Watch Carolina Panthers vs New York Giants Live Online

Home-field advantage at stake for NFC powerhouses

Even Justin Tuck says his New York Giants aren't the best team in the NFC right now. They can reclaim that stature Sunday night, or the Carolina Panthers will prove it belongs to them.

Home-field advantage throughout the playoffs will be on the line as the stumbling Giants try to silence their doubters and potentially prevent the Panthers from even clinching a postseason berth.

Though both teams are 11-3 and could end the regular season with identical records regardless of Sunday's result, the one that wins will earn the tiebreaker and wrap up the No. 1 seed in the conference.

"We have a big game against Carolina this week, we all know it, we know what is at stake in it," Tuck said. "I really expect us to come out and not only try, but really right the ship because let's call it what it is, we haven't played well the last two games for whatever reason that may be and no one wants to go into the playoffs like we have the last two games."

While New York is on the verge of its first three-game losing streak since 2006 -- maybe still feeling the after-effects of the distraction caused by the Plaxico Burress case -- it's facing a Carolina team which has won three straight and seven of eight.

"My motto has always been, 'to be the best you have to beat the best,' and right now Carolina ... is probably the best team in the NFL," said Tuck, the defensive end recently named to his first Pro Bowl. "They look that good to me. We know we have our hands full, but we feel as though when we play Giants football we can handle anybody and that is what we have to get back to doing."

If they lose Sunday while Minnesota wins, the NFC East champions would need to beat the Vikings in Week 17 just to get a first-round bye.

The difference between winning and losing this week is just as great, if not more so, for Carolina.

While a victory keeps the Panthers at home throughout the playoffs, a loss could send them into Week 17 possibly needing a victory just to make the postseason. If Dallas, Tampa Bay and Atlanta all win their final two games, Carolina would miss the playoffs by losing its last two.

"The games do get better. That's the NFL," Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme said. "That's part of it. That's what you want. You live to play in these situations."

watch Atlanta Falcons vs Minnesota Vikings Live Online

Vikings look to clinch NFC North as they play host to Falcons

After a 1-3 start, the Minnesota Vikings are now one win away from clinching their first division title since 2000.

Standing in their way will be an upstart Atlanta Falcons team that has just as much motivation this weekend.

The Vikings host the Falcons on Sunday, looking to wrap up the NFC North with their fifth straight victory.

Minnesota (9-5) has overcame a slow start in which the offense averaged just 17.8 points in the first four games to take a one-game lead over Chicago in the division. While the Vikings' offense has been vastly improved, averaging 29.8 points in their last four contests, their defense has also been strong, holding opponents to 18.0 points.

With a win Sunday or a Bears' loss on Monday to Green Bay, Minnesota would clinch a playoff spot for the first time since 2004 and a division title for the first time since 2000.

"Coach wants us to go one game at a time, but of course we do think ahead a little bit," tight end Visanthe Shiancoe said. "But that is motivation. The thing is it's right there for the taking.

"These are teams that I feel we can really beat," he added. "I'm going to say something kind of outlandish, but if we play our A-game, I don't see any team in the NFL beating us, to be honest."

The Vikings have good reason to feel confident with Adrian Peterson -- the NFL's leading rusher -- on their side and a dominant 35-14 win over Arizona last Sunday to build on.

Watch San Diego Chargers vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers Live Online

Chargers, Buccaneers look to stay in postseason conversation

Back-to-back defeats haven't helped the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' chances for postseason contention. The San Diego Chargers, meanwhile, have kept themselves in the mix behind consecutive victories.

As each team continues to battle for a playoff spot, the Buccaneers put their perfect home record on the line Sunday as they match up against a Chargers team that is riding a late-season surge for a second straight year.

Tampa Bay (9-5) was cruising toward the postseason entering Week 14, but has stumbled in its last two contests. After falling at Carolina on Dec. 8, the Buccaneers were slowed by a 13-10 overtime loss at Atlanta last Sunday that put the teams into a second-place tie in the NFC South, with both trailing Carolina by two games.

Still, Tampa Bay can clinch a playoff berth this weekend with a win over San Diego (6-8), a loss by Atlanta and a loss by either Dallas or Philadelphia.

The Chargers' postseason hopes were hampered by three straight losses at the end of November, but they've won both games this month, rallying for a 22-21 win at Kansas City last Sunday to improve to 12-0 in December contests since 2006.

To stay alive, second-place San Diego needs to beat Tampa Bay and hope AFC West-leading Denver falls to visiting Buffalo on Sunday.

Last season, the Chargers rode a six-game winning streak into the playoffs before falling to New England in the conference championship. But while coach Norv Turner is hopeful, he knows his team's quest this season is a bit more grueling.

"We've known it's going to be difficult, but the only control we have is getting ready to go play and play at the best level we can in Tampa," Turner told the Chargers' official Web site. "We're playing a very good football team that has a lot to play for. It'll be a real challenge for us."

Tampa Bay's defense is smarting after allowing big efforts on the ground in its last two contests. Carolina rushed for 299 yards in its 38-23 win on Dec. 8 before Atlanta amassed 175 yards on the ground last weekend against the Buccaneers.

Defensive tackles Chris Hovan and Jovan Haye both missed last week's loss with knee injuries, but are expected to be back Sunday. Defensive ends Gaines Adams and Greg White, however, are both battling injuries before this game.

Watch Miami Dolphins vs Kansas City Chiefs Live Online

Dolphins look to stay in AFC East title race with win over Chiefs

It didn't take long for Carl Peterson to build the Kansas City Chiefs into a winner.

The Miami Dolphins are finding their new regime to be just as efficient.

After a week in which Peterson -- one of the most successful executives in NFL history - decided to step down, the Dolphins continue their quest to make the playoffs in their first season under the leadership of Bill Parcells as they visit the Chiefs on Sunday.

Kansas City went 4-11 in two straight seasons before Peterson took over as general manager in 1989, but went 8-7-1 in his first year and went on to make six straight playoff appearances. Peterson, in his 20th year with the Chiefs (2-12), announced Monday he'd be stepping down at the end of the season.

Miami (9-5), meanwhile, went a league-worst 1-15 in 2007, then brought in Parcells to be the team's executive vice president of football operations. Parcells hired Tony Sparano to be the Dolphins' coach, and they're now in a three-way with the New York Jets and New England for first place in the AFC East.

By winning its final two games, Miami would clinch a playoff berth. Anything less, though, and the Dolphins may fall short.

