SEAHAWKS VS COWBOYS

NFC WILD CARD WEEKEND PREVIEW

THE BACKSTORY

Do you remember the 23rd day of September? That's when these two clubs first met, as Seattle forced three turnovers against Dallas' dim offense in a 24-13 win. The venue is different this time around, as is the nature of the participants. The Seahawks and Cowboys teams that will meet on Saturday evening in Jerry world barely resemble the units that met on that early-autumn afternoon, and for the better.

After seeing four starters from the Legion of Boom exit this offseason, Seattle was expected to be in a rebuilding year. That looked to be the case even into November, as the 'Hawks lost Earl Thomas to injury and started 4-5. But they won six of their final seven contests, thanks to their league-leading running game, and walked into a sixth playoff berth in seven seasons.

Dallas was a miserable offensive unit up until the bye, when the Cowboys traded a first-round pick for Amari Cooper. The receiver's addition expanded the offense, and strong play from Dallas' young linebackers, Leighton Vander Esch and Jaylon Smith, anchored a rising defense that shut down second-half opponents. Once an afterthought in the East, the Cowboys won seven of their last eight and seized a second division title in three seasons.

UNDER PRESSURE

SEATTLE'S OFFENSIVE LINE: Russell Wilson no longer carries the team on his back/arm/legs like he used to. But he's still the most valuable player on the field anytime he's on it, and protecting him remains the highest priority.

That's the case this Saturday, when Dallas' blitz-happy pass rush, led by DeMarcus Lawrence, could have a game-changing impact. When the Cowboys blitzed this season, they sacked the QB 14.4 percent of the time (second-best in NFL) and allowed just two passing TDs (second-fewest in NFL), per Pro Football Focus. That pressure figures to effect on Wilson on Saturday. The 'Hawks signal-caller averaged a league-worst 3.9 yards per attempt and saw a league-worst 77.8-point decrease in passer rating when pressured in 2018. So Seattle's offensive line will literally be under pressure to protect Wilson against Dallas.

Led by Duane Brown on the blind side, the long-maligned line had its best year in quite some time, but still ranked just 17th in pass-blocking efficiency by PFF. The banged-up front is coming off one of its worst games, after allowing Arizona to sack Wilson six times. Hopefully for Seattle, Brown, Fluker and J.R Sweezy will be healthy and back in form come Saturday.

Dak Prescott: Dallas' signal-caller is not the engine behind what makes this offense move. That honor belongs to Elliott, who led the league in offensive touches. However, as quarterback of "America's Team" starting a playoff game in his building, the responsibility is Prescott's to shepherd the Cowboys into the next round.

Dak's been here before. In his rookie season, he was under center for Dallas' Divisional Round loss to the Packers. Prescott finished strong after a slow start, leading three scoring drives in the game's final 18 minutes to bring the 'Boys within an Aaron Rodgers sideline strike of sending it to overtime. The end of games is when Dak is at his best. No quarterback has led more game-winning drives in his first three seasons than Prescott (14).

But for Dallas to take command of this game, which is begging to be close, Prescott must get off to a hot start, feed Amari Cooper and wear down Seattle's inexperienced defense. There's more than a Divisional Round berth on the line here, too. Prescott is entering the final year of his rookie deal. If the favored 'Boys flop yet again in Dak's second playoff game, his value when extension negotiations begin could decrease.

MATCHUP TO WATCH

SEAHAWKS RUNNING BACKS VS. COWBOYS LINEBACKERS: Boasting the league's top running game, the 'Hawks have rushed for at least 150 yards in all but one of their last 10 games. Dallas has allowed over 100 yards rushing just six times, but lost all but one of those games. Key to shutting down the Seahawks' ground attack will be getting to their trio of backs at the line of scrimmage, something no team is better at than Dallas. The 'Boys allowed the fewest rushing yards before contact per rush (0.9), per PFF. That's where LVE, Smith and even Sean Lee (who was healthy scratch last week, however) come into play. If that unit can penetrate Seattle's line on early running downs, Dallas can force long down-and-distances, rely on its improved secondary and eventually control time of possession.

PREDICTION

A back-and-forth nail-biter built for the prime-time stage, this game will come down to the final two drives. The difference will be the experience of Super Bowl champions Wilson and Bobby Wagner. Since 2008, Super Bowl-winning QBs are 11-1 on Wild Card Weekend vs. QBs without a playoff win. Wilson will lead two fourth-quarter scoring drives, and Frank Clark will log a game-winning strip sack of Dak at the bell to send Seattle back to the Divisional Round.

