The post-season schedule is set and playoff football is finally here. After 18 bruising regular season weeks, the NFL’s end-of-season tournament gets underway on Saturday when the Houston Texans host the Cleveland Browns, the first of six Wild Card matches that take place over three days.

There are storylines galore awaiting NFL fans, from rookie stars getting their first taste of playoff action to unlikely reunions and potential updates. Here is a look at five players who will be key to their side’s success on Super Wild Card Weekend.

CJ Stroud – Houston Texans

CJ Stroud – Houston Texans

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The post-season gets underway in Houston when the Texans host the Cleveland Browns in a clash which throws up a young vs. old quarterback battle. Joe Flacco’s resurgence with the Browns has been one of the more unlikely narratives of the second half season, but we’ll focus in on his opposite number here.

CJ Stroud has just completed one of the best rookie quarterback seasons in recent memory, dragging the Texans back into the playoffs for the first time since 2019.

The fourth-seed Texans will start as underdogs in Saturday’s opener, but if Stroud keeps the cool head he has shown this season he won’t be phased by the occasion and can lead his team to an upset win.

Josh Allen – Buffalo Bills

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It’s been a strange season for the Buffalo Bills, who looked to be on the verge of elimination a month ago, only to rip off a five-game winning streak and book their place in the end-of-season dance.

As you’d expect, quarterback Josh Allen has been key in their turnaround, but that’s not to say there haven’t been issues. The passer committed three turnovers in their win over Miami in Week 18 and will face a Pittsburgh defense that will be ready to capitalise on any mistakes he makes.

The game therefore likely hinges on Allen’s ability to make his specular plays outnumber his errors, although the injury to TJ Watt is a huge blow for the Steelers.

CeeDee Lamb – Dallas Cowboys

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To Dallas next, where the Cowboys host the Green Bay Packers. Dak Prescott’s MVP case has generated plenty of headlines in Texas, but he has wide receiver CeeDee Lamb to thank for his productive numbers in recent weeks.

The fourth-year wideout is currently on one of the all-time receiver hot streaks, scoring in his last nine games, a feat that no one else in his position has achieved for more than a decade. Lamb ended the season with 1,749 receiving yards – the eighth-most by any player in a single NFL season ever – and leaves Packers defensive coordinator Joe Barry with his work cut out to slow him down.

Matthew Stafford – LA Rams

Sunday night’s Detroit Lions vs. LA Rams clash throws up a whole heap of narratives, as Matthew Stafford and Jared Goff go up against their former teams. Rams fans have every right to feel good about Sean McVay masterminding a plan for Goff, so Stafford’s contribution looks to be the more interesting angle here.

The Rams offense versus the Lions defense is the key battle here and Stafford will be vital in guiding a young unit featuring rookie sensation Puca Nacua past a resolute Lions defence that has a habit of stepping up when they need to.

Jalen Hurts – Philadelphia Eagles

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Go back to Thanksgiving and the prospect of Tampa Bay beating Philadelphia in the playoffs was unthinkable. But the Eagles have been dropping like a stone in recent weeks and head to Florida only just favoured by the oddsmakers.

Injuries have been playing havoc with the Eagles in recent weeks, with Jalen Hurts, AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith all playing through pain, but their route to victory here rests on their passing game clicking.

The Bucs will look to control the clock with their dominant running game, meaning that Hurts will likely have to go to the air and rediscover his early-season mojo if the Eagles are to stop this slide and avoid going one-and-done in the post-season.