FOR USE AS DESIRED		FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
AFC-N-25          1/15/02		CONTACT: DAN MASONSON (212/450-2081)

 

OAKLAND AT NEW ENGLAND SATURDAY, BALTIMORE AT PITTSBURGH SUNDAY IN AFC DIVISIONAL PLAYOFFS

 SATURDAY, JANUARY 19

OAKLAND RAIDERS–AFC WEST (11-6) AT NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS–AFC EAST (11-5)

 SERIES

	RAIDERS	PATRIOTS
LEADER	14-13-1 (Includes playoffs)
STREAKS	Past 2
COACHES VS. OPP.	Gruden: 0-0	Belichick: 2-0
VS. COMMON OPP.	Oak: 4-3 (Den 1-1, Ind 1-0, Mia 0-1, NYJ 0-1, SD 2-0) NE: 5-3 (Den 0-1, Ind 2-0, Mia 1-1, NYJ 1-1, SD 1-0)
PLAYOFF RECORD	23-16	7-10
LAST WEEK	W 38-24 vs. Jets (Wild Card)	Bye (Wk 17: W 38-6 at Panthers)
LAST GAME	10/9/94: L.A. Raiders 21 at Patriots 17.  Los Angeles CB Terry McDaniel has 3 INTs, including 14-yard INT-TD return.
LAST GAME AT SITE	10/9/94
LAST PLAYOFF	1/5/86: Patriots 27 at L.A. Raiders 20.  New England’s defense forces 6 turnovers, including 3 INTs, 3 fumble recoveries & has 1 fumble-return TD.
BROADCAST	CBS (8:00 PM ET): Greg Gumbel, Phil Simms, Armen Keteyian (Field reporter). CBS Radio: Brad Sham, Bob Trumpy, John Dockery (Field reporter)

 

STAT LEADERS

QBs	Gannon: 361-549-3,828-27 (1C)-9-95.5 (1C)	Brady: 264-413-2,843-18-12-86.5 (3C)
RBs	Garner: 211-839-4.0-1	A. Smith: 287-1,157-4.0-12
WRs	Brown: 91-1,165-12.8-9	Brown: 101-1,199-11.9-5
OFFENSE	335.1	305.1
TAKE/GIVE	-1	+7
DEFENSE	316.9	334.5
SACKS	Upshaw: 7.0	Hamilton: 7.0
INTs	James: 5	O. Smith: 5
PR	Dunn: 8.9	Brown: 14.2 (1L)
KOR	Kirby: 23.2	Faulk: 20.1
PUNTING	Lechler: 46.2 (1C)	Walter: 40.1
KICKING	Janikowski: 111 (42/42 PAT; 23/28 FG)	Vinatieri: 113 (41/42 FG; 24/30 FG)

NOTES

CLUBS MEET FOR THIRD TIME in divisional playoff – first time Patriots host (1976 in Oakland; 1985 in Los Angeles). Winner of past 2 playoff meetings went to Super Bowl (Raiders in 1976, Patriots in 1985)……Past 2 playoff meetings decided by 7 points-or-less……Game features 2 of AFC’s 3 All-Star QBs (Oakland’s RICH GANNON & New England’s TOM BRADY).

RAIDERS:  Have won AFC-most 23 playoff games……Club has won consecutive AFC West titles for first time since 5 in a row from 1972-76……Raiders have AFC’s No. 2 passing offense (231.7). QB RICH GANNON 2-1 in career playoff starts. He had 131.9 passer rating in Wild Card win vs. Jets (including perfect 158.3 fourth-quarter rating). Gannon (AFC-high 95.5 passer rating) is first Raider to lead AFC in passing since KEN STABLER (103.4) in club’s 1976 Super Bowl XI-championship season. Gannon was drafted by Patriots in 1987 (fourth round)……RB CHARLIE GARNER rushed for 158 yards vs. Jets……WR JERRY RICE (9 catches for 183 yards & 1 TD vs. Jets) has NFL career playoff records for receptions (133), receiving yards (1,994), 100-yard receiving games (8) & touchdown catches (20). Rice needs 6 receiving yards to become first player in NFL playoff history with 2,000 receiving yards. Needs 1 TD to tie EMMITT SMITH & THURMAN THOMAS (21 playoff TDs apiece) for most total playoff TDs. He also has catch in postseason-record 24 consecutive games. Rice has 6 TD catches in 5 career games vs. Patriots. WR TIM BROWN has 405 receiving yards (27 catches, 15.0 avg. & 3 TDs) in 8 career playoff games……OL  allowed only 27 sacks in season -- tied for second in AFC……Raiders’ Pro Bowl All-Stars: Brown, Gannon, T LINCOLN KENNEDY, P SHANE LECHLER & CB CHARLES WOODSON.

