As NFL playoff stretch run begins, these six players will have the biggest impact

How will the final three weeks play out? Let’s take a look at the six players who will matter most over the playoff stretch run:

QB Russell Wilson, Seahawks: This one is easy. Wilson was the leader for MVP honors to begin the season, when Seattle got off to a 5-0 start and he was on pace for 56 touchdowns.

But the “Let Russ Cook” approach has fizzled some in recent weeks, and at 9-4, the Seahawks are in a battle with the Los Angeles Rams (9-4) for first place in the NFC West and a first-round home game. Teams have played more zone defense against Wilson in recent weeks, trying to limit his deep throws to DK Metcalf and render the Seahawks’ play-action game — which also took a hit with injuries to their running backs — less effective. In Seattle’s four losses, Wilson has 16 turnovers.

But Wilson used the winless New York Jets to fix many of his problems. After holding on to the ball an average of 3.38 seconds in a 17-12 loss to the New York Giants a week earlier, Wilson got the ball out of his hands in an average of 2.65 seconds, completing 21 of 27 passes for 206 yards and four touchdowns in a 40-3 win. He threw more screens and check-downs. With the defense getting better, his play down the stretch will determine whether the Seahawks edge the Rams in the NFC West.

QB Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers: His return after missing 14 games with an elbow injury a year ago meant everything for Pittsburgh during its 11-0 start. But things have fallen apart during back-to-back losses to Washington and Buffalo, and the offense has averaged just 16 points during the skid.

Roethlisberger has thrown five interceptions in his past four games, and his pass-catchers have been letting him down, ranking second in the NFL with 25 dropped passes this season. Look for Roethlisberger to get back on track Monday against Cincinnati, but how he performs in Weeks 16 and 17 against Indianapolis and Cleveland will have a major impact on the AFC playoff race.

DT DeForest Buckner, Colts: It’s a quarterbacks league, and Philip Rivers has done a nice job leading Indianapolis into playoff contention. But Buckner, who was acquired from San Francisco in the offseason, is the most important piece on one of the NFL’s best defenses.

When Buckner is on the field, the Colts give up around 3.3 yards per carry. When he’s not, opponents rush for around 5.2 yards per carry. He has 4.5 sacks and 20 quarterback hits. It’s a different defense when he is on the field, and if he can stay out there, the Colts will have a good chance to win two or all three of their remaining games: vs. Houston, at Pittsburgh and vs. Jacksonville.

RB Derrick Henry, Titans: Last season, Tennessee rode Henry and quarterback Ryan Tannehill all the way to the AFC championship game. Henry’s ability to overpower the defense on the ground has the Titans at 9-4 and with a great chance to win the AFC South.

To be assured of a division title, they’ll need to win out against their remaining opponents: vs. Detroit, at Green Bay and at Houston. Particularly against a Packers defense that has been known to struggle against the run, Henry figures to play a pivotal role.

QB Josh Allen, Bills: It was a close call between Allen and star wide receiver Stefon Diggs, but it’s impossible to overlook how well Allen has been playing, leading an offense that averages 27.6 points.

Diggs’s arrival in a trade this offseason has certainly helped, and he has 100 catches for 1,167 yards. But Allen’s improvement has been remarkable. He has won head-to-head matchups with Jared Goff, Tannehill, Wilson and Roethlisberger. He has to be considered one of the top six or so candidates for the MVP award.

Buffalo is 10-3 and has three winnable games remaining: at Denver, at New England and vs. Miami. If Allen can lead the Bills to wins in all three, they’ll have a good chance to earn the AFC’s No. 2 seed — they would only need Pittsburgh to drop one of its final three games.

QB Jalen Hurts, Eagles: He has become the wild card in the rapidly improving NFC East. When Doug Pederson benched Carson Wentz, he wasn’t sure what he was going to get from Hurts, particularly in a matchup with NFC-leading New Orleans and its fearsome defense.

Hurts delivered an upset win, outdueling Taysom Hill and becoming just the second player in NFL history to produce a double-triple (more than 100 yards passing and rushing) in his first start, after Lamar Jackson did it in 2018.

The Jackson comparison is interesting. Baltimore was on the ropes before John Harbaugh — who, like Pederson, was on the hot seat at the time of the QB change — turned to Jackson, who promptly led the Ravens to the playoffs. The Eagles (4-8-1) have less time to work with, but if they can earn wins at Arizona and Dallas, their Week 17 meeting with Washington (6-7) could be for the NFC East crown.

Jon Gruden doesn’t have a history of firing coaches during the season, but he had seen enough from defensive coordinator Paul Guenther. The Raiders had given up 37.5 points per game over the previous four weeks, losing three of those games. Gruden wanted to stop the bleeding, even if Las Vegas’s playoff hopes have dimmed.

The Jets are really, really bad. Their 40-3 loss at Seattle was a disaster. New York had only 185 yards of offense — and only 20 in the second half. The Jets are 0-13, and their 16.2-point average margin of defeat is the second worst all-time among winless teams. No Seahawks player enjoyed the win more than Jamal Adams, who has been an impact player since his trade from the Jets. He earned a sack in the victory, setting an NFL record for a defensive back with 8.5.

You have to wonder if this is the end for quarterback Matthew Stafford in Detroit. He suffered a rib injury in Sunday’s loss to Green Bay, and it could cause him to miss the season’s final three games. With the franchise looking for a coach and a general manager, the new regime could decide to move on from the 2009 No. 1 pick. What a shame that would be. Stafford is a great talent, but he has been through so many coaching changes on so many bad teams.