NFL playoffs: One X-factor for all 14 teams in the field heading into Wild Card Weekend

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Former NFL player and scout Bucky Brooks knows the ins and outs of this league, providing keen insight in his notebook. In today’s installment, he spotlights 14 players who could tilt the balance in the hunt for the Lombardi Trophy …

The NFL’s postseason tournament is about to kick off with Wild Card Weekend — and decision-makers around the league will be counting on their blue-chip players to produce the kinds of game-changing plays that can push a team to the next round.

But we’re not here to talk about stars. We’re here to zero in on one unheralded or relatively underappreciated player on each team who could emerge as a difference-maker.

After carefully assessing each playoff roster, I’ve identified one X-factor per contender who will determine whether his team makes an extended postseason run, with the AFC field listed first below, followed by the NFC:

AFC X-factors

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