NFL Playoff Predictions: Arian Foster and Players Who Must Step Up the Most

The NFL playoffs are right around the corner, and several players that will be heavily relied upon cannot falter. If they do, their teams are toast and everything they worked so hard for will be gone. 

Star players get paid the big bucks to deliver in the big moments, but sometimes it doesn't happen. With injuries happening left and right, some players will be counted on much more than others. 

These last few weeks of the regular season don't mean a whole lot for some, which is why a few elite players will rest up and be ready to shine in the postseason. 

With that said, here are three players who must step up come playoff time. 

Arian Foster 

The Houston Texans aren't going anywhere if Foster doesn't have a good game. Even when he goes have a good game, it still might not be enough for Houston to get a victory. 

Still, Foster has to elevate his game to new heights in the postseason because he's practically all the Texans have. 

As seen in Thursday night's loss to the Indianapolis Colts, Foster can still have a great game and the team fails to win.

I think they'll end up losing in the playoffs, but Foster is such a dynamic player that he can carry his team to victory all by himself. The Texans need him on his A-game plus some in order to win in the postseason. 

Joe Flacco 

If the Baltimore Ravens wish to get to the Super Bowl, it all rests on the arm and the mind of Flacco. 

It's not that he is a bad quarterback or anything, he just happens to make poor decisions from time to time. Occasionally, those bad choices come in the biggest of moments, which goes to show that Flacco can't handle pressure and doesn't have much of a clutch gene.

That has to change this year because if it doesn't, the Ravens will go home empty-handed once again. Baltimore is in a good position to receive a first-round bye, which means they won't have to play on the road right away. 

This will help them in the first game, and barring an upset, they could be hosting the AFC Championship game. Still, Flacco will be faced with adversity, and he has to overcome it and prove to his teammates and the fanbase that he can win on the big stage. 

Alex Smith 

Nobody predicted the San Francisco 49ers would be this good this year. However, since they lack the postseason experience, they will run into trouble. 

This means Smith has to step up and prove that he belongs with the team. He wasn't wanted until Jim Harbaugh took over as head coach and made him look better. So when the pressure is on in the playoffs, he'll have to show why he should remain with the 49ers. 

Converting the crucial 3rd-and-longs and connecting on touchdown passes is key for Smith in the postseason. A poor performance from him will result in a 49ers loss, no matter how good their defense is playing. 

There will come a time when Smith is placed in the spotlight, and if he fails, everyone will forget the season he's had and continue to mention all of his flaws. However, if he can prove his critics wrong and win a playoff game with ease, then the 49ers might just make a run at the Super Bowl.