Green Bay Packers

Brett Favre AP The Packers' strength is still their offensive line. They've been playing together so long. I really think Chad Clifton has become the stud on that unit. When you can get a left tackle who shows tenacity and will get after people in the run game, that's a rare thing to find. ... Brett Favre has had his costly interceptions this season, but the good thing is you know if he has the ball in his hands at the end of the game, you've always got a chance to win. ... The thing that really helped the Packers this year was that Javon Walker came on like gangbusters and took his game to a second level. He's just catching the ball better both downfield and underneath, and he has shown more toughness than he had in the past. With Walker and another solid season out of Donald Driver and Ahman Green, the Packers have a formidable offense. ... Walker versus the Vikings' Antoine Winfield is the matchup I'll be watching. Winfield will have his hands full, as will the entire Vikings secondary. I think you'll see the ball in the air a lot in Green Bay, with another high-scoring game, because both offenses are strong and both teams have weaknesses on defense. ... I have to believe that the Packers are in the Vikings' heads a little bit at this point, beating them twice, each time 34-31. But that's also a great motivator for Minnesota because it knows it has had opportunities against Green Bay. It's not like the Packers are a team the Vikes think they can't beat. They just came up short both times by a field goal. If Minnesota can keep Green Bay kicker Ryan Longwell off the field they might have a chance to win this thing.

Minnesota Vikings

Randy Moss AP The Vikings are really going to miss Corey Chavous (broken elbow) at safety. He's such an intelligent player and he understands all about angles and gets the guys lined up in the secondary. That's going to be a big loss for them, as much from the experience standpoint as it is from the production standpoint. ... I'll be really interested to see how Randy Moss plays in the postseason. I think that's going to be the guy to set it apart for the Vikings, and give them a chance to pull the upset. ... The Vikings have three or four guys at running back who could probably start in this league. They're so deep there. I don't think they need to ride one guy in the playoffs like some people have said. I think they can move the ball around and give the Packers different looks. It's just fine to go with a running back-by-committee approach, with Onterrio Smith, Michael Bennett and Melwelde Moore all getting some carries. ... I think you're going to see the Vikings blitz Favre, trying to force him into the big mistake. They don't get enough pass rush without taking those chances. ... Nate Burleson has really stepped up his game a lot this year. He's very valuable when they double up on Moss and put 1-on-1 coverage on Jermaine Wiggins. Burleson has to take advantage of those opportunities, as he has in the second half of the season. My guess is Burleson's going to have a huge game on Sunday. ... Defensive tackle Kevin Williams has been a monster for the Vikings. He has been a force on that defensive line. He's an athletic guy who makes plays every week. He always shows up.

Seattle Seahawks

Shaun Alexander AP The Rams are definitely in the Seahawks' heads, but St. Louis can do that to you because of its big-play ability, which always makes you play a little bit more cautious on defense. ... The surprising thing to me is that Matt Hasselbeck has been just average this year. He hasn't played up to the level he did in 2003. On the plus side, Shaun Alexander had his finest year ever in Seattle. ... The receiving corps is only average at best. Koren Robinson has let the team down at all the wrong times. Darrell Jackson, Bobby Ingram and Jerry Rice really have to step up and make some plays. ... I like their offensive line, though. That's their strength, with Walter Jones and Steve Hutchinson. They can run to the left. People say they give up on their running game at times, but I think Alexander led the NFC in carries (353), so it's not like they're not getting him the ball. ... Michael Boulware has been unbelievable for a rookie. What a great move shifting him to safety from linebacker. It's so hard to get a linebacker to play that position. A lot of times we move safeties to linebacker, but that's easier. This kid's production has been incredible. ... Seattle's Achilles' Heel on defense has been its linebacking, with the injuries to Chad Brown and Anthony Simmons. ... Grant Wistrom hasn't been the sack machine they're paying for, but he's still a high-motor guy who could start for almost any team in the league.