PATRIOTS:  Won first AFC East title since 1997. Club plays first home playoff game since ‘97. Patriots have won past 3 playoff contests at Foxboro……New England 10th team in NFL history to overcome 0-2 start to win division. Past two clubs to accomplish (1996 Patriots, 1993 Cowboys) went to Super Bowl……Club had 6 more wins than last season – tied with 49ers for second-most in NFL (Bears, 8)……Since 1993, New England has won 12 of past 16 games (2-1 in playoffs) when temperature is 36 degrees or less……AFC second seed (Patriots) has hosted 4 of past 6 championship games……Patriots have had two of past 3 weeks off (Wild Card bye & Week 16 bye)……Club tied for NFL-high six consecutive victories (St. Louis)……QB TOM BRADY 11-3 as starter (6-1 at home)……N.E. 8-1 when RB ANTOWAIN SMITH has TD run. Nine of Smith’s 12 TD runs this season came at Foxboro Stadium. Smith (1 TD run vs. Carolina) has 15 TD runs in past 17 games. Patriots 4-0 when Smith rushes for 100 yards……WR TROY BROWN had club-record 101 catches……K ADAM VINATIERI has 30 career playoff points & 6 playoff FGs and needs 10 points & 4 FGs to break TONY FRANKLIN’s team marks……Red-zone defense (38.8 TD pct.) tops in AFC. Defense has allowed 1 TD in last 10 red-zone trips……Pats have 2 AFC All-Stars (Brady & S LAWYER MILLOY).

SUNDAY, JANUARY 20

BALTIMORE RAVENS–AFC CENTRAL (11-6) AT PITTSBURGH STEELERS–AFC CENTRAL (13-3)

 SERIES

	RAVENS	STEELERS
LEADER		8-4
STREAKS		2 of past 3
COACHES VS. OPP.	Billick: 3-3	Cowher: 8-4
VS. COMMON OPP.	Balt: 6-4 (Cin 1-1, Cle 0-2, Jax 2-0, Ten 2-0, Min 1-0, TB 0-1) Pitt: 8-2 (Cin 1-1, Cle 2-0, Jax 1-1, Ten 2-0, Min 1-0, TB 1-0)
PLAYOFF RECORD	5-0	21-16
LAST WEEK	W 20-3 at Miami (Wild Card)	Bye (Wk 17: W 28-7 vs. Browns)
LAST GAME	12/16/01: Steelers 26 at Ravens 21.  Pittsburgh QB Kordell Stewart throws for 333 yards & 2 TDs while rushing for 55 yards & WR Plaxico Burress has 8 catches for 164 yards & 1 TD.
LAST GAME AT SITE	11/4/01: Ravens 13, Steelers 10.  Baltimore K Matt Stover makes 2 fourth-quarter FGs & TE Shannon Sharpe catches 3 passes for 56 yards & 1 TD.
LAST PLAYOFF	--
BROADCAST	CBS (12:30 PM ET): Dick Enberg, Dan Dierdorf, Bonnie Bernstein (Field reporter). CBS Radio: Howard David, Jack Ham, Warren Moon (Field reporter)

STAT LEADERS

QBs	Grbac: 265-467-3,033-15-18-71.1	Stewart: 266-442-3,109-14-11-81.7
RBs	Allen: 168-658-3.9-3	Bettis: 225-1,072-4.8-4
WRs	Ismail: 74-1,059-14.3-7	Ward: 94-1,003-10.7-4
OFFENSE	320.3	367.9 (2C)
TAKE/GIVE	-8	+7
DEFENSE	277.9 (2L)	258.6 (1L)
SACKS	Boulware: 15.0 (1C)	Gildon: 12.0
INTs	Starks: 4	Scott: 5
PR	Je. Lewis: 12.4 (3C)	Poteat: 8.1
KOR	Je. Lewis: 24.7 (2C)	Edwards: 23.1
PUNTING	Richardson: 38.9	Miller: 42.5
KICKING	Stover: 115 (25/25 PAT; 30/35 FG)	K. Brown: 124 (T2C) (34/37 PAT; 30/44 FG)

NOTES

FIVE OF PAST 6 MEETINGS decided by 7 points-or-less……Road team has won past 6 meetings……Matchup features NFL’s top 2 defenses (No. 1 Pittsburgh, 258.6 & No. 2 Baltimore, 277.9) & AFC’s top 2 run defenses (NFL No. 1 Steelers, 74.7 & AFC No. 2 Ravens, 88.2).

