In the two rematches and two familiar matchups that compose this weekend’s NFL conference semifinals, the home teams haven’t always enjoyed the edge.
When the Green Bay Packers travel to Philadelphia to play the Eagles on Sunday, they will be trying to avenge a 17-14 loss Nov. 10 at Lambeau Field. The Eagles will be trying to make amends for losing last year’s NFC title game at home to Tampa Bay.
The Indianapolis Colts have beaten the Kansas City Chiefs six times in a row, including four times at Arrowhead Stadium, where visitors aren’t supposed to feel so comfortable. In their last playoff meeting in 1995, the Colts and Jim Harbaugh upset the Chiefs at Arrowhead.
The St. Louis Rams’ 14-game home winning streak is the longest of any team left in the playoffs, but the Carolina Panthers beat them four times in St. Louis in the seven years they played together in the NFC West. That series is tied 7-7, and a visiting team won at least once every year they met from 1995-2001.
The New England Patriots and Tennessee Titans come from a more conventional series, including the Patriots’ 38-30 victory Oct. 5 in Foxboro, Mass. From their old AFL days as the Boston Patriots and Houston Oilers, home teams have won 70 percent of the time. But in their only postseason game, the Oilers went on the road in 1978 and won a divisional playoff game 31-14.
SATURDAY
Carolina at St. Louis, 3:30 p.m.
The teams haven’t played since their NFC West alliance ended after 2001, so this is the first chance for John Fox to test his Carolina defense against Mad Mike Martz’s “Greatest Show on Turf.”
As defensive coordinator of the New York Giants, Fox was 0-4 against the Rams, 0-3 with Martz running the Rams’ offense.
If the Panthers can keep it close, they have a 9-3 record in games decided by less than a touchdown. The Rams like to jump on visitors early at the noisy Edward Jones Dome, where they won by an average margin of 17 points this season. But the Rams also were 5-1 in games decided by less than a touchdown.
This has been an offense vs. defense rivalry from its inception.
Tennessee at New England, 7:15 p.m.
On Oct. 5, these teams scored 25 points in the final 4 minutes 40 seconds, so it’s doubtful the rematch can equal that drama.
Co-MVP Steve McNair of the Titans was 23-of-45 for 391 yards and sneaked for two touchdowns. His two-point conversion pass gave the Titans a 27-24 lead with 4:40 left.
But New England rookie Bethel Johnson returned the ensuing kickoff 71 yards to set up Mike Cloud’s 15-yard touchdown run, and cornerback Tyrone Law sealed it with a 65-yard interception return for a score before the Titans kicked a final field goal.
Patriots quarterback Tom Brady passed for 219 yards and one touchdown, and Antowain Smith outrushed Tennessee’s Eddie George 80 yards to 35.
The Titans went on to lead the league in rushing defense and the Patriots allowed only 22 points at home in their final six games, including three shutouts, so these aren’t the same two teams that met in October.
SUNDAY
Indianapolis at Kansas City, noon
Co-MVP Peyton Manning answered questions about his 0-3 playoff record with five touchdown passes Sunday against the Denver Broncos. Now the Chiefs have to answer questions about their 0-3 record against Manning and their 0-4 record against receiver Marvin Harrison and their 0-1 record against the Colts in playoff games at Arrowhead Stadium.
The teams haven’t played since 2001 at Arrowhead, Dick Vermeil’s first year in Kansas City. That’s when Manning threw two touchdown passes and Kansas City’s Trent Green threw three in a 35-28 shootout won by the Colts when backup running back Dominic Rhodes returned a kickoff 88 yards for a touchdown and scored on a 77-yard run. It also was the year before Tony Dungy took over in Indianapolis.
The Chiefs’ 29th-ranked defense is the lowest-ranked offensive or defensive unit left in the playoffs.
Green Bay at Philadelphia, 3:45 p.m.
In a steady rain on Monday night, Nov. 10, Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb hit Todd Pinkston for a 6-yard touchdown pass with 27 seconds left. The Packers fumbled six times, including three by quarterback Brett Favre three weeks after breaking his thumb, and two by running back Ahman Green, who rushed for 192 yards and scored on a 45-yard run and a 24-yard screen pass.
The winning touchdown came against Packers cornerback Bhawoh Jue, subbing for ex-Eagle Al Harris, sidelined with cramps. Harris, hero of Sunday’s victory over Seattle, will return to Philadelphia. Eagles linebacker Nate Wayne, who intercepted Favre and sacked him in the Monday night game, played in Green Bay for three years before signing with Philadelphia in March.
