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Top 5 Players Who Will Decide the NFL Playoff Race

By Bryce Olin

Dec 7, 2014; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium. The Steelers won 42-21. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 7, 2014; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium. The Steelers won 42-21. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports /
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Dec 14, 2014; Orchard Park, NY, USA; Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) gestures during the game against the Buffalo Bills at Ralph Wilson Stadium. The Bills beat the Packers 21-13. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 14, 2014; Orchard Park, NY, USA; Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) gestures during the game against the Buffalo Bills at Ralph Wilson Stadium. The Bills beat the Packers 21-13. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports /

4. Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers

I can’t believe I even have to include Aaron Rodgers in this conversation, but after Rodgers’ “Poopy Pants Performance of the Week” last week against the Buffalo, there’s a scenario, albeit a very unlikely one, where Green Bay could miss the playoffs with a 10-4 record with two games to play.

Rodgers played his worst game of the season in Week 14 against Buffalo. In the game, Rodgers was 17-of-42 for 185 yards, no touchdowns, and two interceptions.

Green Bay’s 18th-ranked scoring defense isn’t good enough to hold teams back for the entire games, even against Kyle Orton and the Bills. The Packers need Rodgers to play at the MVP-caliber level he’d been playing at up until Week 14 if they’re seriously going to make a run in the playoffs. This season, Rodgers has thrown for 3,837 yards and 35 touchdowns to only five interceptions.

Green Bay should finish the season with an 11-5 record at least, and they are still going to make the playoffs, barring a major collapse. The Packers travel to Tampa Bay in Week 16 and then host the Detroit Lions in Week 17. You have to assume Green Bay will win easily in Tampa Bay, but I also thought the same thing against the Bills, although Buffalo is a much better team than Tampa Bay.

Rodgers has to perform, though. The Packers might be able to get by against the Buccaneers with a sub-par performance from Rodgers, but they will not win in Week 17 against the Lions with Rodgers playing as bad as he did in Buffalo.

The Week 17 game against the Lions will determine the winner of the NFC North division. Green Bay needs to win the division and secure at least one or two home games to have a shot at the Super Bowl. This isn’t the 2010 Packers, who played smothering defense and got hot at the right time. The 2014-15 Packers are a high-powered offensive team, and they need that home field advantage to maximize their potential.

If Rodgers doesn’t play well again in Week 16, we have to start wondering if the Packers peaked too early.

Next: 3. DeMarco Murray

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