10 NFL Players Who Hold Their Teams' Playoff Key

With only two weeks remaining in the 2011 NFL season, the relevance of each team, player and coach grows exponentially greater.

Amidst an offseason filled with lockout discussions and contract disputes, the playoff hopes of a handful of NFL teams presently hang in the balance.

These teams will either end the season on the cusp of greatness or gracefully shadow the successes of their conference foes.

Based on injuries, week-to-week matchups and hot streaks, here are 10 NFL players who hold the key to the postseason for their respective teams.

On a side note, I'm purposely leaving the Detroit Lions and Atlanta Falcons off this list due to the fact that they currently possess a two-game lead over any other NFC wild-card team.

Mark Sanchez

It seems that Mark Sanchez is always the guy to watch in New York.

Chalk it up to the fact that he's the quarterback for an in-your-face franchise or the fact that his struggles over the past few years have been spotlighted more often than not. Whichever way you spin it, Sanchez's production over the next two weeks will ultimately decide his team's playoff fate.

After a somewhat disappointing season on the ground, the Jets have seemingly transformed into a pass-heavy offense, but a defense-first team at that.

But besides Rex Ryan's antics and defensive schemes leading up to these must-win affairs, the Jets' playoff hopes over the next two games will decisively come down to Sanchez's ability to limit turnovers, correct bonehead mistakes and enable his team to push on with a wild-card spot.

Saturday's Christmas Eve game could effectively decide the fate of not only one New York squad in the Jets, but yet another in the New York Giants.

Joke's on you—I'm going to that game. Go Giants!

DeMarcus Ware

With upcoming games against the Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants, the Dallas Cowboys are going to need their best defensive weapon.

While DeMarcus Ware has yet to disappoint the city of Dallas for nearly six years, his four sacks over the past seven weeks, after recording 12 through his first seven games, are still quite alarming.

Now I'm not saying Ware has lacked production, because his presence alone changes opponents' offensive schemes, but the fact of the matter is that he needs to put pressure on Michael Vick and Eli Manning (failed to sack Manning in Week 14) over the next two games.

With all of that said, I completely understand if you disagree with me. Tony Romo, Miles Austin and Felix Jones could all be accountable replacements on this list, but considering defense is the key to any team's success, Ware is my guy.

Tim Tebow

Is it officially time to consider Tim Tebow's unrealistic win streak over?

Maybe, maybe not.

Tebow has proved everybody involved in football wrong time after time, so what's another two weeks?

Considering the Denver Broncos continue to thrive defensively and through the resurgence of veteran running back Willis McGahee, a somewhat consistent passing attack is all they need.

But even if they don't get it, who's to say that Tebow won't put it all together again in the fourth quarter and lead his team to a miraculous comeback victory?

It's happened before, and it will happen again. Consider it an inevitability.

Beyond the expectations of an immorally media-bashed quarterback, though, the Broncos' current one-game lead in the AFC West and their upcoming matchups against Buffalo and Kansas City should provide them an ample opportunity to reach the playoffs under John Elway's watchful eye.

Chris Johnson

What the hell has happened to Chris Johnson?

The man once considered CJ2K has seemingly transformed into CJ1K after a lengthy and highly disputed offseason holdout.

The latest on-field demise of the Tennessee Titans' lead back has culminated into providing the Indianapolis Colts with their first win of the 2011 season. Johnson compiled only 55 yards on 15 attempts in the recent loss to Indy and doesn't seem ready to regain his heralded title of "best running back in the game."

At this point in the season Johnson is simply demoralized. He hasn't been able to successfully run against the majority of the defenses he has faced and is consequently nonexistent in the pass game.

But beyond all the negative labels that the 26-year-old has cast upon himself this season, there's still hope for the Titans.

Tennessee does need to win out on top of receiving some much-needed help in the AFC wild-card race, but most importantly, it needs its franchise player to play like a franchise player.

Ryan Mathews

Look. Ryan Mathews may be the most undervalued back in the NFL this season.

Maybe it's the fact that San Diego has been battling back from an awful season's start, or maybe it's because his name just isn't that recognizable amongst fellow running backs Chris Johnson, Adrian Peterson and Arian Foster.

Regardless, Mathews' success over the past three weeks—316 yards and three touchdowns—has ultimately led to the Chargers pulling off yet another late-season comeback in the AFC West on the back of three consecutive victories.

While that could be attributed to Philip Rivers' turnaround after the worst season start of his career, it's more likely that Mathews' ability to establish a consistent rushing attack has provided the offense with what it needs: production.

