FootballDiehards



FLASHUPDATE DIVISIONAL PLAYOFF TEAM NOTES/Wednesday, 7 January, 2015

Compiled By FlashUpdate Editor Bob Harris

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BALTIMORE RAVENS

As 's Jamison Hensley kindly suggested, head coach John Harbaugh set himself up for criticism as well as some quizzical looks after saying Joe Flacco is "the best quarterback in football" following last Saturday night's 30-17 playoff win at the Pittsburgh Steelers.

According to Hensley, "What Harbaugh should've said is this: Flacco is the best postseason quarterback in football.

"During the regular season, Flacco is inconsistent. In the playoffs, he's in a zone."

As Hensley pointed out recently, the numbers prove Flacco is elite in the postseason:

Flacco's 10 playoff victories since 2008 (his first season in the NFL) are twice as many as any other quarterback over that time.

His seven postseason road wins are two more than any quarterback in NFL history.

Over Flacco's last five postseason games, he has thrown 13 touchdowns and no interceptions.

His postseason passer rating of 105.9 since 2010 is tops among quarterbacks with at least four playoff starts during that span.

Meanwhile, Hensley contends the stats just don't back up Flacco as the best in the regular season. The arguments against that are pretty clear cut.

He has never thrown for 4,000 yards in a season, and he often falls short of completing 63 percent of his passes. Flacco's numbers in the regular season resemble Eli Manning more than Peyton Manning.

One week, Flacco is struggling mightily in Houston to complete three passes in an entire half. The next week, he produces a perfect passer rating in leading a fourth-quarter comeback against the Browns to lift the Ravens into the playoffs.

"I think Joe is a great quarterback every month. I really do," Harbaugh said. "I believe that. This is a tough game. Joe is resilient. Joe does not get rattled easily. Joe can have a bad series like they all do and gather himself and come out and play the next series well. That's probably his greatest trait."

"Actually," Hensley countered, "his greatest trait is flipping the switch come January. No one can give any insight on why Flacco elevates his game in the postseason. Not even Flacco himself.

"Still, like clockwork, Average Joe turns into Joe Montana. In his last five playoff games, Flacco has beaten and outplayed Andrew Luck, Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Colin Kaepernick and Ben Roethlisberger. That group has totaled 30 Pro Bowls, seven NFL MVP awards and six Super Bowl rings.

"With all due respect to Harbaugh, Flacco isn't the best quarterback in football. But, come playoffs, Flacco has repeatedly beaten the best quarterbacks in football. ..."

And there's no doubt the quarterback is a major reason the Ravens find themselves in a familiar role: As the last AFC North team standing.

It should also be noted that Baltimore has a knack for playing well in New England in the playoffs. The Ravens won the AFC Championship Game at New England two years ago, and a year before that the Ravens were a missed field goal away from forcing overtime in the AFC Championship Game at New England. Six years ago the Ravens blew out the Patriots in New England in the playoffs.

This time, Hensley believes the Ravens present a real threat to the Patriots in large part because Baltimore is a complete team: On offense, defense and special teams, it's hard to find a weakness in the Ravens.

Even their injury-riddled secondary held up very well against Roethlisberger and the Steelers on Saturday.

In Pittsburgh.

Which isn't a huge surprise.

According to Associated Press sports writer David Ginsburg, no team over the past 40 years has traveled better in the postseason than the Ravens, whose 10 road wins are the most by any team since the 1970 merger. They are tied with Carolina for best road percentage (.667) since the merger.

That provided the Ravens (11-6) with the opportunity to pin another defeat on the Patriots (12-4) in New England this Saturday.

"It's a business trip, certainly," Harbaugh said Monday. "The bottom line is, it's going to be emotional. There's a lot at stake. They're the No. 1 seed and we're the No. 6 seed. We understand what that means. That's all there. But in the end, it's a game."

Harbaugh says the team goes through the same routine, at home or away, and insists there's no big secret to his success.

In his view, quite simply, the better team won.

"I really don't have an explanation for that other than the fact that we played well," Harbaugh said. "You've got to play well on the road, obviously, to have a chance to win."

That's what happened in Pittsburgh.

All that said, coaches and players alike acknowledge they have a huge challenge facing Brady and the rest of the Patriots, who could be the most balanced team in the NFL. The key to beating Pittsburgh was constant pressure on Roethlisberger. The Ravens will have to be equally aggressive to shut down Brady and tight end Rob Gronkowski.

"It's different because Ben scrambles a little more and he's a little stronger shrugging off tackles and things like that," Harbaugh said. "Neither one of them really scramble to run; both of them scramble to throw. Tom does a great job of getting the ball out quick. They're both excellent before the snap. The comparisons are probably more similar than different.

"They're both elite quarterbacks, obviously, at the top of their game. We have to do a good job of trying to not show him too much about what we are doing before the snap if we can avoid it. ..."

Other notes of interest. ... As the Sports Xchange notes, Justin Forsett lost a fumble for the first time this season. It was an unusual fumble because Forsett ran into the back of tight end Owen Daniels and lost the ball. The turnover came when the Ravens had total control of the game and were driving with 12½ minutes in the fourth quarter.

Two plays later, the Steelers scored a touchdown to cut the Ravens' lead to 20-15.

Forsett ran for just 36 yards on 26 carries after he finished the regular season with a career-high 1,266 yards and eight touchdowns this season.

"It says a lot about my teammates," Forsett said about the team recovering from the fumble. "A resilient bunch, who kept fighting we have been through a lot this year, that little bit of adversity was nothing we were about to come back and seize the moment."

That said, the rushing attack set the tone early in Pittsburgh; Forsett and Bernard Pierce keyed the first touchdown drive, as the Ravens averaged 7.4 yards per carry. Forsett broke a couple runs before Pierce scored his first touchdown in eight weeks.

For the rest of the game, Forsett managed four yards on 12 carries.

Steve Smith produced his first 100-yard receiving game since Oct. 12 in Tampa. He averaged 20.2 yards on five catches, and he made some catches by attacking the ball more than the Steelers cornerback. Torrey Smith caught another touchdown -- his fourth in three games -- and drew a 32-yard pass interference penalty.

Daniels stepped up big and converted a third-and-13 in the fourth quarter with a 23-yard catch over the middle. Rookie Crockett Gillmore scored his first playoff touchdown.

Justin Tucker nailed a critical 52-yard field goal to put the Ravens up 23-15 with 8:27 left in the fourth quarter. Heinz Field is one of the toughest places to kick, and Tucker hit a kick that would've been good from 60 yards. Tucker is 7-for-7 in the playoffs in his career.

And finally. ... Offensive tackle Eugene Monroe and defensive tackle Timmy Jernigan returned to practice Tuesday after missing the AFC wild-card game.

It marked Monroe's first practice since injuring his ankle in a Dec. 21 loss at Houston. Jernigan was sidelined last Saturday with a foot injury.

Both have a chance to play in Saturday's game.

Wide receiver Marlon Brown did not practice for undisclosed reasons. The team will release their initial injury report Wednesday afternoon. 

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DEPTH CHART AS OF WEDNESDAY AT 14:00 CT  [pic]

QB: Joe Flacco, Tyrod Taylor 

RB: Justin Forsett, Bernard Pierce, Fitzgerald Toussaint 

FB: Kyle Juszczyk 

WR: Torrey Smith, Steve Smith, Kamar Aiken, Marlon Brown, Jacoby Jones, Michael Campanaro 

TE: Owen Daniels, Crockett Gillmore, Phillip Supernaw 

PK: Justin Tucker 

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CAROLINA PANTHERS

As 's David Newton wrote on Monday: "Cam Newton has to play better than he did in Saturday night's 27-16 victory over the Arizona Cardinals if the Carolina Panthers hope to get past the Seattle Seahawks or Green Bay Packers in the second round of the NFC playoffs.