"We have full control over what's going to happen," said Miami linebacker Joey Porter, who was named to the Pro Bowl on Tuesday. "It's exactly what you want. You don't want to be in a situation where you're hoping this team loses or that team loses to benefit you."

The Dolphins conclude the regular season on Dec. 28 with a road game against the Jets, who would win the division with victories in their final two games.

Miami has won three straight, sparked by a defense that was reeling following a 48-28 loss to New England on Nov. 23. Since then, though, the Dolphins have not allowed a touchdown.

In its last three games, Miami has allowed a total of 24 points -- eight field goals -- to beat St. Louis, Buffalo and San Francisco. The Dolphins' streak without allowing a TD is their longest since 1973, the last time they won the Super Bowl.

Miami is giving up 19.2 points per game after allowing 27.3 last year.

"They're learning how to communicate very well out there," Sparano said. "There are guys covering for one another. And they're becoming pretty resilient. They don't really get flustered a whole lot, even when somebody makes a big play against them."

There's no question the Dolphins' defense is greatly improved, but it has faced teams ranked in the bottom third in the league in yards per game over the past three weeks.

Watch Pittsburgh Steelers vs Tennessee Titans Live Online

AFC's top spot at stake as Titans host Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers guaranteed a first-round bye and home playoff game with a division-clinching road win in their last game.

With another victory away from Heinz Field this week, they likely won't have to play a road game again this season.

The AFC's No. 1 playoff seed will effectively be on the line Sunday in Nashville, where the injury-plagued Tennessee Titans can wrap up the conference's top spot or the Steelers can put themselves on the brink of doing the same with a sixth consecutive win.

It seemed like a foregone conclusion a month ago that the Titans (12-2) would host the AFC championship game on Dec. 18. Tennessee was undefeated through Week 11, had all but wrapped up the AFC South while allowing a league-low 13.1 points per game.

The Titans, though, have come back to the pack since they were routed 34-14 at LP Field by the New York Jets on Nov. 23. After blowout wins over Detroit and Cleveland, Tennessee's shortcomings were evident again last Sunday in Houston.

Pro Bowl receiver Andre Johnson torched the Titans' secondary for 207 yards and a touchdown, and Tennessee never found the end zone in a 13-12 loss.

To make matters worse, Pro Bowl defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth went down late with a sprained MCL that will keep him out until the playoffs.

"I think we were on vacation this week, knowing we got a bye and whatever other good stuff happened for us last week," linebacker Keith Bulluck said. "But I know as a team we need to ... come out and play football. Pittsburgh is playing for way more than us (on Sunday)."

Hours after Bulluck's post-game quote, it became apparent that both teams have the same goal. Trailing 9-6 with under four minutes to play in Baltimore on Sunday, Ben Roethlisberger led a 12-play, 93-yard drive that culminated in a controversial touchdown pass to Santonio Holmes.

The initial call was the ball didn't break the plane of the goal line, but after a lengthy review the decision was reversed, giving Pittsburgh a 13-9 win and the AFC North title.

With a win at Tennessee and another victory at home next weekend against the woeful Browns, who the Steelers (11-3) have beaten 10 straight times, coach Mike Tomlin's team will be the AFC's top seed.

"We would love to have that No. 1 spot, and try to get the easiest path there," said receiver Hines Ward. "But in the AFC, I don't think there is any easy way."

Neither team has particularly fond recent memories of being the conference's top seed. Tennessee was 13-3 in 2000 and had home-field throughout the playoffs, but lost its first game. Pittsburgh was the No. 1 seed in 1994, 2001 and 2004, but lost the conference championship game at home each time.

The last time the Steelers have won five in a row came in 2004 - Roethlisberger's rookie season - when they rattled off victories in their final 13 regular-season games. None of these wins have been easy, though. Pittsburgh has rallied each time, and was losing with less than three minutes remaining in three of the victories.

With an offense that's struggled to run the ball - the Steelers rank 23rd with 102.9 yards per game - it's been the NFL's top defense that's made Pittsburgh so formidable.

The Steelers lead the league in rush defense, pass defense and total defense, and could become the first team to finish No. 1 in all three categories since the 1991 Philadelphia Eagles. Led by Pro Bowlers James Harrison, James Farrior and Troy Polamalu, Pittsburgh also has the No. 1 scoring defense (13.7 ppg).

The Steelers haven't allowed 300 yards all season, and if they can hold Tennessee below that, they'll surpass the 1973 Los Angeles Rams for the longest streak to start a season since the NFL merger in 1970.

"We step up to challenges. We've faced a bunch of hot offenses and hot quarterbacks, and they take it personal," Tomlin said. "They respond to challenges. We have a unique group."

The Titans allow 14.1 ppg, right behind the Steelers, but with Haynesworth out and star defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch also sidelined until the playoffs, backups Jason Jones and Dave Ball will have to step up.

Tennessee has the AFC's top rushing attack with Chris Johnson, the conference's second-leading rusher, and LenDale White. But against a Pittsburgh defense that gives up 3.2 yards per carry, the pressure may fall onto quarterback Kerry Collins.

Collins has seemingly been a perfect fit for a team with a run-oriented offense and solid defense, but when he's had to make plays over the past few weeks, he's struggled. Collins has completed 51.8 percent of his passes with three interceptions in his last two games.

"Guys gotta help Kerry out there," tight end Bo Scaife said. "We have to catch balls and run the right routes, and we can't just put it on him, you know. We all have to do better."

If Pittsburgh needs additional incentive to avoid a potential trip back to Nashville for the AFC championship game, it just needs to look at its history there.

Since the franchise moved to Tennessee in 1997, the Titans have won six of seven at home against the Steelers. Pittsburgh's most recent visit came in the 2003 divisional playoffs, a 34-31 overtime loss.

Watch Arizona Cardinals vs New England Patriots live Online

Patriots look to stay in playoff hunt vs. Cardinals

Eight wins were enough for the Arizona Cardinals to secure their first division title in more than 30 years.

Eleven victories may leave the New England Patriots out of the playoffs altogether.

The Patriots will try to keep pace in the crowded AFC playoff chase on Sunday against Arizona, which will be looking for just its third win in its last 22 trips to the Eastern time zone.

New England (9-5) sits in a three-way tie atop the AFC East and still has a chance to go 11-5 without reigning NFL MVP Tom Brady, who suffered a season-ending knee injury in the first quarter of the team's opening game.