FINAL SCORE: Seattle Seahawks 20, Dallas Cowboys 16

SAINTS EARN NFC TOP SEED FOR FIRST TIME SINCE 2009

Half of the NFC playoff field is back from last year, including the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles , who wobbled and hobbled into the postseason party as the sixth and final seed after a season-long slog.

The Saints earned the No. 1 seed for the first time since 2009, when they beat Peyton Manning and the Colts in Super Bowl 44 for their first championship, and the Los Angeles Rams are the second seed with the franchise's first playoff bye since 2001, when the "Greatest Show on Turf" was still rocking St. Louis.

The Chicago Bears are back for the first time in eight seasons and the Dallas Cowboys and Seattle Seahawks each ended a one-year hiatus.

The Seahawks visit the Cowboys on Saturday night of wild-card weekend, and the Eagles visit Soldier Field on Sunday to face the Bears, who are Broncos star Von Miller's pick to win it all this year thanks to their dogged defense in an era infused with college spread concepts and rules that tilt toward offense more than ever.

"I feel like the Bears have a solid defense that can go all the way. They can tweak the rules, but at the end of the day, it's still football," said Miller, the MVP of Super Bowl 50 that was dominated by defense.

Strength and weakness of each of the six NFC playoff teams:

1. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (13-3).

AP PRO32 RANKING: No. 1.

LAST LOMBARDI: Super Bowl 44, beat Indianapolis 31-17 on Feb. 7, 2010.

STANDOUT: Drew Brees , who turns 40 this month, is a leading MVP candidate after breaking his own NFL record for completion percentage (74.4). While his 3,992 passing yards were his fewest in 13 seasons with the Saints, he had the luxury of sitting out the last game, plus a QB's best friend is a great ground game with Alvin Kamara and Mark Ingram. The defense was among the NFL's best over the latter half of the season, holding six straight opponents to 17 points or fewer from Weeks 9 to 15.

SHUTOUT: The Saints' defense has been susceptible to poor showings against the pass, ranking 29th with 268.9 yards allowed per game through the air. And the Saints' offense has found it tougher to sustain drives and find the end zone lately. While their 31.5 scoring average ranks third in the league, they had more pedestrian totals of 10, 12 and 14 points in three of their last five games.

SHOUTOUT: "I feel like we are unbeatable when we play our best ball. ... I'm not excited that we didn't put our best foot forward heading into the playoffs." -- Defensive end Cameron Jordan.

2. LOS ANGELES RAMS (13-3).

AP PRO32 RANKING: No. 2.

LAST LOMBARDI: Super Bowl 34, beat Tennessee 23-16 on Jan. 30, 2000, while based in St. Louis.

KNOCKOUT: The Rams' offense has been among the NFL's best, with Jared Goff and Todd Gurley running coach Sean McVay's innovative schemes to perfection for long stretches of the Rams' best regular season since 2001. The same five O-linemen started all 16 games. A talented group of receivers made up for the injury loss of Cooper Kupp, with Robert Woods and Brandin Cooks both topping 1,200 yards receiving. Gurley should be fresh after missing the final two games to rest his knees.

LIGHTS OUT: The Rams' defense just completed its best month of the season, but it struggled for long stretches of the fall, particularly against playoff-caliber offenses. The secondary has yet to live up to its self-given "Lock Angeles" nickname, while Aaron Donald's brilliance on the line camouflaged the Rams' relative lack of pressure from other positions. Among playoff teams, only Kansas City yielded more yards rushing than L.A. (122.3).

SHOUTOUT: "If we continue to take the football away on defense and if we protect it like we did on offense, that's definitely a recipe for success." -- McVay.

3. CHICAGO BEARS (12-4).

AP PRO32 RANKING: 3.

LAST LOMBARDI: Super Bowl 20, 46-10 over New England Patriots on Jan. 26, 1986.

FLOUT: After four straight last-place finishes, Chicago won the NFC North behind a dominant defense led by Khalil Mack (12+ sacks, six forced fumbles) and fellow Pro Bowl selections Eddie Jackson, Akiem Hicks and Kyle Fuller. Chicago allowed a league-low 17.7 points per game and led the NFL in takeaways (36) and interceptions (27) while ranking third in total defense. QB Mitchell Trubisky (3,223 yards, 24 TDs, 12 interceptions) made a big jump in the first season in Coach Matt Nagy's system.

DROUGHT: The Bears' biggest concern is kicker Cody Parkey. The fifth-year pro has made just 77 percent of his field goals while nailing uprights at a jarring rate in his first season in Chicago. He did it four times while missing two field goals and two extra points in a win over Detroit at Soldier Field, and he struck another upright on a missed PAT at Minnesota in Week 17. If a game comes down to a late kick, the windy city will worry.

