SATURDAY, JANUARY 8, 2011
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS–NFC SOUTH (11-5) AT SEATTLE SEAHAWKS–NFC WEST (7-9)NOTESTEAMS MEET for 1st time in postseason. Clubs met in Week 11 (NO 34-19). NO leads all-time series 6-5.
SAINTS: Aim to become 1st team to repeat as Super Bowl champions since NE (SB XXXVIII & XXXIX). Head coach SEAN PAYTON is 4-1 in playoffs. In 5 seasons with NO, has led team to 53 total wins, 3 playoff berths, 2 division titles, 2 NFC Champ Game appearances & 1 SB victory. Saints had 3 players selected to Pro Bowl: QB DREW BREES (5th), G JAHRI EVANS (2nd) & G CARL NICKS (1st)…Since joining NO in 2006, QB Brees has 22,918 pass yards, most by QB in any 5-year span in NFL history. Has 4,000 yards in each of past 5 seasons & owns 5 best single-season passing totals in franchise history. Brees & PEYTON MANNING are only QBs in NFL history with 5 consecutive 4,000-yard seasons. Had 448 completions, his NFL-record 3rd 400-completion season. Has 66.7 comp. pct. (150 of 225) in postseason career, best in NFL history (min. 150 att.). His 103.7 playoff passer rating is 2nd highest in NFL history (min. 150 att.) behind HOFer BART STARR (104.8). Passed for 382 yards & 4 TDs vs. Sea. in Week 11…RB-PR REGGIE BUSH had 83-yard PR-TD in NFC Div. last year, 3rd longest PR in NFL playoff history. Also had 46-yard rush TD in that game & became 2nd player in postseason history with rush TD & PR-TD in same game (HOFer CHARLEY TRIPPI). RB PIERRE THOMAS has 3 TDs (2 rec., 1 rush) in past 2 playoff games…WR MARQUES COLSTON had 84 catches for 1,023 yards. Is 1st Saint with 1,000 rec. yards in 4 of 1st 5 NFL seasons. Had 8 catches for 113 yards & 2 TDs in Week 11. WR LANCE MOORE led team with 8 rec. TDs. WR ROBERT MEACHEM had 2 TDs in last meeting. Rookie TE JIMMY GRAHAM has 4 TDs in past 3 & aims for 4th in row with TD catch. Led NFC rookie TEs with 5 TDs…CB TRACY PORTER aims for 3rd playoff game in row with INT. Had 74-yard INT-TD in SB. LB JONATHAN VILMA led club in tackles for 3rd consecutive season. S MALCOLM JENKINS & CB JABARI GREER tied for club lead with 2 INTs. Each had INT-TD. DE WILL SMITH aims for 3rd in row with sack. DT SEDRICK ELLIS tied for 3rd among NFC DTs with career-high 6 sacks. S ROMAN HARPER has 2 sacks, FF & FR in 2 career games vs. Sea. S DARREN SHARPER has 65 career INTs (63 reg. season, 2 postseason) & 11 INT-TDs (11 reg. season), both most among active players.
