NFL PLAYOFFS: THE FIRST LOOK AT THE SECOND ROUND

THE NFC

Minnesota Vikings at San Francisco 49ers

* Time: Saturday, 1 p.m.

* TV: Channel 11

* Radio: KNX (1070)

* Records: Vikings 10-7, 49ers 13-3

* The Line: 49ers by 13

* Vikings by the numbers (with NFL ranking):

Offense--334.6 (8th)

Passing--207.1 (14th)

Rushing--127.6 (6th)

Defense--355.4 (29th)

vs. Pass--231.5 (29th)

vs. Rush--123.9 (23rd)

* 49ers by the numbers (with NFL ranking):

Offense--319.5 (12th)

Passing--196.4 (17th)

Rushing--123.1 (8th)

Defense--250.8 (1st)

vs. Pass--165.4 (2nd)

vs. Rush--85.4 (2nd)

* Viking outlook: The Vikings stumbled into the playoffs, and they came less than two minutes from stumbling right back out again. Then came one of the biggest and most improbable comebacks in postseason history. Now, if only because of their resilience, the Vikings look a lot more like the team that won six straight games at midseason than the one that dropped five in a row late in the year. “At the beginning of the season people didn’t even expect us to make it to the playoffs,” defensive end John Randle said. “Some people don’t know what they’re talking about.”

* Player to watch for Vikings: Running back Robert Smith. If the 49ers contain Smith, they will shut down the Viking offense. Remember, the Giants shut down Smith and held a large lead throughout their game against Minnesota, until they fell apart at the end.

* 49er outlook: The 49ers are one of the elite teams in the league, but looked foolish in a blowout loss to Kansas City earlier this season, and did not play a very tough schedule. Playing eight games within their own division guaranteed them at least eight victories this season. And they still don’t have Jerry Rice. But the Vikings should not present much of a problem.

* Player to watch for 49ers: Quarterback Steve Young. He has lost a step in quickness, and it seems as if the next big hit will shatter his body into a thousand pieces, but he is the unquestioned leader of this team. The 49ers will go as far as he carries them.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Green Bay Packers

* Time: Sunday, 9:30 a.m.

* TV: Channel 11

* Radio: KNX (1070)

* Records: Buccaneers 11-6, Packers 13-3

* The Line: Packers by 13

* Buccaneers by the numbers (with NFL ranking):

Offense--273.5 (29th)

Passing--152.6 (30th)

Rushing--120.9 (11th)

Defense--289.1 (3rd)

vs. Pass--188.0 (9th)

vs. Rush--101.1 (6th)

* Packers by the numbers (with NFL ranking):

Offense--350.9 (4th)

Passing--231.6 (3rd)

Rushing--119.3 (11th)

Defense--301.7 (7th)

vs. Pass--184.4 (8th)

vs. Rush--117.3 (20th)

* Buccaneer outlook: The victory over Detroit on Saturday, the Buccaneers’ first playoff game at Houlihan’s Stadium in 18 years, sends them to Green Bay next Sunday for a third meeting this season against the defending Super Bowl champion. “If we can match their physicality and their emotion, we can go up there and win,” quarterback Trent Dilfer said. The Packers swept the season series between the NFC Central rivals and have won nine of 10 games against Tampa Bay. Nevertheless, the Buccaneers insist they’ll head north with confidence. “We didn’t want to be happy just being in the playoffs. Now, we don’t want to be happy winning one game,” second-year coach Tony Dungy said.

* Players to watch for Buccaneers: Everyone on the defensive line. If Tampa Bay can apply pressure to Brett Favre and contain Dorsey Levens, they have a chance. The Buccaneers have the third-ranked rushing defense in the NFC.

* Packer outlook: Green Bay insisted all along it didn’t care who the first playoff opponent would be. “We’re playing at Lambeau, so that’s the only thing that matters,” defensive end Reggie White said. Still, you’ve got to believe White was smiling Sunday night when the Buccaneers secured a visit to Lambeau Field. Tampa Bay has never won in temperatures colder than 42 degrees. The average high in Green Bay in January? Twenty-three degrees.

* Player to watch for 49ers: Quarterback Brett Favre. Favre is unbeaten in 22 cold-weather games at Lambeau Field--when the kickoff temperature is 35 degrees or below--including three times this season.