SHOUTOUT: "I'm going to just let everybody know here in Chicago how important it is to get those fans to be as crazy as they have ever been, and I can't wait for it. It's going to be a fun day at Soldier Field." -- Nagy.

4. DALLAS COWBOYS (10-6).

AP PRO32 RANKING: No. 11.

LAST LOMBARDI: Super Bowl 30, 27-17 over Pittsburgh Steelers on Jan. 28, 1996.

TURNOUT: The Cowboys have been at their best when NFL rushing champion Ezekiel Elliott dictates the pace, allowing Dak Prescott `s passing game to be a complementary piece. The midseason trade for receiver Amari Cooper boosted a struggling unit. Defense has defined Dallas much more than in recent years. Young linebackers Jaylon Smith and Leighton Vander Esch have taken over as leaders. The pass rush is always a threat, led by DeMarcus Lawrence, who made his second straight Pro Bowl.

TIMEOUT: Dallas has the lowest-scoring and worst red-zone offense among the playoff qualifiers. More of that inconsistency fueled mostly by a spotty passing game will probably be too much for a strong defense to overcome. The O-line has lived on the edge with injuries. Left Tackle Tyron Smith (neck) and right guard Zack Martin (knee) are hanging on without the other perennial Pro Bowler in center Travis Frederick, who missed the season because of a nerve disorder.

SHOUTOUT: "It's hard to make the playoffs in the NFL. That makes the moment that much more important. I live for these moments. I love it. I can't wait to go out there and compete. I think this team is ready." -- Elliott.

5. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (10-6).

AP PRO32 RANKING: No. 10.

LAST LOMBARDI: Super Bowl 48, 43-8 over Denver Broncos on Feb. 2, 2014.

WIPEOUT: Russell Wilson is five seasons removed from raising the Lombardi Trophy, but is coming off a season in which he set career highs in TD passes (35) and passer rating (110.9) while running less than ever. Surprisingly, Wilson's performance comes in a season when Seattle led the NFL in rushing with 2,560 yards, more than the Seahawks had in their championship year (2,188). Seattle still has game-changing stars on defense in Bobby Wagner and Frank Clark.

WASHOUT: This is not the Seahawks' defense of the past. They finished the year 17th against the pass, 13th against the run and were 30th in the league in yards per carry allowed. There are injury concerns in the secondary with Shaqill Griffin and Tedric Thompson dealing with bum ankles. Seattle finished the regular season with a dud, allowing six sacks and struggled to beat hapless Arizona, but the game meant little. This playoff return won't last long if the O-line can't protect Wilson or open holes for running backs.

SHOUTOUT: "We're excited about the opportunity of where we can go, because we know that if we do things right and play right and work together and play together, we feel like we can beat anybody on the right day." -- Wilson.

6. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (9-7).

AP PRO32 RANKING: No. 12.

LAST LOMBARDI: Super Bowl 52, 41-33 over New England Patriots, Feb. 4, 2018.

PAYOUT: Nick Foles -- St. Nick, as he's affectionately called in Philly -- seems to have a magic touch. He's 6-0 in must-win games the past two seasons and it wouldn't be a shocker if he pulled off another miracle in the playoffs, where he's 3-1 and won the Super Bowl MVP trophy a year ago. He could help the Bears regret squeezing the defending champs into the playoffs with a Week 17 knockoff of the Minnesota Vikings.

PUNCHOUT: The Eagles proved once again this season that uneasy is the head that wears the crown. Philadelphia's secondary is missing three-fourths of the starting unit and although the backups have played well down the stretch, they had plenty of struggles. Other than stalwart safety Malcolm Jenkins, the Eagles' defensive backfield resembles a preseason group, not a playoff bunch.

SHOUTOUT: "We're not sneaking in; we're kicking the door down. We're in this party. Nobody wanted us in, but guess what? They've got to deal with us now." -- Jenkins.

NFL WILD-CARD WEEKEND GAME PREVIEW

I ended the season with a record of 164-90 5 games out of first place for the season. How will I do in the playoffs my picks are below.

INDIANAPOLIS (10-6) at HOUSTON (11-5)

WHEN: Sunday,

TIME: 4:35 p.m. ET

TV: ESPN

RADIO: WFAN 660-AM 101.9-FM

OPENING LINE - Texans by 3

RECORD VS. SPREAD - Indianapolis 8-7-1, Houston 7-7-2

SERIES RECORD - Colts lead 26-8

LAST MEETING - Colts beat Texans 24-21, Dec. 9

LAST WEEK - Colts beat Titans 33-17; Texans beat Jaguars 20-3

AP PRO32 RANKING - Colts No. 8, Texans No. 7

COLTS OFFENSE - OVERALL (7), RUSH (20), PASS (6).