SEAHAWKS: Have won NFC West 5 times in past 7 seasons. Make 6th playoff appearance in past 8 years. Aim for 5th consecutive home playoff win. Are 4-0 in past 4 postseason home games, outscoring opponents 110-58…Head coach PETE CARROLL returns to postseason for 1st time since 1998 with NE…QB MATT HASSELBECK has started 9 playoff games, tied for 2nd most in team history. Can tie WALTER JONES (10) for most postseason starts by Seahawk. Holds club playoff passing records for attempts (325), completions (189), yards (2,211) & TDs (11). Had 3,001 pass yards, his team-record 7th career 3,000-yard season. In 4 meetings vs. NO, has completed 89 of 139 (64 pct.) for 1,111 yards with 6 TDs vs. 2 INTs for 97.1 rating. Aims for 3rd meeting in row with 360 pass yards. In Week 11 game vs. NO, completed 32 of 44 (72.7 pct.) for 366 yards with 1 TD vs. 0 INTs for 104.9 rating. QB CHARLIE WHITEHURST recorded 1st career win as starting QB last week as Seahawks clinched division. Threw for career-high 192 yards, incl. career-long 61-yard pass…RB MARSHAWN LYNCH led team with 573 rush yards & totaled 737 rush yards on season (164 with Buf.). RB JUSTIN FORSETT recorded 2nd consecutive season with 500 rush yards (523) & 30 catches (33) & is 7th Seahawk to accomplish feat in back-to-back years. RB-KR LEON WASHINGTON tied for NFL lead with franchise-record 3 KR-TDs. Is only player in NFL history to record 3 KR-TDs in 2 different seasons (2007 with NYJ). Has 7 career KR-TDs, 2nd most in NFL history (JOSHUA CRIBBS, 8)…WR MIKE WILLIAMS led club with career-high 65 catches & 751 yards. Entering 2010, had 44 catches & 539 yards in career. Had 3 games with 10 receptions & is 1st Seahawk with 3 10-catch games in season. Had 6 catches for 109 yards in Week 11. WRs BEN OBOMANU & DEON BUTLER tied for team lead with 4 rec. TDs…DE CHRIS CLEMONS led team with career-high 11 sacks. DE RAHEEM BROCK had 2.5 sacks & FF last week. S EARL THOMAS led NFC rookies with 5 INTs & tied club rookie record (MICHAEL BOULWARE, 2004). CB MARCUS TRUFANT (78 yards) & S JORDAN BABINEAUX (57) have only INT-TDs in team postseason history. LB LOFA TATUPU has 54 tackles in playoffs, 2nd most in club history (LEROY HILL, 64).
NEW YORK JETS–AFC EAST (11-5) AT INDIANAPOLIS COLTS–AFC SOUTH (10-6)NOTESTEAMS MEET for 3rd time in postseason. Colts beat Jets 30-17 in 2009 AFC Championship.
JETS: Club clinched consecutive playoff appearances for 5th time in franchise history…Incl. postseason, Jets are 13-6 (.684) on road under head coach REX RYAN…In 3 playoff games, QB MARK SANCHEZ is 2-1 & has completed 41 of 68 passes (60.3 pct.) for 539 yards with 4 TDs vs. 2 INTs & 92.7 passer rating. In AFC Championship Game vs. Colts, Sanchez had 2 TDs vs. 1 INT & 93.3 passer rating…RB LA DAINIAN TOMLINSON is 2-0 against Colts in playoffs (both w/ Chargers). RB SHONN GREENE averages 101.3 rush yards per game in postseason (304 total), incl. 135 rush yards in WC game vs. Cin. on 1/9/10. In 2 career games vs. Ind. (incl. playoffs), Greene averages 5.2 yards per carry (26 att., 136 rush yards)…WR SANTONIO HOLMES averages 17.2 yards per reception in playoffs (16 receptions, 275 receiving yards). Holmes aims for 3rd consecutive postseason game with TD reception. WR BRAYLON EDWARDS posted 103 receiving yards, incl. 80-yard TD catch, in last playoff game vs. Colts. Edwards had 904 receiving yards w/ 7 TDs this season (2nd-most of career in each category; 1,289 rec. yards & 16 TDs in '07). WR JERRICHO COTCHERY has 2 100-yard receiving games in past 4 postseason games (100, 102)...TE DUSTIN KELLER aims for 4th consecutive playoff game with TD reception. Keller's 99 receiving yards in WC game last season were 2nd-most by TE in playoff game in NYJ history (MICKEY SHULER, 116 on 12/27/81)…CB DARRELLE REVIS has 2 INTs in 3 career playoff games & needs 1 INT to tie GREG BUTTLE (3) for most career postseason INTs in franchise history…CB ANTONIO CROMARTIE has 2 INTs in 6 postseason games…S DWIGHT LOWERY has INT in past 2 games. Had 2 INT-return TDs in '10…KR-WR BRAD SMITH ranked 2nd in NFL this season w/ 28.6 KR avg. (DAVID REED, 29.3 avg.)…LB DAVID HARRIS had 2 sacks in last postseason game vs. Colts...Jets had 3 players selected to 2011 Pro Bowl (T D'BRICKASHAW FERGUSON, C NICK MANGOLD, CB Revis).