RAVENS:  Are only franchise in NFL history to win first 5 playoff games……Coach BRIAN BILLICK has 5 consecutive playoff victories & needs win to become second coach in NFL history to win first 6 playoff games (JOE GIBBS, 6)……QB ELVIS GRBAC had 106.9 passer rating in Wild Card win vs. Miami……Ravens rushed for 226 yards & 4.5 yards/carry avg. vs. Dolphins in WC……TE SHANNON SHARPE has won NFL-record 12 consecutive playoff games (7 with Denver, 5 with Baltimore). He had 73 receptions in season -- tying for most in NFL among TEs (TONY GONZALEZ). In 15 career playoff games, Sharpe has 52 catches for 727 yards & 4 TDs. He needs 108 receiving yards to pass KEITH JACKSON (834) for most career playoff receiving yards by a TE……WR QADRY ISMAIL has 507 yards & 5 TDs in past 5 vs. Steelers……Club has not allowed first-quarter TD in past 11 games. Ravens have surrendered only 6 points in past 2 games & 2 TDs in last 4 contests ……LB PETER BOULWARE (1.0 sack vs. Miami in Wild Card game) won AFC sack crown with 15.0……In 5 all-time playoff contests, pass defense has 11 INTs & has allowed 0 TD passes.Vs. Miami, CB DUANE STARKS tied NFL playoff record with 3 consecutive games with INT (4 INTs in past 3 playoff games) & needs INT vs. Pittsburgh for sole possession of mark……K MATT STOVER has 37 points in 5 career playoff games……Ravens tied for NFL-high with Tampa Bay with 6 Pro Bowlers – DT SAM ADAMS, KR JERMAINE LEWIS, LB RAY LEWIS, T JONATHAN OGDEN, Sharpe & S ROD WOODSON.

STEELERS:  Won 13 games for first time since 1978 (14 in SB XIII title season)……Steelers are AFC’s top seed for fifth time (1994, ’92, ’78, ’75) since 1975 (first year homefield was awarded based upon won-loss record)……Pittsburgh has won AFC Central title 6 times in BILL COWHER’s 10 seasons……Club’s 21 turnovers tied for fewest in AFC (Jets, Seahawks)……Pittsburgh 13-6 all-time (.684) in home playoff games. Steelers have won past 5 home games & are 7-1 at Heinz Field……QB KORDELL STEWART passed for 569 yards, 61.8 completion pct. with 3 TDs & 0 INTs for 103.1 rating in 2 games vs. Ravens this season. Stewart top AFC vote-getter in A.P. MVP voting. He has won 17 of past 21 starts. He has 5 TDs in 7 career playoff games……Ground game (173.4) tops NFL. Club has NFL-high 34:10 avg. possession time. RB JEROME BETTIS has 317 rushing yards (two 100s) & 3 TDs in 4 career playoff games with Steelers & needs 164 yards to pass ROCKY BLEIER for second-most rushing yards in club playoff history (FRANCO HARRIS; 1,556). Bettis has 156 rush yards in past 2 vs. Ravens.RB CHRIS FUAMATU-MA’AFALA has 279 rushing yards in past 3 games……Steelers had first-ever season with two 1,000-yard receivers (PLAXICO BURRESS; 1,008 & HINES WARD; 1,003) & were one of 3 AFC clubs with two 1,000-yard receivers (Jax., Oak). Burress has 4 TD catches in past 4 games. He had 12 receptions for 220 yards & 2 TDs in 2 games vs. Ravens in 2001. Ward had club record 94 catches ……LB KENDRELL BELL named A.P.Defensive Rookie of the Year. He has 6.0 of his NFL rookie-high 9.0 sacks at Heinz Field……LB JASON GILDON has 5.0 sacks, 1 INT & 1 FR-TD in past 4 games……Steelers have 4 AFC All-Stars – Stewart, Bettis, Gildon & G ALAN FANECA.