One X-factor for each team in the NFL playoffs:

Bills cornerback Dane Jackson

Buffalo Bills – Dane Jackson

In a weird AFC field, a team that finished with the number one defense across almost all key categories combined with one of the most talented quarterbacks in the league could be highly dangerous and possibly go all the way.

Yet, ever since the injury to cornerback Tre’Davious White, we have seen this defensive unit regress to a certain point. It may not be reflected in the numbers, but they got run all over by the Patriots in the snowstorm game.

This was followed by Brady and the Bucs lighting them up for 33 points before feasting on easier matchups against the Panthers, Falcons and Jets.

While Levi Wallace has turned himself into a solid CB2, they rely a lot on their starting five defensive backs, who would all be at or around 90 percent of snaps if White was healthy.

Now they need another guy to step up on the left side and once again an unheralded second-year man is earning playing time for this group with Dane Jackson.

I was a big fan of his competitive spirit when I evaluated his tape at Pittsburgh. He had the chance to collect plenty of experience in press coverage and showed an impressive ability to read the quarterback’s body language in zone.

Unfortunately, running in the high 4.5’s really hurt his draft stock and it coincided with his collegiate numbers where he surrendered nine touchdowns compared to only one pick.

For a team that finished in the top-three in takeaways, Jackson hasn’t recorded one yet, but he’s held opponents to completing exactly half of the 40 targets thrown his way, for 6.4 yards per target and a passer rating of 70.2.

But if the Bills wants to win a title, Jackson will have to match up against the likes of Tyreek Hill, A.J. Brown and maybe Ja’Marr Chase at times.