SATURDAY, JANUARY 11

PITTSBURGH STEELERS–AFC NORTH (11-5-1) AT TENNESSEE TITANS–AFC SOUTH (11-5)

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REMATCH OF REGULAR SEASON MEETING in Week 11, won by Titans 31-23 in Tennessee……Game features NFL’s two longest-tenured head coaches: Steelers’ BILL COWHER (1992) & Titans’ JEFF FISHER (1994)……Teams played within same division (AFC Central) from 1970-2001……Franchises have faced each other three times in playoffs with Steelers winning all three (1978 & ’79 AFC Championship Games, 1989 AFC Wild Card).

STEELERS:  Have won 4 in row & offense has scored 30+ points in 3 of past 4 (including WC game).  Against 2002 playoff teams, club was 4-2-1 (.643) in regular season.  Steelers were 5-3 (.625) on road this year.  Team’s most recent road playoff win occurred vs. Titans franchise (Houston Oilers) in 1989 Wild Card (26-23, OT)……Head coach Cowher has 2nd-most playoff victories (7) among all 2002 playoff coaches (DAN REEVES, Atl, 11)……Last week in WC game vs. Cleveland, QB TOMMY MADDOX threw for team playoff-record 367 passing yards on 30 of 48 (62.5 pct.) passing with 3 TDs vs. 2 INTs.  In final 22:25 of game, Maddox completed 22 of 30 for 233 yards with 3 TDs vs. 0 INTs.  Awarded NFL’s 2002 Comeback Player of Year Award by AP……RB AMOS ZEREOUE recorded career-playoff high 73 rush yards last Sunday on 13 carries (5.6 avg.).  In Wk 11 vs. Titans, Zereoue caught 4 passes for 37 yards.  RB JEROME BETTIS has 4 TD runs in past 6 games vs. Tennessee ……Last Sunday, Pro Bowl WR HINES WARD caught 11 passes for 104 yards & 1 TD.  Rookie WR-PR ANTWAAN RANDLE EL (No. 62) had 5 receptions for 85 yards & posted 66-yard PR-TD for Steelers’ 1st score vs. Cleveland.  In past 2 games vs. Titans, WR Ward has 17 catches for 267 yards & 2 TDs.  In past 3 games vs. Titans, WR PLAXICO BURRESS has 18 catches for 356 yards (118.7 per game) & 1 TD.  Offense scored TDs in both goal-to-go situations vs. Titans in Wk 11……Defense limited Cleveland to 38 rush yards on 28 carries (1.4 avg.)……LB KENDRELL BELL led club last week in solo tackles with 8 (9 tackles total).  LB JASON GILDON leads team in playoff experience (12 games).    Gildon has 1.0 sack in 3 of past 5 games vs. Tenn with 2 forced fumbles, fumble recovery & pass defensed.   Pro Bowl LB JOEY PORTER tied Gildon for team-high in tackles (8) and added fumble recovery in Wk 11.  In same game, CB DWAYNE WASHINGTON posted 2 passes defensed.  In past 7 games vs. Tenn, Washington has 2 INTs & 7 passes defensed……Rookie S CHRIS HOPE (No. 94) led Steelers in special teams tackles vs. Cleveland with 4. 

