Texans
6 of 10
When it comes to the Houston Texans, who are closing in on an AFC South title, the decision for most indispensable player is actually quite close.
On one hand, you have wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, who has 1,432 receiving yards, 11 touchdowns, and who is emerging as one of the best young receivers in the game today. On the other, you have defensive end J.J. Watt, who has 14.5 sacks and is easily one of the top defenders in the league.
In the end, we're going to go with Watt because the Texans are a defensive team (ranked third overall, with just 316.5 yards per game allowed) and their defensive identity begins with Watt.
Watt has racked up 68 tackles, 14.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and six pass deflections this year. He's also rated first overall among all 3-4 defensive ends by Pro Football Focus for the season. Oh yeah, and he's played the past few games with a broken hand.
"Here’s a great player having to learn to play basically with one arm,” head coach Bill O’Brien said of Watt, per John McClain of the Houston Chronicle. “When you really think about that, it’s remarkable. His ability to adjust and learn and keep being disruptive [is] probably frustrating for him, but is a testament to him and his ability to still play at a very high level.”
The type of toughness and defensive leadership embodied by Watt is what the Texans are going to need to win in the postseason.
Yes, Hopkins is going to make any Texans quarterback better—it could be Brian Hoyer and it could be Brandon Weeden here in a couple weeks. However, the Texans are likely going to have to shut down a premier AFC offense, as they did to the Bengals earlier this year, in order to snag a playoff victory. Watt is the guy who can help make that happen.
Rob Gronkowski, TE, New England Patriots
7 of 10
The selection of New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski might have been the easiest decision on this list. He's the best tight end in football, he might be one of the top tight ends of all time, and the Patriots are a very different team without him.
Just consider that two of New England's three losses have come with Gronkowski off the field. Coincidence? Probably not.
The man affectionately known as Gronk has already caught 70 passes for 1,158 yards and 11 touchdowns. He ranks seventh among tight ends in receptions, first in receiving yards and second in touchdowns. Unsurprisingly, he is rated first overall among all tight ends by Pro Football Focus.
With his size (6'6", 265 pounds), freaky athleticism and natural route-running ability, Gronkowski is a complete mismatch for any defender one-on-one. This is precisely why he has been able to amass 66 career touchdowns (one rushing) in fewer than six seasons of NFL play.
Oh, and if you thought catching passes and spiking footballs were the only things Gronkowski was good at, guess again. Pro Football Focus also rates him first overall among all tight ends in run blocking.
Yep, Gronkowski is a difference-maker in both the passing game and the running game. It should be perfectly clear why New England would suffer without him in the postseason.
Luke Kuechly, LB, Carolina Panthers
8 of 10
Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton is a legitimate MVP candidate this season, and he seems to be able to operate the offense efficiently no matter who is around him. Therefore, it's only natural we go to the other side of the ball—where the defense has allowed just 318.7 yards per game, fourth-fewest in the league—for our standout selection.
Really, our decision came down to two players—cornerback Josh Norman and linebacker Luke Kuechly.
Initially, it seemed like Norman would be the easy pick here. He's played at an exceptionally high level most of the season and was even named ESPN NFL Nation Midseason Defensive Player of the Year. The problem with Norman is that, while he's rated ninth overall among cornerbacks by Pro Football Focus for the season, his play has dropped off considerably over the past month.
Pro Football Focus rated Norman second overall among corners for the first 12 weeks of the season. He's rated second-worst overall over the past four weeks.
Now, it's important to note that ratings aren't the be-all and end-all for judgement-making, and Norman has spent the last three weeks going up against Julio Jones (twice) and Odell Beckham Jr. However, we have to give an edge to Kuechly, who has been pretty darn consistent all season, and really throughout his career.
Kuechly has amassed 109 tackles, a sack, nine passes defended, four interceptions, two forced fumbles and a defensive touchdown. He is also rated first overall among inside linebackers by Pro Football Focus and was just named to his third consecutive Pro Bowl.
Kuechly is a true playmaker and a field-general in Carolina's defense, and the Panthers wouldn't be the same without him.
Doug Baldwin, WR, Seattle Seahawks
9 of 10
A year ago, we probably would have had to name star cornerback Richard Sherman as the most indispensable player on the Seattle Seahawks roster. However, it hasn't been the defense (which is still very much elite, by the way) that has turned things around for Seattle after a 2-4 start to the season.
It has been the offense, and more specifically, the passing game.
Quarterback Russell Wilson has been on fire over the past six weeks (21 touchdowns, one interception) and the Seahawks have gone 5-1 in that span.
For the year, Seattle is rated third overall in pass offense by Pro Football Focus.
The Seahawks' new identity as a dangerous passing team wouldn't exist without the presence of wide receiver Doug Baldwin, who has emerged as a legitimate deep threat and one of the league's hottest young receivers.
For the season, Baldwin has snagged 73 receptions for 1,023 yards and 14 touchdowns. This means nearly 27 percent of Wilson's passing yardage (3,827 yards) and 45 percent of his touchdowns (31) have come through Baldwin this season.
Baldwin is rated fifth overall among receivers by Pro Football Focus for the year.
In addition to making plays in the passing game, Baldwin's presence helps open up the rushing offense. Because of injuries, we're not quite sure who will be carrying the load at running back for Seattle in the postseason. What we do know is that teams won't be able to focus solely on shutting down the run as long as Baldwin is roaming through the secondary.
Adrian Peterson, RB, Minnesota Vikings
10 of 10
The Minnesota Vikings clinched a playoff spot on Sunday with a win over the Giants, who were without their top offensive weapon. It's difficult to think the Vikings would have been in position to clinch without their top weapon, running back Adrian Peterson.
Yes, Minnesota had an adequate year without Peterson in 2014. The team won seven games and found a potential franchise quarterback in then-rookie Teddy Bridgewater. However, the Vikings have been a much more formidable team this season. The team has already won 10 games and is in position to win the NFC North in the regular-season finale against the Green Bay Packers.
Would the Vikings be here without Peterson?
It's really hard to imagine Minnesota not suffering at least an additional loss or two this year without Peterson, who is having one of the most fruitful years of his career. He's leading the race for the league's rushing title with 1,418 yards rushing, has scored 10 touchdowns and has averaged 4.6 yards per carry.
Expect him to finish the season strong with that rushing title on the line, too.
"It would mean a lot," Peterson said of winning his third rushing title, per Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. "I think probably no matter what age you are, being the best is what I want to do. I want to win the rushing title. Of course that would be a big thing."
Peterson, who is rated seventh among backs in rushing by Pro Football Focus, gives the Vikings an edge against most NFC playoff opponents. He has the ability to move the chains, keep potent offenses off the field and prevent dangerous pass-rushers from keying in on the quarterback.
If the Vikings were to enter the postseason without their star running back, they would be an entirely different team—probably one facing a very steep uphill struggle.
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