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Hollywood Brown and Bobby Wagner headline X-factors for AFC and NFC title games

Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Jayden Daniels and Jalen Hurts are the headliners of the NFL conference championship games. They touch the ball more than anyone else on the field and will have a big impact on who wins and who loses on Sunday.

But what about his supporting actors?

We take a closer look at potential X-factors, players who aren’t as well-known but could be in position to make some critical plays that could send their teams to the Super Bowl.

Philadelphia Eagles

HE Dallas Goedert

One of the biggest stories heading into Sunday’s NFC Championship Game is whether Jalen Hurts can get Philadelphia’s passing game going, particularly after No. 1 receiver AJ Brown had just two catches for 14 yards in seven goals in last week’s win over the Los Angeles Rams.

To roll through the air, Hurts must lean on Goedert, a security blanket at tight end. Goedert, the team’s leading receiver this postseason with eight receptions for 103 yards and a score, has proven to be a reliable target in critical situations for Hurts.

And Washington has been vulnerable in pass coverage over the middle of the field. According to Next Gen Stats, opposing teams have completed 67.6% of their passes 10 to 19 yards deep in the middle third of the field, totaling 408 passing yards and four touchdowns, with no interceptions. Opposing quarterbacks have posted a passer rating of 147.7 on those throws, No. 2 in the league.

Goedert had five catches for 61 yards against Washington in Week 11.

D.B. Cooper DeJean

The rookie from Iowa was selected to the Pro Football Writers Association All-Rookie Team at cornerback. DeJean played 63% of Philadelphia’s defensive snaps, finishing with 51 combined tackles, including three tackles for loss, six pass deflections, a forced fumble and half a sack.

Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio played nickelback on 80.5% of the unit’s snaps, third in the NFL. So DeJean, Philadelphia’s cornerback, will be on the field defensively for most of the game. And his play, both in coverage and potentially as a blitz player, will be important in stopping Jayden Daniels.

Specifically, when the Eagles are in zone coverage and Daniels decides to take off, DeJean is one of the most athletic players on the field and a sure tackler. He will be instrumental in making sure Daniels doesn’t constantly move the chains with his feet.

Since DeJean took over as Philadelphia’s nickel cornerback, the Eagles have allowed a league-low 4.2 yards per play when using five defensive backs. DeJean also has a chance to make a big play as a returner.

[Related: NFC Championship preview: Commanders vs. Eagles breakdown, game prediction]

Washington Commanders

pound Bobby Wagner

Saquon Barkley has been an unstoppable force this season and like most defenses, the Commanders struggled to stop him. In two games against Washington, Barkley had 296 rushing yards and averaged 5.4 yards per carry.

The Commanders allowed 137 rushing yards per game during the regular season, 30th in the NFL. They also allowed the second-highest explosive run rate (13.2%) and most yards before contact per carry (1.9) to running backs, according to Next Gen Stats. In two games, the Commanders gave up 197 yards before contact with Barkley (3.6 YBC per carry), including six explosive runs.

In his prime with the Seattle Seahawks, veteran linebacker Bobby Wagner was one of the best run defenders in the Legion of Boom. His strengths have always been using his intelligence to get his defense to make the right play before the snap, and then playing ahead and getting running backs to fall to the ground inside the tackle box.

The Utah State product led the Commanders during the regular season with 132 combined tackles. According to Next Gen Stats, Wagner has generated 55 run stops (tackles per negative EPA) this season, tied for 10th in the NFL.

Washington needs Wagner to help the front seven stop Barkley, putting the onus on Hurts to move the ball.

Can the Commanders contain Saquon Barkley in the NFC title game?

R.B. austin thank you

Eagles linebacker Zack Baun has been an incredible story this year, earning All-Pro honors in his first year as an inside linebacker after transitioning from an edge rusher during his time with the New Orleans Saints.

While Baun has been solid in coverage, he is still learning the intricacies of the position, which could create an opportunity for one of the best third downs in the league. Ekeler, signed as a free agent by the Commanders during the offseason, finished with eight receptions for 89 yards on nine targets in the first meeting between these two teams.

Baun allowed seven receptions on eight targets for 82 yards and a touchdown in that game. One way for Daniels and the Commanders to attack Philadelphia’s defense, particularly on third down, is to create favorable matchups in which Baun must cover Ekeler or veteran tight end Zach Ertz in space.

Kansas City Chiefs

W.R. hollywood brown

Brown missed most of the season with a shoulder injury suffered during preseason play. Now that he’s back, pairing Brown with rookie speedster Xavier Worthy allows the Chiefs to play how they intended when this team was formed: two vertical threats to stretch the floor for middle targets Travis Kelce and DeAndre Hopkins.

Brown totaled nine receptions for 91 yards on 15 targets during the regular season. Chiefs coach Andy Reid is a master of getting the most out of role players at receiver, so don’t be surprised if Brown makes a big play against the Bills.

Are Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs officially ready for the third pick?

pound Nick Bolton

The Chiefs must figure out how to contain 6-foot-5, 240-pound Josh Allen, one of the league’s most physical running backs and dynamic passers. And that starts with one of the most underrated linebackers in the league.

Bolton, the primary tackler in the middle of Kansas City’s defense this season, is excellent at making ball carriers fall to the ground. However, not only does he have to be good near the line of scrimmage against a diverse running game led by Allen and James Cook, Bolton must also handle his business in zone coverage against pass catchers Dalton Kincaid, Khalil Shakir and Curtis Samuel.

In their Week 11 loss to Buffalo, the Chiefs allowed the Bills to convert 9 of 15 third downs, allowing 30 points for the first time since Kansas City’s Super Bowl victory following the 2022 regular season.

Bolton finished with seven combined tackles in the first matchup against Buffalo this season. And he allowed just three receptions for 13 yards on 33 coverage snaps, according to Next Gen Stats.

[Related: AFC Championship preview: Bills vs. Chiefs breakdown, game prediction]

buffalo bills

W.R. Khalil Shakir

After Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis moved on last offseason, Shakir has assumed the role of Buffalo’s go-to receiver. He led Buffalo during the regular season with 76 receptions for 821 yards and four touchdowns. Shakir played well in Buffalo’s win over the Chiefs earlier this season, finishing with eight receptions for 70 yards on 12 targets, including 56 yards after the catch.

The Chiefs allowed 2,123 yards after the catch during the regular season, ninth-most in the NFL. So there will be opportunities for Shakir to create some explosive plays down the field against the Kansas City defense.

Is this the Bills’ best chance to beat the Chiefs?

OF By Miller

Miller is one of the best closers in the postseason during his 13-year NFL career. His 10.5 sacks in the playoffs rank tied for 11th all-time and second behind Frank Clark among active leaders. And Miller clearly still has a knack for making big plays in big games. On Sunday night, he scooped up a Lamar Jackson fumble and returned it 39 yards, leading to a touchdown for Buffalo in its 27-25 victory over the Ravens.

The 35-year-old still has some gas left in the tank. According to Next Gen Stats, Miller has generated 19 pressures in 79 pass rushes since Week 12, which is good for a league-high 24.1% pressure rate over that span (minimum 50 pressures per pin). Miller’s average 0.60-second pass rush across all downs was the fastest in the NFL over that span.

Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for more than a decade, covering the Los Angeles Rams for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma News Tribune. Follow him on Twitter at @eric_d_williams.

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