TITANS: Club earned 3rd divisional title in winning AFC South……Team is 6-2 (.750) at home in 2002……Titans were only team to deny Steelers’ defense a sack this season……QB STEVE MC NAIR is 7-3 (.700) as starter vs. Steelers & is 5-1 (.833) as starter vs. Pittsburgh at home.  In 10 career starts vs. Steelers, has 2,057 passing yards & 13 TDs.  In past 2 starts vs. Pittsburgh, McNair has completed 41 of 70 passes (58.6 pct.) for 591 yards & 4 TDs vs. 2 INTs for 93.2 passer rating.  Owns NFL’s 2nd lowest career INT pct. in playoffs with 1.96 mark (3 INTs in 153 attempts)……RB EDDIE GEORGE averages 108.0 rush yards per game in 5 career playoffs.  Titans are 9-4 (.692) when George plays vs. Steelers.  Titans are 27-2 (.931) when George carries ball 27 or more times (4-0 vs. Steelers).  George posted most rushing yards (1,165) & rushing TDs (12) among AFC playoff RBs……WR-KR-PR DERRICK MASON has 888 combined yards in past 5 vs. Steelers (418 receiving, 313 KR, 157 PR) for 177.6 per game.  Among AFC receivers, Mason tied for second-most 3rd-down receptions (27) & ranked 4th in 3rd-down receiving yards (335) despite missing 2 games.  WR DREW BENNETT made 18 of his 33 receptions on 3rd down this season.  TE FRANK WYCHECK has TD catch in 4 of past 6 games vs. Pitt.  Offense was 12 of 19 (63.2 pct.) on 3rd down conversion attempts vs. Pitt. in last meeting.  Offensive line allowed fewest sacks in NFL (21)……In Wk. 11 victory, defense limited Pittsburgh to its smallest rushing output (45 yards) since Wk 13 of 1993 (142 games) when Tennessee – then Houston Oilers – limited Steelers to 38 yards……DE KEVIN CARTER led club & tied for 4th in AFC with 10.0 sacks & has reached double-digit sacks for 4th time in 5 seasons.  Rookie DE CARLOS HALL (No. 240) ranked 3rd among NFL rookies in sacks (8.0)……In 1st year as starter, LB KEITH BULLUCK led team in tackles (177).  Bulluck also added 4 INTs & 7 passes defensed.  In Wk 11 vs. Pittsburgh, LB PETER SIRMON registered 11 tackles & recorded 1 INT & returned it 25 yards to Steelers’ 1-yard line……S LANCE SCHULTERS tied for 2nd in AFC with 6 INTs.  In Wk 11 vs. Steelers, CB DONNIE MITCHELL recorded 4 tackles, 1 INT, pass deflection & 2 special teams tackles.
 

SUNDAY, JANUARY 12

NEW YORK JETS–AFC EAST (10-7) AT OAKLAND RAIDERS–AFC WEST (11-5)

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GAME FEATURES teams meeting in Oakland for 4th time in 53 calendar weeks with Raiders winning past 2……Jets offensive coordinator PAUL HACKETT aided development of both starting QBs: Oakland QB RICH GANNON (three seasons together in Kansas City, 1995-97) & Jets QB CHAD PENNINGTON.

JETS:  Have won 8 of past 10, outscoring opponents 284-143, including 84-16 in 4th quarter.  Posted 1st playoff shutout with 41-0 Wild Card win over Colts, tying 2nd-largest shutout victory in NFL history & earning head coach HERMAN EDWARDS 1st playoff win.  Have scored 30+ points in 3 consecutive games for 1st time since 1988 & 40+ points in back-to-back games for 1st time since 1972.  Outscoring opponents 113-34 in past 3.  Offense averaging 27.0 points & 340.1 yards per game in past 13 vs. 12.5 points & 250.0 yards in 1st 4.  In past 4 playoff games, Jets averaging 401.3 yards per game……QB Pennington has won 9 of 13 career starts & posted 142.0 passer rating in 1st postseason start.  As starter, has completed 268 of 377 passes (71.1 pct.) for 2,990 yards with 25 TDs vs. 4 INTs for 112.1 rating.  Has 10 TDs vs. 0 INTs in past 3 for 137.3 passer rating.  Has not thrown INT in 145 passes, last INT occurred on Hail Mary pass at Oakland on last play of game in Wk 13……RB CURTIS MARTIN rushed for 106 yards & added 6 catches (34 yards) in last year’s playoff meeting.  Averaging 5.6 yards per carry in past 2 playoff games.  Has 8 TDs in 7 career postseason games.  Last week, RB RICHIE ANDERSON had team playoff-record 56-yard TD catch.  RB LA MONT JORDAN rushed for 102 yards & 2 TDs in last week’s WC game……WR LAVERANUES COLES has 23 catches for 392 yards (130.7 per game) & 1 TD in past 3 vs. Oakland, including career-highs with 10 catches for 158 yards in Week 13.  WR WAYNE CHREBET has 3 TDs in past 2 vs. Raiders & has 4 TDs in past 4 games.  Rookie TE CHRIS BAKER had 1st career TD last week.  KR CHAD MORTON had 70-yard return vs. Colts, longest in team’s postseason history……Jets had +3 turnover ratio last week & are 10-0 when +1 or better……In past 10, defense allowing 14.3 points & 281.9 yards per game vs. 27.6 points & 402.9 yards in 1st 7.  In WC game, held Colts to 176 total yards (52 rushing, 124 passing), fewest yards allowed by Jets in postseason game.  DE JOHN ABRAHAM had 1.0 sack & team is 15-6 (.714) when Abraham has 1.0+ sack.  LB JAMES DARLING & S DAMIEN ROBINSON each had INT in WC game vs. Indy.

