NFL Playoffs Feature Rematches

Tennessee upsets the Steelers' shot at top playoff berth

(NEWSER) - In NFL games today, New York Jets likely blew their playoff chances in a snowy loss to Seattle, while Tennessee clinched home-field advantage, AP reports:

• Seattle coach Mike Holmgren topped his former star player Brett Favre as the Jets missed several scoring chances and lost their bid to stay atop the AFC East, 13-3.
• The lowly Bills upended Denver, 30-23, as the Broncos failed to clinch a playoff berth.
• Tennessee routed the Pittsburgh Steelers 31-14 to clinch the No. 1 seed and home-field advantage for the playoffs.
• With a 42-7 loss to the New Orleans Saints, the Detroit Lions became the first team ever to go 0-15.

But hold your bets: Rankings show winning isn't everything

(NEWSER) - Great NFL organizations don’t always win Super Bowls, so Adam Schein separates the well oiled from the well Lombardi’d for Fox Sports, ranking franchises on everything from their coaching staffs to public-relations people. The top three:

• New England Patriots: “The model franchise in all of professional sports.”
• Pittsburgh Steelers: A penchant for toughness and even tougher fan base.

Arizona's Pittsburgh transplants give Cards an edge—if not the edge

(NEWSER) - You can't spell “conflict” without NFL, and this year's Super Bowl contains plenty of opposing loyalties, Sam Farmer writes in the Los Angeles Times. You can’t throw a stone at the Arizona Cardinals’ sideline without hitting a former Pittsburgh resident, player, or coach—and that last category might give Arizona an edge, Rick Gosselin adds in the Dallas Morning News. More»

Elsewhere, Bucs and Panthers both get thumped on the road

(NEWSER) - The New York Giants had a less-than-stellar day on offense, but it was just enough in a 16-13 win as Philadelphia's long field goal attempt hit the upright with no time left. The ho-hum game featured 12 punts and only one pass play longer than 20 yards as the visiting Giants all but secured a wild-card berth. In other action: More»

Philly RB Moats breaks his ankle

(NEWSER) - The Ravens defeated the Donovan McNabb-deprived Eagles 29-3 in last night's preseason opener in Baltimore. McNabb, who's still recovering from knee surgery, watched three of his teammates get injured in the carnage as the Ravens crushed his dilapidated offense. Most serious was running back Ryan Moats' fractured ankle, which could sideline him for the year. More»