Here's what to look for in the upcoming Wildcard Weekend Playoff Round

 

From Wild Card to Super Bowl

Winners in the Wild Card round have won the Super Bowl eight times, including each of the past two seasons. At least one Super Bowl participant in six of the past seven years played a Wild Card game.

The New York Giants won four playoff games last year to win Super Bowl XLVI in Indianapolis. Two seasons ago, the Green Bay Packers claimed four playoff victories to become the second No. 6 seed to win the Super Bowl. In 2008, the NFC No. 4 seed Arizona Cardinals won three postseason games for a berth in Super Bowl XLIII.

Five years ago, the NFC No. 5 seed New York Giants won three road playoff games en route to a Super Bowl XLII victory. In 2006, AFC No. 3 seed Indianapolis won Super Bowl XLI. Seven years ago, Pittsburgh became the first No. 6 seed to win a Super Bowl, defeating the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XL.

The Wild Card participants to win the Super Bowl:

Season	Team	Super Bowl Result
Source: NFL
1980	Oakland	Defeated Philadelphia in Super Bowl XV, 27-10
1997	Denver	Defeated Green Bay in Super Bowl XXXII, 31-24
2000	Baltimore	Defeated New York Giants in Super Bowl XXXV, 34-7
2005	Steelers	Defeated Seattle in Super Bowl XL, 21-10
2006	Indianapolis	Defeated Chicago in Super Bowl XLI, 29-17
2007	New York Giants	Defeated New England in Super Bowl XLII, 17-14
2010	Packers	Defeated Pittsburgh in Super Bowl XLV, 31-25
2011	New York Giants	Defeated New England in Super Bowl XLVI, 21-17

 

Rookie-QB Record

Three rookie quarterbacks projected to start this weekend -- Indianapolis' ANDREW LUCK (11), Seattle's RUSSELL WILSON (11) and Washington's ROBERT GRIFFIN III (nine) -- led their team to the playoffs with a combined 31 wins as starters, compiling eight more victories than the league-wide rookie record entering the season (23 in 2011). Starting rookie QBs won 46 games in 2012.

Wild Card Weekend in 2012 will feature the most rookie quarterbacks starting a postseason game since 1966 (two in 2011; two in 2008). All three starters could become the sixth rookie quarterback to win his first playoff game, and at least one is guaranteed to join the ranks.

On Sunday, the AFC No. 5 seed Colts (11-5) visit the No. 4 seed Ravens (10-6), while the NFC No. 4 seed Redskins (10-6) host the No. 5 seed Seahawks (11-5). The Seattle-Washington contest will be the second playoff game in NFL history and in as many seasons with two rookie quarterbacks starting against each. Last year, T.J. YATES led the Texans to a 31-10 victory over ANDY DALTON and the Bengals in the Wild Card round.

With Luck (No. 1 overall) and Griffin (No. 2 overall) qualifying, the 2012 postseason is the first to feature the top-two picks from the most recent draft since 1983 when Pro Football Hall of Famers JOHN ELWAY (with Denver, No. 1 overall by the Baltimore Colts) and ERIC DICKERSON (No. 2 overall by the Los Angeles Rams) reached the playoffs. It will also be only the second time since the advent of the common draft in 1967 that the first two teams to select quarterbacks in that year's draft reached the postseason (2008: MATT RYAN, No. 3 overall by Atlanta; JOE FLACCO, No. 18 overall by Baltimore).

The 11 rookie quarterbacks to start a playoff game (since 1966):

Quarterback	Season	Team	First Start Result	Playoff Result
Source: NFL
Dan Marino	1983	Miami	Lost 27-20 vs. Seattle	Advanced to Divisional
Bernie Kosar	1985	Cleveland	Lost 24-21 at Miami	Advanced to Divisional
Jim Everett	1986	L.A. Rams	Lost 19-7 at Washington	Advanced to Wild Card
Todd Marinovich	1991	L.A. Raiders	Lost 10-6 at Kansas City	Advanced to Wild Card
Shaun King	1999	Tampa Bay	Won 14-13 vs. Washington	Advanced to NFC Championship
Ben Roethlisberger	2004	Steelers	Won 20-17 vs. NY Jets (OT)	Advanced to AFC Championship
Joe Flacco	2008	Baltimore	Won 27-9 at Miami	Advanced to AFC Championship
Matt Ryan	2008	Atlanta	Lost 30-24 at Arizona	Advanced to Wild Card
Mark Sanchez	2009	N.Y. Jets	Won 24-14 at Cincinnati	Advanced to AFC Championship
Andy Dalton	2011	Cincinnati	Lost 31-10 at Houston	Advanced to Wild Card
T.J. Yates	2011	Houston	Won 31-10 vs. Cincinnati	Advanced to Divisional

 

First-Timers

Five quarterbacks -- Washington's ROBERT GRIFFIN III, Indianapolis' ANDREW LUCK, Minnesota's CHRISTIAN PONDER, Houston's MATT SCHAUB and Seattle's RUSSELL WILSON -- will make their first career postseason starts during Wild Card Weekend.