COLTS DEFENSE - OVERALL (11), RUSH (8), PASS (16).

TEXANS OFFENSE - OVERALL (15), RUSH (8), PASS (17).

TEXANS DEFENSE - OVERALL (12), RUSH (3), PASS (28).

STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES — Colts will make first playoff appearance since 2014 AFC championship game loss at New England. ... Only four players who appeared against Patriots will be active Sunday: QB Andrew Luck, WR T.Y. Hilton, LT Anthony Castonzo, and K Adam Vinatieri. ... Indy has won four straight and nine of last 10, including 24-21 win at Houston in early December, to become third team in league history to make postseason after starting 1-5. ... Defense forced turnovers in 15 games, finished with 26 takeaways and team allowed 16.4 points over Colts’ final eight games. ... Offensive line allowed league-low 18 sacks after giving up league-high 56 in 2017. ... Colts lead league in third-down conversion percentage (48.6). ... Luck is 3-3 in playoffs and threw 39 TD passes this season, second in league. ... He has thrown TD passes to 13 receivers this season, tying league record established by Matt Ryan in 2016 and matched by Drew Brees earlier in 2018. ... Marlon Mack has four 100-yard games, most by Colts running back since Joseph Addai also had four in 2007. ... Hilton has topped 100-yard mark four times at Houston, including nine-catch, 199-yard game on Dec. 9. ... Pro Bowler Eric Ebron set franchise record for TD caches by tight end with league-high 13. ... Rookie LB Darius Leonard had league-best 163 tackles, breaking Colts’ 27-year-old franchise record (Jeff Herrod, 160). ... Vinatieri became career leader in scoring and field goals this season — and already holds postseason marks with 234 points, 56 field goals. Vinatieri has played in 30 career postseason games, second most behind Tom Brady. ... Colts and Texans are two of three teams (New Orleans) that did not allow 100-yard rusher in 2018. ... Texans are sixth team since 1980 to reach playoffs after starting 0-3 and first since 1998. ... Houston won AFC South for third time in four years. ... Texans have 26 players with combined 87 games of playoff experience. ... Houston’s 11 wins are second in franchise history behind its 12 wins in 2012. ... Houston led NFL with nine comeback wins this season. ... Coach Bill O’Brien is 1-2 in three playoff games. ... DE J.J. Watt had AFC-leading 16 sacks, 25 quarterback hits, and 18 tackles for losses and forced career-high seven fumbles, which tied for most in NFL. It’s Watt’s fourth season with at least 15 sacks, which ranks second in NFL history behind Reggie White (5). ... DE Jadeveon Clowney tied career-high with 21 quarterback hits, had nine sacks, 16 tackles for losses, three fumble recoveries and forced one fumble. ... WR DeAndre Hopkins tied franchise record with 115 receptions for career-high 1,572 yards receiving, which ranked second in NFL. ... QB Deshaun Watson has 4,165 yards passing with 26 touchdowns and 551 yards rushing with five scores to become first player to have at least 4,000 yards passing and 25 touchdowns and 500 yards rushing and five scores in single season in NFL history. He hasn’t thrown an interception in franchise-record 207 attempts, longest active streak in NFL. ... RB Lamar Miller had 973 yards rushing with five touchdowns and 163 yards receiving with another score. ... Rookie WR Keke Coutee should return after missing last five games with hamstring injury. ... CB/S Kareem Jackson had career-high 87 tackles, including five for losses, forced two fumbles and led team with 17 passes defended. MY PICK HOUSTON

SEATTLE (10-6) AT DALLAS (10-6)

WHEN: Saturday

TIME:  8:15 p.m. ET

TV: Fox

RADIO: WFAN 660-AM 101.9-FM

OPENING LINE — Cowboys by 1

RECORD VS. SPREAD — Seahawks 9-5-2, Cowboys 9-6-1

SERIES RECORD — Cowboys lead 10-9

LAST MEETING — Seahawks beat Cowboys 24-13, Sept. 23

LAST WEEK — Seahawks beat Cardinals 27-24; Cowboys beat Giants 36-35

AP PRO32 RANKING — Seahawks No. 10; Cowboys No. 11

SEAHAWKS OFFENSE — OVERALL (18), RUSH (1), PASS (27)

