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The NFL playoffs have become a mini-version of the NCAA basketball tournament. There are 52 fewer teams involved, but all have a shot at a Cinderella run to a championship.
There are no dominant teams on The Road to Houston, so the two that avoid the most bumps and keep driving will get there. Getting the right matchups in terms of personnel and coaching philosophies will help prevent any wrong turns. Ticket master. January Madness also is about only surviving and advancing -- winning on a last-second field goal is just as effective as blowing out an opponent.
The 12 remaining teams all have different ways of winning and being beaten. Here's a breakdown of the bracket in the NFC:
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NFC
1. Eagles
Obvious strength: Coaching. Andy Reid and Brad Childress are creative with their
West Coast offense, and injuries haven't fazed Jim Johnson from staying aggressive
with his defense. No other staff in the NFC plans as well for game day.
Not-so-obvious strength: Special teams. David Akers is a money kicker, rookie
Dirk Johnson has a knack for punting balls inside the 20, and James Thrash provides
a spark on kickoffs. The big question here, however, is how the Eagles will
replace the explosiveness of Brian Westbrook on punt returns.
Obvious weakness: Run defense. Injuries have depleted the Eagles' defensive
line rotation, which has led to tackles Darwin Walker and Corey Simon wearing
down more easily. Middle linebacker Mark Simoneau is undersized, and the loss
of savvy, stout outside linebacker Carlos Emmons was a big blow.
Not-so-obvious weakness: Playing at home. It may stem from the often-fickle
Philly fans and the unfamiliar confines of Lincoln Financial Field, but the
Eagles were only 5-3 there this season in contrast to 7-1 on the road. Hosting
the Bucs in the NFC championship to close out The Vet didn't help last year.
Pivotal player: WR Todd Pinkston. He developed a good rapport with Donovan McNabb
in the second half of the season, and considering he's the Eagles' only big-play
threat, a few early catches downfield can do wonders to open up room underneath
for McNabb to operate.
Most unfavorable matchup: Packers. Ahman Green ran roughshod over Philadelphia's
defense in the teams' Week 10 meeting. The Eagles rallied to win, 17-14, but
were helped by Lambeau Field's wet conditions and the resulting key fumbles
lost by both Green and Brett Favre.
2. Rams
Obvious strength: Passing offense. When Marc Bulger gets time to throw, Mike
Martz's wide-open scheme is tough to stop. If Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce weren't
enough, the Rams have plenty of other options through their complementary wide
receivers and tight ends.
Not-so-obvious strength: Passing defense. Lovie Smith's scheme is based on speed,
and the most effective formation has been the 4-1-6. With Leonard Little bringing
the heat up front and six ballhawking defensive backs sitting in coverage, that's
where the Rams force turnovers.
Obvious weakness: Run defense. Opponents often have abandoned the run far too
early to try to keep up on the scoreboard, but they can have success sticking
with a methodical, between-the-tackles approach. St. Louis gave up 4.8 yards
per carry in the regular season.
Not-so-obvious weakness: Kickoff and punt coverage. Bad tackling has plagued
the Rams' coverage teams. If a team can reel off a long return against them
that sets up an easy score, it will ease the pressure on its offense.
Pivotal player: RB Marshall Faulk. Sometimes you forget Faulk is in the backfield
when the Rams throw too much. Faulk needs 20-25 touches a game so that Bulger
doesn't need to win a game by himself.
Most unfavorable matchup: Panthers. They have a fierce pass-rushing front four,
a power running game and a potent return game -- all bugaboos for St. Lou.
3. Panthers
Obvious strength: Rushing offense. Stephen Davis can abuse a front seven with
30 carries and help Carolina control the clock through four quarters while keeping
its daunting defense well rested.
Not-so-obvious strength: Run defense. When Davis is keeping the Panthers' defense
on the sideline, the players who benefit most are the linemen and linebackers.
Considering Carolina's talent at those positions, that's bad news for any back
trying to find running lanes.
Obvious weakness: Passing offense. Jake Delhomme has shown flashes, but the
jury is still out on whether he can consistently make clutch plays in big games
against stiffer playoff competition.
Not-so-obvious weakness: Defensive back seven. The strength of Carolina's pass
rush protects an average secondary and cover linebackers. If a team can protect
the passer and give him time to throw over the middle, big plays will follow.
