Overlooked Players to Watch in the NFL Playoffs
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Sports FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 2017 42 FOXBOROUGH: In this Nov 13, 2016, file photo, Seattle Seahawks cornerback DeShawn GREENBAY: In this Oct 16, 2016, file photo, Dallas Cowboys’ Barry Church celebrates his Shead (35) intercepts a pass intended for New England Patriots wide receiver Malcolm interception during the second half of an NFL football game against the Green Bay Mitchell, right, during the first half of an NFL football game. — AP photos Packers. Overlooked players to watch in the NFL playoffs DALLAS: When Seattle Seahawks receiver Christian, was looking for a job a week before KANSAS CITY CHIEFS simply supposed to be a placeholder until Paul Richardson made a miraculous, one- this season began after getting cut by the You’ve Heard of Them: S Eric Berry, CB Ladarius Green got healthy. But James handed touchdown catch in his team’s play- Cleveland Browns, of all teams. Now he’s a Marcus Peters. became a productive part of Pittsburgh’s ver- off opener, then followed it up with another threat to go all the way any time he touches You Might Not Know Him: S Daniel satile offense, catching 39 passes and scoring acrobatic grab, plenty of folks watching the the ball, whether via a screen pass or an end- Sorensen (No. 49). three TDs. His blocking, a weak spot during game on TV had one simple question: “Who around run, and scored more TDs (7) than Why You Should: Sorensen, a former his rookie season in 2015, is much improved. is that guy?” Happens every season. Jones (6). undrafted free agent out of BYU, might be The proof came when he took on two defend- Because while even the most casual NFL listed as a backup safety, but he rarely leaves ers on Brown’s 50-yard catch-and-run score fan is familiar with certain players on each SEATTLE SEAHAWKS the field. Along with playing special teams, he last weekend. team - Russell Wilson, the quarterback throw- You’ve Heard of Them: CB Richard helps give Berry, Peters and the rest of the ing to Richardson, for example - there are Sherman, S Kam Chancellor, LB Bobby defensive backfield a hard-hitting presence. HOUSTON TEXANS plenty of others on the roster who are rela- Wagner. And he is always around the ball, recovering You’ve Heard of Them: DE Jadeveon tively, or completely, unknown to even thor- You Might Not Know Him: CB DeShawn three fumbles and picking off three passes Clowney, WR DeAndre Hopkins ough fans. They’re not mysteries to their Shead (No. 35). this season, with one returned for a touch- You Might Not Know Him: LB Benardrick coaches and teammates, though. Why You Should: Shead has been under down. McKinney (No. 55). “This is the kind of play we see from him in the radar his whole career, an undrafted guy Why You Should: The 6-foot-4, 260-pound practice, so it’s not unfamiliar,” Seahawks from Portland State who only this season PITTSBURGH STEELERS McKinney leads the Texans with 129 tackles, coach Pete Carroll said about Richardson. became a regular starter on a talented You’ve Heard of Them: QB Ben almost twice as many as any teammate on the “Some of the plays were circus-like, but he defense famous for “Legion of Boom” mem- Roethlisberger, WR Antonio Brown, RB league’s top-ranked defense. He also accumu- has done that. ... He’s been waiting a long bers Sherman and Chancellor. While Le’Veon Bell. lated five sacks and forced a fumble. while to help this team and feel significant Sherman will be counted on to take away You Might Not Know Him: TE Jesse James Defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel loves about that impact and he’s done that.” one side of the field, Shead is capable of (No. 81). that McKinney is able to drop into coverage at Maybe Richardson will again step out of the stopping whichever wideout he covers. He Why You Should: The 6-foot-7 James was his size. — AP shadows Doug Baldwin or Jimmy Graham to was responsible for one of Tom Brady’s two make a mark for Seattle against the Atlanta interceptions this season. Falcons on Saturday. Or maybe another unheralded player will wind up making a dif- GREEN BAY PACKERS ference. AP writers who cover each remain- You’ve Heard of Them: QB Aaron Rodgers, ing playoff team picked one player who you WRs Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb, LBs Clay might not have heard of but could play a key Matthews and Julius Peppers. role in the divisional round this weekend. You Might Not Know Him: TE Jared Cook (No. 89). DALLAS COWBOYS Why You Should: The 6-foot-4 Cook gives You’ve Heard of Them: QB Dak Prescott, Rodgers the kind of athletic target that he RB Ezekiel Elliott, LB Sean Lee. hasn’t had at tight end in years. Cook’s return You Might Not Know Him: S Barry Church from an ankle injury that sidelined him in (42). October, when Green Bay lost to Dallas, Why You Should: While Lee had a career added an option to the offense, helped open year in his first All-Pro season, Church up the middle and gave opposing safeties anchored the league’s No. 1 rushing defense something else to think about. as a run-stopping safety. He missed all of November with a broken arm, and it was NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS clear that Dallas’ D was not as sturdy without You’ve Heard of Them: QB Tom Brady, RB him. When Dallas played Green Bay in the LeGarrette Blount, TE Martellus Bennett. regular season, Church intercepted Aaron You Might Not Know Him: LG Joe Thuney Rodgers. (No. 62). Why You Should: Thuney, a rookie, has ATLANTA FALCONS been a key member of a Patriots offensive You’ve Heard of Them: QB Matt Ryan, WR line that has allowed just 17 sacks one season Julio Jones. after giving up 38. Thuney didn’t allow a sack You Might Not Know Him: WR Taylor until Week 15. He’s also been an ironman, Gabriel (No. 18). playing 1,114 of 1,118 snaps. If Houston’s HOUSTON: In this Sept 18, 2016, file photo, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith Why You Should: Gabriel, a 5-foot-8 defense is kept away from Brady, Thuney will (11) is sacked by Houston Texans inside linebacker Benardrick McKinney (55) during the speedster who was undrafted out of Abilene part of the reason. second half of an NFL football game ..