But even if the Patriots win their final two games, they could become the second team to miss the postseason at 11-5. The 1985 Denver Broncos didn't make the playoffs after posting that record.

In order to win the division, New England would have to win out and need the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins -- who face each other in Week 17 -- to each lose one of their final two games. The Patriots could also earn a wild-card berth if they win twice and Baltimore loses one of its last two.

"I'm not even thinking about it. I'm not sure exactly what all the scenarios are. It doesn't make any difference," New England coach Bill Belichick said. "There's a million things that can happen and the only thing we can control is how we prepare and play against Arizona."

The Patriots took care of business on their recent West Coast trip, edging Seattle 24-21 on Dec. 7 before spending the following week in San Jose to prepare for last Sunday's 49-26 drubbing of Oakland.

Against the Raiders, Matt Cassel threw for 218 yards and a career-high four touchdowns just six days after the death of his father, while the Patriots piled up 277 rushing yards - their most in a game since 1985. Sammy Morris led the way with 117 yards on the ground.

New England's recent victories have come despite a bevy of injuries. Aside from Brady, running back Laurence Maroney and safety Rodney Harrison, all of whom are on injured reserve, the Patriots are also playing without linebackers Adalius Thomas, Tedy Bruschi and Pierre Woods, prompting them to sign veterans Junior Seau and Rosevelt Colvin.

Left tackle Matt Light injured his shoulder against the Raiders and could miss Sunday's game.

"Everybody has to lean on each other because we knew once Tom, Hot Rod's (Harrison) and all the other injuries happened, that everybody else was going to be against us and we had to pull together and carry each other," second-year safety Brandon Meriweather said.

Meriweather, who forced a key fumble to clinch the win in Seattle, leads the team with four interceptions, while rookie linebacker Jerod Mayo is the leading tackler.

The youngsters and the rest of New England's patchwork defense should have a tough test against the Cardinals (8-6), who have already clinched the weak NFC West - their first division title since 1975. They will be making their first playoff appearance since 1998.

Arizona has succeeded thanks in part to the second-best passing offense in the NFL. Behind quarterback Kurt Warner and Pro Bowl receivers Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald, the Cardinals rack up 299.0 yards per game through the air.

"The quality of the whole group is really outstanding. It's hard to zero in on one guy," Belichick said. "They have a very diversified passing game, one that attacks all areas of the field, and it's very well executed."

Watch Baltimore Ravens vs Dallas Cowboys Live Online

Ravens, Cowboys in final regular season game at Texas Stadium

Big games have been commonplace through the years at Texas Stadium, where the Dallas Cowboys have clinched five of their record eight NFC championships.

If they have any intention of making yet another trip to the Super Bowl this season, they'll almost certainly need to close their historic 38-year-old venue with a victory.

The Cowboys will say goodbye to their longtime home Saturday night against the Baltimore Ravens, whose first and last trip to Texas Stadium will feature a pair of teams desperate for a win to boost their playoff chances.

One of the NFL's most glamorous franchises continues to spend plenty of time in the limelight, with its performance on the field grabbing as many headlines as topics like the injury to star quarterback Tony Romo, another suspension to cornerback Adam Jones and a perceived feud between Romo, Jason Witten and the petulant Terrell Owens.

Somewhat under the radar has been the closing of Texas Stadium, which on Saturday will host its final game before Dallas (9-5) moves into a $1.3 billion facility in Arlington next season. The only way another game would be played there is if the Cowboys got the No. 5 seed in the playoffs and were to play the No. 6 seed in the NFC championship game.

If nothing else, the Cowboys haven't let their old venue go out quietly. After blowing a 10-point fourth-quarter lead in Pittsburgh on Dec. 7 that put the NFC East title out of reach, Dallas came home Sunday night and kept its wild card hopes very much alive, dominating the division champion New York Giants in a 20-8 victory.

Romo threw for 244 yards and two touchdowns, capping a tumultuous week in which Owens insinuated his quarterback was freezing him out of the offense and looking primarily for Witten.

"It's just part of playing football," Romo said after bouncing back from a four-turnover performance in Pittsburgh. "We have a lot of highly competitive individuals who want to win. I give a lot of credit to T.O. and Jason for drumming this whole thing up to take attention away."

Owens denied having a reported verbal confrontation with Witten in the days leading up to the game, but was all smiles after the win -- despite being heavily booed by Dallas fans before and during the victory.

"It was just something we had to deal with," said Owens, who has totaled six catches the past two weeks. "We just stuck together. We knew what was important and that was the game today.

"Winning cures everything."

With two more, Dallas can ensure it will be in the postseason, but a loss Saturday may cripple its chances. Philadelphia, Tampa Bay and Atlanta also are in the hunt for one of the NFC's two wild card spots, and a road game against the Eagles looms in Week 17.

Watch Indianapolis Colts vs Jacksonville Jaguars Live Online

Colts to battle Jaguars on NFL Network on Thursday night

The Indianapolis Colts knew two weekends ago that their five-year reign as AFC South champions was over. All they're concerned with, however, is extending their six-year streak of making it to the playoffs.

That's exactly what they can do with a win Thursday night in Jacksonville, where the Jaguars will try to partially salvage their season of failed expectations by at least delaying Indianapolis' seventh straight entrance into the postseason.

The Colts' chances of claiming a sixth consecutive division title -- or even making the playoffs -- appeared to be over early, as they stumbled to a 3-4 start while Tennessee was in the process of winning its first 10 games.

Indianapolis (10-4), though, hasn't lost since late October, winning seven in a row to put itself at the top of the AFC wild-card standings. With a win in Jacksonville, the Colts will be back in the playoffs, continuing the NFL's longest active streak and locking themselves into the No. 5 seed.

"At 3-4, we knew what the problems were," coach Tony Dungy told the team's official Web site. "A lot of it was ourselves and our execution. That's what we focused on, more so than pointing the finger at someone or figuring out who was to blame. A lot of that gets back to the players really listening to the coaches."

One of those first four losses came at home to the Jaguars (5-9), who never broke out of their early season funk. Josh Scobee hit a 51-yard field goal in the waning seconds on Sept. 21, lifting Jacksonville to a 23-21 victory over the Colts, their first win of the season.

Despite improving to 2-2 the following week, the Jaguars never found the groove they did last season when they went 11-5. Jacksonville has gone 4-7 since its visit to Indianapolis, leaving it with nothing to play for down the stretch.

