The usual names stood out during NFL’s Divisional Playoffs this past weekend. From Tom Brady putting the New England Patriots on his back to Aaron Rodgers playing some inspirational football in Green Bay, some performances were par for the course.
However, there were a handful of rising stars who stood out by playing some tremendous football throughout the weekend. A rookie wide receiver in Green Bay had a coming-out party, a journeyman running back in Baltimore continued to make a statement, and a speedy receiver stepped up in Seattle when one of his teammates went down.
Here are five players who surprised us the most during the divisional playoffs.
1. Davante Adams, Wide Receiver, Green Bay Packers
We covered Adams’ performance a bit in our takeaways article from the divisional round of the playoffs. However, it’s important to focus a bit more on what he was able to do for Aaron Rodgers and company in the Packers win over Dallas on Sunday. Not only did Adams put up seven receptions for 117 yards and a score, he matched Randall Cobb with 11 targets and continually enabled Rodgers to find open seams in what had been a good Cowboys defense.
The real impact of this rookie’s emergence may not be felt until the NFC Championship game against the Seattle Seahawks next weekend. Rodgers now has full trust in the second-round pick to make plays on the ball and beat defenders at the line of scrimmage. That’s a scary proposition for Seattle, especially considering its struggles at cornerback outside of Richard Sherman. The likes of Tharold Simon and Jeremy Lane allowed 12 receptions for 136 yards and two touchdowns on 13 targets against the Carolina Panthers this past weekend. If Adams can duplicate his performance from the divisional round, the Packers might have a chance to pull off the upset.
2. Justin Forsett, Running Back, Baltimore Ravens
Simply put, Forsett may no longer be that much of a surprise. He was among the most consistently good running backs around the National Football League during the regular season. And despite falling short against the New England Patriots on Saturday, Forsett may very well have provided Baltimore with even more confidence that he can be the guy next season. He racked up 129 yards on 24 attempts against a Patriots defense that finished in the top-10 against the run during the regular season. With this type of balance on offense, the Ravens offense could continue to excel under offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak next season. It’s now all about them continuing to have faith in Forsett being the team’s primary ball carrier moving forward.
3. O’Brien Schofield, Defensive End, Seattle Seahawks
A fourth-round pick of the Arizona Cardinals back in 2010, Schofield recorded just two sacks in limited playing time during the regular year. He matched that total on just 31 snaps Saturday against Carolina. Equally as important, the veteran put up four quarterback hurries and continued to get pressure on Cam Newton throughout the evening. Now going up against a hobbled Aaron Rodgers, this reserve defensive end could play a huge role come Sunday against Green Bay.
4. Bryan Bulaga, Offensive Tackle, Green Bay Packers
When healthy, this former first-round pick hasn’t been a bad player by any stretch of the imagination. But Bulaga really upped his game when it mattered the most in protection of a hobbled Aaron Rodgers on Sunday. According to Pro Football Focus metrics (subscription required), he graded out as the third-best overall offensive tackle during the divisional playoffs and didn’t allow a single quarterback pressure in 71 snaps. While Seattle’s defensive front is much better than the Cowboys, there is reason for hope in Green Bay moving into the NFC Championship game. If Rodgers, who obviously isn’t anywhere near as mobile with the calf injury, can continue to see a relatively clean pocket, it only bodes well for the Packers chances. In this, Bulaga becomes a key component
5. Jermaine Kearse, Wide Receiver, Seattle Seahawks
When Seattle let Golden Tate walk in free agency, the plan was to get Kearse more involved in the offense. Unfortunately for the Seahawks, he was an inconsistent performer during the regular year. He put up two catches or less in seven of Seattle’s 16 games and tallied more than 50 receiving yards just seven times. Kearse saw just three targets against the Panthers on Saturday, but he was able to come down with a catch each time for 129 yards and a touchdown, including a beautiful 63-yard catch and run. With Paul Richardson now out for the remainder of the playoffs due to a torn ACL, Kearse will continue to get opportunities to take the top of the defense and could be a huge factor moving forward.
Photo: USA Today