SEAHAWKS DEFENSE — OVERALL (16), RUSH (13), PASS (17)

COWBOYS OFFENSE — OVERALL (22), RUSH (10), PASS (23)

COWBOYS DEFENSE — OVERALL (7), RUSH (5), PASS (13)

STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES — Only other playoff meeting was 21-20 Seahawks victory in Seattle during 2006 season when Tony Romo botched hold on snap of potential go-ahead field goal with 1:19 remaining. ... Previous postseason appearance for both teams came in 2016, with both losing in divisional round. ... Seventh playoff appearance for Seahawks in nine seasons under Coach Pete Carroll, six in past seven with QB Russell Wilson. ... Matchup features two of top six QBs in wins in first three seasons of career: Wilson is first with 36 from 2012-14, Dak Prescott tied for fifth with 32. Wilson, Prescott tied for most 100-plus rating games in first three NFL seasons at 24. ... Seattle first team with 1,000-yard rusher and three with at least 300 yards since 2001 Steelers. ... Seahawks led NFL with plus-15 turnover margin, with 11 giveaways tied for third fewest in league history. ... Wilson tied for third in NFL with 35 TD passes, ranked third with 110.9 rating. He had club season record of seven games with at least three touchdown passes. He has 2-0 record vs. Prescott with four TDs, no interceptions, including 21-12 win in Week 16 last season that eliminated Dallas from playoff contention. ... RB Chris Carson led team with 1,151 yards rushing, club’s first 1,000-yard rusher since Marshawn Lynch on Seattle’s most recent Super Bowl qualifier in 2014. ... WR Tyler Lockett led team with career highs in catches (57), yards receiving (965) and TDs (10). ... WR Doug Baldwin has 24 receptions, 266 yards, and two touchdowns in past three playoff games. ... LB Bobby Wagner made fifth straight Pro Bowl, has at least 100 tackles in all seven seasons. ... Frank Clark (14) and Jarran Reed (10 1/2) had career highs in sacks. Combined 24 1/2 sacks were most for Seattle teammates since Mike McCrary and Mike Sinclair had 26 1/2 in 1996. ... Rookie P Michael Dickson set franchise record for average (48.2 yards) and net average (42.5). ... Cowboys tied with Packers, Patriots for second-most playoff wins with 34, two behind Steelers. Cowboys will pass Steelers for most postseason games with 62. ... Cowboys with three NFC East titles in past five seasons under Jason Garrett. With firing of Marvin Lewis in Cincinnati, Garrett only coach among top six in tenure with current team (8 1/2 years) without Super Bowl title. ... Dallas has lost three straight to Seattle, with one touchdown total. ... Cowboys have won both wild-card games in 10 seasons at AT&T Stadium, are 7-1 at home this season. ... Prescott had career high with 3,885 yards passing, has six TDs rushing in each of three seasons. ... RB Ezekiel Elliott led NFL with 1,434 yards rushing, was second with 2,001 yards from scrimmage. He joined Earl Campbell, Eric Dickerson, Emmitt Smith, and Edgerrin James as backs to win at least two rushing titles in first three seasons since 1970 merger. Elliott set franchise record for catches by running back with 77, one more than Herschel Walker in 1986. ... Cowboys were 29th in yards passing in seven games without WR Amari Cooper, 11th in nine games after acquiring him for first-round pick in trade with Oakland. ... Backup T Cameron Fleming, in first season with Cowboys, has most playoff experience on team with nine games. Went past four seasons with Patriots, winning two Super Bowls. ... Two-time Pro Bowl and 2016 All-Pro LB Sean Lee played just one playoff game in first eight seasons. ... LB Leighton Vander Esch set club rookie record with 176 tackles, according to coaches’ count. ... DE DeMarcus Lawrence led team with 10 1/2 sacks in second straight double-digit sack season, earned second straight Pro Bowl. He has two sacks in three career playoff games. ... K Brett Maher set franchise record by 6 yards with 62-yard FG and was 6 of 7 from at least 50 yards, but just 13 of 19 from 30 to 49. MY PICK DALLAS

LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (12-4) AT BALTIMORE (10-6)

WHEN: Sunday

TIME: 1 p.m. EST

TV: CBS

RADIO: WFAN 660-AM 101.9-FM

OPENING LINE - Ravens by 2 1/2

RECORD VS. SPREAD - Los Angeles 9-7, Baltimore 8-8

SERIES RECORD - Ravens lead 7-5

LAST MEETING - Ravens beat Chargers 22-10, Dec. 22, 2018

LAST WEEK - Chargers beat Broncos 23-9; Ravens beat Browns 26-24

AP PRO32 RANKING - Chargers No. 5, Ravens No. 9.

