Unknowns keep making their mark
It isn’t always the stars turning in the biggest performances at crunch time
When Seattle Seahawks receiver Paul Richardson made a miraculous, one-handed touchdown catch in his team’s playoff opener, then followed it up with another acrobatic grab, plenty of folks watching on TV had one simple question: “Who is that guy?” Happens every season. While even the most casual NFL fan is familiar with certain players — Russell Wilson, for example — there are plenty of others who are relatively, or completely, unknown to even thorough fans.
They’re not mysteries to their coaches and teammates, though.
“This is the kind of play we see from him in practice, so it’s not unfamiliar,” Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said about Richardson. “Some of the plays were circus-like, but he has done that .... He’s been waiting a long while to help this team and feel significant about that impact and he’s done that.”
Maybe Richardson will again step out of the shadows of Doug Baldwin to make a mark for Seattle against the Atlanta Falcons Saturday. Or maybe another unheralded player will wind up making a difference.
AP writers who cover each remaining playoff team picked one player you might not have heard of that could play a key role in the divisional round this weekend:
Dallas Cowboys
You’ve Heard of Them: QB Dak Prescott, RB Ezekiel Elliott, LB Sean Lee. You Might Not Know Him: S Barry Church.
Why You Should: While Lee had a career year in his first All-Pro season, Church anchored the league’s No. 1 rushing defence as a run-stopping safety. He missed all of November with a broken arm and it was clear Dallas’ defence was not as sturdy without him. When Dallas played Green Bay in the regular season, Church intercepted Aaron Rodgers.
What Was Said: “He’s got great energy. He’s a really good communicator. I think guys respond well to him.” — coach Jason Garrett.
Atlanta Falcons
You’ve Heard of Them: QB Matt Ryan, WR Julio Jones. You Might Not Know Him: WR Taylor Gabriel.
Why You Should: Gabriel, a 5-foot-8 speedster undrafted out of Abilene Christian, was looking for a job a week before this season began after getting cut by the Cleveland Browns. Now he’s a threat to go all the way any time he touches the ball, whether via screen pass or an endaround run, and has scored more touchdowns (7) than Jones (6).
What Was Said: “Everybody could tell from Day 1 he was a guy who was going to be able to help us in some way.” — Ryan.
Seattle Seahawks
You’ve Heard of Them: CB Richard Sherman, S Kam Chancellor, LB Bobby Wagner. You Might Not Know Him: CB DeShawn Shead.
Why You Should: Shead has been under the radar his whole career, an undrafted player from Portland State who only this season became a regular starter on a talented defence famous for “Legion of Boom” members Sherman and Chancellor. While Sherman will be counted on to take away one side of the field, Shead is capable of stopping whichever wideout he covers. He was responsible for one of Tom Brady’s two interceptions this season.
What Was Said: “He’s done a great job adjusting, growing throughout the season, doing his job. He’s a technician.” — Sherman.
Green Bay Packers
You’ve Heard of Them: QB Aaron Rodgers, WRs Jordy Nelson.
You Might Not Know Him: TE Jared Cook.
Why You Should: The 6-foot-4 Cook gives Rodgers the kind of athletic target he hasn’t had at tight end in years. Cook’s return from an ankle injury that sidelined him in October, when Green Bay lost to Dallas, helped open up the middle and gave opposing safeties something else to think about. What Was Said: “He’s a big body. He’s tough to cover. He does a good job catching the football and a good job with the ball in his hands.” — Rodgers.
New England Patriots
You’ve Heard of Them: QB Tom Brady, RB LeGarrette Blount, TE Martellus Bennett. You Might Not Know Him: LG Joe Thuney.
Why You Should: Thuney, a rookie, has been a key member of a Patriots offensive line that allowed just 17 sacks one season after giving up 38. Thuney didn’t allow a sack until Week 15. He’s also been an iron man, playing 1,114 of 1,118 snaps. If Houston’s defence is kept from Brady, Thuney will be part of the reason.
What Was Said: “Being able to stay out there, day after day and week after week, is tough in this league. Joe’s done a good job of that, though.” — coach Bill Belichick.
Kansas City Chiefs
You’ve Heard of Them: S Eric Berry, CB Marcus Peters You Might Not Know Him: S Daniel Sorensen.
Why You Should: Sorensen, a former undrafted free agent out of BYU, might be listed as a backup safety, but he rarely leaves the field. Along with playing special teams, he helps give Berry, Peters and the rest of the defensive backfield a hard-hitting presence. He is always around the ball, recovering three fumbles and picking off three passes this season, with one returned for a touchdown.
What Was Said: “When the ball is on the ground, he has no fear about going in there and getting it. There’s no hesitation.” — special teams coach Dave Toub.
Pittsburgh Steelers
You’ve Heard of Them: QB Ben Roethlisberger, WR Antonio Brown, RB Le’Veon Bell. You Might Not Know Him: TE Jesse James. Why You Should: The 6-foot-7 James was supposed to be a placeholder until Ladarius Green got healthy. But James became a productive part of Pittsburgh’s versatile offence, catching 39 passes and scoring three TDs. His blocking, a weak spot during his rookie season in 2015, is much improved. The proof came when he took on two defenders on Brown’s 50-yard catch-and-run score last weekend.
What Was Said: “He’s a really cerebral young guy. He takes an analytic approach to getting better.” — coach Mike Tomlin.
Houston Texans
You’ve Heard of Them: DE Jadeveon Clowney, WR DeAndre Hopkins You Might Not Know Him: LB Benardrick McKinney.
Why You Should: The 6-foot-4, 260-pound McKinney leads the Texans with 129 tackles, almost twice as many as any teammate on the league’s top-ranked defence. He also had five sacks and forced a fumble. Defensive co-ordinator Romeo Crennel loves that McKinney is able to drop into coverage at his size.
What Was Said: “He’s a very instinctive player, so I think that it was only a matter of time before he was going to be playing at a high level.” — coach Bill O’Brien.