*COLTS: *Club has advanced to postseason in 9 consecutive seasons, tying Dallas Cowboys (1975-83) for longest such streak in NFL history. Colts have 9 consecutive 10-win seasons, 2nd-longest streak in league annals (16, San Francisco, 1983-98)…QB PEYTON MANNING ranks 3rd all-time in postseason with 435 completions (BRETT FAVRE, 481; JOE MONTANA, 460) & 5,164 passing yards (Favre, 5,855; Montana, 5,772). At home during playoffs, Manning averages 332.7 passing yards per game with 20 TDs vs. 8 INTs & 102.0 passer rating. Has 8 career 300-yard postseason passing games, most in NFL history…Manning finished season with 4,700 passing yards (4,500 in 2009) & joined Pro Football HOF QBs DAN FOUTS (1980-81) & WARREN MOON (1990-91) as only players in NFL history with consecutive 4,500-yard seasons…RB JOSEPH ADDAI averaged 5.0 rush yards per carry in only postseason games vs. Jets (16 att., 80 yards)…WR REGGIE WAYNE had career-best 111 receptions in '10 & posted 3rd season with at least 100 catches (104 in '07; 100 in '09). Wayne has scored TD in 8 of 16 career playoff games (9 total TDs) & Colts are 6-2 in such games. WR PIERRE GARCON had 11 catches for 151 receiving yards with TD in AFC Championship vs. Jets last season. Garcon has 2 TD receptions in 3 career playoff games…TE JACOB TAMME had career-highs in receptions (67), receiving yards (631) & TDs (4) in '10. Has 7 catches in each of past 3 games…DE DWIGHT FREENEY (10) reached double-digit sacks for 3rd consecutive season & 7th of career. Freeney has 9 postseason sacks & needs 1 sack to become only 9th player in NFL to reach 10 playoff sacks since '82. DE ROBERT MATHIS (11) totaled 10 sacks in season for 4th time in career…S ANTOINE BETHEA has 4 postseason INTs…Club had 4 players selected to 2011 Pro Bowl (DE Freeney, QB Manning, DE Mathis, WR Wayne).
SUNDAY, JANUARY 9, 2011BALTIMORE RAVENS–AFC NORTH (12-4) AT KANSAS CITY CHIEFS–AFC WEST (10-6)NOTESTEAMS MEET for 1st time in postseason.
RAVENS: *Club makes 3rd consecutive playoff appearance under head coach JOHN HARBAUGH…Ravens are 4-1 in WC games (3-0 on road)…Bal. has won past 2 regular-season games against KC…QB JOE FLACCO joins Pro Football HOFers OTTO GRAHAM & DAN MARINO along with PAT HADEN & BERNIE KOSAR as only QBs to start a postseason game in each of his 1st 3 seasons in NFL. Has 3-2 postseason record. Flacco's 3,622 passing yards & 25 TDs in '10 both rank 2nd in Ravens history. In only career meeting vs. KC (9/13/09), Flacco completed 26 of 43 (60.5 pct.) passes for 307 yards w/ 3 TDs vs. 1 INT & 95.8 passer rating…RB RAY RICE had 159 rush yards & 2 TDs, incl. 83-yard rush TD, in last Wild Card appearance. Rice had 108 rush yards on 19 att. (5.7 avg.) in only meeting vs. Chiefs. Incl. postseason, club has 14-4 record (.778) when Rice has 80 rush yards in game. For career, Rice averages 121.4 rush yards per game when he has 25 attempts (607 total in 5 games). RB WILLIS MC GAHEE has 3 rush TDs in past 3 postseason games…FB LE' RON MC CLAIN had rush TD in last game vs. KC…WR DERRICK MASON (61) joined TONY GONZALEZ & Pro Football HOFer JERRY RICE as only players in NFL history w/ 60 rec. in 11 consecutive seasons. Mason (48) needs 2 catches to reach 50 career postseason receptions…WR ANQUAN BOLDIN has 14 receptions for 190 yards with 1 TD in playoffs…TE TODD HEAP had 5 receptions & 74 receiving yards (14.8 avg.) with 1 TD in last game against Chiefs…Ravens allowed 3rd-fewest points per game this season (16.9)…Balt. has 26 INTs in 13 postseason games…In 7 career postseason games, S ED REED has 7 INTs. Reed had NFL-best 8 INTs in '10 & has 4 INTs in past 2 games…Club has not allowed RB to gain 100 rush yards in 13 consecutive postseason games (3rd-longest current streak)…LB RAY LEWIS had team-high 139 tackles in '10…LB TERRELL SUGGS has 5 sacks in past 5 postseason games…Ravens had 5 players selected to Pro Bowl (K BILLY CUNDIFF, LB Lewis, DT HALOTI NGATA, S Reed & LB Suggs).
