TEAMS MEET FOR SECOND WEEK IN A ROW, marking 10th time in league history that two clubs meet to end season & then face off in playoff game next week……PRO BOWL MATCHUP: Rams T ORLANDO PACE vs. Saints DE JOE JOHNSON……Head coaches MIKE MARTZ & JIM HASLETT become 7th & 8th rookie coaches in 1990s to lead team to playoffs.

RAMS: Set NFL records with 7,075 net offensive yards & 5,232 passing yards, breaking old records of 6,936 & 5,018 by 1984 Dolphins……Scored 540 points, third-most in NFL history. Registered 526 in 1999 for 1,066 total in past 2 seasons, most ever in 2-year span……QB KURT WARNER averaged 311.7 yards passing per start (11) vs. 272.1 in 1999. His 67.7 completion percentage led league. Warner’s 98.3 passer rating was second in NFC. Backup QB TRENT GREEN won NFC passing title with 101.8 rating, including 16 TDs vs. 5 INTs……RB MARSHALL FAULK broke EMMITT SMITH’s NFL record of 25 TDs with 26 in 2000. His 26 total are more than 5 teams. Had 11 TDs in last 3 games. Became first player in NFL history with three 4-TD games in same season. Finished with third consecutive 2,000 scrimmage-yards season with NFC-leading 2,189, joining WALTER PAYTON (1983-85) as only players ever to accomplish feat. Faulk had 247 yards rushing vs. Saints in 2 games in ’00 & 304 scrimmage yards……WR TORRY HOLT has 23 catches for 458 yards & 1 TD (72 yards) in last 3 games, all 100s. His 1,635 receiving yards led club & NFL. Holt & WR ISAAC BRUCE are first duo to finish No. 1 & 2 in conference receiving yards since 1982 Chargers’ WES CHANDLER & KELLEN WINSLOW……DEs GRANT WISTROM (11.0) & KEVIN CARTER (10.5) each finished with 10-sack seasons. Was third consecutive for Carter, who has 39.5 in past 3 seasons……CB DEXTER MC CLEON ended season second in NFL with 8 INTs, most by Ram since RYAN MC NEIL’s 9 in ’97……PR AZ-ZAHIR HAKIM led NFC with 15.3 average……Bruce, Faulk, Pace & Warner are NFC All-Stars.

BUCCANEERS: Fifth playoff game in head coach TONY DUNGY’s five-year tenure (1997 & ’99). He is 2-2……Have won 7 of past 9……Set club record for most points scored with 388 & most TDs with 43. Bucs’ +119 scoring margin led NFC……QB SHAUN KING tied STEVE YOUNG’s Tampa Bay record for most rushing TDs by QB with 5……Set record for average yards per rush with 4.2. In past 5 games, RB WARRICK DUNN has rushed for 560 yards on 107 carries (5.2 average) & 7 TDs. Also added 19 catches for 215 receiving yards (11.3). Averaging 155.0 scrimmage yards in those 5 & 6.2 yards per touch. Has 767 rushing yards & 7 TDs in past 8 games vs. 366 & 1 in first 8. RB MIKE ALSTOTT ranks second on club with 465 rushing yards & his 5 rushing TDs tie King for second……WR KEYSHAWN JOHNSON had 13 receptions for 185 yards & 3 TDs in last 2 games……Led NFC with +13 turnover ratio. Ranked second in total takes with 41 & tied for second in fewest gives with 24. Have forced a turnover in 9 consecutive games & in 15 of 16 in 2000 ……Set club record with 55 sacks……DT WARREN SAPP finished tied for second in NFL with Miami’s TRACE ARMSTRONG with 16.5 sacks. His total ranks as third-best ever by DT, behind New Orleans’ LA’ROI GLOVER (17.0 this year) & KEITH MILLARD’s all-time mark for DTs (18.0 in 1989). DE MARCUS JONES finished second on club & fourth in NFC with 13.0 sacks……CB DONNIE ABRAHAM tied for third in NFL with 7 INTs. Has 14 in past 2 seasons, most in NFL……Set club record with 7 blocked kicks in 2000 (4 FGs, 3 punts)……K MARTIN GRAMATICA set Bucs record with 126 points scored, 28 field goals made & 5 50-yard FGs……Tied with Tennessee for most NFC All-Star players with 8. Abraham, Alstott, LB DERRICK BROOKS, C JEFF Christy, Gramatica, S JOHN Lynch, G RANDALL MC DANIEL, & Sapp were all selected. McDaniel can extend Pro Bowl record to 12 consecutive starts & can break tie for most AFC-NFC Pro Bowls played with Carolina’s REGGIE WHITE (11) with 12.

EAGLES: Make first playoff appearance since 1996……Have 9-11 all-time postseason record, including 3-5 in Wild Card games……Seven players were on Eagles ’96 playoff team (S BRIAN DAWKINS, DE MIKE MAMULA, G JERMANE MAYBERRY, C BUBBA MILLER, CB BOBBY TAYLOR, DT HOLLIS THOMAS, & CB TROY VINCENT)……Have won 6 of past 7……Eagles are undefeated when they: score 20 points or more (8-0); gain more than 100 yards rushing (7-0); lead at end of third quarter (8-0); score on first drive (6-0); have 300-yard passer, 100-yard rusher and/or 100-yard receiver (4-0)……Scored on 45 of 50 red-zone possessions, including 25 TDs……DONOVAN MC NABB is first Eagles QB to start all 16 games since RANDALL CUNNINGHAM in 1990. Is responsible for 75.0 percent of total net offense (3,737 of 5,006). Has 5 TDs vs. 2 INTs on third down……TE CHAD LEWIS caught 9 passes in Week 17 vs. Cincinnati, club-best this season & most by Eagles' TE since KEITH JACKSON’s 12 on 11/19/89 at Minnesota. Led all NFC TEs with 69 receptions (735 yards & 3 TDs). Has 14 catches for 166 yards in past 2 games……Starting offensive line (LT TRA THOMAS, LG JOHN WELBOURN, C BUBBA MILLER, RG JERMANE MAYBERRY & RT JON RUNYAN) has played together for all 16 games. Since 1978, no Eagles team started same 5 OL players for 16 games……Allowed fewest points in NFC (245)……Club’s pass defense ranked third in conference (186.9)……Opponents 35.0 red-zone TD pct. was third in NFC. Opponents 40 red-zone possessions were second-fewest in conference……DE HUGH DOUGLAS led club & ranked third in NFC with 15.0 sacks, most by Eagle since 1992 when CLYDE SIMMONS had 19.0. Rookie DT COREY SIMON was second on club & among all rookies with 9.5 sacks……K DAVID AKERS finished third in NFC with 29 FGs. Set club record with 121 points scored, passing PAUL MC FADDEN’s 116 in 1984.……Led NFC with 31.8 average drive start……Douglas, Lewis, LB JEREMIAH TROTTER & CB TROY VINCENT are NFC all-stars.