IT’S “REMATCH WEEKEND” AS NFL KICKS OFF PLAYOFFS
WITH WILD CARD ROUND

Here we go again!

The NFL playoffs are back, and so are the opponents in each of the four Wild Card Weekend games that will be played this Saturday and Sunday. 

Every game is a rematch of at least one meeting this season, only the third time since the playoffs expanded to 12 teams in 1990 that this has happened in the Wild Card round (1992, 1994).  Two of this weekend’s games are between division rivals, which means they will be meeting for the third time this season.

“Playing a team three times, we’re very familiar with them, and vice versa,” says Green Bay Packers quarterback BRETT FAVRE of his game this Sunday against Minnesota.  That familiarity is sure to make for fireworks this weekend:

NFL WILD CARD WEEKEND

Saturday, January 8

Sunday, January 9

The 12 playoff teams of 2004 are a formidable lot for many reasons:

·         They’re hot I:  Since Thanksgiving weekend, the unofficial kickoff to the NFL playoff race, the 12 clubs are a combined 46-26.  That’s a .639 winning clip.

·         They’re hot II:  Almost every one of the 12 is on some sort of winning streak, led by Pittsburgh at 14-0, San Diego at 9-1, Indianapolis and New England at 8-1, and Green Bay at 9-2. 

·         They’re good:  Combined, the 12 compiled a 132-60 season record – a .688 winning percentage.

·         They’ve been consistently good:  Of the 12 teams, six are winners of the past eight Super Bowls.  Those teams are New England (twice), St. Louis, Denver (twice) and Green Bay.

Three of the teams – Green Bay, New England and St. Louis – also played in another Super Bowl.  And

            Atlanta played in Super Bowl XXXIII.

Put differently, five of this year’s 12 playoff teams have had 10 of the 16 Super Bowl appearances of the past

eight seasons.  Most of this year’s playoff teams have had consistently strong cumulative won-loss records in recent seasons, headed up by Philadelphia (59-21, .738), Pittsburgh (53-26-1, .669), and Green Bay and New England (both 53-27, .663) over the past five years.

NFL PLAYOFF FACTOID

MOST SUPERLATIVES:  The 2004 season was an offensive record-setter in thee important categories.  There were more 100-yard rushing (179) and receiving (190) games, and 300-yard passing games (81) than in any season in history.

The lineup for Wild Card Weekend:

• ST. LOUIS RAMS (8-8) at SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (9-7), Saturday, 4:30 PM ET, ABC:  “We did it the hard way,” says Seahawks quarterback MATT HASSELBECK about his team’s season.  “But we got it done.”

Part of that hard way came from Seattle’s two NFC West losses to the Rams, especially a deflating 33-27 overtime thriller in October in which St. Louis rallied from a 17-point deficit. 

Each team has its work cut out for it.  The Rams will send wide receiver TORRY HOLT – the only man in history with five consecutive 1,300-yard receiving seasons – against a pass defense that tied for third in the NFL in interceptions (23), with 16 coming from corners KEN LUCAS and MARCUS TRUFANT and rookie safety MICHAEL BOULWARE.

St. Louis, meanwhile, will have to clog the lanes with defensive tackles RYAN PICKETT and JIMMY KENNEDY to prevent running back SHAUN ALEXANDER – the league’s second-leading rusher (1,696) -- from getting a full head of steam.  Alexander has run for 452 yards in his last three games against the Rams.            

• NEW YORK JETS (10-6) at SAN DIEGO CHARGERS (12-4), Saturday, 8:00 PM ET, ABC:  These two original AFLers have never met in the playoffs, but they did this past September 19 in a 34-28 Jets win.  “We definitely owe them one,” says Chargers Pro Bowl quarterback DREW BREES.

San Diego would lose one more game after the New York meeting to start the season at 1-2.  They then won 11 of their final 13 to finish with a 12-4 record – exactly reversing their mark of last year and winning their first AFC West title since 1994.

The Jets’ pass defense will be tested by Brees – No. 3 in NFL passer rating (104.8) – who had the third lowest interception percentage (1.8) in the league.  The Jets, though, have a young, energetic defense that tied for the sixth-most takeaways in the league (33).  It is led by rookie linebacker JONATHAN VILMA, who is the chief signal-caller for the defense.  Returning to the lineup from a knee injury will be the team’s best pass rusher, All-Star defensive end JOHN ABRAHAM, who had 9.5 sacks in 12 games before he was injured.  

On the ground, it will be a battle of Pro Bowl No. 1s.  Jets running back CURTIS MARTIN led the NFL in rushing (1,697 yards) and Chargers RB LA DAINIAN TOMLINSON topped the league in rushing TDs (17).

• DENVER BRONCOS (10-6) at INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (12-4), Sunday, 1:00 PM ET, CBS:  A re-rematch.

The game marks the 13th time in NFL history that teams have met in the final game of the regular season and in the first round of the playoffs.  Only five times has the team that won the final game repeated in the first round. 

The Broncos defeated Indianapolis 33-14 last Sunday.  The meeting that everyone remembers, though, is last season’s Wild Card clash between the two.  Colts Pro Bowl quarterback PEYTON MANNING threw for five touchdowns and Indy scored on its first seven possessions for an eventual 41-10 win in Indianapolis. 

“Whatever happened last year is over,” says Broncos wide receiver ROD SMITH.  “It has nothing to do with this year.  It was very humbling.  It’s something I’ve carried with me since last year.” 

Indianapolis is deservedly known for its offensive prowess.  It finished first in the NFL in passing offense; Manning set NFL records for season TD passes (49) and passer rating (121.1); receiver MARVIN HARRISON finished second in the NFL in TD catches (15); and Pro Bowl running back EDGERRIN JAMES fourth in rushing (1,548).    

But the Broncos might be the more balanced team.  They are the only club in the league to finish in the top 10 (no lower than sixth, actually) in the six main offensive and defensive yardage categories.

• MINNESOTA VIKINGS (8-8) at GREEN BAY PACKERS (10-6), Sunday, 4:30 PM ET (FOX):  The Pack hopes their “third-game” string continues.  Since 1990, Green Bay has won the third meeting the three times it has played a club twice in the season and then in the playoffs (1993, Detroit; 1994, Detroit; 1997, Tampa Bay).

The Packers defeated the division-rival Vikings twice this year by the same score (34-31) on last-second RYAN LONGWELL field goals.  But Minnesota isn’t worried.  “You should think, ‘I’m in the playoffs and I’m here to stay,’” says Vikings linebacker CHRIS CLAIBORNE.  “I can’t wait.”    

Even in the cold of Green Bay, it could be an air show. 

The two quarterbacks, Vikings All-Star DAUNTE CULPEPPER (39) and the Packers’ BRETT FAVRE (30), combined for 69 touchdowns this year.  They respectively throw to one receiver everyone knows -- RANDY MOSS (13 TD catches, No. 3 in NFC) -- and one people have certainly gotten to know this year – first-time All-Star JAVON WALKER (12 TDs, No. 4 in NFC).

NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 2004 PLAYOFF SCHEDULE

(All times Eastern)

NFC: St. Louis Rams (8-8) at Seattle Seahawks (9-7), 4:30 PM, Saturday, January 8 (ABC)

    AFC: New York Jets (10-6) at San Diego Chargers (12-4), 8:00 PM, Saturday, January 8 (ABC)

 AFC: Denver Broncos (10-6) at Indianapolis Colts (12-4), 1:00 PM, Sunday, January 9 (CBS)

   NFC: Minnesota Vikings (8-8) at Green Bay Packers (10-6), 4:30 PM, Sunday, January 9 (FOX)