*CHIEFS: Will host 1st playoff game since 1/11/04…Chiefs made 6-game win improvement this season (4-12 in '09), largest in club history…KC is 7-1 at New Arrowhead…QB MATT CASSEL will make 1st career postseason start. Cassel posted 13 TDs vs. 3 INTs & 91.6 passer rating at home in '10. Had 20 TD/INT ratio (27 TDs/7 INTs) this season, best in franchise history. Cassel recorded career-high 27 TD passes this season, tied for 4th-most in franchise history. KC is 5-0 at home when Cassel has 100 passer rating…Chiefs rank 1st in NFL this season w/ 164.2 rush yards per game…RB JAMAAL CHARLES averaged 6.38 yards per carry (1,467 yards on 230 att.) in 2010 & joined Pro Football HOFer JIM BROWN (291 att., 1,863 rush yards, 6.40 yards per carry in 1963) as only players in NFL history to have at least 1,400 rush yards & average more than 6.30 yards per carry in single season. For career, RB THOMAS JONES averages 81.7 rush yards per game against Ravens (245 total). Jones has 5 rush TDs in 7 career postseason games. In '10, Jones became 25th player in NFL history to rush for 10,000 yards (10,045) & 1st ever to accomplish feat playing for at least 5 different teams…WR DWAYNE BOWE led NFL in '10 with franchise record 15 TD receptions. Bowe is 1st Chief to lead NFL in TD receptions in season since OTIS TAYLOR in '67 (tied for AFL lead)…TE TONY MOEAKI had franchise rookie TE record 47 receptions this season. Moeaki (556) ranked 2nd behind WALTER WHITE (559 in 1975) for most rec. yards by rookie TE in club annals…Rookie S ERIC BERRY led club with 4 INTs in '10 & Chiefs are 3-1 when Berry has INT…LB TAMBA HALI had career-best 14.5 sacks this season. Hali had sack in last game vs. Ravens…LB MIKE VRABEL has played in 19 career postseason games & has 8 career sacks in playoffs. Vrabel has 2 postseason TD receptions…LB DERRICK JOHNSON led team with 122 tackles…Club had 3 players selected to 2011 Pro Bowl (WR Bowe, RB Charles & G BRIAN WATERS).
GREEN BAY PACKERS–NFC NORTH (10-6) AT PHILADELPHIA EAGLES–NFC EAST (10-6)NOTESTEAMS MEET for 3rd time in postseason (Phi. 2-0) & 1st time since 2003 Divisional (Phi. 20-17, OT). Phi. won 1st ever playoff meeting between clubs in 1960 NFL Championship (17-13). Incl. playoffs, GB leads all-time series 24-15. GB won Week 1 matchup 27-20 at Phi.