"But you can't ask the quarterback to play much tougher. ..."

There was no better example than the third quarter when Newton took off running on a third-and-12 play. He gained 13 yards, the final few yards head first into two defenders coming at him full blast.

This from a quarterback who less than a month ago broke two small bones in his lower back when his 1998 pickup truck rolled during an automobile accident near the stadium.

Cam Newton called it "playoff football."

"When my number is called, I don't want nobody to question will I leave it out there on any given play," the QB said. "No sliding on third down. I can't come to grips with myself at the end of the game saying 'I wish I would have did this' or 'I wish I had the opportunity to do it.'

"So it's kind of a split second decision where you throw your body all over the place. When you get a win like this, it's all worth it."

There were times when Newton was hit so hard he looked like he wouldn't be able to continue.

Backup Derek Anderson began warming up after Newton was thrown awkwardly to the ground on a second-half incompletion.

But Newton continued.

"He's a special player," Cotchery said. "I said it from the jump, you can go back and look at his resume. Look at college the way he inspired guys around him.

"He's doing the same thing right here right now."

There weren't the usual "as Newton goes, so goes the Panthers" in postgame comments. This game was decided by a suffocating defense that held Arizona to an NFL playoff record 78 yards of total offense.

But Newton, as tight end Greg Olsen and head coach Ron Rivera said, made the plays when he had to.

He rushed seven times for 35 yards. He completed 18 of 32 pass attempts for 198 yards and two touchdowns, a 39-yarder on a screen pass to Fozzy Whittaker and a 1-yarder to fullback Mike Tolbert with the defense stacked to stop the run.

"He missed a couple of opportunities," Rivera said. "He knows that. He made some great decisions there and made some good throws. He had a couple of throws that I know he would like to have back because he missed a couple of guys."

Newton can't do that against either Seattle or Green Bay. He can't count on the defense to shut down either of those offenses the way it did an Arizona team down to its third-team quarterback.

Newton likely will need a performance similar to the one his defense gave against Arizona for the Panthers to advance.

He may have to do it without one of his weapons. Undrafted rookie receiver Philly Brown suffered a shoulder injury that Rivera said was a "little concerning."

Without Brown's speed to stretch defenses the Panthers struggled earlier in the season.

Without him Newton's role could be more critical.

The good news for Carolina is it won a playoff game without Newton playing his best. That could be scary for the next opponent.

"We felt like we put those guys in better situations than even they expected with the turnovers, fumble, interception on my part, even the fumble later in the game," Newton said. "Those things can't happen, especially in playoff football."

True enough. Especially going up against the Seahawks.

Newton is 0-3 against the Seahawks (with all three games in Charlotte) and has completing only 54 percent of his passes in those games. He has thrown only one TD pass against Seattle and one interception.

Newton is known for his explosive plays, but they've been lacking this season. His longest throw was 51 yards and his longest run was 22 yards.

As 's Terry Blount pointed out, many of the Carolina players will be coming to CenturyLink Field for the first time, including Newton, All-Pro middle linebacker Luke Kuechly and talented rookie wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin.

The Panthers (8-8-1) have won their last five games, but four of those victories have come against teams with a combined 2014 record of 22-42. And the playoff victory came against an Arizona team that had lost five of its last seven games and was playing its a third-string quarterback and backup running back.

Carolina rushed for 114 yards in the 13-9 loss to Seattle on Oct. 26, but middle linebacker Bobby Wagner did not play that day and strong safety Kam Chancellor was struggling with hip, groin and ankle injuries.

Whatever the case, the Panthers have their work cut out for them.

The good news? They're relatively healthy.

The Panthers' biggest injury concern heading into their Divisional Playoff with the Seahawks involves their No. 3 receiver. All things considered, that is not bad, but Carolina could certainly use speedster Philly Brown in Seattle.

Rivera said Monday that Brown subluxated his shoulder during Saturday's win over the Cardinals. As the Sports Xchange explained, a subluxated shoulder is generally classified as a partial dislocation. An MRI revealed no structural damage, and Brown's status for the Seahawks will not be determined for a few days.

"He'll have to go through the healing, and it'll be as he can tolerate the pain," Rivera said. "He's doing well. He was in this morning, got his workout in, went to the meeting, now he's back in there getting more treatment."

Brown had three catches for 37 yards against the Seahawks before he landed on his left shoulder while trying to make a catch in the end zone just before halftime.

It is the second shoulder injury in the past five weeks for Brown, who did not miss a practice after he sprained his right shoulder against the Saints early last month.

Desperate for speed, the Panthers inserted the rookie into the No. 3 role in Week 13. He has caught just 12 passes for 173 yards and a touchdown during Carolina's 5-1 run, but his ability to stretch the field has helped open up more room for others in the offense.

Brown worked with trainers on the side at practice Tuesday; I'll be following up on his status in the News & Views section of the site in coming days. ...

Other notes of interest. ... Jonathan Stewart broke 100 yards for the third time in five games, totaling 123 yards on 24 carries. Stewart ran effectively Saturday, including a 35-yard run from his own goal line to get the Panthers out of a dangerous situation. He also scored on a 13-yard run.

Newton and running backs DeAngelo Williams and Tolbert also chipped in to pile up 188 rushing yards.

Stewart's score his second career postseason touchdown. He joined DeShaun Foster as the only other player in franchise history with two rushing touchdowns in the playoffs. ...

Stewart has been a spark for the Panthers of late, rushing for 401 yards on 79 carries in December, second most in the league that month to DeMarco Murray of Dallas.

He has had three 100-yard rushing efforts in the last five games. Stewart rushed for 79 yards on 16 carries in the above-mentioned Wagner-less game against Seattle.

Stewart rushed for 809 yards this season on 175 carries for an impressive 4.6-yard average. ...

As David Newton pointed out, special teams have been an adventure for the Panthers all season and continued to be on Saturday.

Brenton Bersin muffed a punt that led to an Arizona touchdown at a time when Carolina was in complete control at 10-0. The Panthers gave up a 48-yard kickoff return late in the first half that kicker Graham Gano kept from being longer. Then this group made the play of the game, forcing former Carolina player Ted Ginn to fumble a kickoff that was recovered at the Arizona 3. ...

And finally. ... On Monday, Rivera was awakened at 4 a.m.by a fire in his house that took 55 firefighters to get under control.

Instead of being at the stadium at 6:30 a.m., Rivera was outside in 40 degree weather as firefighters began removing possessions from his house that weren't damaged by fire, smoke and water. Rivera still wasn't at Bank of America Stadium at 12:30 p.m. when he normally would have been to address the media on Seattle.

But players were here, and Rivera made sure they knew his situation wouldn't be a distraction through a message to secondary coach Steve Wilks.

"It's business as usual," linebacker Thomas Davis said of the message.

Olsen said Rivera began preaching how to handle off-the-field distractions almost the day he was hired in 2011.

"We've said it around here for a long time, the one thing we do a good job with, we do a good job of keeping the focus on the task at hand," Olsen said. "These personal off-the-field things that do come up during the season, coach has set a good example of how to handle that.

"If anybody is prepared for it, it'll be him." 