If San Diego is truly destined to overtake the Denver Broncos for first place, then so be it. But it will be on the back of its best offensive weapon in Mathews.

Philadelphia Eagles' Offensive Line

The main objective for the Philadelphia Eagles over the next two weeks is to protect Michael Vick.

It's as simple as that. Nothing more, nothing less.

Vick has been battered nearly every week this season, culminating in a three-game absence from Week 11 to Week 13. The Eagles lost two of those games, one at the hands of the divisional New York Giants.

Well, Vick is now healthy, and Philadelphia all of a sudden has a chance to sneak into the playoffs.

With two Dallas Cowboy losses, including their game this week against Philly, and one Giants loss, Andy Reid's squad simply needs to win out in order to reach the postseason.

However, the Eagles' next two games against Dallas and Washington come with much precaution. Both teams are more than capable of getting to the quarterback and making offense-heavy teams hurt. So Philadelphia's offensive line needs to pull a complete 180 and reboot Vick's protection.

Boy, do I hope they lose (read my profile).

A.J. Green

I could easily put Andy Dalton here and have no issues, but honestly, the potential Rookie of the Year needs someone to throw to. Doesn't he?

That weapon is fellow Cincinnati Bengals rookie A.J. Green, who has proven to everyone around the league that the Georgia Bulldog product was indeed the right draft choice over Atlanta Falcons WR Julio Jones.

Despite his draft-day expectations, Green has produced week in and week out. The only problem is that the rookie recently separated his shoulder in a Week 15 win over the St. Louis Rams.

Green has been deemed ready to go this weekend in a must-win affair against the Arizona Cardinals, but it still doesn't sit well to know your most explosive offensive threat isn't at full strength.

Over the next two weeks, Dalton and the Bengals need Green, more specifically his health, more than anything else.

Could you imagine a QB/WR rookie tandem leading an unsuspected Cincinnati team into the 2011 playoffs?

Ahmad Bradshaw

There's a reason why the New York Giants have dropped five of their last six.

Besides the toughest schedule in the NFL and a depleted defense, Big Blue's rushing attack has never seen darker days.

Quite honestly, the offseason contract agreement with Ahmad Bradshaw was induced to avoid any running back problems of the future.

But nagging injuries and a missed curfew have led to Bradshaw's immediate absence on the field, something that doesn't bode well for an offense that has consistently relied on one player, and one arm: Eli Manning.

At this point, after a heartbreaking loss to the Washington Redskins in Week 15, New York still controls its own destiny. Two straight wins and the Giants are in the postseason.

But they shouldn't count their eggs before they hatch. With scheduled games against contending teams, the New York Jets and Dallas Cowboys, the Giants need a big-time running game more than ever.

Simply put, Manning needs help.

Kahlil Bell

For those of you who don't know who Kahlil Bell is, and I don't blame you, he's the Chicago Bears' latest attempt at a remedy for a Matt Forte-less backfield.

Following Forte's Week 13 MCL sprain, the Bears have done everything in their power to offset the loss of one of the best runners in the NFL. Their efforts have gone unspoken for.

Along with a season-ending injury to QB Jay Cutler, Marion Barber has been unable to shoulder an offensive load that's sometimes unBEARable (see what I did there), as evidenced by his disastrous display of clock management and ball security in a Week 14 overtime loss to Tim Tebow and the Denver Broncos.

At this point, with the Bears needing a miracle to get into the playoffs, it's officially time to forget the past.

Bell compiled 65 yards on 15 carries, including a receiving touchdown, last week in his first career start, helping Chicago save any face it has left.

With two divisional games against Green Bay and Minnesota in the coming weeks, the Bears defense needs to provide consistent production and let Bell do his thing.

Because when it comes down to it, do you really trust Caleb Hanie to get it done?

Carson Palmer

Last week, Carson Palmer finally proved that he still has the ability he once possessed to be a big-time passer in the NFL.

Palmer compiled 367 yards on 32 completions in a one-point losing effort to the Detroit Lions at home. The veteran's 80 percent completion rate was a season's best, which also led to his first interception-less performance since Week 11.

As the future of Darren McFadden's health hangs in the balance, Palmer's onslaught in Week 15 may have been a foreshadowing for the remainder of the year. While the Oakland Raiders don't jump off the page, they're still currently only one game out of first place.

If there was ever a time for Palmer to shut his critics up, it's now. Leading this Raiders team to the 2011 playoffs would instantly plant him among the top 10 NFL passers once again.

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