4 dark horses who could decide championship Sunday

Championship Sunday is full of stars on both sides of the ball, from Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski to Jalen Ramsey and Harrison Smith.

As usual, these players will likely have the final say in how the conference games play out. However, whether because of certain matchups or scheme advantages, less significant players could still have a huge impact on the results.

Here's one such player for each of the four conference championship teams who could be key to deciding the participants of Super Bowl LII.

Patriots - WR Brandin Cooks

The Patriots acquired Cooks from the New Orleans Saints this offseason, likely hoping he would cement himself as the other main receiving option alongside Gronkowski. And while Cooks' numbers in the regular season were in line with his production over the last few years, he was somewhat of the forgotten man toward the end of the campaign. The wideout failed to break 100 yards in the final six games of the regular season and had just 32 yards in the divisional round.

Well, it's about time the Patriots received some real return for their investment, though it will be tough against the Jacksonville Jaguars' vaunted secondary. Cooks will need to get the better of either Ramsey or A.J. Bouye, who present different but almost equally daunting challenges.

The Patriots could win this game based almost entirely on a dink-and-dunk game plan, with a heavy dose of Gronkowski over the middle of the field. But, New England will have to test the Jaguars' dominant cornerback duo at some point, and Cooks is far and away the Patriots' most physically gifted receiver. A play or two downfield from him could make all the difference for New England.

Jaguars - LB Myles Jack

Jack's rare athleticism was on full display in the Jaguars' divisional-round win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, as the linebacker made a spectacular, toe-tapping interception early in the game.

And the Jaguars will need every morsel of Jack's speed and agility if they're to stop the Patriots' embarrassment of riches on offense. The former second-rounder could be deployed against the Patriots' staple of pass-catching backs or, more crucially, against Gronkowski.

Jack isn't yet fully developed as a coverage linebacker. Sometimes his athleticism makes up for his inexperience, and sometimes it doesn't. Where Jacksonville ultimately decides to utilize Jack will be crucial.

Lining him up against Gronkowski for more than a handful of snaps would be a bold move, so he'll more than likely be tasked with stopping Dion Lewis and Co. out of the backfield. Regardless, Bill Belichick and Josh McDaniels love to attack the young players on opposing defenses, and how Jack holds up to whatever challenge he's faced with could be a defining factor.

Eagles - LT Halapoulivaati Vaitai

Vaitai has done an admirable job filling in for longtime left tackle Jason Peters, who tore his ACL and MCL in Week 7. The sky was expected to fall when Peters went down, but the Philadelphia Eagles' offense kept on humming until Carson Wentz was also lost for the season.

While the Eagles' scoring output has declined with Nick Foles under center, little blame can be laid at the feet of the offensive line. The quarterback was sacked just once in the divisional-round win over the Atlanta Falcons.

However, an entirely different beast is coming to town Sunday in the form of the Minnesota Vikings' defensive front seven, which may be the best in all of football. The Vikings like to get pressure with just four rushers and Vaitai is still the most obvious weakness, having given up the second-most sacks (nine) among offensive tackles.

Everson Griffen, who had 13 sacks in the regular season, will be the man lining up opposite the fill-in left tackle. If Vaitai can hold up in 1-on-1 situations and force Minnesota to bring extra bodies to boost the pass-rush, Philadelphia could be headed to its first Super Bowl since 2004.

Vikings - RB Latavius Murray

Murray endured a slow start to his Vikings career, with an ankle issue limiting his reps and allowing him to rush for just 97 yards in his first six games. But the veteran running back quietly regained his form as the season wore on. Murray racked up 745 yards in the Vikings' final 10 games, including a 111-yard, two-touchdown game in Week 17.

Murray, as well as his backfield teammate Jerick McKinnon, face the stiffest of tests versus the Eagles' top-ranked run defense. While Case Keenum and the passing offense have been a revelation, the Vikings cannot afford to become one dimensional and allow Philadelphia's pass-rushers to pin their ears back and get after the quarterback - especially considering its depth along the defensive line.

The Eagles' front likes to play aggressive, and while McKinnon's agility will be a key asset, Murray's strength and ability to run between the tackles could be the perfect foil.