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 14

* Vs. common opponents: Vikings 3-1 (d. Carolina, d. Philadelphia, 1-1 vs. Tampa Bay); 49ers 3-1 (2-0 vs. Carolina, d. Philadelphia, lost to Tampa Bay).

* Last meeting: Dec. 7, 1997 at San Francisco, 49ers 28, Vikings 17--San Francisco quarterback Steve Young completed 20 of 25 passes for 280 yards and two touchdowns. 49er defensive end Chris Doleman had 3 1/2 sacks.

* Last meeting in playoffs: Jan. 6, 1990 at San Francisco, 49ers 41, Vikings 13--San Francisco quarterback Joe Montana passes for four first-half touchdowns--two to Jerry Rice--on the way to a Super Bowl championship.

* Storyline: Minnesota is coming off a 23-22 wild-card victory over the New York Giants in which the Vikings overcame a 16-point halftime deficit, the fifth-largest comeback in NFL playoff history. The Vikings have an offense that was rated fourth in the NFC this season, including a rushing game ranked second in the conference. Viking running back Robert Smith, who set a team record for rushing yards (1,266), faces the NFC’s top rushing defense, led by Dana Stubblefield, who was voted the NFL’s defensive player of the year. The Vikings should also be wary of Doleman, who tied for fifth in the NFC in sacks (12.0).

* Now you know: A decade ago (1988-90), these teams met three consecutive years in the divisional playoffs, with San Francisco winning two of the three.

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 14

* Vs. common opponents: Buccaneers 6-3 (1-1 vs. Chicago, 1-1 vs. Detroit, d. Indianapolis, d. Miami, 1-1 vs. Minnesota, d. New England); Packers 7-2 (2-0 vs. Chicago, 1-1 vs. Detroit, lost to Indianapolis, d. Miami, 2-0 vs. Minnesota, d. New England).

* Last meeting: Dec. 7, 1997 at Tampa, Packers 17, Buccaneers 6--Green Bay quarterback Brett Favre passed for two touchdowns and Packers clinched a third consecutive NFC Central Division title.

* Last meeting in playoffs: Never met in playoffs.

* Storyline: Game features two award winners. Favre won an unprecedented third consecutive NFL most valuable player award and Buccaneer running back Warrick Dunn was offensive rookie of the year. Dunn led all rookies in total yards from scrimmage (1,440). This is the third meeting of the season between the teams. “The more you play somebody, the more they know you, but the more you know them,” Packer Coach Mike Holmgren said. “If you talked to a statistician or mathematician, they would factor those things in if you were at a neutral site. But we’re not at a neutral site.” Green Bay has won 26 consecutive games at Lambeau Field.

* Now you know: Favre’s 94.7 passer rating is the fourth-highest in NFL postseason history. He ranks behind Bart Starr (104.8), Troy Aikman (96.0) and Joe Montana (95.6).

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 7

* Vs. common opponents: Patriots 3-1 (lost to Denver, 2-0 vs. Indianapolis, d. Jacksonville); Steelers 3-1 (d. Denver, d. Indianapolis, 1-1 vs. Jacksonville).

* Last meeting: Dec. 13, 1997 at Foxboro, Mass., Steelers 24, Patriots 21, OT--Steeler defensive end Kevin Henry returned an interception 36 yards in fourth quarter to set up quarterback Kordell Stewart’s game-tying touchdown pass and two-point conversion with 38 seconds left. Norm Johnson kicked a 31-yard field goal 4:43 into overtime.

* Last meeting in playoffs: Jan. 12, 1997 at Foxboro, Mass, Patriots 28, Steelers 3--Patriot running back Curtis Martin rushed for team playoff record 166 yards and three touchdowns.

* Storyline: The Steelers have won 21 of their last 23 at home, including three playoff games. “We’ll have our hands full,” New England Coach Pete Carroll said. Those hands will be trying to slow down Jerome Bettis, the AFC’s No. 2 rusher. New England finished third in the AFC against the rush and held Bettis to 80 yards in December. Pittsburgh’s pass defense will have its hands full with Patriot quarterback Drew Bledsoe, third in AFC in passer rating.

* Now you know: Pittsburgh has 20 postseason victories and needs one to tie the Redskins and Raiders for third-most in NFL history behind Dallas (32) and San Francisco (22).

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

* vs. common opponents: Broncos 8-3 (d. Buffalo, d. Carolina, 1-1 vs. Oakland, lost to Pittsburgh, 2-0 vs. San Diego, lost to San Francisco, d. St. Louis, 2-0 vs. Seattle); Chiefs 11-0 (d. Buffalo, d. Carolina, 2-0 vs. Oakland, d. Pittsburgh, 2-0 vs. San Diego, d. San Francisco, d. St. Louis, 2-0 vs. Seattle).

* Last meeting: Nov. 16, 1997 at Kansas City, Chiefs 24, Broncos 22--Pete Stoyanovich kicked a 54-yard field goal with no time remaining for second-longest game winner on the last play of a game in NFL history.

* Last meeting in playoffs: Have never met in playoffs.

* Storyline: Denver has the league’s top-rated offense (367 yards per game), featuring John Elway (3,635 passing yards), Terrell Davis (1,750 rushing yards), wide receiver Rod Smith (1,180 receiving yards) and tight end Shannon Sharpe (1,107). They face a Chief defense that set an NFL record by not allowing a second-half touchdown in 10 consecutive games. That unit is led by cornerback Mark McMillian, who tied for the most interceptions in the AFC, and defensive end Dan Williams, who tied for the fourth-most sacks in the conference.

* Now you know: Elway, currently at 3,770 yards, needs 94 passing yards to pass Terry Bradshaw and Jim Kelly for second place in NFL postseason history. Joe Montana is the leader with 5,772 yards.