To Dungy though, Jacksonville's motivation is simple -- ruin the season of one of its biggest rivals.

"I'm sure they would like to knock us out," Dungy said. "We haven't really been in that situation, but when you are and you can't get in, that's the motivation, especially if it's a division rival. I'm sure they'd like to keep us out of the playoffs, so I'm sure we'll get their best."

The Colts were hardly at their best last week despite piling up 421 total yards against Detroit. They let the winless Lions tie it at 21 early in the fourth quarter before securing a 31-21 victory.

Tight end Dallas Clark was Indianapolis' offensive star, grabbing 12 of Peyton Manning's passes for a career-high 142 yards and a touchdown.

Manning finished 28-of-37 for 318 yards, his third 300-yard game of the season and his fourth straight game completing at least 70 percent of his passes.

"You could tell the focus was on (Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne)," Clark said. "I know they're not too happy, because they want to get their receptions and their catches and their looks, but I'm just glad to be able to step up like that and make some catches."

Manning and his receivers may need to have another big day against Jacksonville. The Colts have the worst rushing offense in the AFC, averaging 80.1 yards and 3.4 per carry.

Despite facing three of the 10 worst rush defenses in the league the past three weeks, Indianapolis hasn't gotten its ground game going. It gained 3.2 yards per carry in wins over Cleveland, Cincinnati and Detroit, and against the Lions didn't have starter Joseph Addai, who was out with a right shoulder injury.

Addai is expected to play Thursday, but running against the Jaguars won't be easy. Jacksonville has given up 3.6 yards per carry in its past six games, the seventh-stingiest average in the NFL in that stretch.

The Jaguars, though, placed second-leading tackler Daryl Smith on injured reserve Tuesday. Without the linebacker for the final two games, team captain Mike Peterson will return to the starting lineup.

Stopping Green Bay in short-yardage situations on Sunday made the difference for the Jaguars, who beat the Packers 20-16 to avoid their first five-game single-season losing streak since 2001.

The Packers ran for 84 yards on 28 carries (3.0 ypc), and nursing a 13-7 lead early in the fourth quarter, were stuffed on a fourth-and-1 at the Jacksonville 44-yard-line. The Jaguars took over, and nine plays later David Garrard found Maurice Jones-Drew from 14 yards out to take a 14-13 lead.

"That was the turning point in the game," defensive end Paul Spicer said. "The momentum could have gone either way."

With Jones-Drew and Fred Taylor finding running room difficult to come by, the Jaguars' lack of a solid rushing attack has been their downfall. Jacksonville was second in the league last season in rushing, gaining 149.4 yards per game, but that average has slipped to 110.8 this season.

The one game when the Jaguars had rushing success, though, came in Indianapolis, as Taylor and Jones-Drew each went over 100 yards and Jacksonville ran for 236.

Taylor, however, is out for the season, leaving the onus on Jones-Drew, who's averaged 6.8 yards per carry in five career games against the Colts.

Watch Oakland Raiders vs San Diego Chargers Live Online

The San Diego Chargers have not lose a single season in the last 5 years and it's been a long time since their last loss to the Oakland Raiders.

One of the most disappointing team of this NFL season needs to ensure that neither of those streaks will end on Thursday night, with the San Diego Chargers against the Oakland Raiders and hoping to prevent their slim playoff hopes this weekend.

The NFC West won three of the last four years, San Diego is three games behind leader Denver with four more games to play. This will mean that if the Chargers lose on Thursday, they will be eliminated from postseason contention if the Broncos beat Kansas City on Sunday.

Watch Minnesota Vikings vs Green Bay Packers Live Online

The Aaron Rodgers era in Green Bay Packers could never really begin until the Brett Favre era ended, and even after Favre's retirement in March, it never felt like the future Hall of Famer had left.

With Favre and his 442 touchdown passes now 1,000 miles away, it's time for Rodgers -- the owner of one career TD toss -- to take center stage.

Rodgers and the Packers begin the post-Favre era in Green Bay on Monday night when they host the rival Minnesota Vikings in a season-opening battle between teams expected to vie for the NFC North title.

Many observers around the NFL felt Favre's record-setting career was over after he had sub-par seasons in 2005 and 2006. Then Favre responded with a year that conjured up memories of his prime. He completed 66.5 percent of his passes for 4,155 yards and 28 touchdowns last season, taking the Packers (13-3) to the NFC championship game, where they lost 23-20 in overtime to the New York Giants.

Favre retired in early March, leaving Rodgers to lead the team, but got an itch to play again during training camp. In an ugly saga between a player as synonymous with a city as the franchise itself, Favre and the Packers became involved in a stalemate. Green Bay Packers was ready to move on with Rodgers as its quarterback, but Favre wasn't ready to give up football. He was eventually traded to the New York Jets on Aug. 6, leaving Rodgers with the entire preseason knowing the Packers are his team.

"I think he grew up," Green Bay coach Mike McCarthy said of Rodgers. "I think we all grew up a little bit during that situation. I think he did a very good job of handling a challenge, handling a situation that there really wasn't a script for and was unprecedented."

No quarterback other than Favre has started a game for Green Bay since Sept. 27, 1992, so the only action Rodgers saw in his three years backing Favre up was in mop-up duty. He's thrown just 59 passes and one touchdown in his brief career, but feels like his role during the preseason saga has helped him just as much as snaps in meaningful games.

Watch New York GIANTS vs New England PATRIOTS Live Online - SUPER BOWL XLII 42 Preview

The Patriots are looking to cap an 18-0 season with their fourth Super Bowl victory in seven years. Led by quarterback Eli Manning, the Giants are hoping to fool the football prognosticators, spoil the Pats' perfect season and begin building a legacy of their own.

That all sets the stage for a great game, local football fans say.

"It ought to be a good one. They (the Giants) beat the Packers and the Cowboys, and they are the right team to be representing the NFC," said Bill Crandall, who manages the Just Sports apparel store at Westgate City Center, an entertainment district just a few hundred yards from University of Phoenix Stadium. "I think there would have been more fans here if it was the Packers, but I still think it will be crazy chaos."

Local organizers are expecting 125,000 visitors to set foot in the Valley just to take part in Super Bowl festivities, from the family-friendly NFL Experience theme park next to the stadium to dozens of VIP parties in Scottsdale.

