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15 Players Who Must Step Up During the 2015 NFL Playoffs

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By @nick_villano

15 Players Who Need To Step Up

NFL Playoffs
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The NFL Playoffs start this week with the Wild Card round. There will be many players who will have added pressure to perform. Whether they are looking to get a contract extension or they are looking to get a bad reputation eliminated, everyone is looking to change their legacy this postseason. Here are 15 players who need to step up.

15. Dez Bryant

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15. Dez Bryant

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Dez Bryant is looking to show his on the field prowess is worth the possible off-the-field issues. He is looking to make a lot of money this offseason by having a huge postseason. He is also looking to be seen as the best receiver in the NFL. He is fighting Antonio Brown and Calvin Johnson, both also in the postseason, for that moniker.

14. Patrick Peterson

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14. Patrick Peterson

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Patrick Peterson was once in the conversation as one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL. He got paid as such prior to the season, but his play did not live up to that standard. He needs to show that he can be a guy who can be left alone with a top receiver and win the battle.

13. Darrelle Revis

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13. Darrelle Revis

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Darrelle Revis is another player who is considered one of the best at cornerback in the NFL. His season has gone as such. The way to get noticed in New England is to do it in the playoffs. If he can continue to play at the level he has all season, then the Patriots could be the team to beat.

12. DeMarcus Ware

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12. DeMarcus Ware

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DeMarcus Ware was given a decent contract from the Denver Broncos after he was cut by the Dallas Cowboys. At 32 years old, he wants to show he can still be as disruptive as he has always been. He has been held sack-less in four straight games after a good start to the season, and he needs to step up in the playoffs if the Broncos' defense can keep them in games.

11. A.J. Green

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11. A.J. Green

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For a long time the pressure for the Bengals to succeed seemed to fall on quarterback Andy Dalton. After a bad performance in a winner-takes-the-division game on Sunday night, there seems to be some extra spotlight on A.J. Green. Not only did he fail to break 100 yards or score a touchdown after being shut out the week prior, but he fumbled on a fourth-quarter drive that sealed the game for the Steelers. He needs to help the Bengals win.

10. Larry Fitzgerald

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10. Larry Fitzgerald

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Larry Fitzgerald seems to be on a steady decline over the past few seasons, so he needs to show that he is still an elite receiver. If he can elevate the Cardinals without Carson Palmer to be competitive, then he will show he still has something left in the tank.

9. Ike Taylor

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9. Ike Taylor

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Ike Taylor is one of the last players left from the great defenses winning Super Bowls earlier this decade. He has shown his age for most of the season. He seems to get beat by most of the receivers lining up against him as of late. If he can play like he did as a younger man, the Steelers could shock the world with a Super Bowl run.

8. Ndamukong Suh

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8. Ndamukong Suh

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Ndamukong Suh is currently working under a one-game suspension. If the Lions win, then he needs to show that he is worth the headache. That is a huge if, since they are playing the scorching hot Dallas Cowboys. If the Lions are one-and-done, there's no doubt Suh will be looked at like a pariah.

7. Tony Romo

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7. Tony Romo

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Tony Romo is always under the spotlight as the quarterback of the most famous franchise in football. He has done a lot this season to show that he is one of the top QBs in the league. To really sell people on his transformation, he needs to be clutch in the playoffs. He doesn't have the best history when it comes to January football.

6. Trent Richardson

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6. Trent Richardson

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Unlike most of the players on this list, Trent Richardson is playing for his career. If he cannot give the Colts what they need from the run game, then he might be out of a job by the start of next season. Since he was traded to the Colts from the Browns, he hasn't done much. He needs to show he is worthy of being in the NFL.

5. Torrey Smith

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5. Torrey Smith

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Torrey Smith is up for a new contract. If he can come up big in the postseason, it could be a lucrative one. If the Ravens fall flat against the Steelers, the blame could fall on the receivers.

4. Luke Kuechly

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4. Luke Kuechly

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Luke Kuechly is trying to become one of the best defensive players in the league. To do that, he is going to have to show it on the field with everyone's eyes locked on him. The Panthers are the forgotten team in the playoffs. He needs to make fans remember.

3. Rob Gronkowski

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3. Rob Gronkowski

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Rob Gronkowski is the man many say is the reason for Tom Brady's resurgence this season. He has been back to his out-of-his-mind self. Despite sitting out the final game of the season, he still scored 12 touchdowns. Can he continue his ascend into superstardom throughout the playoffs?

2. Marshawn Lynch

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2. Marshawn Lynch

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The Seahawks are looking to repeat as Super Bowl Champions, and they can do that with an offense surrounding their star running back. Marshawn Lynch has had a tumultuous season -- so much so that he has considered retiring at the end of the season. He needs to have one last hurrah if he is going to bring the Hawks to another title.

1. Peyton Manning

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1. Peyton Manning

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After how last season ended, Peyton Manning needs to have a great postseason in 2015 to erase that memory. After how this season ended, he really needs to show that he is still an elite QB.

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