Each NFL team has 46 active players on game day, but fans and analysts typically focus on just a handful of players, examining their impact on the game. Star players are incredibly important to the outcome of each game, but so are the role players.

Professional football is a team game where 11 people work in unison toward one goal. One weak link can ruin the outcome for the entire unit, no matter the volume of star players.

While the Dallas Cowboys' star players such as Dak Prescott and DeMarcus Lawrence make large individual impacts on the game, the level of play of the role players is just as important -- especially in the playoffs.

With the Seattle Seahawks making their way to AT&T Stadium for Saturday night's wild-card matchup, the Cowboys will need those role players to be at their best to have a chance of advancing to the NFC divisional round.

With that being said, let's take a look at three of the most important role players to the Cowboys' playoff run:

Xavier Su'a-Filo, left guard

Even though he had a bounce-back performance against the New York Giants in Week 17, Xavier Su'a-Filo has proven to be the weak link of the offensive line. Any team the Cowboys face in the playoffs will likely try to take advantage of the UCLA product.

Against Seattle, Su'a-Filo's importance skyrockets because he will be one of the primary players tasked with climbing to the second level to block All-Pro linebacker Bobby Wagner, who is one of the few linebackers who can single-handedly wreck an offense's day. Wagner's athleticism, instincts and tackling ability are nearly unmatched in the NFL, and Dallas will need to do everything it can to limit his impact Saturday.

The best way to slow an elite linebacker down is by putting offensive linemen in his face immediately after the snap. Remember how Indianapolis was able to limit Leighton Vander Esch and Jaylon Smith in Week 15? That's exactly what Dallas needs to do to Wagner.

The Colts made a concerted effort with their guards to get a blocker in Smith and Vander Esch's faces, which limited the duo's ability to utilize their athleticism and playmaking

since they were busy fighting off blocks from the second the ball was snapped.

Still, it's not enough to just get a lineman in Wagner's face -- that lineman must also be able to latch onto Wagner's frame to impede his movement toward the ballcarrier, which isn't Su'a-Filo's strong point.

I'm not going to go as far to say that he is better than Connor Williams, but Xavier Su'a-Filo acquitted himself well against a high level of competition. This performance should give DAL confidence to not rush CW back from injury.



Here are some of XSF's best blocks vs PHI ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/UZn2dMJVKC — John Owning (@JohnOwning) November 14, 2018

Su'a-Filo thrives in confined areas where he can use his 6-foot-4, 310-pound frame and raw strength to lock up or displace opponents at the point of attack. Yet Su'a-Filo tends to struggle when he's forced to cover more space. Su'a-Filo has especially struggled climbing to the second level as his footwork has led to balance issues, making it difficult for him to latch onto moving targets.

That doesn't exactly bode well for the Cowboys in game they'll need effective blocking at the second level. Su'a-Filo won't be the only lineman tasked with blocking Wagner in the run game, as Zack Martin and Joe Looney will get their fair share of opportunities. But it will be a significant handicap on Dallas' offense if it can't trust Su'a-Filo to make even an adequate block on Wagner at the second level.

If Su'a-Filo is able to play more balanced as he climbs to the second level without lunging to make contact, he has the size and strength to at least make Wagner's life difficult as he pursues the ballcarrier.

He's certainly not a star, but Su'a-Filo will play an important role in this potential playoff run. As the weak link on the offensive line, Su'a-Filo's play sets the floor for the play of the entire unit,

the mantra "

only as strong as your weakest link" rings true upfront in the NFL.

For the Cowboys' sake, hopefully Su'a-Filo sets a high floor for the offensive line in the postseason.

Chidobe Awuzie, cornerback

Chidobe Awuzie quietly has been the team's best cornerback in each of the past few weeks, as Byron Jones has shown a couple of kinks in his armor.

Chidobe Awuzie blankets the stutter-n-go. Stays attached to Shepard's hip and squeezes him to the sideline. Awuzie has quietly been DALs best CB the last two weeks pic.twitter.com/s4hGpU6eDI — John Owning (@JohnOwning) December 31, 2018

Awuzie has demonstrated stark improvement throughout the season in his ability to defend at the catch point, which has taken his game to a new level in recent weeks after he struggled in that area earlier this season.

Good coverage from Chidobe Awuzie. Patient with his feet in press and is physical at the top of the route. I'm still bullish on his future pic.twitter.com/djoCzrcvlp — John Owning (@JohnOwning) November 12, 2018

Awuzie has done an excellent job playing with physicality and smooth feet at the top of routes, allowing him to stay glued to the hip of a receiver, which puts him in position to make a play at the catch point.

