Postseason X-factors for each NFL playoff team

Beasley was a game changer for the Falcons' pass rush last season, finishing the regular season with 15.5 sacks and making a big impact in the playoffs. Playing through injury this year, he had only five sacks in 14 games. The Falcons have gotten more pass rush contributions elsewhere, but they need Beasley to step up in order to make a playoff run.

Jacksonville is built on its defense and running game, asking Bortles to not lose the game. He failed to that effort in Week 16 at San Francisco, throwing three interceptions. To beat the elite teams in the playoffs, Bortles will likely need to answer the bell and make some plays.

Brown missed the last two games with a calf injury, and while the Steelers say he will be ready for the playoffs, it remains to be seen if the star wideout will have the same burst. The Steelers desperately need Brown to be fully healthy with some of the hits they've taken on defense.

Regardless of Antonio Brown's health, Bryant has a chance to be an X-factor himself. He fell out of favor earlier this season but has emerged again, putting together three straight strong games. Bryant's speed can really stretch opposing defenses, opening up opportunities for Le'Veon Bell and other Pittsburgh receivers.

Campbell was arguably the best move of the the offseason, helping turn the Jaguars into an elite defense with 14.5 sacks, 67 tackles and three forced fumbles. He owns the line of scrimmage and could be a difference maker if the Jaguars are going to make a playoff run.

Donald continued to be a truly dominant force this season and is usually the best player on the field. The Rams' secondary has been leaky at times this season, so Donald will need to continue being a force for the team's defense.

Foles came on in relief of Carson Wentz in Week 14 and has been up and down since then. With Wentz out for the year, the Eagles are set to ride or die with Foles at quarterback, but his performance over the last two games doesn't exactly breed confidence.

Rams running back Todd Gurley is arguably this year's MVP, but Goff's development has helped open up space for the running back. While Goff's late-season performance has been somewhat inconsistent, he finished the season with four touchdown passes at Tennessee and could be forced to continue to make plays against elite playoff defenses.

The Eagles feature one of the most dominant defensive lines in the NFL this season, and Graham has been the most productive player on the stats sheet. He has 9.5 sacks on the year and will need to continue his production for the Eagles to reach their goal.

Minnesota has been the NFC's most dominant defense this season, led by Griffen's performance. He has 13 sacks and three forced fumbles, and the Vikings will be counting on him in the playoffs.

Harrison made news when he was released from the Steelers and signed with the rival Patriots. While some believe he's just in New England to provide secrets about his former employer, Harrison saw playing time in Week 17 and could be a nice contributor as a pass rusher for the Pats.

The Chiefs have struggled to get to the quarterback at times this season, and that will need to change if they hope to beat the Patriots or Steelers. Houston has managed to stay healthy this season and finish with 9.5 sacks while contributing well against the run and in coverage, but he will need to step up for the Chiefs to have more playoff success.

Kamara has been a clear difference maker in the Saints' offense, finishing his year with more than 1,500 yards from scrimmage on only 201 touches. He's a matchup nightmare as a receiver and has averaged 6.1 yards per carry. While Drew Brees makes the New Orleans offense go, Kamara is the player who could get the Saints to the Super Bowl.

Keenum has been surprisingly solid since coming on in relief of Sam Bradford early in the season, holding off Teddy Bridgewater in the process. For all his solid performances, Keenum has only two 300-yard passing games this season. He might need to show that he can keep up in a shootout at some point during the playoffs.

The Saints' defense has finally made marked improvement this year, and the addition of Lattimore is a big reason. The 11th overall pick in the draft has five interceptions and has been a shutdown corner.

Tennessee finished the season 10th in passing with a mediocre 6.8 yards per attempt. In other words, Mariota has failed to develop as hoped in his third NFL season, and he's been particularly mediocre recently with only three touchdown passes over his last four games. He will need to play better for the Titans to advance in the playoffs.

McCaffrey hasn't run as effectively as the Panthers would have hoped in his rookie season, but he still has 80 receptions. A key third-down target for Cam Newton, McCaffrey is a mismatch out of the backfield.

McCoy is the centerpiece of the Bills' offense, and we might not see him at all in the playoffs. He was carted off in Week 17 with an ankle injury and is questionable, at best, for the wild card round. If he can't return, Buffalo is in big trouble against Jacksonville.

Carolina has struggled in the red zone this season, and it's no coincidence that Olsen has also missed most of the year with a foot injury. He's finally started to flash late in the year, averaging nine targets per game over his final three contests. Olsen could help the Panthers take a giant leap forward.

Peters received a wakeup call after walking off the field in Week 13 and getting suspended by the team in Week 14. He returned to force four turnovers over the next two games, while playing elite corner. Peters will need to continue to be a turnover machine for the Chiefs to reach the Super Bowl.

Ryan was Tennessee's big offseason defensive acquisition, but he hasn't had the big impact in pass defense that the team hoped. That will need to change quickly, as he will match up against speedster Tyreek Hill in the wild card round.

The Atlanta offense has floundered this season, and Ryan is the biggest reason. After winning MVP last year, he has regressed significantly. He finished with his lowest passing yardage total since 2010 and just 20/12 TD/INT. Ryan has to step up his game if the Falcons have any chance of returning to the Super Bowl.

For some reason, Taylor was benched for Nathan Peterman in one disastrous game vs. the Chargers at midseason. It's hard to call that game a wakeup call, but Taylor has thrown only one pick in five contests since then. He's been nothing if not efficient this season but could be asked to do more if LeSean McCoy is unable to play.

New England is loaded with depth at the running back position, but White has proved himself to be the biggest matchup problem, as he showed in Super Bowl LI. White missed the last two games of the season with an ankle injury but should be ready for the playoffs.