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DEPTH CHART AS OF WEDNESDAY AT 14:00 CT  [pic]

QB: Cam Newton, Derek Anderson, Joe Webb 

RB: Jonathan Stewart, DeAngelo Williams, Fozzy Whittaker 

FB: Mike Tolbert 

WR: Kelvin Benjamin, Jerricho Cotchery, Philly Brown, Brenton Bersin 

TE: Greg Olsen, Ed Dickson, Brandon Williams 

PK: Graham Gano 

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DALLAS COWBOYS

The NFL has admitted its officials screwed up. That probably cost the Lions a chance to win a playoff game, and allowed the Cowboys to win it instead.

An overturned 21-yard penalty against Cowboys linebacker Anthony Hitchens was all the talk after Sunday's 24-20 victory over Detroit. Dean Blandino, the NFL's head of officials, said Monday that officials should have penalized Hitchens for defensive holding. Hitchens grabbed tight endBrandon Pettigrew's jersey on a third-and-1 play in the fourth quarter.

The back judge initially called a foul for defensive pass interference, which Blandino said was a "judgment call that could have gone either way." Referee Pete Morelli initially announced the penalty against Hitchens, and the ball was marked at the spot of the foul.

But the 21-yard penalty soon was overturned with little explanation from Morelli. A defensive holding penalty is only five yards but would have given the Lions an automatic first down at the Dallas 41.

The Lions ended up punting, and the Cowboys drove for the winning touchdown in a victory that sends them to Green Bay for divisional playoffs.

But head coach Jason Garrett said the topic needs to be set aside, so his team can move on to get ready for its next game.

"We're talking about the wrong stuff," Garrett told Todd Archer of . "We're talking about officiating after a game. I would like to think that I would say that when the call goes against us, and certainly want to say it when the call goes for us. There's a lot of calls in a game that impact the game and we never really try to get caught up with those as coaches and players. You try to play and coach the game to the best of our ability.

"There's a lot of great things that happened in that ball game yesterday, and I think a lot of people are talking about the wrong things. You talk about what happened during the game and the positive things that happened for our football team, how good a football team they are and the battle that we went through and the challenge that we went through to have to win that game."

According to 's Darin Gantt, there's no doubt the Cowboys benefitted from the call and are alive this week as a result, either directly or indirectly.

But Gantt added that shouldn't diminish the fact the Cowboys have had a remarkable season, either.

Whatever the case, the Cowboys will head to Green Bay for a playoff game for the first time since the 1967 Ice Bowl. And they will go as a confident group, riding a five-game winning streak and an undefeated road record (8-0) in 2014.

According to the Sports Xchange, as much as they were excited about the wild-card victory over the Lions, the Cowboys are not satisfied.

"This group, we expect that," tight end Jason Witten said. "It's not an over-confidence or anything like that, but it's a humble group that believes they can win, and I think we've just kind of been that way all year. We kinda put our head down and stay together and work our tails off and then go play that way."

The Packers are undefeated at home just like the Cowboys have been perfect on the road.

"I think obviously it's going to be a tough game," Tony Romo said. "They're outstanding. Green Bay is as good as we've gone against offensively, and they're playing really good defensive football, too. It's going to be a great challenge.

"I do know that this is the kind of games you want to be playing in, though, and we have the kind of football team where I'm very confident has a good chance to go up there and play a good game."

Other notes of interest. ... Romo completed 19 of 31 passes for 293 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions against the Lions. Romo had a passer rating of 114.0 in winning his second career playoff game.

It was the continuation of a brilliant run for Romo, who has 14 touchdowns with just one interception the last five games, all Cowboys wins.

But owner Jerry Jones said it wasn't enough to get the critics off his back.

"I hope they see that he's made some pretty impressive plays and had big games," Jones said. "The only thing that will ever get them off his back totally would be to get that Super Bowl win. And I can tell him firsthand you can have Super Bowl wins and they'll still get back on your back. ..."

The Cowboys had trouble running early against the Lions defense. DeMarco Murray had 75 yards on 19 carries. He had eight carries for 38 yards and a touchdown in the third quarter.

According to Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel staffer Tyler Dunne, the Packers believe Dez Bryant is unlike any wide receiver they have faced.

The 6-2, 220-pound Bryant had 88 receptions for 1,320 yards and an NFL-high 16 touchdowns in the regular season. Fully aware that Bryant can rupture a 4-yard gain into a 40-yarder any given play, the Packers also will not overextend their scheme in Bryant's direction.

Not with Murray, Jason Witten, Terrance Williams and Cole Beasley on the same field.

"It's a tough task to play guys like that," Packers nickel back Micah Hyde said. "We understand that. We understand they're going to make their catches, they're going to make their plays. We're not going to freak out. ...So as long as we do what we do, we'll be fine."

This steady approach, except for one Atlanta receiver Julio Jones eruption, has worked. Green Bay's pass defense held opposing quarterbacks to an 82.0 passer rating, good for seventh-best in the league. Only two wide receivers other than Jones had 100-yard days against Green Bay, and both (Chicago's Brandon Marshall, Philadelphia's Jordan Matthews) did so while losing by a combined 74 points.

Against Murray, the NFL's rushing king, safety Morgan Burnett will likely need to drop into the box.

So again Green Bay will probably be counting on its top two cornerbacks -- Tramon Williams and Sam Shields -- to handle their business in many one-on-one situations. The key with Bryant is swarming to the ball.

"He's a big strong guy, very strong hands, very good with the ball after the catch," Packers defensive coordinator Dom Capers said. "He's a guy you have to account for because he breaks tackles. You can't arm-tackle this guy."

In Green Bay's 37-36 win at Dallas last season, Bryant torched the defense for 153 yards on 11 receptions with one touchdown. In that game, he lined up everywhere.

Whereas Detroit's Calvin Johnson is more of a plus-sized vertical threat, Hyde explains, Bryant is more tackle-breaking machine.

Meanwhile, Beasley continues to play with surprising toughness and productivity. Against the Lions, Beasley caught four passes for 63 yards. He matched his regular-season high in catches and had just one game with more yards. As Archer noted, Beasley is most often compared to Wes Welker, but Welker is more compact in his build, checking in at 190 pounds. But like Welker, the 180-pound Beasley can run through some tackles.

"He's quick, he's fast, he's explosive and he's strong," Garrett said. "He's a sneaky guy cause when he walks in, he looks like the paper boy. He does. He's like, 'Hey, give me my $3.85 for the last seven days.' He's something else. He just has a knack about him and I think people do under appreciate how physically talented he is."

Adding to the Packers' concerns, Williams resurfaced against Detroit, catching three passes 92 yards and two touchdowns. ...

Linebacker Rolando McClain was forced to leave Sunday's game against the Lions with concussion symptoms and his status for Sunday's game against the Packers has yet to be determined, according to the Dallas Morning News.

It was initially reported McClain was suffering from an illness and dehydration, but Garrett confirmed McClain sustained a concussion.

"He had concussion-like symptoms and that's why he had to come out of the game," Garrett said. "So we'll continue to monitor him."

McClain will have to pass concussion protocol tests before he can be cleared to play Sunday. ...

In addition, Hitchens told reporters he's dealing with a sore right ankle. He played through the discomfort Sunday against the Lions.

"It's feeling a lot better this week than last week," Hitchens said. ...

Right tackle Doug Free continues to get treatment on his left ankle but the Cowboys are not expecting him to be available against the Packers. He has missed the last three games. ...