RAIDERS:  Club has won 7 of past 8, including Wk 13 MNF win over Jets (26-20).  Team was 6-2 (.750) at home in ’02 & has won 4 of past 5 home playoff games.  Head coach BILL CALLAHAN vying to become 1st rookie head coach to win Super Bowl since GEORGE SEIFERT of 49ers in 1989 (SB XXIV vs. Denver)……Pro Bowl QB Gannon selected as NFL MVP by AP.  Of 37 NFL MVPs since 1966, 20 have taken their teams to Super Bowl that season, 10 of those won Super Bowl.  With 10 300-yard passing games in ’02, Gannon surpassed NFL record of 9.  Gannon led NFL with 4,689 yards & threw 26 TDs vs. 10 INTs.  Passer rating of 97.3 was 2nd in NFL only to NYJ QB Pennington (104.2)……RB CHARLIE GARNER ranked 4th among AFC total scrimmage yard leaders (1,903; 962 rushing, 941 receiving) & had 0 fumbles.  Rushed for 158 yards on 15 carries (10.5 avg.) & 80-yard TD in last year’s WC meeting.  RB ZACH CROCKETT led club in rushing TDs (8)……Pro Bowl WR JERRY RICE needs 1 playoff TD to tie THURMAN THOMAS & EMMITT SMITH for most in career (21).  With 39 total yards, Rice (2,086) surpasses Buffalo’s Thomas (2,124) for most playoff yards gained in career.   Rice led NFL’s No. 1 offense in receptions (92) & receiving yards (1,211) & ranked 7th among AFC receiving yard leaders.  In WC playoff vs. NYJ last season, Rice became oldest player in NFL history to score TD in playoffs (39 years).  With 81 catches, WR TIM BROWN has recorded 75+ catches for past 10 seasons.   In past 3 vs. NYJ (including playoff), Brown has 17 receptions for 160 yards & 1 TD.  WR JERRY PORTER led club with 9 receiving TDs on 51 catches for TD pct. of 17.6.  Rookie TE DOUG JOLLEY (No. 55) caught 5 passes for 58 yards vs. NYJ in Wk 13.  Jolley was recruited by BYU as QB before moving to TE as redshirt frosh……Club tied for AFC’s 2nd best turnover ratio (+12) & recorded best ratio among AFC playoff clubs……DT ROD COLEMAN ranked 3rd in AFC with 11.0 sacks & led NFL interior defensive linemen in category.  Coleman registered 2.0 sacks in last game vs. Jets……S ROD WOODSON tied for NFL lead in INTs with 8 & recorded 1 in Wk 13 win over NYJ (QB Pennington’s most recent INT).  Woodson also defensed 2 other passes in game.  Defense ranked No. 3 in NFL vs. rush in ’02 (90.8 yards per game).

SATURDAY, JANUARY 11
ATLANTA FALCONS–NFC SOUTH (10-6-1) AT PHILADELPHIA EAGLES–NFC EAST (12-4)

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REMATCH of 1978 first-round thriller, won by Falcons 14-13.  Series has been close throughout, as 5 of last 7 games decided by 7 points or less & 5 of past 6 in Phil by 6 points or less. 