CHARGERS OFFENSE - OVERALL (11), RUSH (15), PASS (10).

CHARGERS DEFENSE - OVERALL (9), RUSH (9), PASS (9)

RAVENS OFFENSE - OVERALL (9), RUSH (2), PASS (22).

RAVENS DEFENSE - OVERALL (1), RUSH (4), PASS (5).

STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES - In first meeting, Ravens held Chargers to season low in points. ... Chargers making first postseason appearance since 2013, Ravens first appearance since 2014. ... Chargers’ 12 wins are most since 2009, when they had 13. ... Los Angeles was third in NFL in yards per play (6.8) and sixth in points per game (26.8). ... Chargers led AFC with 6.62 yards per play on first down. ... LA QB Philip Rivers was second in passer rating (105.5). And is averaging 8.5 yards per attempt, which is best since 2010. ... Chargers RB Melvin Gordon makes playoff debut after finishing ninth in AFC with 885 rushing yards. He had 1,375 yards from scrimmage, marking third straight season he was over 1,200. ... Los Angeles WR Keenan Allen has 199 receptions over past two seasons. He had 142 yards and two touchdowns in last playoff game (Jan. 12, 2014, at Denver). Allen has three TDs in three games vs. Ravens. ... WR Mike Williams has 10 TDs, becoming first Chargers receiver since Tony Martin in 1996 (14) to have 10 or more. ... DE Melvin Ingram had two fumble recoveries in last meeting with Ravens. ... Chargers DE Joey Bosa has 5 1-2 sacks after missing first 10 games due to foot injury. ... LA S Derwin James led team with 105 tackles, becoming first rookie in franchise history to have 100 or more. ... Chargers K Michael Badgley connected on 93.8 percent of field-goal attempts (15 of 16); percentage leads AFC and fourth in NFL. ... Ravens 6-1 since rookie QB Lamar Jackson took over for Joe Flacco. ... Under first-year coordinator Don Martindale, Ravens allowed NFL-low 292.2 yards per game and ranked second in fewest points allowed, 17.9 per contest. ... Ravens have had Top 10 defense in eight of coach John Harbaugh’s 11 seasons. ... Baltimore finished with 2,441 yards rushing, second-highest total in franchise history, and finished with franchise-best 5,999 total yards. ... Overall final seven weeks, Ravens RB Gus Edwards tied for third in NFL with 654 yards rushing. Jackson’s 556 yards ranked seventh. ... Edwards finished with team-high 718 yards after being elevated from practice squad in Week 6. ... Ravens K Justin Tucker went 35 for 39 on FGs. He had two blocked and missed from 53 and 65 yards. Career percentage of 90.1 best in NFL history, and he has scored 141 points in each of last three seasons. ... Mark Andrews had 68-yard TD catch vs. Chargers and led all rookie TEs in yards receiving (552) and ranked third with 34 receptions and third in catches (34). ... Ravens LB Za’Darius Smith led team with 8 ½ sacks, including 1 ½ in last games vs. Chargers. ... Baltimore S Eric Weddle had 19 interceptions and 6 ½ sacks in nine seasons with Chargers. ... Ravens 7-1 in wild-card games, with five straight victories. ... Baltimore owns plus-26 turnover differential in its 23 playoff games. ... Ravens have allowed 16.4 points per game in postseason, best playoff mark since 1970 merger. ... Baltimore has 19 players with playoff experience, led by LB Terrell Suggs with 17 games. ... Suggs has 12½ sacks in postseason, third most in NFL history. ... Jackson is first rookie QB to start playoff game for Baltimore since Flacco in 2008. Jackson, 21, will be youngest QB to start playoff game in NFL history. ... Ravens 65-23 at home since 2008, second-best record in NFL behind New England. .. Baltimore 3-2 at home in postseason; last home game in playoffs was Jan. 6, 2013, when team won Super Bowl. MY PICK BALTIMORE

PHILADELPHIA (9-7) AT CHICAGO (12-4)

WHEN: Sunday

TIME: 4:40 p.m. EST

TV: NBC

RADIO: WFAN 660-AM 101.9-FM

OPENING LINE — Bears by 4

RECORD VS. SPREAD — Philadelphia 6-9-1, Chicago 12-4

SERIES RECORD — Bears lead 29-14-1

LAST MEETING — Eagles beat Bears 31-3, Nov. 26, 2017

LAST WEEK — Eagles beat Redskins 24-0; Bears beat Vikings 24-10

AP PRO32 RANKING — Eagles No. 12, Bears No. 3

EAGLES OFFENSE — OVERALL (14), RUSH (28), PASS (7)