PACKERS: Have won 12 NFL championships, most all-time. Packers have 25 postseason victories, tied for 3rd most in NFL history. Club's .610 postseason winning pct. (25-16) is 3rd best in NFL annals. Packers have advanced to postseason in 13 of past 18 seasons. Club had 5 players selected to Pro Bowl: T CHAD CLIFTON (2nd), S NICK COLLINS (3rd), WR GREG JENNINGS (1st), LB CLAY MATTHEWS (2nd) & CB CHARLES WOODSON (7th)…QB AARON RODGERS led NFC with 101.2 rating. Is 1st Packers QB with consecutive seasons with 100 rating (103.2 in 2009). Has 2 of top 3 marks in franchise history, trailing HOFer BART STARR's 105 rating in 1966. Had 3,922 pass yards & has 12,394 yards since becoming starter in 2008, 2nd most yards by QB in 1st 3 years as starter (KURT WARNER, 12,612). Last year, passed for franchise postseason record 423 yards in playoff debut, 2nd most ever by QB in 1st postseason start (KELLY HOLCOMB, 429). Had 4 TDs & 121.4 rating…RB JOHN KUHN scored career-high 6 TDs (4 rush, 2 rec.). Had rush TD in WC last year. RB BRANDON JACKSON had career-high 703 rush yards & 1,045 scrimmage yards…Packers had 3 WRs with 50 catches each for 1st time in franchise history: Jennings (76), DONALD DRIVER (51) & JAMES JONES (50). Jennings tied for NFC lead with 12 rec. TDs. Had 8 catches for 130 yards (16.3 avg.) & TD in last postseason game. Has 3 TDs in 3 playoff games. In 2007 NFC Champ, Driver had 90-yard TD catch, longest in team postseason history. Jones had 30-yard TD catch in last year's WC. WR JORDY NELSON had TD catch in only career playoff game…Since joining GB in 2006, CB Woodson leads NFL with 8 INT-TDs. Has INT-TD in each of 5 years with GB & is only player in NFL history with INT-TD in 5 consecutive seasons (2006-2010). S Collins ties for 2nd with 4 INT-TDs in that span. Since 2006, Packers lead NFL with 118 INTs. CB TRAMON WILLIAMS led club with career-high 6 INTs & tied for 2nd in NFC. LB CLAY MATTHEWS finished 2nd in NFC with 13.5 sacks & is 1st Packer to start career with consecutive 10-sack seasons (10 in 2009)…K MASON CROSBY has 509 points, 2nd most by player in NFL history in 1st 4 seasons (STEPHEN GOSTKOWSKI, 513).
EAGLES:Under head coach ANDY REID, team has made 9 playoff appearances since 1999, most in NFC. Club is 4-1 in WC round under Reid. His 10 playoff victories are most in team history. Has guided Eagles to 6 division titles, most in NFC during that span. Team had 5 players selected to Pro Bowl: K DAVID AKERS (5th), WR DE SEAN JACKSON (2nd), T JASON PETERS (4th), CB ASANTE SAMUEL (4th) & QB MICHAEL VICK (4th). Club scored franchise-record 439 points. Offense set franchise record with 6,230 total net yards…QB Vick is 1st player in NFL history with 3,000 pass yards (3,018), 20 pass TDs (21), 500 rush yards (676) & 7 rush TDs (9). Joined HOFer STEVE YOUNG as only QBs with 3,000 pass yards, 100 rating (100.2) & 500 rush yards. Ranked 2nd in NFC with 100.2 rating & led all QBs with 676 rush yards & 9 rush TDs. Is 1-0 in playoffs vs. GB (1/4/03 WC with Atl.)…RB LE SEAN MC COY led NFC with 1,672 scrimmage yards (1,080 rush, 592 rec.). Was 1st among NFL RBs with 78 receptions. His 2,617 scrimmage yards are most by Eagle in 1st 2 NFL seasons…Incl. playoffs, WR Jackson has scored 26 TDs (19 rec., 4 PR, 3 rush) in career & averages 47.2 yards per TD (1,228 yards). Aims for 3rd playoff game in row with TD. Is 1 of 2 players (DICK TODD, 1939-41) in NFL history to score TD via rush, rec. & PR in each of 1st 3 seasons. Has 3,124 rec. yards, most by Eagle in 1st 3 NFL seasons. Led NFL with 22.5 yards per catch avg. (47 rec., 1,056 yards). WR JEREMY MACLIN had team playoff record 146 rec. yards & TD (76 yards, longest by Eagle in postseason) in last year's WC. Has 126 receptions in 1st 2 NFL seasons, most by Eagles WR. Led club with 10 rec. TDs & ranked 2nd with 70 catches & 964 yards; all career-highs. WR JASON AVANT had career-best 51 catches. TE BRENT CELEK has 3 rec. TDs in postseason, tied for 2nd most by Eagle (HAROLD CARMICHAEL, 6)... CB Samuel has 227 INT return yards (7 INTs) & 4 INT-TDs, most in NFL playoff history. Led NFC with 7 INTs & joined BILL BRADLEY (1971-72) as only Eagles to lead NFC in INTs in consecutive seasons. DE TRENT COLE had team-high 10 sacks & is 1st Eagle with 10 sacks in consecutive years since WILLIAM FULLER (1995-96)…K Akers is team's leading postseason scorer with 130 points. Has played in 18 playoff games, tied for most by Eagle (BRIAN DAWKINS).
