OK, enough of this nonsense about tiebreakers and division records. It's time for business.
Now it's simple. Win and you move on. Lose and you go home.
The New York Giants know all about it. Just ask the New England Patriots. The regular season no longer matters.
Speaking of the Giants, Eli Manning and Co. are back where they left off last season as the Super Bowl champs. Appropriately, the NFC road to Tampa will have to go through East Rutherford, N.J., as the top-seeded Giants await their next prey.
Welcome to the show
We've got some first-timers here this year. Not only is it their first playoff appearance, but Joe Flacco of Baltimore and Matt Ryan of Atlanta have pulled off the rare feat of leading their teams to the playoffs in their rookie season. Not since Ben Roethlisberger in 2004 has a rookie QB been so impressive, and this year we've got two. And their teams are led by rookie coaches -- the Ravens' John Harbaugh and the Falcons' Mike Smith.
When you're hot
Many had Peyton Manning and the Colts washed up when they started the season 3-4. They even lost to the Jaguars. But don't ever count out a Manning. The Colts (12-4) are on a 9-game winning streak and will be facing another red-hot team at San Diego. The Chargers (8-8) needed to win their final four games and hope the Broncos lost their last three. It happened. The Eagles (9-6-1) also had a similar fate, needing to win, but also needing teams to lose, and so two of the teams with the worst records are actually the scariest opponents.
It takes 2 to rumble
It's been the year of the running-back tandem. The Titans, top-seeded in the AFC, rode Chris Johnson and LenDale White to a 10-0 record before their first loss. The league's other top seed has a running back stable in New York, led by Brandon Jacobs and Derrick Ward. Also sharing totes are Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams in Carolina and LaDainian Tomlinson and Darren Sproles in San Diego, while Miami has wildcats Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams.