Sunday's AFC and NFC championship games sealed the deal for some fans. On Monday, the Arizona Super Bowl Host Committee sold more than a dozen $7,500 Super Bowl ticket packages to Giants fans Monday.

"From a competitive standpoint, it's a great matchup. From a visitors and economic-impact standpoint, they (New York and New England) are the largest markets and have the most media coverage," committee President Bob Sullivan said. "I think we'll see a groundswell of people coming in from the Northeast."

For months, Camelback Inn, Arizona Biltmore and other popular Valley resorts have been booked solid for Super Bowl weekend, Jan. 31 through Feb. 4. So Super Bowl fans making hotel arrangements after Sunday's playoff games have been left with few options.

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Watch Super Bowl XLII Live Online 2008

Super Bowl XLII 2008 will reach one billion people worldwide on Feb 3. This annual event will be held at University of Phoenix Stadium - Glendale, Arizona at 6:18 p.m. EST. To watch this greatest sport game between New England Patriots & New York Giants of the year, just fill in your name & email to watch Super Bowl 2008 on your computer live.

Mike Carey will also become the first black referee in Super Bowl history.

The officials of Super Bowl are chosen based on merit, with the highest ranked at each position getting the assignment. Carey, who in his private life runs a skiing accessories company, has been among the NFL's top crew chiefs for a decade and has been a Super Bowl alternate, but has never been the referee.

Black officials have been increasing in number over the years. This season there were 26 on the 17 crews, a single-season high.

Blacks also have been well-represented in the Super Bowl at other positions, starting with Burl Toler, a former player, who was involved of several of the early games.

Watch New York Giants vs Green Bay Packers Live Online - NFL NFC Championship Game Preview

The Giants and Packers met in Week 2 at the Meadowlands, with Green Bay winning, 35-13. Since that game, many things have changed for both teams.

The Giants turned things around after an 0-2 start, but it's actually the Packers who have been doing things differently since then as they have gone from a pass-first offense to a more balanced attack. Green Bay threw the ball 247 times in the first six weeks -- an average of 41 attempts per game. That figure dropped to 33 attempts per game in the last 10 regular-season games. For the Giants, the biggest change has been an improved running game -- they rushed for 94 yards in that first meeting but are now averaging 134 yards per game. And the play of Eli Manning has improved as the season has progressed.

You can probably make up an all-star team of unrestricted free agents from this weekend's games, and these two are near the top of the list. In Week 2, Grant was still a third-stringer and he had no rushing attempts and one reception for 21 yards in the game. In his first six games, he rushed for a total of 27 yards. In the next 10 regular-season games, he rushed for 929 yards -- and added 201 in last week's playoff win. Grant has the strength to run inside and the speed to run outside and has shown the ability to avoid tacklers in the open field. He is also a good receiver coming out of the backfield and will flank out as a wide receiver when the Packers try to create matchup problems.

Pierce came into the NFL as an unrestricted free agent in 2001 as an outside linebacker, and he was signed by the Giants in 2005 as a restricted free agent. He has started at middle linebacker the last three seasons for the Giants and has been their leading tackler. He leads by example and is very vocal. He's a smart player who is very competitive. He had 12 tackles and one pass defended in the Week 2 meeting. Pierce should be a big factor in the Giants' run defense if they are to win this game -- though he did not play all that well against the run in Dallas last week.

Watch San Diego Chargers vs New England Patriots Live Online - NFL AFC Championship Game Preview

The Chargers and Patriots met in New England in Week 2, with the Patriots winning, 34-14, after jumping to a 24-0 halftime lead.

The Pats held the ball for 35:46 and actually ran the ball more times than they passed it (32-31). Don't expect to see that this week.

The Chargers weren't playing anywhere near as well as they are now. It's hard to travel through three time zones and play well, but the Chargers did it last week at Indianapolis. In the first meeting, the Chargers did not have receiver Chris Chambers, and Pro Bowl cornerback Antonio Cromartie was not starting. Since Cromartie has moved into the starting lineup in Week 9, they've allowed 33 yards less per game passing, their defensive passer rating has gone down from 98 to 72, and the average pass play has dropped 1.7 yards. Also, in the first four games of the season, San Diego's defense had four interceptions. In the next 12 games, they had 26 interceptions.

Norv Turner is a master at calling the right play at the right time -- and he will have to be masterful again this week, especially if the Chargers end up playing with backup Billy Volek at quarterback, possibly without LaDainian Tomlinson and possibly without tight end Antonio Gates (certainly not at full speed). Turner loves play-action passes and screens. If you see one, more than likely you'll see three or four during the game -- just ask the Colts, who were killed on two of them last week. Turner also is a very good play-caller in two-minute drills.

Bruschi is not overly big or fast, he just makes plays. He has great anticipation and is an elite player at diagnosing plays. Not many players are more instinctive. He will be the key for the Patriots defense against play-caller extraordinaire Turner. Bruschi plays weak inside linebacker and it's a treat to watch him play.

These eight have got to be great for playoff success

We know stars shine brightest in the playoffs. So as we ready for this weekend's Divisional Playoff round, we're expecting players like Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Randy Moss, Tony Romo, Brett Favre and Patrick Kerney to make their presence felt.

Great players show off in the postseason. It's their time.

But to win in the playoffs, it takes an entire team effort. Stars make it easier for sure, but the grunts, those under-appreciated players, need to do their jobs just as well.

So I've come up with a list of eight players from the eight teams, guys most fans outside of their own cities probably don't know, who can be key to their teams' successes this weekend.

The stars will get the spotlight, and usually hog it. But these guys should be watched closely as well.

New England Patriots

RB Kevin Faulk: With all the talk about the outside passing game for the Patriots, look for Faulk to have a major impact in the short passing game. Faulk is one of the best screen backs in the league. The Jaguars will focus a lot of their attention down the field, which is the right thing to do, but Faulk may make them pay. He has been a valuable player for this offense for years and never really gets his due.

Jacksonville Jaguars

TE Marcedes Lewis: You know the Patriots will get their points, so the Jaguars will have to keep up. That means more success in the passing game. Lewis has developed into a quality target in the middle of the field. Being matched up against the New England linebackers, who don't run that well, he might find some soft spots. Look for Lewis to catch at lease five passes against those backers.

Indianapolis Colts

DT Ed Johnson: He has been a rookie starter all season long, and he's played well. Johnson's play in the middle of the Colts line will be vital to the success of their being able to slow LaDainian Tomlinson. If he can win against a good inside three for the Chargers, it could force the game into the hands of Philip Rivers. That's what the Colts want. Johnson has been a real find as one player who wasn't drafted.

