Stat-packed divisional week game capsules

BALTIMORE RAVENS–AFC NORTH (13-4) AT PITTSBURGH STEELERS–AFC NORTH (12-4)

 

TEAMS MEET for 3rd time in postseason. Steelers are 2-0 vs. Ravens in playoffs.

RAVENS:  JOHN HARBAUGH joins BARRY SWITZER as only head coaches in NFL history to win playoff game in each of his 1st 3 seasons...Club has 7-3 road playoff record, best postseason road winning percentage (.700) in NFL history (minimum 5 games)...QB JOE FLACCO became 1st QB to start & win at least 1 playoff game in each of his 1st 3 NFL seasons.  Has 4-2 postseason record.  Flacco had Ravens playoff-best in passing yards (265), TD passes (2) & passer rating (115.4) last week...In past 3 postseason games, RB RAY RICE is averaging 128.3 scrimmage yards per game (283 rush, 102 receiving).  Incl. playoffs, club has 14-4 record (.778) when Rice has 80+ rush yards in game.  For career, Rice averages 121.4 rush yards per game when he has 25+ attempts (607 total in 5 games).  RB WILLIS MC GAHEE has 4 rush TDs in past 4 postseason games...WR DERRICK MASON had 6 receptions for 80 receiving yards in last regular-season meeting at Pit...WR ANQUAN BOLDIN had 5 receptions for 118 yards (23.6 avg.) with 1 TD in last game vs. Steelers.  In only career postseason game vs. Pit. (SB XLIII w/ Arz.), Boldin had 8 receptions for 84 yards (10.5 avg.).  Recorded 2nd postseason TD reception of career last week...TE TODD HEAP became 6th TE since Super Bowl era (since 1966) with 10 receptions (10) & 100 receiving yards (108) in playoff game last week...Ravens have 29 INTs in 14 postseason games, incl. 3 INTs last week...In 8 career postseason games, S ED REED has 7 INTs.  Club allows 12.2 points per game in postseason in franchise history...Bal. has not allowed RB to gain 100+ rush yards in 14 consecutive postseason games (tied for 2nd-longest current streak, Redskins, 17; Steelers, 14)...LB RAY LEWIS has 2 sacks in past 3 postseason games...LB TERRELL SUGGS has 7 sacks in past 6 postseason games...Ravens had 5 players selected to Pro Bowl (K BILLY CUNDIFF, LB Lewis, DT HALOTI NGATA, S Reed & LB Suggs).

 

STEELERS:  Have won 31 postseason games, 2nd-most in NFL history (Cowboys, 33)...Pit. has 14-8 (.636) record in Divisional Playoffs...Steelers have won an NFL-record six Super Bowl titles...Club has 18-9 (.667) record at home during playoffs...QB BEN ROETHLISBERGER is 8-2 (.800) in postseason & has completed 172 of 278 (61.9 pct.) for 2,239 passing yards w/ 15 TDs vs. 12 INTs & 87.2 passer rating.  Has thrown career-best 158 consecutive passes without INT, longest such streak for Steeler since KORDELL STEWART (159 consecutive passes without INT in '01)...RB RASHARD MENDENHALL (1,273 rush yards, 13 rush TDs) joined WILLIE PARKER (1,494 rush yards, 13 rush TDs in '06) as only Steelers w/ 1,200+ rush yards & at least 13 rush TDs in season...WR HINES WARD (76) needs 1 catch to surpass HOFer THURMAN THOMAS (76) for 5th-most receptions in playoff history...WR MIKE WALLACE (7) tied HOFer JOHN STALLWORTH (7 in '84) for most 100-yard receiving games in season in Steelers history.  Had career-best in catches (60), receiving yards (1,257) & TDs (10).  Aims for 4th consecutive 100-yard receiving game...TE HEATH MILLER has 2 TD catches in 3 home postseason games...C MAURKICE POUNCEY became 1st Steelers rookie center to start all of his team's games...Pit. has not allowed 100-yard rusher in 14 consecutive postseason games, tied w/ Bal. for 2nd-longest current streak (Redskins, 17)...Steelers allowed NFL-low 62.8 rushing yards per game this season, 5th-fewest rushing yards allowed per game in NFL history...LB JAMES HARRISON became 1st Steeler to post double-digit sacks in 3 consecutive seasons (16 in 2008; 10 in 2009; 10.5 in 2010)...LB LA MARR WOODLEY has 8 sacks in 4 career postseason games.  LB JAMES FARRIOR had 6 sacks this season, 2nd-most of career (6.5 in '07)...Club had 3 players selected to 2011 Pro Bowl (LB Harrison,  C Pouncey, S TROY POLAMALU).

