What to look for
The NFL’s second season is underway, and eight teams are in the spotlight. In a bizarre twist, the hosting clubs are all underdogs. But it’s the playoffs, and these games can easily swing either direction. Times NFL writer Sam Farmer looks at what the first-round participants need -- and don’t need -- for the best chance to win this weekend:
Indianapolis at San Diego
Saturday, 5 p.m., Channel 4
Colts need: Bob Sanders. The NFL’s defending defensive player of the year was sidelined for much of the season -- including the victory at San Diego -- with knee and ankle problems. The safety has been especially missed against the run, where the Colts are ranked 24th. He’s supposed to play and could be a key.
Don’t need: Falling behind early would be a killer. It’s not as if the Colts have a problem with a comeback; they’ve been doing that all season. But the San Diego crowd was loud enough to be a factor in the Denver game, and should be even louder for the playoffs. If Indianapolis can score early and dampen that noise a bit, that will weigh heavily in the Colts’ favor.
Chargers need: An enhanced pass rush would be nice from a defense that finished tied for 22nd in sacks. Peyton Manning is a master of getting the ball out quickly, and was sacked only 14 times this season despite playing behind a patchwork line. But if the Chargers can disguise their looks and force him into bad throws -- something they’ve done before -- their defense can dictate the outcome. Remember, it was in San Diego last season that the Chargers intercepted six Manning passes.
Don’t need: Again, it comes down to pass defense. The secondary and the defensive front have to work together, especially against a team with so many weapons. Indianapolis has an embarrassment of riches at wideout and an X-factor in tight end Dallas Clark, who had 26 catches over the last three games. The Chargers have the offensive firepower to score with Indianapolis, but the 31st-ranked pass defense has to step up.
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Baltimore at Miami
Sunday, 10 a.m. PST, Channel 2
Ravens need: It sounds strange, seeing as these are the playoffs, but the Ravens need to guard against complacency. There has been a lot of talk about how soft the Dolphins’ schedule was, and how gutty little Miami was doing just enough to win. What’s more, Baltimore beat this team by two touchdowns in Week 7. But any NFL team that has won nine of 10 is scary-good.
Don’t need: Cam Cameron, Baltimore’s offensive coordinator, needs to resist the urge to prove to the Dolphins they made a mistake by firing him. Cameron was dumped as head coach after just one season -- one miserable, 1-15 season. He can’t get too fancy and, instead, just let the Ravens’ defense win the game.
Dolphins need: Miami can’t give up on the Wildcat formation, even though it didn’t work the first time against Baltimore. Why? Because the Ravens load up the box defensively and very seldom play with two deep safeties. Because Dolphins quarterback Chad Pennington won’t beat you with downfield throws, Miami could use the extra blocker that the Wildcat affords.
Don’t need: If the Dolphins are in a lot of third-and-long situations, they’re done. Baltimore’s defense will feast on those opportunities, probably with safety Ed Reed becoming a Dolphins receiver. Miami needs to be in third and three or shorter as much as possible. One way to do that could be by lining Pennington up at receiver every so often and forcing the Ravens to account for him.
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Atlanta at Arizona
Saturday, 1:30 p.m., Channel 4
Falcons need: Atlanta needs to lean on its running game in a big way. Rookie quarterback Matt Ryan has had a tremendous season, and this game won’t be too big for him. But if he’s throwing 30 passes in this one, it’s not a good sign. The one-two punch of Michael Turner (1,699 yards, 4.5 yards per carry) and Jerious Norwood (489, 5.1) has to do what it did all season and keep the defense on its heels.
Don’t need: A special-teams breakdown can cause big problems during the regular season but can be even more devastating in the postseason pressure cooker. Two Michael Koenen punts were blocked this season. Arizona’s signature victory, the shocker over Dallas, was decided when it blocked a punt in overtime.
Cardinals need: Despite their late-season drop-off, the Cardinals should be able to move the ball with their passing game and generate a lot of crowd noise at their home field. They have a terrible running game, but Kurt Warner has lived -- and usually thrived -- with that reality, especially with the wide receiver tandem of Anquan Boldin (89 receptions) and Larry Fitzgerald (96). Hanging with the Falcons in the time-of-possession battle will be big for Arizona.
Don’t need: What the Cardinals need to worry about is stopping the run, and forcing Ryan into the third-and-long situations. Watch the third-down count. If Atlanta is in double digits, that will make for a long day for the rookie quarterback. If Ryan can make first downs on first and second, the Falcons are in good shape.
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Philadelphia at Minnesota
Sunday, 1:30 p.m. PST, Channel 11
Eagles need: Like always, Philadelphia needs to get the ball into the hands of Brian Westbrook. He’s as multi-dimensional to the Eagles as Marshall Faulk used to be to the St. Louis Rams. With Westbrook on the field, the Eagles become a three-wide-receiver offense with base personnel in the game. That creates matchup advantages.
Don’t need: As much as they may want to soak in the energy of these playoffs -- and the amazing way they got this far -- the Eagles can’t get carried away with their emotions. They’re a team prone to lofty highs and floor-scraping lows. They scored 44 against Dallas, for instance, a week after scoring three at Washington. If the Eagles keep their cool they should be fine.
Vikings need: Handling Philadelphia’s defensive pressure will be the key for the Vikings. When people think pressure, they immediately think about disrupting the passing game. But most of the zone pressures in the NFL are designed to stop the running game. So the Vikings need to create opportunities for Adrian Peterson and get the ball into his hands. A lot.
Don’t need: Everything the Vikings do offensively should be focused on lifting the pressure off quarterback Tarvaris
Jackson, who has good mobility but doesn’t always make the best decisions. Although Jackson has played better lately,
the Vikings need him to be a game manager and not a game changer.