And finally. ... Jerry Jones is a bit superstitious. The Cowboys have not lost a game that New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie has attended this season, including Sunday's wild-card victory. So Jones wants Christie at Lambeau Field on Sunday.

"He's part of our mojo," Jones said Tuesday on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas. "I want him there all the way. I'll tell you, if he's got enough mojo to pull this thing out, he ought to be looked at as president of the United States."

Christie watched the second half of Sunday's win from Jones' perch at midfield and was shown hugging the Cowboys' owner, as well as executive vice president Stephen Jones, when Dallas sealed the victory. Christie also was in the locker room after the Cowboys clinched a playoff spot Dec. 21 against the Indianapolis Colts and again last Sunday.

Christie's trip to Sunday's game, however, has come under some scrutiny from New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles fans, who are upset he would be a fan of their NFC East rivals.

Christie also has been criticized in the political arena.

Christie's spokesman Kevin Roberts told on Monday that Jones paid for Christie's trip, including travel and tickets, so no New Jersey taxpayer funds were used. 

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DEPTH CHART AS OF WEDNESDAY AT 14:00 CT  [pic]

QB: Tony Romo, Brandon Weeden, Dustin Vaughan 

RB: DeMarco Murray, Joseph Randle, Lance Dunbar 

FB: Tyler Clutts 

WR: Dez Bryant, Terrance Williams, Cole Beasley, Dwayne Harris, Devin Street 

TE: Jason Witten, Gavin Escobar, James Hanna 

PK: Dan Bailey 

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DENVER BRONCOS

Judging by the scarcity of players working with strength and conditioning coach Luke Richesson to the side, Associated Press sports writer Arnie Stapleton reported the bye week did the battered Denver Broncos an abundance of good.

Denver had listed 22 players on its injury report before the season finale against Oakland, when safety David Bruton Jr. and left guard Orlando Franklin sustained concussions.

Those were the only players who weren't between the lines Monday when the Broncos (12-4) began preparations for their playoff game against Indianapolis (12-5).

Most notable among them were Peyton Manning (age 37) and top tackler Brandon Marshall (sprained foot). Manning sat out all of last week's workouts and Marshall practiced for the first time since getting hurt at San Diego on Dec. 14.

"Yeah, it was much needed," said fourth-year safety Rahim Moore. "I needed it, our team needed it, especially guys like Peyton, who's been playing since I came out the womb."

Lest that gets back to the five-time MVP, Manning might want to know Moore also compared him to a luxury sports car roadster, not an old jalopy.

Moore said the bye "was good for Peyton because it recharges him, makes him feel refreshed. He's an older guy. He needs it. You can't run a Ferrari -- or no, a Bugatti -- too much. He's our Bugatti. That's how Peyton is to his team, so you've got to give him some rest."

After the tuneup, the Broncos are eager to rev that engine again.

"We've got to get back to work," Moore said. "We went from 100 (mph) to zero. Now we're trying to get back to 100."

Indeed, as 's Jeff Legwold notes, for most of the 2014 season Manning was sailing along, throwing for 4,727 yards and 39 touchdown passes -- the second- and third-highest single-season totals of his career in those categories respectively -- and saying he felt better physically than he had at the same point last season.

He started racking up those stats by going 22-for-36 for 269 yards and three touchdowns in a 31-24 victory over the Colts in Week 1. He is 1-1 against his former team, losing in his return to Indianapolis 39-33 in Week 7 of the 2013 season.

Illness -- Manning had flu-like symptoms and eventually required four bags of IV fluids leading up to the team's Dec. 14 win in San Diego -- slowed him at the end of this season. He also suffered a right thigh injury just before halftime of the same game.

According to Legwold, that injury, to his plant leg, seemed to affect his ability to push off and drive the ball in his delivery over the last two regular-season games, one of those a four-interception night and a loss in Cincinnati.

Manning will take his usual workload in the remainder of this week.

Joining Manning and Marshall on the practice fields wreathed by a good foot of snow were receivers Demaryius Thomas (ankle, finger), Emmanuel Sanders (back) and Wes Welker, all of whom missed the pair of indoor practices that preceded their three-day break.

Tight end Julius Thomas, who had three TD catches against Indy in the regular-season opener, was among the players who most appreciated the bye. He's been bothered by a bum ankle and hasn't reached the end zone since Nov. 9.

"It was a big week for me. It was good to get some rest," he said. "Every doctor will tell you the most important thing is rest, but it's tough to do in the middle of the season."

With their bye week coming way back in September, the Broncos felt that not having to play on wild-card weekend would do them a world of good. Now, it's a matter of making sure all that rest and relaxation doesn't turn into rust and ruin.

"Our bye this year came way earlier than most byes, probably the earliest I've ever had a bye," head coach John Fox said. "So, in some ways I think this year was even more important to have the bye. But it's like holding Jell-O. There is no perfect answer. Somebody mentioned six of the last nine Super Bowl champions came through the wild-card round. So, really, the key is just playing your best football when you get to the elite eight, however you get there."

Also back on the field was Pro Bowl safety T.J. Ward, who missed the season finale with a neck injury.

"I feel better. That's all I'm going to tell you guys," Ward said with a laugh. "But I feel better."

Although he didn't push it Monday, Marshall's return served to rejuvenate Denver's defense.

"It's good to see him out there," nose tackle Terrance Knighton said. "He's not quite himself yet, obviously. He didn't take much of the team reps but we'll be fine. It's still a long week, a lot of days left and he'll be ready by Sunday.

"Luckily, we've played well enough in the season to get a bye week, which helped us, because if we played last week, Brandon Marshall probably doesn't play and T.J. is probably a little rusty," Knighton said. "Those three days off allowed people to refocus and it's almost like a new season now."

That fits right into Fox's philosophy.

"I've always described it as three different levels: there's preseason, there's regular season and then the real season," Fox said. "And that's the playoffs."

Meanwhile, as the Sports Xchange suggests, with the Manning vs. his former team storyline set to overshadow everything else revolving around the Broncos and Colts this week, it seems like this divisional matchup was predestined.

But plenty of other factors will help decide whether the Broncos move on to the AFC Championship Game or see their season end in the divisional round for the third time in the last four seasons: How well each team's improving ground game fares, which team can avoid turnovers, and, finally, how each defense handles an attack that has more trustworthy options than each did in their Week 1 duel.

The Broncos held off a second-half surge from the Colts to win 31-24 in the regular-season opener, but both teams are different now.

The Broncos changed their offensive line and their overall emphasis, while their overhauled defense eventually found cohesion and rose into a top-three unit.

The Colts shuffled their line, developed pass-rushing threats to replace the injured Robert Mathis, and eventually found a productive running back in Daniel "Boom" Herron to help take some pressure off quarterback Andrew Luck. But both teams remain capable of shredding a defense through the air if the need arises.

But the biggest difference is Denver's defense.

In Week 1, it boasted a starting lineup that included nine players who did not play in Super Bowl XLVIII seven months earlier. Cohesion took a while to develop, and the Broncos' defense surrendered an average of 23.0 points in the first 11 games but allowed just 14.0 per game in Weeks 13-17.

They've also allowed fewer touchdowns per game in the last five weeks 1.8 a game, compared with 2.6 per game in the first 12 games.

"We've got that chemistry now and at that time, that was kind of our first time learning how to play with each other, and all new guys," said cornerback Chris Harris. "So now, we're playing them now, (and) we're full strength."

So while Luck and the Colts are much more than they were when the season began. The Broncos believe they are, as well. ...