FALCONS: Club became first ever to win road playoff game vs. Packers……Team makes first playoff appearance since 1998 season, advancing to SB XXXIII……Head coach DAN REEVES has more playoff wins (11) than any active coach……QB MICHAEL VICK ranked fourth in NFC with 1.9 INT pct (421 attempts, 8 INTs). Leads NFL with 6.9 yards per carry avg. & his 777 yards rushing are third most in NFL history among QBs (BOBBY DOUGLASS).  Led club to victory in first playoff start, passing for 117 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT & rushing for 64 yards, 6.4-yards per carry avg……Club rushed for 192 yards last week vs. GB, most in franchise playoff history.  Falcons ranked fourth in NFL avg. 148.0 rushing yards per game.  Set franchise record with 23 rushing TDs.  RB WARRICK DUNN had career playoff high 8 catches vs. Phil on 1/12/02 (with TB).  RB TJ DUCKETT (No. 18) led NFC rookies with 507 yards rushing……WR BRIAN FINNERAN posted career highs with 56 receptions, 838 yards receiving in 2002.  Posted first downs on 41 of 56 catches……TE ALGE CRUMPLER had career-high 36 catches, most by Falcons’ TE since JUNIOR MILLER (46) in 1980……Defense totaled 47 sacks, tied for fourth most in NFL, & second-most in team history (55).  Club posted 2 shutouts in same season for first time since 1977……DE PATRICK KERNEY finished with 10.5 sacks & is first Falcon since sack stat was instituted in 1982 with consecutive 10-sack seasons (12.0 in 2001)……S KEION CARPENTER had 2 INT vs. GB, tying club-record for most in playoff game (WILLIAM WHITE)……Falcons’ hold opponents to avg. drive start at 26.1 yard-line, third-best in NFL.  K JAY FEELY finished with club record 32 FGs.  Led NFL kickers with 138 points & tied for second with 16 touchbacks.

EAGLES: Club seeks fourth consecutive home playoff win……Finished 12-4, tying GB & Tampa for NFL’s best record.  Club also finished with NFL’s best record in 1980 (tied with Dal, Atl), 1960 & 1949, winning 2 NFL championships & losing SB XV to Oak in 1980……Club scored franchise record 415 points in 2002 & has 33-5 (.868) mark, including playoffs, under head coach ANDY REID when scoring at least 20 points.  Have won 13 of past 14 NFC games……QB DONOVAN MC NABB has completed at least 60 pct. of pass attempts in 4 of 5 career playoff starts.  Could make first start since Nov. 17 vs. Ariz.  QB A.J. FEELEY finished 4-1 as starter in 2002……Club has 10-3 mark all-time when RB DUCE STALEY rushes for 100 yards.  Rushed for third-career 1,000-yard season in 2002 & first since 1999 (1,273).  RB DORSEY LEVENS has started 6 career playoff games, topping 100 yards 3 times (with GB)……WR ANTONIO FREEMAN has 10 career postseason TD receptions & needs 1 to pass Pro Football Hall of Famer FRED BILETNIKOFF (10) in third-place all-time.  Has TD catches in 5 consecutive playoff games & needs TD catch vs. Falcons to pass JAMES LOFTON & RANDY MOSS (5) in second all-time (JOHN STALLWORTH, 8).  WR TODD PINKSTON led club with career-high 60 receptions.  WR JAMES THRASH has 17 career TD catches & seeks first in playoffs……TE CHAD LEWIS had 42 catches in 2002, his third consecutive 40-catch season……PR BRIAN MITCHELL has 301 playoff PR yards & needs 12 to pass DAVID MEGGETT (312) for first all-time……Defense led NFL with 56 sacks & club surrendered 241 points, second-fewest in NFL (TB).  Club had 4 defensive starters-DE HUGH DOUGLAS, S BRIAN DAWKINS, CB BOBBY TAYLOR & CB TROY VINCENT-named to Pro Bowl & NFL-high 7 players total. 