St. Louis Rams

Steven Jackson AP The Rams were lucky that Philadelphia had already clinched. That worked out very well for them. But they still had to go out and win two games to make the playoffs and they did it. ... With the Rams, you just never know if you're going to get the team that's firing on all cylinders, or the team that's just going through the motions. They're one of those teams that can just lay an egg out there at times. ... The offensive line has been their weak link. They get their quarterback hit a ton, and they throw a lot, too. There is obviously a correlation between the two. If you throw it 40 times a game, you are going to get hit some. ... Steven Jackson will have some impact in the playoffs, although I'm not sure they'll let him a ton. He looks like he's on the come, and he really produced when spelling Marshall Faulk. I expect him to get five to 10 carries a game, and they could be big carries because of his speed and his strength. ... I know folks complain about Mike Martz, but it must be nice to complain about a coach who goes to the playoffs all the time. Whether you like the guy or not, he wins football games. And I think he's gotten better this year at his game-management skills. But I don't think he'll ever be a conservative play caller. I think that's what gives him his edge and makes that team a scary team to face. ... Leonard Little could be a big factor for them in the playoffs, if he's on his A game. With his speed coming off the edge, he makes things happen. ... I think they miss Aeneas Williams -- at least his mind and his smarts. It's tough to replace a guy with that kind of grasp of things in the secondary.

Atlanta Falcons

Michael Vick AP I'm not all that worried about Michael Vick being rusty from not playing much in the last two games. He barely played in the preseason and came out and did pretty well in the beginning of the regular season. I think it's going to help him being fresh at this time of year. ... Vick is obviously the X-factor with this team. It takes a team with a lot of speed on the defensive line to contain him, and I'll be interested to see how a Green Bay or somebody like that matches up with him. ... The Falcons don't have a real threat outside at receiver, but that's where Vick comes in handy. Even on third-and-8, he can get outside the pocket and make the first down. He's getting a lot of those yards with his legs. ... Michael Jenkins hasn't produced much for a guy they traded up in the draft to get. But they do have a great outlet receiver in Alge Crumpler. They don't really have to rely much on their receivers to make plays. ... For me, it's not whether you get the good Vick or the bad Vick, it's whether you get the solid Vick or the great Vick. Because even when he's not accurate in his passing, he's still such a major factor for them that even a bad Vick game is still a solid game, which is why they're 11-5. ... The addition of Rod Coleman was massive for the Falcons this year. It gave them a guy who could be a pass rush presence underneath, and it also accentuated Ed Jasper's game. He's one of the most underrated defensive tackles in the league. ... Their secondary isn't great when they have to get into the nickel, which I would think is what a lot of teams are going to try to do to them.

Philadelphia Eagles

Brian Westbrook AP I know it sounds risky to have rested most of your starters the past two games, but the ultimate goal is to get this team to the Super Bowl. They've been so darn close the past three years. And with the state of the NFC field this year, you're not going to get a great team going into Philly in the divisional round. The Eagles can have small hiccup and still get through it, and then those guys that you rested should be primed and ready to go for the NFC title game. ... .The scariest thing for the Eagles is that they don't know yet what they are without Terrell Owens, and they're going to have to learn it in a division-round playoff game. That's going to be the trickiest thing. They haven't had to deal with Owens' absence in the past two games. ... The best thing the Eagles offense has going for it is that Brian Westbrook is performing extremely well and Donovan McNabb is playing as good as ever. I think Westbrook is going to be asked to do a lot this month, and it'll be interesting to see how he responds. ... This is the best Eagles defensive line they've had in a long, long time. They've stayed healthy for the most part, and to be able to add a Jevon Kearse and a Hugh Douglas to that group, that just made them all the better. ... I was seriously disappointed when the Birds got Jeremiah Trotter back, because I knew he was going to help them and fit right back into their scheme. And he has. ... The secondary was the question mark, and they're not the biggest of guys, but they battle you. Lito Sheppard and Sheldon Brown aren't afraid to use their hands at cornerback. They've shown that the Eagles were very smart to let both Bobby Taylor and Troy Vincent go.

Scout's Take: AFC