NFL Playoff Predictions: 15 Players Who Will Falter in the Postseason
Part of what makes the NFL playoffs so incredible is to see how players separate themselves.
Over the next few weeks, you'll get to watch big money players, ones who thrive under pressure and perform even better as the games gain significance. Tom Brady, Drew Brees and Ben Roethlisberger could be in this group. So could Hines Ward.
Others, though, will falter. Sure, they're talented, and some are elite-level players, but every year there are players who falter. They cough up the ball during a critical drive, or throw an interception late in the fourth quarter. It will happen again. We just don't know who yet.
Time to have some fun, though. Let's make some predictions. You can get in on the fun, too. Here are 15 players who will falter in the postseason.
15. QB Matt Ryan, Atlanta
1 of 15
"Matty Ice" is one of the game's brightest young stars, but now the Falcons have the NFC's No. 1 seed, homefield advantage and just finished a 13-3 regular season.
The stage is set for Ryan to lead Atlanta to the Super Bowl, but will he thrive or crumble under the pressure?
14. QB Matt Cassel, Kansas City
2 of 15
Sure, he was around the playoffs as Tom Brady's backup in New England, but now the spotlight will shine directly on Cassel. In Sunday's loss to Oakland, Cassel finished with a quarterback rating of 19.1. Can he and the Chiefs bounce back and respond against Ray Lewis and the vicious Ravens' defense?
Cassel's going to have to bring his A-game, or Lewis and Ed Reed are going to make his day miserable.
13. WR Derrick Mason, Baltimore
3 of 15
Mason hasn't finished with 100 yards receiving since Week 6 at New England, and he's only had one game with two touchdown receptions.
At 36, Mason doesn't have many years left in his career, and he could become even more of a factor if the Ravens advance further and play either the Patriots or Steelers.
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12. RB LeSean McCoy, Philadelphia
4 of 15
"Shady" is going to have to face a tough Packers' defense, and he'll be even more important since the focus will be on shutting down Michael Vick.
McCoy has only three 100-yard games this season, and has been held to under 75 yards rushing in five of his last seven games.
11. RB Brandon Jackson, Green Bay
5 of 15
He leads Green Bay with a less than stellar 703 yards rushing, has cracked 100 yards only once this year and is averaging under four yards a carry. That's not going to be enough in the playoffs. Time for Jackson to pick it up.
Green Bay isn't going to reach the Super Bowl just on Aaron Rodgers' arm alone.
10. KR/PR Dexter McCluster, Kansas City
6 of 15
He's a bright, young talent, but I just don't see him busting off any big returns against Baltimore.
Now Devin Hester could, but McCluster's got a ways to go to reach that level.
9. WR Mike Wallace, Pittsburgh
7 of 15
He's the team's leading receiver with 1,257 yards and 10 touchdowns, and has six 100-yard games in his last nine.
But he was held scoreless in both games with Baltimore, as well as the season opener with Atlanta.
8. QB Peyton Manning, Indianapolis
8 of 15
Sure, he's a future Hall of Famer, but we've seen Manning try to do too much and throw costly interceptions this year.
The same happened against New Orleans last year in the Super Bowl.
7. RB Chris Ivory, New Orleans
9 of 15
Ivory injured his foot in Sunday's loss to Tampa Bay. He finished the regular season as the team's leading rusher with 716 yards, but had only one big game this year in the first meeting with Tampa Bay.
Ivory has also scored just five touchdowns on the year.
6. RB Marshawn Lynch, Seattle
10 of 15
The former star from Cal never lived up to his potential with the Buffalo Bills, which traded him to Seattle earlier this year.
Lynch hasn't rushed for over 100 yards this year, and had only one game with multiple touchdowns, which came against Carolina.
Hard to see this changing against the Saints.
5. RB Donald Brown, Connecticut
11 of 15
It will go two ways for the young player from Connecticut: He's either going to emerge and blow up, or his youth will show dramatically.
4. QB Charlie Whitehurst, Seattle
12 of 15
He may have had a big game Sunday night against St. Louis, but this will be his first experience in the playoffs.
Don't be surprised if there's a deer-in-headlights look this weekend.
3. RB LaDainian Tomlinson, New York Jets
13 of 15
One of the biggest criticisms of Tomlinson in San Diego was his lack of production in the playoffs.
When it mattered most, fans said LT disappeared.
2. QB Mark Sanchez, New York Jets
14 of 15
The pressure's on for Sanchez to come up big.
New York expects to be in the Super Bowl, but to do that, Sanchez will have to lead the Jets past Kansas City, then either Pittsburgh or New England.
Maybe he pulls off one or two, but get through all three? Hard to imagine that happening.
1. QB Jay Cutler, Chicago
15 of 15
Sure, he beat Michael Vick head-to-head, but he also came up short and had an awful game against New England at home.
Keep blitzing Cutler and put him on his back, and it's hard to see him lead Chicago through the NFC Playoffs to the Super Bowl.
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