Divisional Weekend 2013

Baltimore Ravens (11-6) @ Denver Broncos (13-3)

Even a few years from now we may look back on Ravens LB Ray Lewis and Broncos QB Peyton Manning as distant legends enshrined in NFL folklore. They are undoubtably two of the greatest players to ever play the game. It's a treat to watch two surefire first ballot Hall-Of-Famers square off for a final time. There is young star power in Ravens RB Ray Rice and Broncos LB Von Miller, but theres a big spotlight on the old guys.

The Broncos wobbled to a 2-3 record to the start the season but caught fire as Peyton acclimated to his supporting cast to the rigors of a Manning offense. He unsurprisingly made stars of WR Eric Decker and WR Demaryious Thomas. This was predicted by sportswriters far and wide. It is a testament to the greatness of Peyton that it is just assumed he will raise an offense and a surrounding cast to elite status. The Ravens, meanwhile, have been a roller coaster from Super Bowl contender to losing streak pretenders and back. It is easy to point to the regular season and lean towards Denver but Baltimore has such dangerous personnel and a history in the Harbaugh/Flacco era of winning playoff games on the road.

KEYS FOR BAL: One does not simply "stop Peyton Manning" anymore. The Baltimore defense will bend, but what they do in the red zone to avoid breaking will determine the game. The Ravens find themselves taking the leap from a rookie QB to the only 4-time MVP in the history of the NFL, from an overachieving Colts defense getting by to a Bronco defense loaded with play makers. There will be no 2-quarter buffer for QB Joe Flacco to "warm up" and start completing passes.

KEYS FOR DEN: Peyton Manning has long shucked aside the stigma that he can not win the big games. Now the pressure comes fron a new city, Denver, and they expect immediate results. I doubt it weighs much on the impeccably-prepared Peyton Manning, but it certainly is ever-present in the minds of those of us on the outside. He was brought here to go deep into the playoffs. The key for Denver, is one man, #18, being the difference between a good team... and a great one.

Green Bay Packers (12-5) @ San Francisco 49ers (11-4-1)

The NFC has come full circle from the mid-1990s when these two franchises were juggernauts. In the 2000s, the 49ers nose-dived and the Packers lost their luster. In the last three years, however, these same two cities have again crept to the top of the NFC.

Flash to April of 2005: an ESPN correspondent asks QB Aaron Rodgers on draft day if he was disappointed the 49ers didn't take him with the 1st overall pick (they chose now-backup QB Alex Smith) he responds "not as sorry as the 49ers are going to be for not picking me". Uh oh. This is Rodgers' first start in San Francisco.

Maybe the 49ers subconsciously saw this vengeance coming? The defense is built for the elite passers, they shut down Drew Brees and battled hard against a red hot Eli Manning last year with pressure and speed. However, I don't think I'm venturing on a limb to say that Rodgers is the best player in the NFL, and man does he have the weapons to do support. And pressure? Rodgers deals with pressure no matter who the Packers are playing, because the O-line has struggled.

On the other side of the ball, new QB Colin Kapernick faces a Green Bay defense with big names, LB Clay Matthews and CB Charles Woodson, but is one year removed from giving up the most yardage in the history of the NFL.

KEYS FOR GB: WR Greg Jennings and WR Jordy Nelson will be focused on early by the solid 49er corners and safties but some big plays out of WR Randall Cobb or WR James Jones can free them up. It's just mathematics at this point, there's too many good recievers to cover. The real key for Green Bay; the O-line has to keep it together just enough to keep the passing game humming. It wouldn't hurt if the D-line could to rattle that 49er QB, starting his first playoff game, either.

KEYS FOR SF: RB Frank Gore continues to defy us all, and he and the D can win any game against any opponent as long as San Francisco can take an early lead. An early lead is easier said than done of course, but the formula is crystal clear. San Francisco is built to hold onto leads, not overcome leads. Let DE Aldon Smith, DE Justin Smith, LB Patrick Willis sink their teeth into a one dimensional offense. You want the game in their hands.