SUNDAY, JANUARY 12
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (11-6)–NFC WEST AT TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (12-4)–NFC SOUTH

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CLUBS MEET FOR FIRST TIME IN PLAYOFFS & first time overall since 1997.  SF has won 4 of 5 in Tampa, outscoring Bucs 126-67 in those games.

49ERS: Club rebounded from 24-point deficit (38-14) for 39-38 win over NYG last week, second-biggest come-from-behind win in playoff history (Buffalo, 32 points vs. Oilers, 1992, W 41-38 OT).  Head coach STEVE MARIUCCI has led club to playoffs for fourth time in 6 seasons……QB JEFF GARCIA passed for 331 yards vs. Giants (27 of 44, 3 TDs, 1 INT), tying JOE MONTANA for third-highest single-game total in club playoff history.  Led NFL with 107.6 third down passer rating, including 13 TDs, 1 INT.  Joined Montana & STEVE YOUNG as only QBs in franchise history to pass for 3,000 yards in 3 consecutive seasons……Club 14-1 all-time & 1-0 in playoffs when RB GARRISON HEARST rushes for 100 yards.  RB KEVAN BARLOW finished second on club with 675 yards rushing……WR TERRELL OWENS had career-high 100 receptions in 2002 & led NFL with 13 TD catches.  Ranked second in NFL with 30 third-down receptions (433) & first with 7 third-down TD receptions.  Had 3 150-yard receiving games in 2002 & avgd. 92.9 receiving yards per game, second-most in NFL (MARVIN HARRISON).  His 76-yard TD catch vs. Giants is tied for second-longest playoff TD catch in team history & his 177 yards receiving are second-most (JERRY RICE, 215).  WR TAI STREETS had career highs with 72 catches for 756 yards & 5 TDs……G RON STONE joined club in offseason & is 1 of 6 49ers headed to Pro Bowl, tied with Miami for second-most in NFL (7, Phil)……Club’s 17 giveaways are third-fewest in NFL……DE ANDRE CARTER had career-high 12.5 sacks & led club for second consecutive season……S TONY PARRISH led team with career-high 7 INTs in first season with club.

BUCCANEERS:  Head coach JON GRUDEN has led his club to playoffs in 3 consecutive seasons, including 2 playoff appearances with Raiders.  Spent 1990 season as offensive asst with 49ers……QB BRAD JOHNSON seeks second win in second career home playoff start.  Has 52-31 (.627) record as starter, including playoffs.  Set franchise single-season records with 22 TD passes, 62.3 comp. pct. (281 of 451) & 92.9 passer rating.  His 1.3 INT pct. (451 attempts, 6 INTs) is club record & best in NFL in 2002.  Passed for career-high 471 yards in only career start vs. SF, leading Redskins to 26-20 OT win on 12/26/99……RB MICHAEL PITTMAN could make first career playoff start.  Led club in rushing with 718 yards. RB MIKE ALSTOTT rushed for 548 yards in 2002 & had 35 catches for second consecutive season……WR KEYSHAWN JOHNSON seeks third career 100-yard receiving game in fifth career playoff game.  Avgs. 93.8 yards, 6.3 catches & 15.0 yards per catch in playoffs.  Had fourth-career 1,000-yard receiving season in 2002, leading club with 1,088 yards……Defense surrendered 196 points in 2002, fewest in NFL & fifth fewest since 16-game schedule was instituted in 1978……DE SIMEON RICE had 15.5 sacks in 2002, second-highest single-season total in club history.  DT WARREN SAPP is tied with 16 others for second-most sacks ever in playoff game with 3.0, trailing RICHARD DENT & RICH MILOT with 3.5……LB DERRICK BROOKS had 4 TDs on turnovers in 2002, most in NFL history by LB & trailing only Pro Football Hall of Famer KEN HOUSTON (5) for single-season record……Defense led NFL with 31 INTs in 2002 & CB BRIAN KELLY tied NFL lead & had career-high 8……K MARTIN GRAMATICA set career-highs with 32 FGs & 128 points in 2002.  Connected on 6 of 6 playoff FG attempts & 11 consecutive field goal attempts to conclude regular season.