EAGLES DEFENSE — OVERALL (23), RUSH (7), PASS (30)

BEARS OFFENSE — OVERALL (21), RUSH (11), PASS (21)

BEARS DEFENSE — OVERALL (3), RUSH (1), PASS (7)

STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES — Eagles are 2-1 against Bears in postseason, with Chicago’s win coming in “Fog Bowl” at Soldier Field on Dec. 31, 1988. ... Eagles have won five of last six this season. ... Eagles are making 26th postseason appearance, trying to become third No. 6 seed to win Super Bowl. ... Philadelphia advanced to NFC title game as sixth seed following 2008 season, lost to Cardinals. ... QB Nick Foles is 3-1 in playoffs and was Super Bowl MVP last season. ... Zach Ertz set single-season record for TE with 116 catches. ... WR Alshon Jeffery had 843 yards receiving, his most since 1,133 with Chicago in 2014. He missed first three games of schedule with injury. ... WR Nelson Agholor had career-high 64 receptions. ... Rookie RB Josh Adams led team with 511 yards rushing. ... DT Fletcher Cox led team with career-high 10 1/2 sacks. DE Michael Bennett had nine sacks. ... S Malcolm Jenkins played every snap on defense and 136 on special teams. ... Bears posted their best record since 2006 team went 13-3 on way to Super Bowl appearance, loss to Colts. ... Bears captured NFC North championship, made playoffs for first time since 2010 team won division. ... Bears have won nine of 10. ... Coach Matt Nagy has more wins than any rookie coach in franchise history. ... Chicago went 7-1 at home after going 7-17 over previous three seasons under John Fox. ... Chicago led NFL in takeaways (36), interceptions (27), tied for third in sacks (50). Bears had franchise-low eight INTs in each of previous three seasons. ... Bears scored at least 24 points in 11 games, most for them since scoring 24 or more 11 times in 1995. ... Chicago allowed 1,280 yards rushing, franchise low for 16-game season. ... Bears gave up league-low 17.7 points per game. ... CB Kyle Fuller tied for league lead with seven interceptions. .. LB Khalil Mack led team with 12 1/2 sacks, tied for third in NFL with six forced fumbles. ... QB Mitchell Trubisky tied Bears single-season record with four 300-yard passing games. Trubisky compiled 109.7 rating over final three regular-season games, completing 75.9 percent of passes for three TDs, no INTs. MY PICK CHICAGO

NFL WILD CARD WEEKEND PREVIEW

NFL POSTSEASON BEGINS

​After an exciting finish to the regular season, the NFL’s second season has arrived.

The NFL postseason begins with four games on Wild Card Weekend.

Saturday, January 5
AFC	Indianapolis at Houston	4:35 PM ET	ESPN/ABC
NFC	Seattle at Dallas	8:15 PM ET	FOX
Sunday, January 6
AFC	Los Angeles Chargers at Baltimore	1:05 PM ET	​CBS
NFC	Philadelphia at Chicago	4:40 PM ET	NBC

Week 17 came right down to the wire. Sunday’s excitement was due in part to having 16 divisional games played on the season’s final day, a tradition instituted in 2010. Three playoff spots and three divisions titles – the AFC West, AFC North and AFC South – were decided on the final day of the season. 

The final 12 teams are set: 

AFC	NFC
1. Kansas City (12-4), AFC West champion	1. New Orleans (13-3), NFC South champion
2. New England (11-5), AFC East champion	2. Los Angeles Rams (13-3), NFC West champion
3. Houston (11-5), AFC South champion	3. Chicago (12-4), NFC North champion
4. Baltimore (10-6), AFC North champion	4. Dallas (10-6), NFC East champion
5. Los Angeles Chargers (12-4)	5. Seattle (10-6)
6. Indianapolis (10-6)	6. Philadelphia (9-7)

The NFL playoffs, which conclude on February 3 with Super Bowl LIII at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta (CBS, 6:30 PM ET), begin this Saturday and Sunday with Wild Card Weekend.  

Both the Chicago Bears (NFC North) and Houston Texans (AFC South) completed “worst-to-first” turnarounds and at least one team has won its division the season after finishing in or tied for last place in 15 of the past 16 seasons. 

With Chicago and Houston earning division titles, 2018 marked the second consecutive season that two teams went from worst to first (Jacksonville and Philadelphia in 2017) – something that has never happened in any other major US sport. 