Other notes of interest. ... Defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio remains a "top candidate" for the head coaching vacancy in Oakland, according to CBS Sports NFL Insider Jason La Canfora. He interviewed with the Raiders on Sunday and could also meet with the Bears in the near future.

Del Rio was head coach of the Jaguars from 2003-2011. He is in his third year guiding Denver's defense. The Broncos rank second in rushing yards allowed per game (79.8) and ninth in passing yards allowed (225.4).

Offensive coordinator Adam Gase interviewed last Friday with the San Francisco 49ers and Atlanta Falcons followed by the Chicago Bears on Saturday.

All interviews had to take place during Denver's bye week prior to the divisional round of the AFC playoffs.

"It's a great opportunity to be able to do this," Gase told the AP. "For these guys to reach out and want to talk to me, I'm excited about it. But I'm also excited that we have another chance to make a run."

Gase has also been requested for an interview by the Buffalo Bills. No date has been set for when the interview will take place. 

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DEPTH CHART AS OF WEDNESDAY AT 14:00 CT  [pic]

QB: Peyton Manning, Brock Osweiler 

RB: C.J. Anderson, Ronnie Hillman, Juwan Thompson, Jeremy Stewart 

WR: Demaryius Thomas, Emmanuel Sanders, Wes Welker, Andre Caldwell, Cody Latimer 

TE: Julius Thomas, Jacob Tamme, Virgil Green 

PK: Connor Barth, Brandon McManus 

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GREEN BAY PACKERS

The bye week is over for the Green Bay Packers. It's time to get ready for a marquee matchup in the next round of the playoffs against the Cowboys.

According to the Associated Press, head coach Mike McCarthy had his team back on a normal game- week schedule after a three-day break last week to celebrate the new year. It was a time for rest especially for quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who is recovering from a lingering left calf injury.

McCarthy said Rodgers was progressing. The franchise quarterback sat out two light practices last week, and McCarthy indicated then that Rodgers may not return to the practice field until Thursday at the earliest, which might be the team's most important day for on-field work.

On Monday, McCarthy said Rodgers would be re-evaluated Wednesday to determine the plan for the rest of the week.

"It feels better," Rodgers said Tuesday on his ESPN Milwaukee radio show. "We'll see what happens this week as far as practice reps. Everybody's so concerned about them. I'm not, and thankfully my teammates aren't, either."

According to 's Rob Demovsky, the concern might not be how much work Rodgers gets this week but rather how stable his calf will be by kickoff on Sunday.

However, he said he's not worried it may give out again.

"That's not a concern," Rodgers said. "If it happens, it happens. At that point, it's out of my control. I've got to get myself in the best position to play and then realize whatever limitations I might have moving. Maybe I won't have any. Maybe we'll get to Sunday, and I'll feel great. Or maybe I'll be very limited. It just depends on how I'm feeling this week, and we'll adjust accordingly."

I'll be tracking Rodgers' progress closely in coming days and reporting back further in the News & Views section of the site, but the way he's been playing this season, Rodgers at less than 100 percent is still better than most quarterbacks in the league.

Offensive coordinator Tom Clements noted that Rodgers didn't practice for about a month in 2008 because of a shoulder injury but still performed well.

"I don't know if we're going to have to worry about that," backup quarterback Matt Flynn said when asked if he would be ready if Rodgers can't go. "But, yeah, I'm a confident guy. I'm going to prepare this week just like I always do."

Flynn can draw from the confidence of leading the Packers from a 23-point halftime deficit to a 37-36 win last year at Dallas while playing for Rodgers, who had a collarbone injury. DeMarco Murray dented the Packers for 134 yards on 18 carries in that game.

This year, Murray is even better, leading the NFL with 1,845 yards running behind one of the top offensive lines in the league.

Sunday could turn into a shootout, even if Rodgers isn't at full speed. Handing off to Murray could help Dallas keep the ball out of Rodgers' hands.

"The Dallas Cowboys' run game is excellent. Murray is a big-time back. He's definitely a difference maker," McCarthy said.

But the Packers appear to have found some difference makers themselves against the run. The defense is allowing 3.60 yards a carry in the second half of the season, down from 4.78 in the first half.

Pass rusher Clay Matthews and Sam Barrington have seen more snaps at inside linebacker to close holes and add athleticism. Defensive tackle Letroy Guion has played better as the season wore on, while Morgan Burnett is having one of his best seasons at safety in rush support. Rookie safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix is also playing well.

Coordinator Dom Capers called the Cowboys' offense the best test the Packers have had this year. Daniels welcomes the challenge.

"Make sure we prepare the right way this week, make sure we come out and, it sounds really rhetorical, but just get after it," Daniels said. "It's just plain and simple."

As Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel staffer Tyler Dunne pointed out, the last three seasons all ended in playoff disappointment for Green Bay -- 37-20 (Giants), 45-31 (49ers) and 23-20 (49ers) -- so McCarthy could use such defeats as motivation. However, he half-joked about forgetting about them all.

They're not thinking back to those crushing losses.

"This is a different team, this is a different opportunity," McCarthy said. "We're playing a different type of team. You have to stay true to who you are, what got us here. We're not going to make a bunch of changes this week. We are very confident that we're going to go out and play very well Sunday and be successful."

Also according to Dunne, the running joke in Packers' meetings is that whenever an event comes up that happened a long time ago, McCarthy says nobody on the team was even around then. At which point, a player will say "What about Dom?"

True, the 64-year-old Capers is one rare employee at Lambeau Field who can remember the Ice Bowl in 1967, the last time Dallas played a playoff game in Green Bay. While that game will promptly fill hours upon hours of airtime all week, it carries minimal significance in the locker room.

However, will the cold? The wind chill dropped below minus-30 on Monday. Early forecasts for Sunday call for a high of 17 degrees.

"The field, weather, football's football," right tackle Bryan Bulaga said. "Once you get out there, it's time to play. It doesn't matter what the conditions are. Everyone's got to deal with the same thing. ..."

Other notes of interest. ... Jordy Nelson, the top pass-catching target for Rodgers this season, also missed Green Bay's bye-week practices Friday and Saturday for a personal reason.

Nelson has no doubt he and Rodgers can keep clicking Sunday as they have all season "because we've been together for seven years and have a lot of time together," the veteran receiver said Monday.

"He didn't practice much last week, and it wasn't an issue," Nelson added. "We'll still be in meeting rooms together. A lot of it is mental anyway right now. We've had plenty of reps, a lot of time together. We'll be able to go out and play. ..."

According to , special teams coordinator Shawn Slocum said Tuesday wide receiver Randall Cobb could be used on kickoff returns against the Cowboys.

Cobb was utilized as a kick returner in his first two seasons in the league, averaging 26.5 yards per return with one touchdown. However, he has only returned two kickoffs since 2013, totaling 10 yards. ...

And finally. ... General manager Ted Thompson rewarded one of his right-hand men in the personnel department by promoting Eliot Wolf from pro personnel director to player personnel director during the team's first-round bye for the playoffs.

Wolf, 32, is the son of retired Packers GM Ron Wolf.

The younger Wolf is in his 11th season in Green Bay's front office and considered to be on the fast track to following in his father's footsteps as the leader of an NFL team. 