Seattle Seahawks (12-5) @ Atlanta Falcons (13-3)

They say the Seattle secondary has never faced a recieving corps like WR Roddy White and WR Julio Jones. Well, White and Jones haven't faced CB Richard Sherman and CB Brandon Browner either, both over 6'2". QB Matt Ryan and QB Russell Wilson have a lot of those differences. One of those differences is that Wilson has won a playoff game (zing!). The wear and tear on a Falcon mind to press and force may not affect a pro like Ryan, but can that be said for all of Atlanta's roster? The Falcons are 56-24 in five seasons but 0-3 in the playoffs. How much that affects the game remains to be seen, but it certainly has been a talking point.

While Atlanta feels the pressure, Seattle has nothing to lose. They were considered a rising team, a red-hot flash in the pan with a promising future and when they lose to the big, bad #1 seed that has never won a playoff game, it will be okay. I know Seattle or the Seahawks think of it that way. Red hot teams win the Super Bowl all the tim and Seattle wants to strike while the iron is hot.

KEYS FOR SEA: DE Bruce Irvin has replaced the injured DE Chris Clemons. Irvin was drafted #19 in 2012 in a move many ESPN non-general managers scoffed at. This is a big chance for Irvin to shine. RB Marshawn Lynch is the engine that keeps this team rolling, feed the beast. Seattle wants to come out uptempo, shock and awe because while Atlanta hasn't played or won a meaningful game in 60 days or more, Seattle has been in high gear since the Chicago Bears in Week 13.

KEYS FOR ATL: Atlanta doesn't have an especially complicated offense. The challenge in defending them is rooted in personnel. Roddy White, Julio Jones, RB Michael Turner, RB Jaquizz Rodgers, and future Hall-of-Famer TE Tony Gonazlez just frankly present matchup problems. That is the "secret" to Atlanta's success, just getting the ball to their playmakers. No sense in zazzing up a brand new game plan or fancy offensive design.

Houston Texans (13-4) @ New England Patriots (12-4)

There was such excitement for the Week 14 matchup between the Texans and the Patriots. But the game was such a massive, primetime letdown. There's a sense of one-bitten-twice-shy fans and media alike pouting that the Patriots will win, the Texans will fold again, and why even watch?

Unfortunately, it's true. The Texans have not been impressive in a long time. Even in their 9-1 days atop the power rankings, headlines mostly inquired if anyone truly believes in the Texans. DE J.J Watt, RB Arian Foster, WR Andre Johnson are legit superstars, but where were they in primetime this year? Why did they only feast upon weaker teams across a CBS/FOX ticker on the 10am/1pm on Sundays?

But anything can happen in the playoffs right? All hope is not lost! The Patriots have recently been beaten at home in the playoffs. The Ravens in 2009, the Jets in 2010. Let us all cheer up, maybe our enthusiasm can return to what it was before the Texans were absolutley, embarassingly and boringly slaughtered 42-14 on Monday Night Football in Week 14.

KEYS FOR HOU: RB Arian Foster has played in 3 playoff games and ran for 125+ with at least 1 TD in each of them. The Texans D did a great job against Cincinnati. If they can avoid any resemblence of what Aaron Rodgers or Tom Brady did to them in primetime, Foster will enjoy the weakest D he has yet played in the playoffs. If not, QB Matt Schaub will have to compete in a shoot-out, even with WR Andre Johnson, this is not ideal.

KEYS FOR NE: QB Tom Brady will not let up. TE Rob Gronkowski and TE Aaron Hernandez will likely both get going and there will be no stopping Brady this night. RB Steven Ridley gives them a rougher dimension, if he can start the postseason hot, who can beat the Patriots? The real key is living up to these lofty expectations we sportswriters blather out into the air. They have faltered in a lot of big games since the 2007 Super Bowl loss, but they always appear invincible.