 

TEAMS MEET for 3rd time in postseason.  Patriots are 2-0 vs. Jets in playoffs.

JETS:  Incl. postseason, Jets are 14-6 (.700) on road under head coach REX RYAN...QB MARK SANCHEZ has 3-1 postseason record, most playoff wins by Jets QB in franchise history.   Club 2-0 vs. NE when Sanchez has 100+ passer rating...Jets are averaging 149.8 rush yards per game in past 4 postseason games...RB LA DAINIAN TOMLINSON tied postseason-high with 2 rush TDs last week & had 82 rush yards, 2nd-most of career in playoffs (123 on 1/14/07 vs. NE).  For career (incl. postseason), Tomlinson averages 5.0 rush yards per carry vs. Patriots.  RB SHONN GREENE averages 93.5 rush yards per game in postseason (374 total)...14 of WR SANTONIO HOLMES' 20 postseason receptions have been for 1st downs (70.0 pct.).  WR BRAYLON EDWARDS averages 21.8 yard per catch in postseason (10 receptions, 218 receiving yards).  WR JERRICHO COTCHERY had 4 receptions for 100 receiving yards, incl. 77-yard TD catch in only career playoff meeting vs. Patriots...TE DUSTIN KELLER has 3 TD receptions in 4 postseason games.  Keller averages 14.9 yards per catch in postseason (15 receptions, 223 receiving yards)...CB DARRELLE REVIS has 2 INTs in 4 career playoff games & needs 1 INT to tie GREG BUTTLE (3) for most career postseason INTs in franchise history... CB ANTONIO CROMARTIE had INT in last playoff game vs. NE (w/ Chargers on 1/20/08).  Cromartie had 2 KR returns for 88 yards (44.0 avg.) last week. incl. 47-yard KR in 4th quarter to set up game-winning FG...S ERIC SMITH led team with 10 tackles last week...LB JASON TAYLOR has 13 career sacks vs. NE...LB CALVIN PACE had 1st career postseason sack last week...Jets had 3 players selected to 2011 Pro Bowl (T D'BRICKASHAW FERGUSON, C NICK MANGOLD, CB Revis).

 

PATRIOTS:  Since 2000, NE has won 8 division titles, most in NFL during that span...Club has 8-5 record in Divisional Playoffs (.615)...Patriots scored NFL-high 518 points in '10, 7th-most points scored by team in single season in NFL history...NE has 8 consecutive 10-win seasons, 3rd-longest streak in league annals (16, San Francisco, 1983-98; 9, Indianapolis (2002-present)...With win, BILL BELICHICK will tie HOFer CHUCK NOLL (16) for 4th^-most playoff wins all-time.  Belichick is 1st head coach ever to win at least 14 regular-season games in 4 separate seasons...QB TOM BRADY has NFL-best 14-4 (.778) postseason record (minimum 15 starts).  Brady has won an NFL-record 27 consecutive regular-season home games as starter.  Brady owns active streak of 335 consecutive passes without INT this season, best in NFL history.  Passed for at least 2 TD with no INTs in his past 9 games, longest such streak in league annals. Has not thrown INT in his past 11 games.  At home vs. Jets as starter (incl. postseason), Brady has 7-2 record & has completed 190 of 295 passes (64.4 pct.) for 2,056 yards with 10 TDs vs. 3 INTs & 91.9 passer rating...RB BEN JARVUS GREEN-ELLIS (1,008 rush yards, 13 rush TDs) joined CURTIS MARTIN as only 2nd Patriot to have at 1,000 rush yards & 13 rush TDs in season.  Green-Ellis will make playoff debut.  RB DANNY WOODHEAD had career-best 104 receiving yards in last game vs. Jets...WR WES WELKER led team in receptions for 4th consecutive season, longest streak in franchise history (112 in '07; 111 in '08; 123 in '09; 86 in '10).  Welker has 2 TD receptions in 3 career postseason games.  Aims for 3rd straight game with TD catch vs. NYJ.  WR DEION BRANCH (725) needs 75 receiving yards to reach 800 career postseason receiving yards.   TE ROB GRONKOWSKI caught 10 TD passes in 2010, most by rookie in franchise history & 2nd most by rookie TE all-time (Pro Football Hall of Famer MIKE DITKA,12 in 1961)...CB DEVIN MC COURTY led all NFL rookies with 7 INTs, 2nd-most in NE history among rookies (HOFer MIKE HAYNES, 8 in '76)...DT VINCE WILFORK had career-best 2 sacks in Week 17...LB JEROD MAYO led team with 193 tackles, 3rd-most in season in Patriots history (CLAYTON WEISHUHN, 229 in '83; STEVE NELSON, 207 in '84).