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DEPTH CHART AS OF WEDNESDAY AT 14:00 CT  [pic]

QB: Aaron Rodgers, Matt Flynn, Scott Tolzien 

RB: Eddie Lacy, James Starks, DuJuan Harris 

FB: John Kuhn 

WR: Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb, Davante Adams, Jarrett Boykin, Jeff Janis 

TE: Richard Rodgers, Andrew Quarless, Brandon Bostick, Justin Perillo 

PK: Mason Crosby 

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INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

According to the Sports Xchange, this is just what Indianapolis wanted: Yet another meeting this season with former Colts quarterback and franchise icon Peyton Manning.

By virtue of Baltimore winning at Pittsburgh Saturday night in an AFC Wild-Card playoff game and Indianapolis' 26-10 wild-card game victory over Cincinnati on Sunday, the stage is set for a Colts and Manning redux Sunday in Denver.

Since the start of the 2013 season, both teams won against each other on their home fields. Indianapolis netted a 39-33 victory at Lucas Oil Stadium last year. And the Broncos won the 2014 season-opener 31-24 on Sept. 7 at Mile High Stadium.

While the two franchises are set to face off in a regular-season game next year, again back in Indianapolis, their next meeting will come in an AFC Divisional Playoff Game with a chance of a trip to the AFC Championship Game as the prize.

The formula going forward is win and play either the New England Patriots or the Baltimore Ravens; Lose and go home until next season.

"Great opportunity," head coach Chuck Pagano said. "After Week 1, it seems like a lifetime since that ball game. We came out of that one and we dug ourselves a hole if I remember correctly, and found a way to get back within a touchdown.

"But we got in that locker room and we said, 'Hey, we're going to stick to the process.' Even though Week 2 didn't work out, this group is, like I say all the time, they're a resilient bunch. They found themselves a way to get in the tournament, win the division, all those type of things."

In that game at Denver earlier this year, the Broncos controlled things early before Indianapolis was able to rally in the second half.

The Colts came within a touchdown of tying the game in the final minutes but a pass to wide receiver Reggie Wayne fell incomplete.

Now Pagano, quarterback Andrew Luck and the rest of the Colts players will have a chance to try to do it again.

"Find a way to win a home playoff game and give yourself an opportunity at another shot at their place. It's always a challenge to play the Broncos and play a great team. They're a great football team and obviously they've got a great, great quarterback," the Indianapolis coach said.

"It's always a huge challenge and at the same time, we're going to embrace the opportunity, embrace the moment. It's exciting, it's fun. It's always a great chess match. Hopefully we can play just a little bit better than we did in Week 1."

As was the case in the meetings between Denver and Indianapolis the last two seasons, the focus will be on Manning and Luck. The Colts signal caller, though, would prefer to see it as a battle against a pretty good Broncos defense.

"I think we face the Broncos in a sense, it's not the quarterback versus quarterback thing," Luck said. "We're not on the field at the same time. I have a lot of respect for him, what he does, what he still does is amazing. He's a stud. I'll worry about the Denver defense, that's what I worry about."

Of course there are some Colts who actually will be on the field at the same time as Manning. Safety Mike Adams, who played at Denver with Manning last year and against him earlier this year, gave his take on the star quarterback.

"He's so smart, he understands," said Adams. "He knows when you're disguising. He knows when you're coming down. He knows when you're in the box and knows when you're back. There's not much you can do, but just disrupt and disrupt the timing."

That said, the Colts are pretty pleased with their own quarterback.

"He's a maestro back there," Pagano said of Luck after the win over Cincinnati. "He's unbelievable. He made great decisions today and he made them all day long. It was a great game for him."

Inability to protect the football in earlier postseason contests was absent for Luck on Sunday. He was flawless, with a 31-of-44 afternoon for 376 yards, leading the Colts to their first opening touchdown drive of the season. When check downs needed to be hit, Luck found them, knowing that the Bengals were looking to eliminate the Colts normal deep threat connections.

Now, with the stakes heightened to one-and-done football, Luck proved he could do it in these types of situations as well.

It should make for a great game this weekend. ...

Other notes of interest. ... Daniel "Boom" Herron was an integral part of the Colts offense in the win over the Bengals. Herron rushed for a game-high 56 yards on 12 carries, including a 2-yard touchdown run, while also catching a game-high 10 passes for an additional 85 yards. It was Herron's first career postseason touchdown and his second touchdown this season.

But there were issues. Specifically, a pair of fumbles were the only asterisk that could sour an otherwise stellar postseason debut.

"Can't do that, man, that's unacceptable," Herron said of his two cough-ups, one of which he can thank center Khaled Holmes for recovering. The other bounced into the Bengals' possession.

Still, as Indianapolis Star staffer Zak Keefer notes, save for the fumbles, Herron provided a steady security blanket for Luck out of the backfield while eating the clock with the sort of consistent runs the Colts have enjoyed far too rarely this year.

"He's gaining confidence," Pagano said. "Obviously, there's some plays out there that he'd like to have back and you've got to clean up, but the guy's a playmaker. He can create when there's not much there."

Create when there's not much there?

As Keefer suggested, "Such has been Trent Richardson's chief problem in Indianapolis. And it's his perpetual poor play, more than any other factor, that has opened the door for Herron."

Keefer went on to explain that Richardson has lacked the speed and the elusiveness to make something out of nothing, to create out of chaos. Certainly, running behind a bruised and beaten-up offensive line hasn't helped. But the numbers speak for themselves: In a season-and-a-half the former No. 3 overall pick has yet to eclipse 100 rushing yards in a game. His per-rush average this season is just 3.3. Bottom line: He hasn't gotten it done.

The offense grew stagnant with the uncertainties. Losing Vick Ballard in training camp, then Ahmad Bradshaw in November intensified the issue. Was this run game adequate enough to not be a hindrance come the postseason?

Enter Herron, who has been welcomed with open arms by Colts fans in part because he's not Trent Richardson. There's also the fact that he's produced, week after week. In a bottom-line business, he's answered the bell.

"Herron's 10 catches Sunday tied him for the most ever by a Colts running back in a postseason game (Joseph Addai had 10 in Super Bowl XLI). Those 10 catches are also the most by an NFL running back in the playoffs since Darren Sproles caught 15 vs. San Francisco in the 2011 Divisional Playoffs.

Now Herron, who will be back in the starting lineup against Denver, has to clean up the fumbles.

"He's going to do his part and he'll get it fixed," Pagano said. ...

Meanwhile, rookie Zurlon Tipton got his most extensive playing time of the season in a backup role against the Bengals. With Richardson seeing very limited work due to illness, Tipton had 11 carries for 40 yards. He also had one catch for 6 yards. ...

Worth noting. ... Indianapolis placed right guard Hugh Thornton on injured reserve Tuesday. To replace Thornton on the roster, the Colts re-signed tailback Michael Hill.

The 24-year-old Thornton had missed five of the last six games with knee and shoulder injuries. Lance Louis has taken his spot in the starting lineup.

The 25-year-old Hill spent a week on Indianapolis' practice squad in November and finished the regular season on Washington's practice squad. ...

T.Y. Hilton now has three playoff games in a row with over 100 yards receiving. That ties Hilton for the second longest such streak in NFL post-season history (record is four). Luck had a 36-yard touchdown pass to rookie Donte Moncrief against the Bengals.

According to Pro Football Focus, Dwayne Allen played on a season-high 85.7 percent of the offensive snaps against the Bengals. Coby Fleener was in for 75.4 percent of the snaps as the Colts ran their preferred two-TE set as their base offense. But Allen was limited to three catches for 30 yards while Fleener pulled in one catch for 18 yards. The two were targeted a combined five times, with Allen besting Fleener three to two. ...

