Davante Adams and Jermaine Kearse had their best games to help their teams reach the NFC championship game. Trent Richardson and Jonas Gray watched in street clothes while their teams advanced to the AFC title game.
The NFL playoffs are a time for unsung heroes and busts.
Often, the standout stars in big games aren’t the biggest names or players making the most money. Two prime examples in past conference championship games are cornerback Ricky Manning Jr. and linebacker A.J. Duhe.
Manning intercepted Donovan McNabb three times in Carolina’s 14-3 win over the Eagles in January 2004. Duhe picked three of Richard Todd’s passes and returned one for a touchdown in Miami’s 14-0 over the New York Jets in January 1983.
Last weekend, Adams, a rookie second-round pick, had a career-best seven catches for 117 yards and one touchdown in Green Bay’s 26-21 win over Dallas. Kearse, a third-year pro, had three catches for a career-best 129 yards and one TD in Seattle’s 31-17 win over Carolina.