San Diego Chargers

CB Quentin Jammer: Yes, Antonio Cromartie is the All-Pro in that secondary, but they have to get good play out of Jammer. The Colts will have Marvin Harrison back at receiver, which means three big-time threats in Harrison, Reggie Wayne and Anthony Gonzalez. Jammer has to come up big to try and slow down the Colts passing game. He has the skills, and Norv Turner said he had a Pro Bowl season, but he had just one pick.

Dallas Cowboys

WR Patrick Crayton: With Terrell Owens playing on a sore ankle and Terry Glenn competing after missing most of the season with an injury, Crayton has to be a factor in the passing game. He's had a big-time season subbing for Glenn, but it has to carry over here. If Owens really struggles, Crayton might be the go-to guy. It's his chance to show he's up to the task.

New York Giants

LT David Diehl: He is starting for the first time this year at left tackle, and that's been an adjustment. Now he gets Chris Canty in front of him on run downs and DeMarcus Ware coming at him on passing downs. That's not easy. Diehl doesn't have great feet, but instead makes up for that with his toughness. He has to keep Eli Manning clean of Ware for the Giants to have success.

Green Bay Packers

RT Mark Tauscher: With the way Patrick Kerney is exploding off the left end spot, you have to neutralize him. Brett Favre gets rid of the ball quickly, but Tauscher will have to play big against Kerney. When he gets going, the Seattle defense seems to feed off of Kerney. If Tauscher struggles, it could be a long day for Favre and the offense. Tauscher is a tough, physical player who has held up in pass protection against good players in the past.

Seattle Seahawks

RT Sean Locklear: Seahawks left tackle Walter Jones is on his way to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. But it's Locklear on the other side who must come up big for the Seahawks this week. He will be matched against Packers defensive end Aaron Kampman, who plays with a relentless style. Any let up and Kampman will kill Locklear. Locklear has to keep Kampman off Matt Hasselbeck and handle Kampman in the run game if Shaun Alexander has any chance of attacking the Packers.

Watch New York Giants vs Dallas Cowboys Live Online - NFL Playoffs Preview

It will be huge. As explosive as Dallas has been all season, the Cowboys owe a great deal of their success to the fact that Owens remains one of the elite receivers in the NFL. The bottom line is that when he's on the field, he makes life easier for everybody else on offense. Without him, quarterback Tony Romo isn't likely to play with the same swagger and the Cowboys' offense isn't going to be chewing up yardage by the chunks.

Cowboys coach Wade Phillips said Monday that T.O. is a "game-time decision." He apparently has been rehabilitating his high ankle sprain so relentlessly that he was meeting with trainers on Christmas Day and New Year's. If we had to wager, we'd assume Owens will be dressed Sunday. His ankle probably won't be 100 percent -- such injuries tend to linger -- but his presence alone makes all the difference for the Cowboys' offense.

There's still good reason to be skeptical of Manning -- mainly because he was playing lousy during the final month of the regular season -- but the Giants have to love what they've seen from him lately.

Aside from one critical interception, Manning played brilliantly in a season-ending loss to New England and he was equally impressive in Sunday's wild-card win over Tampa Bay (20-for-27 for 185 yards and two touchdowns). If he can perform that well against Dallas, the Giants could very well pull the upset.

Remember, Manning enjoyed a huge day against Dallas in a season-opening loss (312 yards, four touchdowns, one interception). He was mediocre in the rematch, but the Dallas defense can give up big plays.

The key here is how well the Giants protect Manning and how well he makes decisions. One thing that is definitely certain is that he won't lack for confidence heading into this contest.

Watch Seattle Seahawks vs Green Bay Packers Live Online- NFL Playoff Preview

What took place Saturday once was unimaginable, and now the Seattle Seahawks hope it's not out of the question they can do something else which once seemed unthinkable, too.

The Seahawks beat the Washington Redskins, 35-14, in a first-round playoff game because of their, drum roll, please, defense. Next they will find out if their defense, the team's best in a decade, will be good enough to survive a divisional playoff game at Green Bay.

"You gotta take your hat off to the organization," said offensive tackle Walter Jones, Seattle's longest-tenured player, in his 11th season with the team. "They got (defensive) guys who can go out and make plays. The defense is built on speed and getting to the quarterback, and these guys can do it with the best of them.

"A defense that good can put you in position to score points."

Or score points itself.

Against Washington, the Seahawks played lethargically for much of the game on offense, but they produced a fourth-quarter, go-ahead touchdown drive after the Redskins' Scott Suisham missed a 30-yard field goal attempt, and then Marcus Trufant and Jordan Babineaux returned interceptions for touchdown to make the final score more lopsided than the game actually was.

Seattle has tried for years to improve its defense. Eight of their 11 defensive starters came to the team since 2005, and the additions this year of defensive end Patrick Kerney and safeties Brian Russell and Deon Grant finally lifted the Seahawks into the ranks of the league's better defensive teams.

The Redskins were unable to block Kerney, who led the NFC in sacks, with one lineman. By double-teaming and, at least once, even triple-teaming him, the Redskins left the quick Seattle linebackers free to chase down plays. Washington, trying to protect quarterback Todd Collins, wanted to control the game with Clinton Portis' running, but he was limited to 52 yards on 20 carries, an average of 2.6, and was often caught from behind by a linebacker.

Seahawks linebackers Leroy Hill, Lofa Tatupu and Julian Peterson were the game's leading tacklers, credited with 23 tackles, 12 assists, two sacks, five quarterback hits and one pass defensed among them.

"We proved we can play defense," Hill said. "A lot of people consider the Seahawks an offensive team, and we're just trying to prove we can play a little defense, too."

"We're not the biggest or the most physical team," Peterson added, but he pointed out the Seahawks' defense has the quickness to run with most teams. The only success the Redskins had with their running game came when they spread the Seattle defense out by using three or four receivers, but that exposed Collins to frequent hits.

Peterson opined that the Seahawks will need to tighten up their third-down defense against Green Bay, but it really wasn't too bad. Washington converted only 4 of 18 third downs into first downs.

Watch San Diego Chargers vs Indianapolis Colts Live Online - NFL Playoffs Preview

The San Diego Chargers are right back where they were a year ago, headed into a divisional playoff game. But somehow this feels different.