Adam Vinatieri made four field goals, hitting from 38, 29, 22 and 53 yards He continues to be as steady a kicker as you'll find -- even at age 42.

But Vinatieri's reward for setting the team record for the longest field goal in playoff history was a random drug test.

Colts punter Pat McAfee posted a picture on Twitter on Monday of the letter the veteran kicker received that said he had been "selected by the NFL drug testing program's Medical Advisor."

Vinatieri's 53-yard field goal in the fourth quarter against Cincinnati topped his previous team record of 52 yards against Baltimore on Jan. 6, 2013. ...

And finally. ... Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie interviewed Indianapolis Colts offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton in Indianapolis' on Sunday night after the Colts wild-card win, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. 

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DEPTH CHART AS OF WEDNESDAY AT 14:00 CT  [pic]

QB: Andrew Luck, Matt Hasselbeck 

RB: Dan Herron, Zurlon Tipton, Trent Richardson, Michael Hill 

FB: Mario Harvey 

WR: T.Y. Hilton, Reggie Wayne, Donte Moncrief, Hakeem Nicks, Josh Cribbs 

TE: Coby Fleener, Jack Doyle, Dwayne Allen 

PK: Adam Vinatieri 

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NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

As the Sports Xchange suggested, it's not a rivalry with the pizzazz of Tom Brady vs. Peyton Manning, but the New England Patriots hosting the Baltimore Ravens this Saturday evening at Gillette Stadium brings its own hate-filled history to the AFC divisional round matchup.

The Patriots have faced the Ravens three times in the postseason since 2009, including consecutive AFC title contests following the 2011 and 2012 campaigns.

And unlike New England's typical dominance in the era of Brady and head coach Bill Belichick, things haven't always gone well against head coach John Harbaugh, quarterback Joe Flacco and the Ravens.

Baltimore has actually won two of the three postseason battles, including a wild-card blowout upset in January 2010 and an AFC Championship Game upset in January 2013 on the way to Super Bowl glory.

Even New England's lone victory in the playoff battles with Baltimore was a fight, needing a dropped Lee Evans touchdown and a Billy Cundiff missed field goal to escape with the 23-20 win in January 2012.

But according to 's Lee Schechter, Brady isn't reading into past postseason struggles against the Ravens when the teams play in the AFC divisional round of the playoffs Saturday.

"Everything is different at this point," Brady said Monday during his weekly appearance on WEEI's "Dennis & Callahan Show." "We can never change anything that has happened in the past, and neither can they. You can't bring players out of retirement and they can't either. It's the guys we've got versus the guys they've got, which is an entirely new team that we have versus an entirely new team that they have."

Mostly.

"There's some carryover," Brady said. "There's some characteristics that are the same, but these teams have established their own identities. It's going to be the Patriots' 2014 version versus the Ravens' 2014 version, and we go from there.

"We will be able to evaluate some scheme stuff they could possibly do -- that's always helpful. But, it will be determined by what happens on the field on Saturday night, not anything in the past."

Brady added that he spent all Sunday studying game film of the Ravens, because this is the time of year when there should be "no stone left unturned."

Though the Ravens are a different team from the last playoff battle with the Patriots, they have the same foundation of a strong defensive front led by linebacker Terrell Suggs -- a guy with a long history of hate for Brady -- defensive lineman Haloti Ngata and linebacker Elvis Dumervil that can dominate the line of scrimmage.

New England's offensive line had its issues throughout various points of 2014, including the final month of the season.

That physicality and toughness, both in the trenches and throughout the team, is what stands out for Belichick as he gets into preparation for his frequent playoff foe from Baltimore.

"As usual, the Ravens are a solid football team in all three phases of the game. They're well coached, they're physical, they do a good job on the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball," Belichick said in a Monday conference call with the New England media. "They have explosive skill players on offense, in the return game and on defense. I think coach Harbaugh has, as always, put those type of teams out there with (general manager) Ozzie (Newsome) and their respective staffs. I think that's what they have again. That's what they are. They're tough: they're physically and mentally tough."

The Ravens defense, which notched 49 sacks during the regular season and finished No. 8 in total defense, is led by coordinator Dean Pees. Pees held the same role in New England from 2006-09, before landing with the Ravens. He will match wits with Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, the duo with a history of both working together and against each other.

"I don't know how much of an advantage it is from one year to the next because Dean is obviously a very good coach," McDaniels said of that history. "This unit we're playing is very talented. But they don't really stay the same in terms of the things that they use or do in each game that we've played them. There are always some levels of adjustments that are going to be required during the course of the game because Dean is going to put pressure on you in different ways. He's going to really force you to handle some new problems that he'll create. He's obviously got a tremendous defense that plays well and forces you to go the long, hard route without giving up many big plays."

So just because the Patriots have struggled at times in three previous playoff meetings, that doesn't mean anything in this battle, for better or worse.

"There's experience against this team," McDaniels said. "Yeah, we know a lot of their players and some of their schemes, but I think each time we've played them our team has been different, their team has been different, and ultimately the game on Saturday night I would assume would take on its own form."

"They can play in tough situations and they're talented," concluded Belichick of the Ravens. "They keep coming at you."

"Which," as the Xchange summed up, "is true within games, and in this series, from one January to another with the season on the line yet again. ..."

Other notes of interest. ... Julian Edelman missed the final two regular-season games due to a concussion. He's also battled a thigh injury for more than a month. But Edelman was on the practice field and took part in New England's bye-week intrasquad scrimmage, though he did wear a red, non-contact jersey.

Fellow wideout Brandon LaFell, who's been bothered by shoulder and foot injuries, was practicing Tuesday, according to the Boston Herald. LaFell set career highs with 74 catches for 953 yards and seven touchdowns. ...

Rob Gronkowski was the only unanimous selection when the 2014 Associated Press All-Pro team was announced. Stephen Gostkowski earned second-team All-Pro honors for his efforts this fall, including leading the NFL with 156 points

Looking for a sleeper play this week? 's Mike Reiss, noting the Ravens are one of the tougher run defenses in the NFL (ranking fourth this season in holding opponents to an average of 88.3 yards per game and not allowing a 100-yard rusher in the past 27 games), believes it's hard to imagine the Patriots go with a heavy diet of bigger personnel and a power-running approach.

Instead, a more likely scenario is that the Patriots attempt to manipulate matchups in hopes of lightening the box and getting the Ravens into sub packages to test their overall quality and depth in the defensive backfield, which is their primary area of vulnerability. For the Patriots to do this, adding a second tight end with more of a pass-catching profile, third receiver, or second running back makes sense.

This is where Tim Wright, a "move" tight end, could be a bigger factor. When blocking-based tight end Michael Hoomanawanui is paired with Gronkowski, it usually results in opponents playing base defense. But when Wright is paired with Gronkowski, it has sometimes been sub because he's more of a pass-catching threat.

The Patriots have had success going up-tempo with that grouping as well, so we could envision Wright being a bigger part of the plan Saturday, with receiver Danny Amendola and running back Brandon Bolden (in a two-back set with Shane Vereen) as other options. ...

And finally. ... McDaniels interviewed for the Falcons coaching vacancy on Friday, followed by the 49ers on Saturday. The Bills have also requested an interview with McDaniels. 

