Wild Card Weekend

'Back-to-back' means more the second time around

	• Direct Snaps • Storylines • Flags, Flattery • Chatterbox

By B. Duane Cross, CNNSI.com

Wild Card Weekend kicks off with back-to-back "back-to-back" games -- only the 11th and 12th times in NFL history that clubs that played the final game of the regular season against each other then played again the following week in the first round of the playoffs. It's only the second time in history (1993, Lions-Packers, Broncos-Raiders) that two "back-to-back" games were played on the same weekend, and the first time on the same day.

The weekend's first postseason game takes place at 4:30 p.m. EST Saturday, and is a rematch of a wild-card game of last year when the NFC's sixth-seeded Tampa Bay Buccaneers return to Veterans Stadium with revenge on their minds to face the NFC East Division champion Philadelphia Eagles. (Philly topped Tampa Bay 17-13 in Week 17.)

Wild Card Playoffs All times Eastern Matchup  Date  Time  TV  @   Jan. 12  4:30 p.m.  ABC  @   Jan. 12  8 p.m.  ABC  @   Jan. 13  12:30 p.m.  FOX  @   Jan. 13  4 p.m.  CBS

The first prime-time playoff game in league history kicks off at 8 p.m. EST Saturday, a real "weren't-we-just-here?" meeting. The AFC's sixth-seeded New York Jets will again take to the road and play the AFC West Division champion Oakland Raiders.

At 12:30 p.m. EST Sunday, it's the NFC's fifth-seeded San Francisco 49ers at the No. 4 seed Green Bay Packers. These teams were regulars on the playoff circuit in the 1990s and faced each other four times in the postseason from 1995-98; the Packers won three of the matchups. Seemingly more daunting to San Francisco is that Green Bay has never lost a home playoff game (12-0) and is 10-0 in the playoffs at Lambeau Field.

The first round wraps up at 4 p.m. EST Sunday with a matchup of the wild-card team that won it all last year, the fifth-seeded Baltimore Ravens, playing at the only NFL club to go to the playoffs the past five years, the No. 4 seed Miami Dolphins.

As usual in the NFL playoffs, it's also about newness. This year, six clubs -- Chicago, Green Bay, New England, the New York Jets, Pittsburgh and San Francisco -- that were not in the postseason last year are in. It's the sixth year in a row that at least five new clubs made it to the playoffs.

Tampa Bay @ Philadelphia -- 4:30 p.m. EST Saturday Series is tied 4-4 (including playoffs). Tampa Bay beat Philly 24-17 in the Bucs' first playoff game (Dec. 29, 1979). Eagles QB Donovan McNabb had 24 completions in last year's 21-3 playoff win vs. the Bucs. New York @ Oakland -- 8 p.m. EST Saturday Raiders lead all-time series 18-13-2. The Jets go for their first road playoff win since 1982 season (17-14 at L.A. Raiders, Jan. 15, 1983). Oakland has won consecutive AFC West titles for first time since five in row from 1972-76. Green Bay @ San Francisco -- 12:30 p.m. EST Sunday Packers lead series 28-26-1. This is a matchup of the teams with the second- and third-best playoff records, Green Bay (.688, 22-10) and San Francisco (.615, 24-15). Baltimore @ Miami -- 4 p.m. EST Sunday Dolphins lead series 2-0. Winner will have the player with longest playoff winning streak -- Baltimore TE Shannon Sharpe or Miami T Harry Swayne (tied with Herb Adderly's record 11, with Packers and Cowboys, 1961-70).

Second chances Philadelphia has outscored its opponents 144-72 in the second quarter (Donovan McNabb: 87.0 passer rating), while Tampa Bay has outscored its opponents 130-63 in the same period (Brad Johnson: 91.2 passer rating). Record Raider Oakland WR Jerry Rice holds playoff records for receptions (124), receiving yards (1,811) and TD catches (19). He needs two TDs to tie Emmitt Smith and Thurman Thomas (21 each) for most playoff TDs. Drive for five Green Bay RB Dorsey Levens is the Packers' all-time playoff leader with 640 rushing yards. He also has four playoff TDs, and needs one to tie Edgar Bennett for the most in the club's postseason history. Breaking the mold Baltimore head coach Brian Billick has four consecutive postseason victories, and needs a win Sunday to become the third head coach since 1980 to win his first five playoff games (Joe Gibbs, 6; Tom Flores, 5).

Flattery: Bay city rollers The Jets are 2-0 vs. Oakland in the playoffs, including a 17-14 win in 1983, when RB Scott Dierking posted a 1-yard TD with 3:45 remaining and LB Lance Mehl recorded two INTs in the final 3 minutes. Flag: Off the Mark Paging Mr. Sapp ... Mr. Warren Sapp. After all but promising to eclipse Mark Gastineau's single-season sacks record, the Buccaneers' defensive mouthpiece finished 2001 with six QB takedowns -- 16 off the pace. Flattery: Golden Garcia 49ers QB Jeff Garcia has not thrown an INT in his past 116 attempts. He ranked second in the NFC with a 94.8 passer rating, tied for second with 32 TD passes and third with a 62.7 completion percentage. Flag: Miami's vice The Dolphins have yielded 161 points in their past five playoff games (32.2 per game average), while scoring 53 points (10.6 per game average). However, Miami is 5-1 in the past six playoff games at Pro Player Stadium.

Users sounded off on the most notable Pro Bowl snub:

Steve McNair -- He has shrugged off injuries and carried the Titans' offense on his back, putting up Pro Bowl numbers and [a 90.2] QB rating behind a porous line. Terence, Nashville, Tenn. Troy Brown -- It may be "Brady's Bunch," but add a little bit of "Brown" sugar and they can taste the Super Bowl in New England! Mark, Orlando, Fla. Darren Woodson -- The heart and soul of a Cowboys defense ranked fourth. Cowboys fans have been watching his greatness for years. Jaime, Irving, Texas Anthony Henry -- He led the AFC with 10 picks and isn't even a starter, but gets no recognition for the Pro Bowl. This popularity contest is getting as bad as the MLB All-Star Game. John, Northport, Ala. William Henderson -- The man punishes defenders and has also helped Ahman Green become one of the top running backs in the league. Matthew, West Allis, Wis. London Fletcher -- Led the league's third-best defense in tackles and is the life of the team. He deserved to be chosen. Carl, St. Louis Randy Moss -- And a well-deserved snub it is! Larry, Maple Grove, Minn. Hines Ward -- He has made clutch catches time after time, and his blocking is a big reason the running game has done so well. Thomas, Pittsburgh Fred Beasley -- Mike Alstott has not been playing in a true fullback role all year; Beasley's blocking this year has been phenomenal. Scott, Sydney, Australia Mike Brown -- Maybe he had to win three OT games with interceptions returned for touchdowns to get noticed and selected over the scrubs who were selected. Steve, Rochester, N.Y.

This week's topic: Which 2001 non-playoff team is most likely to make the postseason field next season?

Your name: Your e-mail address: Your hometown: Your take here (in 25 words or less)

 

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