THE AFC

New England Patriots at Pittsburgh Steelers

* Time: Saturday, 9:30 a.m.

* TV: Channel 4

* Radio: KNX (1070)

* Records: Patriots 11-6, Steelers 11-5

* The Line: Steelers by 6

* Patriots by the numbers (with NFL ranking):

Offense--313.4 (15th)

Passing--221.9 (7th)

Rushing--91.5 (27th)

Defense--317.2 (19th)

vs. Pass--216.2 (21st)

vs. Rush--101.0 (5th)

* Steelers by the numbers (with NFL ranking):

Offense--346.4 (6th)

Passing--191.4 (23rd)

Rushing--154.9 (1st)

Defense--294.1 (6th)

vs. Pass--211.7 (18th)

vs. Rush--82.4 (1st)

* Patriot outlook: Playing without running back Curtis Martin, who missed his fourth consecutive game with groin and shoulder problems, New England advanced to the second round by defeating Miami for the third time this season. The Patriots also won for the fifth time in six games despite playing without Martin and the loss of running back-kick returner Dave Meggett with a groin injury in the second quarter. New England will need both of these players to return to beat Pittsburgh.

* Players to watch for Patriots: The defense. The Patriot defense peaks for the playoffs. That’s not likely to change, even with Dan Marino and the Dolphins’ bumbling offense finally out of the way. “Our defense has come together,” Patriot cornerback Jimmy Hitchcock said. “Their whole offensive line was confused. Dan Marino was confused.” They will need to confuse Jerome Bettis and Kordell Stewart next.

* Steeler outlook: The Steelers get a return playoff date with the Patriots, who knocked them out of last year’s playoffs, 28-3. This time, though, the game is at Three Rivers Stadium, where the Steelers have won seven in a row. And the Steelers beat New England only two weeks ago, rallying for a dramatic 24-21 overtime victory.

* Player to watch for the Steelers: Running back Jerome Bettis. In last year’s playoff loss to New England, Bettis was severely limited by a badly pulled groin. He is rested and ready this year. “It’s frustrating because you hate to let your team down in such a big game,” Bettis said. “But I’m ready this year.”

Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs

* Time: Sunday, 1 p.m.

* TV: Channel 4

* Radio: KNX (1070)

* Records: Broncos 13-4, Chiefs 13-3

* The Line: Chiefs by 1 1/2

* Broncos by the numbers (with NFL ranking):

Offense--367.0 (1st)

Passing--218.4 (9th)

Rushing--148.6 (3rd)

Defense--291.9 (5th)

vs. Pass--179.3 (5th)

vs. Rush--112.7 (16th)

* Chiefs by the numbers (with NFL ranking):

Offense--316.5 (14th)

Passing--180.8 (26th)

Rushing--135.7 (5th)

Defense--305.0 (11th)

vs. Pass--203.7 (16th)

vs. Rush--101.3 (7th)

* Bronco outlook: Shrugging off injuries to two of their three tailbacks, the Broncos pounded out 310 yards on the ground--the fifth-best rushing performance in NFL postseason history--to beat the Jacksonville Jaguars, 42-17 in a wild-card game. Terrell Davis, who had missed the final regular-season game with a slightly separated right shoulder, carried 31 times for 184 yards and two touchdowns before leaving the game late in the third quarter because of bruised ribs.

* Players to watch for Broncos: Running backs Terrell Davis and Derek Loville. X-rays were negative on Davis’ bruised ribs, but his availability for the Kansas City game is uncertain. If Davis can’t go, seldom-used Derek Loville will take up the slack. Loville ran for 103 yards and two fourth-quarter scores against Jacksonville. “Derek was awesome,” quarterback John Elway said. “He’s got a lot of talent, but it’s tough to get a lot of reps when you’ve got a guy like Terrell. Terrell went down, Derek came in and we never missed a step.”

* Chief outlook: Kansas City split the season series against Denver, and has yet to play a complete game against the Broncos. And even though Coach Marty Schottenheimer says there’s no question about it, a lot of people question whether Elvis Grbac should be the starting quarterback.

* Players to watch for Chiefs: Quarterback Elvis Grbac. In the final game of the regular season, a 25-13 victory over New Orleans, Grbac passed the health test but flunked the passing game test. Grbac was sacked seven times and completed five of 14 passes before he was replaced by backup Rich Gannon.