Pivotal player: DT Kris Jenkins. He is the anchor of the defensive line, and
if he consistently excels at penetrating and shooting gaps, no team can beat
Carolina in the trenches.
Most unfavorable matchup: Cowboys. This, of course, is the Panthers' wild-card
matchup. Their entire offense struggled against Dallas' defense in Week 12,
and Quincy Carter had success throwing downfield on them.
4. Packers
Obvious strength: Offensive balance. If Green doesn't get you, Favre and his
deep receiving corps will. The game's speediest back and its strongest arm behind
an unwavering line form a devastating combination.
Not-so-obvious strength: Run defense. The Packers have worked hard to improve
this area during the season, and that, along with the addition of massive former
Saint Grady Jackson at defensive tackle and the maturation of rookie middle
linebacker Nick Barnett, have now made this a strong suit.
Obvious weakness: Ball security. Green has done a much better job of holding
onto the ball of late, and Favre has made some smarter decisions. A relapse
into fumbling and forcing throws would negate any offensive momentum.
Not-so-obvious weakness: Coaching. The Packers got humiliated by Michael Vick
and the Falcons in a first-round loss at Lambeau last postseason, and sometimes
disappeared in games this season. Mike Sherman and his staff must prepare this
team to give its best effort.
Pivotal player: Favre. Green's production is a given, but with each passing
year, Favre gets closer to retirement and has one less chance at making another
Super Bowl run. Emotions can drive him toward some superhuman playoff performances.
Most unfavorable matchup: Rams. Domes aren't friendly to Favre, and St. Louis
has the defense that can turn any mistakes into game-changing takeaways.
5. Seahawks
Obvious strength: Quarterback. Matt Hasselbeck has come of age as a smart, efficient
passer, and how he goes, the whole team will go.
Not-so-obvious strength: Running back. Shaun Alexander didn't make the Pro Bowl,
but he quietly rushed for 1,435 yards and 14 TDs. He and backup Maurice Morris
both have the burst to turn nothing into big gains.
Obvious weakness: Undersized secondary. Taller receivers such as the Ravens'
Marcus Robinson and the Vikings' Randy Moss had no trouble getting past Seattle's
defensive backs and winning jump balls. Corner Marcus Trufant and safety Ken
Hamlin have impressed as rookies, but they both still have much to work on.
Not-so-obvious weakness: Dropped balls. Hasselbeck needed to rely on the sure-handed
Bobby Engram more because of the inability of starting wideouts Darrell Jackson
and Koren Robinson to haul in some catchable passes. If Jackson and Robinson
are reliable, either can blow up with a big playoff game.
Pivotal players: LBs Anthony Simmons and Randall Godfrey. They are Seattle's
most important defensive playmakers. If they get help from the front four, they
can create much havoc in the middle of the field vs. both the run and the pass.
Most unfavorable matchup: Rams. The Seahawks' defense struggled in teams' two
regular-season meetings, and Hasselbeck may not be ready to handle such a difficult
matchup in a hostile environment.
6. Cowboys
Obvious strength: Bill Parcells. The coach of the year has done his best coaching
job, ever. His motivational tactics alone can carry this team far.
Not-so-obvious strength: Overall defense. It has looked bad in some games, but
for the most part, Parcells' young unit has jelled much faster than expected
and it flows to the ball well.
Obvious weakness: Rushing offense. Parcells doesn't have a Joe Morris, Ottis
Anderson or Curtis Martin this time around -- a back who can carry the load
to pound defenses. That may put too much pressure on Quincy Carter to carry
the offense.
Not-so-obvious weakness: Inexperience. This goes right on Carter and the defense.
Parcells' presence can do much to offset a lack of veterans, but being in the
big dance for the first time is tough for any player.
Pivotal player: RB Troy Hambrick. If Hambrick can get hot at the right time,
it would solve a big problem. He isn't playing just for his team's playoff life,
but also for playing time next season.
Most unfavorable matchup: Eagles. The Cowboys beat them at Dallas in Week 6,
but struggled when McNabb was back to being McNabb in Week 14, losing at Philly
36-10. McNabb hasn't cooled off since, either.