Perhaps it's because they just won a playoff game for the first time in 13 years.

Perhaps it's because they're going to play Indianapolis, a team they beat the last two times they played.

Perhaps it's because their young quarterback, Philip Rivers, finally played a big game at a big time to beat a defense that was putting all its attention on stopping LaDainian Tomlinson and daring Rivers to win the game with his arm.

Or, perhaps, it's all of the above.

But we'll go mostly with No. 3, because that's the biggest development.

On Sunday, the Chargers beat the Tennessee Titans 17-6. The Titans were missing four starters because of recent injuries, and their quarterback, Vince Young, was missing some of his mobility due to a quad injury.

So beating them, perhaps, was no big deal. It was expected. The unexpected part was how the Chargers did it.

"We executed our game plan," said Tennessee linebacker Keith Bulluck. "We wanted Philip Rivers to beat us. I think he did a good job of that."

"I think that's been the (defensive) strategy for 34 games that I've been here, and I don't think that strategy is going to change as long as (Tomlinson) is here," Rivers said.

True enough, and the only way the Chargers can change that approach by their opponents is for Rivers to have more games like this one.

With San Diego trailing 6-0 at halftime and with Tomlinson limited to 6 yards on his first seven carries, Rivers directed drives of 86, 78 and 72 yards on the Chargers' first three possessions of the second half. After halftime, he completed 12 of 17 passes for 194 yards. He finished with 292 yards, including five completions of at least 25 yards.

Watch Jacksonville Jaguars vs New England Patriots Live Online- NFL Playoffs Preview

So, which are the "real" Jacksonville Jaguars?

Are they the team that dominated the Pittsburgh Steelers for three quarters of Saturday night's wild-card playoff game?

Or, are they the team that came perilously close to suffering one of the worst meltdowns in NFL playoff history?

The cynic could easily say that the Jaguars hardly look like the team that so many observers around the league pegged as having what it takes to spoil the New England Patriots' postseason perfection party.

I certainly have my doubts. I once thought the Jags were a club that had all of the necessary ingredients to be as dangerous as any team in the playoffs -- powerful running game, a quarterback who takes exceptionally great care of the football, a punishing defense that makes big plays, and poise. Especially poise. The Jaguars clearly lost their composure at the least opportune time Saturday night. They looked like a team that, well, hadn't won a playoff game since beating Miami in the divisional round after the 1999 season.

Of course, you could always take this perspective that coach Jack Del Rio offered of the Jags' ability to pull out a 31-29 win after squandering an 18-point lead in the fourth quarter: "I think it clearly exemplifies the kind of resolve this team has competed with all year."

During the regular season, the Jaguars overcame injuries to key players, such as defensive tackle Marcus Stroud, linebacker Mike Peterson, offensive guard Chris Naeole, and even quarterback David Garrard, who missed three games with a bum ankle.

On Saturday night, they overcame themselves.

At the end of the third quarter, they held a 28-10 lead and were giving the Patriots and every other team in the AFC playoffs something to worry about. Then, after three quick Steelers touchdowns, the advantage disappeared. It was Pittsburgh 29, Jacksonville 28 with 6:21 remaining.

For Del Rio, it was not a time to panic, even though that seemed like the obvious reaction. "You're wanting to stay calm, stay poised, keep fighting," he said.

With 2:38 left, the Jaguars got the ball again. Right before the members of his offense took the field, Del Rio pulled them together and said, "Guys, you've got to love it. I mean, here we are. It's right here. Let's have fun, let's go down, make some plays and win this ballgame."

He made it sound so simple, yet it was a monumental task.

The play that ultimately won it was Josh Scobee's 25-yard field goal with 37 seconds left. But the play that set up the winning points was Garrard's 32-yard quarterback draw on fourth-and-two from the Pittsburgh 43.

Garrard, in his first playoff start, had wanted to run the play on third-and-two, but the coaches called a pass that fell incomplete. He had insisted on having the ball in his hands at crunch time, mainly because he wanted to make up for the mistakes he made, including two interceptions that led to 10 Pittsburgh points.

"I knew they weren't going to stop me for two yards," Garrard said.

At 6-foot-1 and 245 pounds, he knew he had too much size and power for the mostly smallish defenders the Steelers had had on the field to defend the pass. Garrard figured, at the very least, he could lower his helmet and push his way past the first-down marker. He never expected to turn two yards into 32, but that was the case when the Pittsburgh sent an all-out blitz that didn't get to him and left the field wide open for a long gain.

Watch Washington Redskins vs Seattle Seahawks Live Online - NFL Wild Card Weekend Preview

Almost four years ago, Mike Holmgren found himself at yet another scouting combine. He bumped into old pals, fellow veteran NFL coaches.

Bill Parcells. Mike Sherman. Bill Cowher. ... Joe Gibbs?

The same Joe Gibbs who was Southern California's line coach in 1969, when Holmgren was a senior quarterback? The same man who had left coaching a decade earlier to run a NASCAR team?

"What are you doing? Are you sure you want to do this?" Holmgren asked Gibbs that spring day in 2004, knowing Gibbs was thoroughly enjoying life outside of football.

"Yeah, I think so," Gibbs told him of returning to the game.

Saturday, the men who are 1-2 in victories among the league's active coaches will be across the field from each other. Gibbs' Redskins will be in Seattle to play Holmgren's Seahawks in the NFC's wild-card playoffs.

And sometime after this game, the 59-year-old Holmgren will revisit Gibbs (171-100 in 16 seasons) to ask about stepping away from coaching and beginning a new life.

"I will have a conversation with him at some point about that," said Holmgren, who is 169-109 in 16 seasons.

Sooner than later?

"Yeah, probably," Holmgren said.

He and longtime wife Kathy have four daughters, and Holmgren relishes being a grandfather. He owns a boat and a house in an upscale Seattle suburb. He also has homes in the coastal hills of his native Northern California, and in Arizona, where he escapes football by riding motorcycles across the desert. He did that again during Seattle's bye week in late October.

After these playoffs, Holmgren has one season remaining on the two-year contract he signed after the Seahawks lost in the Super Bowl to Pittsburgh 23 months ago.

Holmgren agreed to that deal only after some soul searching. Then 12 months ago, after Seattle lost in the second round of the playoffs in overtime at Chicago, Holmgren again took his time before deciding to return. Now, as he is trying to reach a sixth Super Bowl as a head man or assistant, he acknowledges this could be his last go-around.

