What To Look For – Wild Card Weekend

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:

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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):

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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:

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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:

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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:

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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:

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AFC & NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME CREDENTIAL NOTICE: The NFL is accepting credential applications for the AFC and NFC Championship Games. 

For media covering the Championship Games regardless of competing teams, applications are available on www.nflmedia.com.  From the home page, click on “Event Credentials.”  The deadline to submit a credential application is Tuesday, January 8, 2013.  If you plan on covering both games, you must submit a separate form for each game.

Media that will only staff the games dependent upon the participating teams should not apply using this application.  Those organizations should contact the competing team public relations staffs.

The AFC and NFC Championship Games will be played on Sunday, January 20.