ANALYSIS : These Games Have a Little of Everything

No sooner than you can say, “That 59-year-old man punched who? “ the NFL postseason has arrived, and just in time.

Much in the manner of the nine clubs heading into the playoffs with winning streaks, the league has saved its best for last.

After a regular season featuring about five great weeks of football stretched over 18, prepare for a month that won’t seem long enough.

The playoffs have suspense: Who will Buddy Ryan slug next?

Opponents of the Houston Oilers hope that their defensive coordinator doesn’t waste his energy on another coach. A left hook to Warren Moon’s ribs might be nice.

The playoffs have domestic unrest: The Pittsburgh Steelers’ offensive and defensive units are barely speaking to each other.

In a halftime meeting Sunday, linebacker Greg Lloyd harangued his teammates on offense as slackers.

Quarterback Neil O’Donnell replied with something witty like, “Takes one to call one.”

The playoffs have intrigue: Dan Reeves, coach of the New York Giants, changed the way he called plays Sunday after wondering if the Dallas Cowboys were stealing his signs from the sidelines.

“The only thing is, if you’re going to steal signs, you have to assume that your defense knows what to do with them,” said Bart Oates, the Giants’ center. “We all know defensive players have enough trouble just figuring out who to tackle.”

The playoffs have inspiration: Emmitt Smith played so hard and so hurt Sunday for the Cowboys, he walked from the winning drive to the hospital, where he spent the night after having his separated shoulder treated.

“That will be the biggest problem for any team in the playoffs--figuring out a way to stop No. 22,” Giant linebacker Corey Miller said. “Man beat us all by himself.”

The playoffs have comebacks: Barry Sanders is expected to return to the field for the Detroit Lions after sitting out parts of six games because of a knee injury.

The Buffalo Bills are expected to return to the AFC championship game for the fourth consecutive year.

Guess which event most fans are anticipating more?

“Nobody wants to see us in the Super Bowl again, which has led to our goal this year,” Buffalo quarterback Jim Kelly said. “Make everybody mad.”

The playoffs have youthful enthusiasm: One day after losing to the Lions, setting up a rematch in Detroit this weekend, Green Bay Packer quarterback Brett Favre spoke bravely.

He said he wished he could have stayed on the field Sunday and started the playoff game immediately after the regular-season game had ended.

So did the Lions. They picked off four of Favre’s passes, saddling him with a league-high 24 interceptions.

One interception came on the kind of pass most often seen in a schoolyard game, Favre flinging the ball into the air as he was being sacked.

“If he was attempting to throw the ball away, then that’s not how you do it,” Packer Coach Mike Holmgren said. “If he was trying to complete the ball to somebody, that’s still not how you do it.”

The playoffs have injustices: Kicker Jeff Jaeger of the Raiders tied a 10-year-old NFL record for most field goals in a season with 35, yet did not make the Pro Bowl.

The Giants’ defense led the league in fewest points given up, yet none of their players made the Pro Bowl.

Kevin Gilbride, Oiler offensive coordinator and the object of Ryan’s affections, never had a chance to punch back.

The playoffs have Joe: The Kansas City Chiefs’ public relations office received 85 calls about Montana on Sunday. Nearly every caller had only one question.

Yes, Montana is sound and will start Saturday against the Pittsburgh Steelers in his first playoff appearance in four years.

Yes, he is still the best postseason quarterback ever, with a 14-5 record, a record 4,758 postseason yards passing, a record 39 touchdowns, and only 17 interceptions.

That should be the best first-round game, with the Chiefs possibly traveling to Houston for the most interesting second-round match.

The Cowboys, meanwhile, already have the second round figured out.

“Leaving the field, several of their guys told me they expected to be seeing us in Dallas in two weeks,” Giant linebacker Miller said. “We expect to be there too.”

Wonder if the Minnesota Vikings’ Jim McMahon, who has led the team to eight victories in the 11 games in which he has played at least one quarter, will have anything to say about that.

The only thing that seems predestined--and the NFL is already crossing its fingers in anticipation--is two provocative championship-game matchups.

Wouldn’t Steve Young love a chance to bring the San Francisco 49ers to Dallas and defeat a younger quarterback who has beaten him not only on the field, but in the hearts of those fans who voted for the Pro Bowl players? Troy Aikman awaits.

And aren’t the Oilers excited about a chance to redeem themselves for blowing a 32-point lead against the Bills in last year’s playoffs?

All of this is just calisthenics for Jan. 30 in Atlanta, of course.

Possible titles for the big game include the All-Texas Super Bowl. This would be Houston vs. Dallas, a truly sexy matchup when one considers it is Ryan against Jimmy Johnson, who has accused Ryan of being a bounty hunter.

There is also a chance of an All-49er Super Bowl. This would be much more than the 49ers vs. the Chiefs, it would be Young vs. that shadow named Montana.

How about an All-Giant-Quarterbacks-Who-Just-Find-a-Way-To-Win Super Bowl? Announcers for a game between Jeff Hostetler’s Raiders and Phil Simms’ Giants would set a record for usage of the term hard-nosed.

Before you get too excited, realize we could end up with an All-Losers Super Bowl. The Vikings and Denver Broncos are a combined 0-8 in the big game.

What fun that would be. Maybe McMahon could moon himself.