Faceoff: Who's breaking out in this year's playoffs?

Which under-the-radar player is likely to have a Tracy Porter breakout moment in the playoffs?
PRISCO: I'm going with Colts receiver Pierre Garcon. I know he's been a quality starter, but I think his speed will be a big deal for the Colts in these playoffs. He's been inconsistent this season, as he's been bothered by injuries. But he is the man who can stretch a defense for the Colts. Manning seemed to lose confidence in Garcon at points during the season, but that seemed to be remedied in recent weeks. He had a touchdown catch in each of the past two games. His yards-per-catch average is down from 16.3 in 2009 to 11.7 this season. I think now that he's healthy he can get that number back up near 16 in the playoffs. You know Manning will have to come up big in the playoffs if the Colts are to win games, but without Austin Collie, Dallas Clark and Anthony Gonzalez, it's on Garcon to make some big plays to help Reggie Wayne. Speed is vital in the postseason and Garcon has it.
JUDGE: I'll take a flyer on Philadelphia safety Kurt Coleman, just because the rookie is in the right place at the right time. That would be the middle of the Eagles' secondary, where it should be bombs away this weekend. The Packers can't run, so look for quarterback Aaron Rodgers to go after Philadelphia's defensive backs -- particularly whoever mans up at cornerback opposite Asante Samuel. Heck, he probably goes at Samuel, too, because he's playing on one good leg. The Eagles' defense has been vulnerable since it lost linebacker Stewart Bradley, defensive end Brandon Graham and safety Nate Allen, and it's Coleman who replaces Allen. Philadelphia has trouble pressuring the passer, and Aaron Rodgers has success vs. the blitz. That should mean passes galore, with Rodgers trying to take advantage of a rookie like Coleman. That should also mean Coleman has his chance to do ... well, something ... which puts him in position to make a name for himself.
Which of this weekend's eight teams should scare the Top Four most?
PRISCO: I'll go with the Colts. Why? They have Peyton Manning, and they can score. They had mid-year struggles, largely because of injuries. And even during those struggles, they did go to New England -- against the AFC's top team -- and had a chance to win in the fourth quarter before Manning threw an interception. The Colts are healthier than they were then. Getting Joseph Addai back is huge on offense. With the way they can score when Manning gets hot, and then being able to turn their pass rushers loose, they are the dangerous team in the AFC. Yes, they have some defensive issues. But when you have Manning, who can put up 30 on a defense, you always have a chance. I think that’s why they match up better with New England than any other team in the conference.
JUDGE: Indianapolis. The Colts remind me of the team that circled the bases in 2006, only without Dallas Clark -- and, yes, that's a huge loss. But they're doing now what they did then, which is stopping the run and relying on Joseph Addai and Dominic Rhodes to support Peyton Manning. They're on a nice little roll, winning their last four, and beating opponents by stuffing their running games -- with the defeat of Oakland a great example. The Raiders had the league's second-best running game, were home and were coming off a lopsided win over Denver, but Indianapolis shut down their backs -- allowing Oakland 80 yards rushing, their third lowest total of the season. That's how the Colts can win in the playoffs. Plus, there's this: They know they can beat New England. They've proven it over the years, and they nearly proved it again this season. They were this close to beating the Patriots in Foxborough when Manning threw an interception, but they learned then what can help them now -- that they can play with the NFL's best. Let's see, Manning is on a tear, with nine TDs and just two interceptions his last four starts. The Colts haven't lost in a month. They have two healthy backs. Their rush defense is better than ever. Yep, they're right where they want to be.
Aside from New Orleans, which wild-card team has the best chance to win this weekend and why?
PRISCO: I'll go with Baltimore. I just think they have too much playoff experience for the Chiefs. They know what it takes. But more than that, I think they have a favorable matchup with Kansas City. They are a good run defense and Kansas City has to run the ball to be successful on offense. If Baltimore can limit Jamaal Charles, and I think they can, it will put a lot of pressure on the Chiefs passing game. That's where Terrell Suggs will come up big. Look for Ray Rice to run the ball against Kansas City with some success. The Ravens won 12 games for a reason. They are the better team here.
JUDGE: Baltimore because the Ravens have been here before and excelled. In fact, under John Harbaugh they haven't played a playoff game anywhere but the road, and they're 3-2 there. Granted, the Chiefs were 7-1 at home, and Arrowhead Stadium is one of the league's grandest stages. But Baltimore won't be flummoxed. The Ravens went into Foxborough a year ago and did what nobody before had -- namely, beat Tom Brady and the Patriots in a home playoff game. Corection: They didn't just beat them; they crushed them. So why can't that happen here? Baltimore also is strong vs. the run, with the league's fifth-best rush defense, which means they're best where Kansas City can hurt you most. In fact, the Ravens tied Pittsburgh for fewest rushing touchdowns allowed this season (five). Take away Jamaal Charles and Thomas Jones, and the game is on Matt Cassel's shoulders. Given a choice of Cassel vs. Ed Reed, I know where I'm going. I'll take the Ravens' experience in big games, thank you very much.
Which of the four teams with first-round byes is the most vulnerable?
PRISCO: Chicago. It's not that I don’t think they're good, but they have issues that the other three teams don't -- mainly the offensive line. Jay Cutler was sacked way too often this season. That could be a problem in the playoffs, when you have to be able to keep your quarterback clean. That's where turnovers come into play. And we know that Cutler can get into turnover ruts. The Bears won their division, but they were not a great offensive team, mostly because the line isn't very good. It did get better as the season moved along, but it's still probably among the two or three worst lines in the postseason. So unless that defense can limit a team to 14-17 points, the Bears could be one and done.
JUDGE: It's either Chicago or Pittsburgh because each was 5-3 at home, and I'll take the Bears. Here's why: Playoff games often come down to quarterbacks, and which quarterback do you trust to make big plays -- Ben Roethlisberger or Jay Cutler? Me, too. Roethlisberger won two Super Bowls; Cutler hasn't been in a playoff game. Yeah, I know, the Steelers lost home games to two of the four AFC teams in this weekend's playoffs, but one of those was without Big Ben. The other was a 22-17 defeat to the Jets where Roethlisberger had the Steelers at the New York 10 when the game ended. I just trust him to make critical plays in critical situations, basically because he's done it before. Cutler hasn't. Plus, there is this: The Bears' defense is solid, makes plays and forces turnovers, but do you really like it over Pittsburgh? Neither do I.

extracted from cbssports.com