"Where I am in my coaching life, I've got more years behind me than I have ahead of me, that's for sure," Holmgren said. "You think about it (being the last chance). If you get into the playoffs, you probably think about it every year.

"My mindset has not changed. ... At the end of each season Kathy and I will get away from here for a week and just kind of bang (the possibility of retiring) around a little bit and think about how we're going to do this in fairness to everybody -- the players, the owner, everybody.

"You have to take some time and let things settle in. It's an important decision."

Watch New York Giants vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers Live Online - NFL Wild Card Weekend Preview

The New York Giants haven't won a playoff game since 2001. Jeff Garcia has played a big part in that -- and gets yet another chance to extend that drought Sunday.

Garcia leads the fourth-seeded Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-7) against the fifth-seeded Giants (10-6) in a wild-card matchup at Raymond James Stadium.

Garcia will make his third playoff start against the Giants in as many uniforms, and the sight of the veteran quarterback likely won't be pleasing to New York. Garcia has engineered two playoff victories over the Giants in the past six seasons, most recently last year.

Filling in for an injured Donovan McNabb, Garcia completed 17 of 31 passes for 153 yards and a touchdown to help Philadelphia defeat New York 23-20 in a wild-card game last Jan. 7. That performance, however, is hardly his most memorable one against the Giants in the postseason.

On Jan. 5, 2003, Garcia helped lead the second-biggest playoff comeback in league history, throwing for 331 yards and three touchdowns, and rushing seven times for 60 yards and a TD to help San Francisco rally from a 38-14 deficit and defeat New York 39-38.

"I don't think that I really look at those games as feeling like I -- or believing that I -- have an edge up on the Giants," Garcia said. "It is not like that at all. I feel like what we did those days we were able to make enough plays to win the football game, but it is going to be a battle."

Now the Giants again face the 37-year-old Garcia, who won the Bucs starting job this season after being signed away from the Eagles as a free agent in March. He threw for 2,440 yards, 13 touchdowns and just four interceptions to help Tampa Bay return to the top of the NFC South for the first time since 2002 -- the season the team won its only Super Bowl.

Garcia posted a 94.6 quarterback rating, seventh in the league, as the Bucs returned to the playoffs after a year off. Tampa Bay was 4-12 in 2006.

"He certainly has done an outstanding job for them. He is the guy that you have to try to do something about," Giants coach Tom Coughlin said Wednesday. "You have to get pressure on him; you have to contain him; you have to get up in his face. You have to do all of those kinds of things. And of course they are always trying to create opportunities for him to be able to be in a position that he can take full advantage of.

"So we definitely know of the strengths of Jeff Garcia, how well he is playing. And we will spend a week trying to do something about it."

Watch Tennessee Titans vs San Diego Chargers Live Online - NFL Wild Card Weekend Preview

For the second straight season, the San Diego Chargers are on a roll heading into the playoffs. This time around, they're trying not to be overconfident, especially with a matchup against a Tennessee Titans team that is thrilled to be getting another crack at the AFC West champions.

San Diego brings another long winning streak into the postseason on Sunday when it meets visiting Tennessee for the second time in five weeks.

The first matchup between these teams resulted in a 23-17 overtime victory for San Diego in Nashville on Dec. 9 -- the Titans' only loss in their last five games.

In that contest, the Chargers (11-5) rallied from 14 points down in the fourth quarter, tying the game at 17 on a 2-yard touchdown pass from Philip Rivers to tight end Antonio Gates with 9 seconds remaining. San Diego won on LaDainian Tomlinson's 16-yard TD run in overtime.

The game was extremely physical, with four players getting fined a total of $32,500 by the NFL and Chargers linebacker Shawne Merriman accusing the Titans of a cheap shot that left him with an injured knee.

"I know that there's a lot of things that went on a few weeks ago when we played them at our place, a lot of bad blood in this game," said Tennessee center Kevin Mawae, who was docked $5,000 for a hit on Merriman. "So it'll be interesting to see. We're going to try to stay focused this week and not get caught up in the locker room trash talk and just focus on ourselves.

"We go out to San Diego and give them our best shot."

Tennessee (10-6) is still upset about the last meeting, believing it was on the wrong end of a call on a crucial fourth-and-5 play for San Diego during the final drive of regulation. Rivers threw a pass downfield to Chris Chambers, who had to dive back for the ball, and the officials ruled it a catch.

It was replayed because it came in the last two minutes, but not overturned because of a lack of camera angles.

"If people missed the first one that we played, tune in," Titans linebacker Keith Bulluck said.

Rivers, though, isn't ready to label this wild-card game as a grudge match.

"Nah, I mean, we won the game. That's all that matters to us," he said. "It's a new game now. We get to play them at home. It's going to be another fun, physical game. I'm looking forward to it."

Watch Jacksonville Jaguars vs Pittsburgh Steelers Live Online - NFL Wild Card Weekend Preview

Maybe no team in NFL history has gone through a more difficult path through the playoffs to win a Super Bowl than the Pittsburgh Steelers did two years ago.

The one they now face could easily top it.

With possibly the least momentum of any playoff team and missing their Pro Bowl running back, the Steelers host the only visiting team to win at Heinz Field all season when they meet the Jacksonville Jaguars on Saturday night.

Even if Pittsburgh (10-6) can get by Jacksonville (11-5), which beat the Steelers 29-22 on Dec. 16, its road back to the Super Bowl could include road games against unbeaten New England and defending Super Bowl champion Indianapolis.

Before they can think about going on the road next week, the Steelers must knock off a Jaguars team which won six of seven before losing a meaningless regular-season finale. One of those victories included the trip to Heinz Field, preventing Pittsburgh from finishing with an 8-0 home record.

The Steelers even had Willie Parker for that game and he ran for 100 yards, but his season ended four days later when he broke his leg in a game at St. Louis. That leaves Pittsburgh without the NFL's fourth-leading rusher.

Parker has been replaced by Najeh Davenport, who came off the bench against the Rams to rush for 123 yards before being held to 27 last week on 12 carries in a 27-21 loss at Baltimore. Pittsburgh came out flat in that game, falling behind 17-0, despite entering with a chance to claim the AFC's No. 3 seed.

"A lot of things are of concern. What lies ahead is an enormous playoff game versus a great football team at our place," Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said. "If there is any hesitation, they better quickly get over it because the ball is going to be kicked off here shortly."