 

 

 

 

TEAMS MEET for 3rd time in postseason.  Packers won 1995 WC (37-20) & Falcons won 2002 WC (27-7).  Clubs met in Week 12 (Atl. 20-17).  All-time series, incl. playoffs, is tied 13-13. 

 

PACKERS:  Have won 12 NFL championships, most all-time.  Packers have 26 postseason victories, 3rd most in NFL history.  Last week's win was 1st road playoff victory since 1997 NFC Champ at SF.  Team's .619 postseason winning pct. (26-16) is 3rd best in NFL annals.  Packers have advanced to postseason in 13 of past 18 seasons.  Club had 5 players selected to Pro Bowl: T CHAD CLIFTON (2nd), S NICK COLLINS (3rd), WR GREG JENNINGS (1st), LB CLAY MATTHEWS (2nd) & CB CHARLES WOODSON (7th)...QB AARON RODGERS threw 3 TDs last week & has 7 pass TDs in 1st 2 playoff starts, most by QB in 1st 2 postseason games in NFL history.  Had 122.5 rating last week & is 1st QB with 120+ rating in each of 1st 2 playoff starts in NFL history.  Led NFC with 101.2 rating.  Is 1st Packers QB with consecutive seasons with 100+ rating (103.2 in 2009).  Has 2 of top 3 marks in franchise history, trailing HOFer BART STARR's 105 rating in 1966.  Had 3,922 pass yards & his 12,394 yards since becoming starter in 2008 are 2nd most by QB in 1st 3 years as starter (KURT WARNER, 12,612).  Aims for 3rd start in row vs. Atl. with 300+ yards & 100+ rating...Rookie RB JAMES STARKS rushed for franchise playoff record 123 yards.  Starks (6th round) is 1st rookie drafted in 6th round or later/undrafted to rush for 100+ yards in playoff game.  RB BRANDON JACKSON had rec. TD last week.  RB JOHN KUHN scored career-high 6 TDs (4 rush, 2 rec.)...Packers had 3 WRs with 50+ catches each for 1st time in franchise history:  Jennings (76), DONALD DRIVER (51) & JAMES JONES (50).  Jennings tied for NFC lead with 12 rec. TDs.  Had 5 catches for 119 yards in Week 12.  Driver has longest TD catch (90 yards) in team postseason history (2007 NFC Champ vs. NYG).  Jones aims for 3rd playoff game in row with TD.  WR JORDY NELSON had TD catch in last game vs. Atl.  TE TOM CRABTREE had 1st career TD last week...Since joining GB in 2006, CB Woodson leads NFL with 8 INT-TDs.  Has INT-TD in each of 5 years with GB & is only player in NFL history with INT-TD in 5 consecutive seasons.  S Collins ties for 2nd with 4 INT-TDs in that span.  CB TRAMON WILLIAMS had INT last week to seal win.  Led club with career-high 6 INTs & tied for 2nd in NFC.  LB CLAY MATTHEWS had sack last week.  Finished 2nd in NFC with 13.5 sacks & is 1st Packer to start career with consecutive 10-sack seasons (10 in 2009).  DE CULLEN JENKINS played in 11 games & had career-high 7 sacks.  LB DESMOND BISHOP & DE JARIUS WYNN each had sack last week.

