Steve Young is very specific with his playoff advice to Blake Bortles, saying "don't throw an interception." (0:38)

Editor's note: This column was originally published on Jan. 7, 2017.

The atmosphere is electric. The speed of the game jumps. And the pressure? It's intense. But that's expected, really, when you get into the dance.

I played on wild-card weekend four times during my journeyman NFL career. We won a couple. And we lost a couple too. The common thread? Everything is magnified when you play in an elimination game.

You can't stop the run game in the playoffs? Get beat on special teams? Or give up the deep ball in the second half? Man, it's time to clock out and hand in the gear.

In 2002, I played for a 12-4 Packers team: Brett Favre, Ahman Green, a defense that attacked the ball. That was a legit squad -- the best team I played on as a pro. But we couldn't find an answer for Michael Vick and the Falcons in the snow at Lambeau. That guy made a lot of plays. We didn't. And giving up a blocked punt for a touchdown put us in a hole. Just like that, it was over.

Think about it: There are no more film sessions on Monday morning, no more correction periods out on the field. It's win or go home -- and everyone in the building knows it.

That's why the week of game prep has a different feel to it. The energy level in the facility increases. There is a level of excitement that makes its way into meeting rooms, the weight room and even the training room. Everyone wants a piece of this. And why not? You have an opportunity here to make a run through that playoff bracket. Get a win this weekend? Hey, now you are going somewhere.

"You can't stop the run game in the playoffs? Get beat on special teams? Or give up the deep ball in the second half? Man, it's time to clock out and hand in the gear."

The tempo at practice picks up, and most coaches bring an added edge to the field or the film room. It isn't a surprise to see coaches sleep on a couch in the office as they squeeze out 20 more minutes of tape study before grabbing a few hours of sleep. Wake up and do it again. Anything to get the slightest of edges.

And it's OK to have those Super Bowl dreams. Heck, that's why you are in this thing. It doesn't matter how your team got to this point, either. Regular-season records? Stats? Pro Bowl voting? Forget about it. No one cares anymore.

But the main thing about playoff football is that a bad half -- heck even a bad quarter or series -- can turn out the lights. And negative plays can derail a shot at advancing. That's why it's so important to focus on those little details throughout the week of practice and when studying the game plan.

I've always said that NFL seasons are fragile, but playoff games are even more fragile when we think about all the factors that can send you into the offseason.

We lost a game to New Orleans on wild-card weekend during my rookie year with the Rams. We were defending champs -- The Greatest Show on Turf. We made a late run in that game, closed the gap. But our inability to win on defense and special teams? That was it. Ballgame.

This isn't a seven-game series in which a team can slip up and come back the next night fresh. Nah. In the NFL, you get one chance to win. That's it.

As a player, when you are done and into retirement, you don't think back on regular-season games. At least I don't. It's the playoff games, the big stage when everyone is watching. These games are different; they are unique. They are fast, physical, tense and filled with nervous energy. Win or lose, these are the ones that stick with you.

ESPN.com NFL analyst Matt Bowen played seven seasons as a defensive back in the NFL.