NFL Conference Championships 2017: Defensive X-Factor for Each Team

The one player from each team who could swing the 2017 NFL Conference Championships one way or another.

The 2017 NFL Conference Championships are set and, if the trend continues, there should be a ton of scoring. The Atlanta Falcons led the league in points per game (33.8) and their opponent, the Green Bay Packers, were fourth (27.0). Meanwhile, on the AFC side, the New England Patriots were third in scoring (27.6) and the Pittsburgh Steelers were 10th (24.9).

Needless to say, the two teams that play slightly better defense than their opponent are likely to reach Super Bowl LI. There are impact defensive players on all four teams, and the Patriots actually led the league in scoring defense. However, there is one player from each team that could change the complexion of each game, and keeping with the theme, each is a defensive player.

So, without further ado, here is one defensive player from each team that could be an x-factor on Sunday:

Atlanta Falcons: Deion Jones, LB

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Against the Seattle Seahawks last weekend, the Falcons often rushed just three, and dropped eight defenders into coverage. Oftentimes, one of those eight defenders would be a spy on quarterback Russell Wilson, limiting his ability to scramble and make plays out of the pocket. Deion Jones was tasked with being the spy on some plays, and this is a strategy Atlanta figures to deploy against the Packers this week.

In the Week 8 meeting between these two teams (a 33-32 Falcons victory), Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers scrambled for 60 yards. Jones, a rookie, is athletic enough to run with Rodgers, clog throwing lanes, and not let Rodgers scramble around for eight or nine seconds as he has done in the past. Jones actually led the Falcons in interceptions this year (three), so if he is asked to spy Rodgers, he has a playmaking knack that could come into play.

Green Bay Packers: Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, FS

If the Packers have any chance to slow down the league’s number one offense, their best defensive back is going to have to play a big role. Ha Ha Clinton-Dix has developed into a playmaker for the Packers, showing a large range in coverage and the chops to stuff the run. The Falcons have a ton of receivers who can take the top off a defense, and Clinton-Dix must ensure that nothing gets over his head.

The Falcons also deploy the league’s best one-two punch at running back, so Clinton-Dix must be able to support against the run while also trying to cover these two dynamic backs out of the backfield. The Packers are terribly banged-up in the secondary, and Clinton-Dix is one of the only healthy players the Packers have left back there. As a result, the pressure is on the former first round pick to have the game of his life.

New England Patriots: Malcolm Butler, CB

Pittsburgh Steelers: Ryan Shazier, LB

Quite simply, Ryan Shazier may be the fastest linebacker in all of football, and he’s going to have to use that speed to try to slow down the Patriots high-octane offense. Unlike other linebackers, Shazier has the speed to defend electric running backs Dion Lewis and James White as receivers out of the backfield, as well as the size/speed combination that is needed to run with tight end Martellus Bennett.

Next: Packers vs Falcons: NFC Championship Preview

Furthermore, the Patriots thrive on throwing short passes to receivers such as Julian Edelman or Chris Hogan over the middle, and Shazier must use his athleticism to chase down these receivers and limit the yards after the catch (which New England ranks second in).

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