You know the stars on the good NFL teams, the guys who make the highlight shows. You know rookies Ezekiel Elliott and Dak Prescott, who have made the Dallas Cowboys the "it" team this season.
But there are a lot of other players who aren't household names who will go a long way in deciding whether their teams make the playoffs, or even win once they get there or maybe even get to the Super Bowl.
Here are 10 of those players who I think will play big roles in their team's playoff fortunes moving forward. They might not be names most outside their cities recognize, but you should keep a close eye on all of them in the next month as their teams push for the postseason.
Noah Spence, DE, Tampa Bay Buccaneers -- He has 5 ½ sacks, but 4 ½ since Tampa Bay's bye in Week 6. Spence, the team's second-round pick, is also racking up pressures the past month. He is a player who gives Tampa Bay the edge rusher they need to go with Gerald McCoy inside. Spence has the ability to be a consistent double-digit sack player in his career.
He is second in the NFL in sacks with 10 ½ and has really come on with 9 ½ since Week 5. He has learned how to be a pass rusher, using his hands rather than just his speed. If the Falcons are going to make a deep playoff run, Beasley's ability to rush the passer will be key. Late in a game, when the Falcons need a stop, Beasley will be the player they are counting on to get it. He has grown into a heck of a pass rusher in his second season.
This rookie fourth-round pick has been one of the biggest surprises of the season for any team. The Ravens entered the season with corner questions, but he's answered them in a big way. He was good again last week against the Dolphins and continues to improve as a cover player. With Jimmy Smith on the other side, the Ravens now have a nice 1-2 duo. Young left the Miami game Sunday with a shoulder stinger. If he plays on Monday night against the Tom Brady and the Patriots, we will find out a lot more about the talented rookie.
With Rob Gronkowski out for the season, the Patriots need to get help outside to stretch the field. Gronk could do that in the middle, but the Pats haven't had an outside player who can stretch a defense on a consistent basis since Randy Moss. Mitchell has that type of ability. He had 10 targets against the Rams with eight catches for 82 yards. That's a good sign.
The Packers have one interception from a corner this season and it was Randall who got it in Week 3. They have battled injuries at corner all year, and Randall missed six games with a groin injury. But he's back now, as is Quinten Rollins on the other side, which means they are ready for the stretch run. Randall is considered their top corner with Sam Shields out for the year. He needs to play like it. Since his return, he's been a solid cover player in the last two games. That's a far cry from the Packers secondary in November when they were short-handed.
The Steelers have had issues on the back end for years, but they've found a good one in Cockrell, who they claimed on waivers from the Bills last year. Cockrell is a tall corner who has done a nice job matching up with players like A.J. Green this season. Cockrell spent time on Odell Beckham Jr. on Sunday and gave up two catches, which is impressive. He has to play big down the stretch.
With Earl Thomas gone for the season, Terrell has to step in and play well. He did a nice job in relief Sunday night against the Panthers. He was also good in his start for Thomas a few weeks ago against Tampa. He isn't Thomas, but nobody is. Yet in the Seahawks' scheme, he has to be big in coverage since that position takes a lot of range. It will be interesting to see how teams attack him going forward.
You know the Chiefs have great edge rushers in Dee Ford and Justin Houston and a good one in Tamba Hali. But they also have an impressive rookie in their down group in Jones. He has two sacks on the season, but he was really impressive against the Falcons without getting a sack. The Chiefs have had injuries up front, which has hurt their defense, but Jones has been a nice addition.
Stanley missed five games in the middle of the season, and the Ravens line struggled. When he returned, the line played better as a unit. He is a good pass protector who has played much better in that area of his game since his return. If Joe Flacco is to have success throwing the football down the stretch, Stanley needs to play big.
One of the biggest issues for the Falcons last year was push inside that affected Matt Ryan's ability to step up and make plays. By signing Mack as a free agent, they have helped alleviate those issues. Mack has to play strong moving forward to allow Ryan the ability to step up and make his throws. The inside of the Falcons line faces a stiff challenge this week in Aaron Donald. If the Falcons make the playoffs, Mack has to be stout inside. Mack is the veteran of this group, but he's every bit as important as the younger guys here.