 

FALCONS:  Are NFC's top seed for 1st time since 1980.  Are 3-1 in postseason at home.  Team was 7-1 at home in 2010 & is 20-4 (.833) at home under head coach MIKE SMITH.  Club has posted 3 consecutive winnings seasons, 1st time in franchise history.  Team won division for 4th time in franchise history (1980, 1998, 2004).  Club had 7 players selected to Pro Bowl: DE JOHN ABRAHAM (4th), TE TONY GONZALEZ (11th), FB OVIE MUGHELLI (1st), QB MATT RYAN (1st), RB MICHAEL TURNER (2nd), ST ERIC WEEMS (1st) & WR RODDY WHITE (3rd)...Team had 3,000-yard passer (Ryan, 3,705), 1,300-yard rusher (Turner, 1,371) & 1,300-yard receiver (White, 1,389) for 3rd time in franchise history (1981, 2008).  Ryan (3,440), Turner (1,699) & White (1,382) accomplished feat in 2008.  QB Ryan has 33 wins as starter, tying HOFer DAN MARINO for most wins by QB in 1st 3 seasons since 1970.  Is 20-2 (.909) as starter at home.  In career, has posted 100+ rating 16 times & Falcons are 16-0 (7-0 in 2010).  Had team-record 357 completions.  Is 2-0 vs. GB with 104.8 rating.  In Week 12, tied team record with 85.7 comp. pct. (24 of 28)...RB Turner led NFC with 1,371 rush yards & tied for 1st with 12 rush TDs.  Since joining Atl. in 2008, has 39 rush TDs, 2nd most in NFL.  His 39 rush TDs are most by Falcon in any 3-year span.  Aims for 3rd in row vs. GB with 110+ rush yards & TD...WR White set club records for most receptions (NFL-best 115) & rec. yards (NFC-best 1,389) in season.  Owns top 2 rec. yard seasons in team history (1,382 yards in 2008). In only postseason game, had 11 catches, most by Falcon in playoff contest.  TE Gonzalez was named to 11th Pro Bowl, most by TE.  Had 70 receptions & is only player in NFL history with 60+ catches in 12 consecutive seasons.  Has TD catch in all 3 meetings vs. GB.  Has 100+ yards in 2 of those 3.  WR-KR-PR Weems had franchise-record 102-yard KR-TD & 55-yard PR-TD, only player in team history with both in season.  Only NFC player with KR-TD & PR-TD in 2010...DE Abraham ranked 3rd in NFC with 13 sacks & is only Falcon to register 13+ sacks in 2 seasons (team-record 16.5 in 2008).  Has 102.5 sacks since entering NFL in 2000, 2nd most during span.  Aims for 3rd in row vs. GB with sack.  LB CURTIS LOFTON led club in tackles for 2nd consecutive season.  CB BRENT GRIMES & S WILLIAM MOORE tied for team lead with 5 INTs.  Marked 1st time since 2001 2 Falcons had 5+ INTs in season (ASHLEY AMBROSE, 5 & RAY BUCHANAN, 5).  Grimes had 6 INTs last year & is 1st Falcon since Buchanan (2000-01) with 5 INTs in back-to-back seasons.  Led team with 23 passes defensed.  

 

 

TEAMS MEET for 2nd time in postseason.  Bears won 2006 NFC Divisional (27-24, OT).  Clubs met in Week 6 (Sea. 23-20).  Seahawks lead all-time series, incl. playoffs, 8-5.

 

SEAHAWKS:  Have won NFC West 5 times in past 7 seasons.  Team's 6th playoff appearance in past 8 years.  Last week, became 1st team to defeat defending SB champion in postseason after trailing by 10+ points...Club's 41 points last week set franchise postseason record & were most scored in playoff game vs. defending SB champion.  QB MATT HASSELBECK had team postseason record 4 TD passes vs. NO.  Has TD pass in 9 consecutive playoff games & can become 7th QB in NFL history to throw TD in 10 postseason games in row.  Has started 10 playoff games with Sea. & can pass WALTER JONES (10) for most postseason starts by Seahawk.  Holds club playoff passing records for attempts (360), completions (211), yards (2,483) & TDs (15).  Had 3,001 pass yards, his team-record 7th career 3,000-yard season...RB MARSHAWN LYNCH rushed for 131 yards in WC, 2nd most by Seahawk in postseason game (SHAUN ALEXANDER, 132).  Had 67-yard TD run, longest offensive play in team playoff history.  Lynch & RB JUSTIN FORSETT each had rush TD in last meeting.  RB-KR LEON WASHINGTON tied for NFL lead with franchise-record 3 KR-TDs.  Is only player in NFL history to record 3+ KR-TDs in 2 different seasons (2007 with NYJ).  Has 7 career KR-TDs, 2nd most in NFL history (JOSHUA CRIBBS, 8)...WR MIKE WILLIAMS had 38-yard TD catch last week.  In Week 6 vs. Bears, recorded 10 catches for 123 yards.  Had 3 games with 10+ receptions & is 1st Seahawk with 3 10-catch games in season.  TE JOHN CARLSON joined HOFer STEVE LARGENT & JERRAMY STEVENS as only Seahawks with 2+ rec. TDs in playoff game.  WR BEN OBOMANU tied Williams for team lead with 5 catches last week.  WR BRANDON STOKLEY had 45-yard rec. TD vs. NO, his 5th career postseason TD catch.  TE CAMERON MORRAH had career-long 39-yard reception last week...DE RAHEEM BROCK had sack & FF in WC.  Has played in 17 postseason games.  DE CHRIS CLEMONS led team with career-high 11 sacks.  S EARL THOMAS led NFC rookies with 5 INTs & tied club rookie record (MICHAEL BOULWARE, 2004).  CB MARCUS TRUFANT (78 yards) & S JORDAN BABINEAUX (57) have only INT-TDs in team postseason history.  Babineaux had 1.5 sacks & FF in Week 6.  S LAWYER MILLOY had 2 sacks in last game vs. Chi.  Has played in 11 playoff games.  LB DAVID HAWTHORNE had FR & led team with 9 tackles in WC.