Fantastic job by Chido of not taking the bait from the shallow dig to defend the throw to the corner of the end zone. Great eye discipline and awareness from the 2nd-year CB. #DallasCowboys pic.twitter.com/IpdRkYCG9e — John Owning (@JohnOwning) January 1, 2019

In zone coverage, Awuzie plays with great awareness and eye discipline, understanding how to pass off and take on receivers entering his zone while keeping his eyes on his keys. In press-man coverage, Awuzie is patient with his feet, making him extremely difficult to shake at the line of scrimmage.

Awuzie will be vitally important in the playoffs because each opponent will look to attack Dallas' left cornerback. This week, Awuzie will have his hands full with a steady diet of Seahawks receivers Doug Baldwin and Tyler Lockett.

On top of that, Russell Wilson has been outstanding throwing to his right, accumulating 13 touchdowns and just one interception while completing 70.2 percent of those passes.

Because the Cowboys play a ton of Cover-1 and Cover-3 concepts, it puts a lot of pressure on the cornerbacks to not get beat deep outside the numbers since their only safety help is in the deep middle. This is why you often see Awuzie and Jones cede short completions, especially from off-coverage in Cover 3, since their primary task is to prevent the big play.

This will be especially important against Wilson, who is one of the league's best deep passers. On passes of 20-plus yards, Wilson ranks sixth in accuracy percentage (48.5) and second in passer rating (128.1). On top of being really good at throwing the deep ball, Wilson also throws deep frequently, ranking third in the NFL in the percentage of his passes attempted 20-plus yards downfield, per Pro Football Focus.

Awuzie's improved ball skills and coverage at the catch point will be tested regularly against Seattle, and if he does his part to limit Wilson and the Seahawks' passing game, the Cowboys' defense will have a great opportunity to put together a winning performance.

Antwaun Woods, defensive tackle

The Cowboys have been making a habit out of turning other teams' trash into treasure, and Antwaun Woods is just the latest example.

Coming in with just three career tackles, Woods has proven to be an excellent addition to the defense. In 2017, the Cowboys' nose tackles (1-technique defensive tackles) played poorly, leaving the defense to be routinely gashed by the run.

Whew. @AntwaunWoods_ has been such a good addition to the #DallasCowboys defense this season. pic.twitter.com/Gmth6v9fVx — John Owning (@JohnOwning) October 23, 2018

Woods has changed that this season, providing Dallas with a capable nose tackle who excels at defending the run. At 6-foot-1 and 312 pounds, Woods is a short and stout nose tackle who leverages his immense lower-body strength and deliberate hands to hold his ground at the point of attack or create knock-back with his two-hand strike.

Antwaun Woods shows off his lateral quickness to cross the center's face and penetrate the play-side A-gap to make the tackle for minimal gain. #DallasCowboys pic.twitter.com/t4eZxVETp0 — John Owning (@JohnOwning) November 24, 2018

On top of that, Woods has demonstrated impressive lateral mobility, which he uses to cross a blocker's face and penetrate the backfield.

Week 15's matchup against the Colts proved Woods' value to the defense. Woods arguably had his worst performance of the season in that game, and the effect was felt throughout the defense.

Because Woods couldn't get off single blocks, it allowed Indianapolis to send one or two interior linemen to the second level without needing to secure the line of scrimmage first, which meant Smith and Vander Esch had to deal with linemen in their face right after the snap.

It's not a coincidence that in Woods' worst game of the season, Dallas gave up 178 rushing yards -- the most rushing yards it has given up in a game all season.

This is why Woods' performance in the playoffs is incredibly important. The Cowboys' defense is at its best when Woods is eating up blocks upfront, giving Smith and/or Vander Esch the ability to get off their spot and play downhill against the run.

Against Seattle, Woods' importance will get ratcheted up a few notches because Seattle boasts one of the best rushing offenses in the NFL. Seattle's 2,560 rushing yards was tops in the league this season (and 597 more than Dallas). On top of that, Seattle is fifth in yards per

(4.8) and 12th in run success rate (49 percent).

The Cowboys need Woods to be at his best Saturday night if they hope to slow Seattle's vaunted rushing attack. If Woods can occupy blocks and hold his ground, Dallas will be in great position to stop the run without allocating extra players in the box.

Twitter: @JohnOwning