Seven of the 12 playoff teams are new to the postseason in 2018: BALTIMORE, CHICAGO, DALLAS, HOUSTON, INDIANAPOLIS, the LOS ANGELES CHARGERS and SEATTLE. Since 1990 – a streak of 29 consecutive seasons – at least four teams have qualified for the playoffs in every season that were not in the postseason the year before. 

A look at the four games on Wild Card Weekend: 

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (10-6) at HOUSTON TEXANS (11-5) (Saturday, ESPN/ABC, 4:35 PM ET)      

• This is the first postseason meeting between the AFC South division rivals. In the regular season, the Colts hold a 26-8 advantage in 34 games played.  The Texans and Colts split the season series in 2018, with Houston winning 37-34 in overtime in Week 4 and Indianapolis taking the finale 24-21 in Week 14.
  
  
• The Colts have qualified for the postseason for the first time since 2014. Indianapolis had two players selected to the 2019 Pro Bowl: tight end ERIC EBRON and rookie guard QUENTON NELSON.
  
  
• The Texans won the AFC South for the third time in the past four seasons (2015 and 2016). Houston had four players selected to the 2019 Pro Bowl: linebacker JADEVEON CLOWNEY, wide receiver DE ANDRE HOPKINS, linebacker BENARDRICK MCKINNEY and defensive end J.J. WATT. 

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (10-6) at DALLAS COWBOYS (10-6) (Saturday, FOX, 8:15 PM ET)      

• This is the second postseason meeting between the two teams. The Seahawks defeated Dallas 21-20 in their 2006 NFC Wild Card meeting (January 6, 2007). The Cowboys lead the all-time series 10-9, including the postseason. This season, Seattle won 24-13 in their Week 3 meeting at CenturyLink Field.
   
• The Seahawks are back in the playoffs for the first time since 2016 and have advanced to the postseason in seven of head coach PETE CARROLL’s nine seasons with the team. Seattle had two players selected to the 2019 Pro Bowl: rookie punter MICHAEL DICKSON and linebacker BOBBY WAGNER.
• The Cowboys are back in the postseason after capturing the NFC East title for the first time since 2016. Dallas had five players selected to the 2019 Pro Bowl, tied with Chicago and New Orleans for the most in the NFC: running back EZEKIEL ELLIOTT, cornerback BYRON JONES, defensive end DEMARCUS LAWRENCE, guard ZACK MARTIN and tackle TYRON SMITH. 

LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (12-4) at BALTIMORE RAVENS (10-6) (Sunday, CBS, 1:05 PM ET)      

• This is the first postseason meeting between the two teams. Baltimore leads the all-time series 7-5, including a 22-10 win in Los Angeles in Week 16.  
• Baltimore has qualified for the postseason for the first time since 2014 and won the AFC North for the first time since 2012, when they were victorious in Super Bowl XLVII. The Ravens had three players selected to the 2019 Pro Bowl: linebacker C.J. MOSLEY, safety ERIC WEDDLE and guard MARSHAL YANDA.  
  
  
• The Chargers have advanced to the postseason for the first time since 2013. Los Angeles had a league-best seven players selected to the 2019 Pro Bowl: wide receiver KEENAN ALLEN, running back MELVIN GORDON, defensive end MELVIN INGRAM, rookie safety DERWIN JAMES, special teamer ADRIAN PHILLIPS, center MIKE POUNCEY and quarterback PHILIP RIVERS. 

PHIADELPHIA EAGLES (9-7) at CHICAGO BEARS (12-4) (Sunday, NBC, 4:40 PM ET)      

• The teams will meet in the postseason for the fourth time, with Philadelphia holding a 2-1 edge. In their most recent postseason matchup, the Eagles won 33-19 in Chicago in the 2001 NFC Divisional Playoffs (January 19, 2002). The Bears lead the all-time series 30-13-1, including the postseason.
   
• The Eagles, the defending Super Bowl champions, are in the postseason for consecutive years for the first time since the 2009-10 seasons and are seeking to become the first repeat Super Bowl champions since the 2003-04 NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS. Philadelphia had three players selected to the 2019 Pro Bowl: guard BRANDON BROOKS, defensive tackle FLETCHER COX and tight end ZACH ERTZ. 
  
  
• The Bears have qualified for the postseason and claimed the NFC North division title for the first time since 2010. Chicago had five players selected to the 2019 Pro Bowl, tied with Dallas and New Orleans for the most in the NFC: return specialist TARIK COHEN, cornerback KYLE FULLER, defensive tackle AKIEM HICKS, safety EDDIE JACKSON and linebacker KHALIL MACK. ​