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DEPTH CHART AS OF WEDNESDAY AT 14:00 CT  [pic]

QB: Tom Brady, Jimmy Garoppolo, Garrett Gilbert 

RB: Shane Vereen, LeGarrette Blount, Jonas Gray, Brandon Bolden, James Develin, James White 

WR: Brandon LaFell, Julian Edelman, Danny Amendola, Bryan Tims, Matthew Slater 

TE: Rob Gronkowski, Tim Wright, Michael Hoomanawanui, Steve Maneri 

PK: Stephen Gostkowski 

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SEATTLE SEAHAWKS

In one sense, the Seattle Seahawks will be facing a pretty familiar foe Saturday when they play in the divisional playoffs against the Carolina Panthers.

As the Sports Xchange noted this week, the two teams have played each of the last three seasons, the most Seattle has faced any non-NFC West opponent.

Conversely, it'll be quite a different looking Carolina team that comes to Seattle, one that has solidified its secondary and offensive line and over the past month of the season allowed the fewest points of any team in the NFL other than the Seahawks.

The Seahawks, though, are also a different team than they were when they played at Carolina on Oct. 26.

Then, they were a 3-3 team that had lost two in a row and facing the harsh NFL spotlight from the Percy Harvin trade, which had come nine days prior.

Seattle trailed 9-6 after a Graham Gano field goal with 4:37 left, then embarked on an 80-yard drive in the next 3:50 that culminated in a 23-yard touchdown pass from Russell Wilson to Luke Willson to win the game, 13-9.

As turning points in seasons go, it was as big as Seattle has had the last few years.

So what enabled the Seahawks to win nine of their last 10 games, including the final six games?

"It was several things, but one of the more glaring things was the fact that we did win the Super Bowl last year," receiver Doug Baldwin said. "Through that process, when you go to the parade and the ceremony and the ring, it makes you forget how difficult it was to reach the mountaintop.

"We were 3-3 and felt the pressure from the media, from ourselves and let it feed into the negativity and forgetting that it isn't easy last year. But we also were one third-down conversion and one fake punt away from being 5-1."

So what happened to change it? Baldwin points to the Harvin trade as a turning point.

"Percy is such a dynamic player that we tried a lot of things to get him the ball," Baldwin said. "I think it made it more difficult on us as an offense because teams were scheming against that to prevent us from having success with Percy.

"When it did change, fortunately, we have a guy at quarterback (Wilson) that passes it around to everybody and made it easier for our offense as a whole."

Baldwin also points to an attitude adjustment.

"We just needed to trust in each other and believe in each other," he said. "It was about not putting anyone above the team and being successful together."

Meanwhile, Carolina faced its own turning point at 3-8-1 when it then won the last four regular-season games to take the woebegone NFC South and then beat Arizona in the wild-card round to advance to the divisional playoffs.

The Seahawks might well have faced Detroit, instead, had the Lions been able to hold on to a fourth-quarter lead in a game that featured one of the more controversial calls in recent NFL playoff history.

Seattle players, though, say the who they are playing is not as much of a concern as how they play.

"At the end of the day, it doesn't matter who we play," said Baldwin. "It's just about us in this locker room, and that's all it really comes down to."

That's a mantra Seattle has tried to follow throughout the Pete Carroll era but one that has rung truer than ever this year as the Seahawks have faced some unfamiliar challenges in falling to 3-3 and later standing at 6-4 following a loss to Kansas City.

The Seahawks, though, got their defense righted after the loss to the Chiefs allowing just 39 points in the last six games, the fewest of any team since the 1976 Steelers.

That allowed the Seahawks to move from the No. 8 seed following the loss to the Chiefs to the No. 1 seed and home-field throughout the playoffs.

That Seattle has home-field advantage is one reason the Seahawks are as much as an 11.5-point favorite against the Panthers.

But if history means anything, the Seahawks could be in for more of a challenge.

Seattle has beaten Carolina each of the last three years, but all were tight defensive struggles that went down to the wire the Seahawks beat Carolina 16-12 in 2012, 12-7 in the season opener last season and 13-9 on Oct. 26 this season.

The Panthers have been particularly stout against Seattle's running game, holding Marshawn Lynch to 43 yards on 17 carries in 2013 and 62 on 14 this season.

Carolina also has established a solid running game the last month behind a now-healthy Jonathan Stewart, and a revived secondary has helped a talented defensive front seven play more to its potential.

That Seattle has had three bruising affairs against the Panthers figures to be enough to prevent Seattle from any sense of complacency.

But middle linebacker Bobby Wagner also says the playoffs themselves are enough.

"The playoffs are a new season and if you don't bring the same energy that you ended the season with, then you could be out," Wagner said. "There have been a lot of great teams that came in on fire and lost the first game. So we definitely have to make sure we bring that same energy, bring that same focus, so we can get to where we want to be. ..."

Worth noting. ... Seattle is 12-12 all-time in the post-season -- 9-2 at home, 2-9 on the road and 1-1 in the Super Bowl.

Seattle led the NFL on offense and defense in how it defines explosive plays passes of longer than 16 yards and rushes of longer than 12 yards. By Seattle's calculations, Seattle had 61 rushes and 74 passes on offense that fit that definition (135, ahead of the 134 of Philadelphia and Indianapolis) while allowing just 20 rushes and 56 passes of that distance, a total of 76. Denver was next at 86.

Seattle is attempting to become the first team since the 2005 Patriots to win a playoff game the year after winning the Super Bowl.

Four of the last eight missed the playoffs while the other four lost their first playoff game (including New Orleans dropping a wild-card round game at Seattle in 2011). ...

Other notes of interest. ... As 's Terry Blount notes, Wilson is 64-of-90 passing (71 percent) overall against Carolina for an average of 247 yards per game and a 91.8 QB rating. The Panthers have done a good job holding down his runs. He has only 54 yards on 16 carries against them.

Jermaine Kearse, who missed the regular-season finale with a hamstring injury, is practicing Tuesday and should play Saturday against the Panthers, reports 710 ESPN Radio. Kearse caught 38 passes for 537 yards and a touchdown in 15 games.

Center Max Unger is expected to return for the playoffs after missing the last six games of the regular season with knee and ankle injuries a high ankle sprain that was particularly troublesome. If he makes it back, then Seattle could have available its projected starting offensive line for the first time since the Washington game on Oct. 6. ...

The Seahawks placed defensive tackle Jordan Hill on injured reserve Tuesday. Defensive back Steven Terrell was signed off practice squad to fill the open roster spot. ...

And finally. ... The Jets were one of several teams to interview Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn over the weekend. Others included the Bills, Bears, 49ers and Falcons.

Quinn has spent the last two seasons as the Seahawks defensive coordinator. The Seahawks have been a dominant defense under Quinn's guidance. The Seahawks were the NFL's top-ranked defense in both seasons with Quinn as the defensive coordinator. They allowed 273.6 yards per game and 14.4 points per game in 2013, and allowed 267.1 yards and 15.9 points per game in 2014.

Offensive line coach Tom Cable interviewed with the Jets on Friday.

Offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell interviewed for the Raiders' opening, according to Carroll. 

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DEPTH CHART AS OF WEDNESDAY AT 14:00 CT  [pic]

QB: Russell Wilson, Tarvaris Jackson 

RB: Marshawn Lynch, Robert Turbin, Christine Michael 

FB: Robert Turbin 

WR: Doug Baldwin, Jermaine Kearse, Paul Richardson, Ricardo Lockette, Kevin Norwood, Chris Matthews, Bryan Walters 

TE: Luke Willson, Cooper Helfet, Tony Moeaki, ReShaun Allen 

PK: Steven Hauschka 

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