The players with the most passing yards in their first career postseason start:

Player	Team	Date	Round	Passing Yards
Source: NFL
Kelly Holcomb	Cleveland	1/5/2003	Wild Card	429
Aaron Rodgers	Packers	1/10/2010	Wild Card	423
Randall Cunningham	Philadelphia	12/31/1988	Divisional	407
Kurt Warner	St. Louis	1/16/2000	Divisional	391
Neil Lomax	St. Louis	1/8/1983	Wild Card	385

 

NFC Northern Exposure

This Saturday, the GREEN BAY PACKERS (11-5) host the NFC North rival MINNESOTA VIKINGS (10-6) in the third game between the clubs this year. During the regular season, the home team won both contests, with the Vikings kicking a field goal as time expired to earn a 37-34 victory in Week 17 and a Wild Card berth.

While the division foes meet in the playoffs for only the second time (2004 Wild Card), both have frequented the NFL's second season as the Packers (46) and Vikings (45) rank fourth and fifth, respectively, for most postseason games all-time.

With a 29-17 record, Green Bay also owns the league's top postseason winning percentage (.630) and can become the third team in league annals (DALLAS, 33; PITTSBURGH 33) with 30 playoff victories.

The Packers are led by quarterback AARON RODGERS, who finished the season with the league's top passer rating (108.0) and possesses the highest passer rating (105.5) in NFL postseason history. Rodgers has passed for more yards (2,840) and touchdowns (24) against Minnesota than any other opponent.

Vikings running back ADRIAN PETERSON, who rushed for 199 yards and two touchdowns last week and tied Pro Football Hall of Famer EARL CAMPBELL (1980) for the most 150-yard games (seven) in a season in league history, registered 2,097 rushing yards in 2012, the second-most in a season in NFL history (Pro Football Hall of Famer ERIC DICKERSON, 2,105 in 1984). In 12 career games against Green Bay, Peterson has 1,442 rushing yards (120.2 per game), his most against any opponent.

The NFL's all-time top playoff teams by wins, games played and winning percentage:

Most Playoff Wins		Most Playoff Games		Best Playoff Winning Percentage
Source: NFL
Cowboys	33	Cowboys	58	Packers	29	17	.630
Steelers	33	Steelers	54	Steelers	33	21	.611
Packers	29	Giants	48	Panthers	6	4	.600
49ers	26	Packers	46	49ers	26	18	.591
Raiders	25	Vikings	45	Patriots	23	16	.590

 

Winter Wayne

Colts wide receiver REGGIE WAYNE posted 106 receptions in 2012 and his fourth career 100-catch season, tied for the second-most in league history.

With at least six catches at Baltimore, Wayne (83 receptions) can move into second on the all-time postseason receptions list, surpassing ANDRE REED (85), Pro Football Hall of Famer MICHAEL IRVIN (87) and HINES WARD (88). Pro Football Hall of Famer JERRY RICE holds the record with 151 receptions.

The players with the most receptions in the postseason all-time:

Player	Team(s)	Receptions
Source: NFL *Active
Jerry Rice	49ers, Oakland, Seattle	151
Hines Ward	Pittsburgh	88
Michael Irvin	Dallas	87
Andre Reed	Buffalo	85
Reggie Wayne*	Colts	83

 

Reliable Ravens

Sunday afternoon, Baltimore quarterback JOE FLACCO will become the first quarterback to start a postseason game in each of his first five seasons during the Super Bowl era. Flacco (5-4) won at least one playoff game in each of his first four years.

With one interception on Wild Card Weekend, safety ED REED (eight) would tie Pro Football Hall of Famer RONNIE LOTT (nine), BILL SIMPSON (nine) and CHARLIE WATERS (nine) for the most postseason interceptions in league annals.

The players with the most interceptions in the postseason all-time:

Player	Team(s)	INTs
Source: NFL *Active
Ronnie Lott	49ers, Raiders	9
Bill Simpson	Rams, Buffalo	9
Charlie Waters	Dallas	9
Lester Hayes	Raiders	8
Ed Reed*	Ravens	8

 

 

Copyright © 2013 iHaveNet.com