 

BEARS:  Advanced to postseason for 25th time.  Won NFC North for 3rd time under head coach LOVIE SMITH.  Bears have won 10 division titles since 1970 merger.  Have won 9 NFL championships, 2nd most all-time.  Club had 4 players selected to Pro Bowl: LB LANCE BRIGGS (6th), KR DEVIN HESTER (3rd), DE JULIUS PEPPERS (6th) & LB BRIAN URLACHER (7th)...QB JAY CUTLER passed for 3,274 yards, 3rd highest total in team history.  Had 3,666 yards last year & is 1st QB in franchise history with consecutive 3,000-yard seasons.  Had 23 pass TDs & is 1st Bears QB with 20+ TD passes in back-to-back years (27 in 2009).  Cutler & HOFer SID LUCKMAN (1943, 1947) are only QBs in team history with multiple seasons with 20+ pass TDs.  In career, when he has 100+ rating, his teams are 21-0 (6-0 in 2010)...RB MATT FORTÉ had 1,616 scrimmage yards (1,069 rush, 547 rec.) & joined HOFer WALTER PAYTON (1983) as only Bears with 1,000+ rush yards & 500+ rec. yards in season.  Forté & HOFer GALE SAYERS are only players in franchise history with 1,000+ scrimmage yards in each of 1st 3 seasons...WR-KR-PR DEVIN HESTER holds NFL record with 14 career combined KR-TDs (10 PR, 4 KR) in reg. season.  Also had 92-yard KR-TD in SB XLI, only KR-TD in team postseason history.  Averaged 17.1 yards per PR (564 yards, 33 PR), best single-season mark in NFL history (min. 30 PR).  WR JOHNNY KNOX averaged 18.8 yards per catch (51 receptions, 960 yards), highest in NFC by player with 50+ receptions.  In Week 6, had 5 catches for career-high 120 yards (24 avg.).  TE GREG OLSEN had 5 rec. TDs, 3rd consecutive season with 5+ TDs.  Is 1st Bears TE with 5+ rec. TDs in 3 seasons in row since HOFer MIKE DITKA (1961-64)...LB Urlacher reached 100 tackles for 10th time in 11-year career.  Joined HOFers MIKE SINGLETARY (10), DICK BUTKUS (8) & BILL GEORGE (8) as only Bears LBs to be selected to 7+ Pro Bowls.  LB Briggs reached 100 tackles for 7th season in row.  Joined Singletary (10), Butkus (8) and George (8) as only Bears LBs to be selected to 6+ Pro Bowls in row.  Since entering NFL in 2002, DE Peppers has 89 sacks, 3rd most in NFL.  DE ISRAEL IDONIJE tied Peppers for team lead with career-high 8 sacks.  For 1st time since 1986, Bears had  3 players with 4+ INTs: S CHRIS HARRIS (5), CB CHARLES TILLMAN (5) & CB D.J. MOORE (4).  Club ranked 2nd in NFC with 35 takeaways.  Since 2004, Smith's 1st season as head coach, Bears lead NFL with 235 takeaways (137 INT, 98 FR).