Atlanta Falcons at Philadelphia Eagles, 2 p.m., WFLD-Ch. 32
Early story line: The Eagles and Falcons, the NFC’s top two seeds, capitalized on their home-field advantage against a pair of mediocre teams and cruised to wins in their first playoff games. So they should be fresh and healthy for Sunday’s NFC title game in Philadelphia. The Eagles will play in their fourth straight NFC title game and have lost the last three. Either they’re due or they’re jinxed.
Subplots: The Eagles have plenty of experience playing at the title-game level, and the Falcons haven’t been this far since 1998. The Eagles know all about quarterback Michael Vick. Two years ago, Atlanta went to Philadelphia for an NFC semifinal game and didn’t score a touchdown in a 20-6 loss. The Eagles won 23-16 in Atlanta last season, but Vick was injured.
Eagles are going to Jacksonville if: The Philadelphia defense can prevent Warrick Dunn, T.J. Duckett and Vick from running wild. Even if the Eagles fail there, Donovan McNabb and Brian Westbrook can bail them out. The Eagles showed Sunday they could make plays in the passing game without Terrell Owens.
Falcons are going to Jacksonville if: They do a lot of things right, win the turnover battle and make some big plays, especially on special teams. Their biggest challenge will be not to let the Eagles take away their strength, the running game. And Vick must make some big plays in the passing game.
The pick: Eagles 23-17. Westbrook is a receiving and rushing weapon with whom Atlanta will have trouble dealing. The Philadelphia defense may give up some rushing yards but won’t give up big passing plays.
— Terry Bannon
New England Patriots at Pittsburgh Steelers, 5:30 p.m., WBBM-Ch. 2
Early story line: If Bill Belichick’s swarming Patriots defense can swallow Peyton Manning whole, is Steelers rookie quarterback Ben Roethlisberger nothing more than dessert?
Subplots: Can Bill Cowher win another AFC championship game at home? He’s 1-3. What schemes will Belichick use to reverse the 34-20 loss Oct. 31 at Heinz Field? Could a top-seeded one-loss team actually be an underdog playing at home?
Steelers are going to Jacksonville if: Roethlisberger matures five years in one week and if the Steelers’ bruising defense and running game wear out the Patriots like they did in October.
Patriots are going to Jacksonsville if: Belichick confuses and frustrates Roethlisberger as much as he did Manning. The Patriots got themselves manhandled by the rough Steelers and coughed up four turnovers in October. They can’t let that happen again.
The pick: Patriots 24-10. The Steelers looked shaky against the Jets, while the Patriots looked Super Bowl-ready.
— Don Pierson
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How they got to the NFC, AFC championship games
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EAGLES D FALCONS
W 31-17 NYG S12 W 21-19 SF*
W 27-16 Min-a S19 W 34-17 StL
W 30-13 Det* s26 W 6-3 Ari
W 19-9 Bears* O3 W 27-10 Car*
Open date O10 L 17-10 Det
W 30-8 Car O17 W 21-20 SD
W 34-31 Cle* O24 L 56-10 KC*
W 15-10 Balt O31 W 41-28 Den*
L 27-3 Pitt* N7 Open date
W 49-21 Dal*-b N14 W 24-14 TB
W 28-6 Wash N21 W 14-10 NYG*
W 27-7 NYG* N28 W 24-21 NO
W 47-17 GB D5 L 27-0 TB*
W 17-14 Wash* D12 W 35-10 Oak
W 12-7 Dal D19 W 34-31 Car-d
L 20-7 StL*-c D26 L 26-13 NO*
L 38-10 Cin J2 L 28-26 Sea*
Bye J9 Bye
W 27-14 Minn J16 W 47-17 StL
*–away
a-S20; b-N15; c-D27; d-D18
STEELERS D PATRIOTS
W 24-21 Oak S12 W 27-24 Ind-a
L 30-13 Balt* S19 W 23-12 Ari*
W 13-3 Mia* S26 Open date
W 28-17 Cin O3 W 31-17 Buf*
W 34-23 Cle O10 W 24-10 Mia
W 24-20 Dal* O17 W 30-20 Sea
Open date O24 W 13-7 NYJ
W 34-20 NE O31 L 34-20 Pitt*
W 27-3 Phil N7 W 40-22 St.L*
W 24-10 Cle* N14 W 29-6 Buf
W 19-14 Cin* N21 W 27-19 KC-b
W 16-7 Wash N28 W 24-3 Balt
W 17-16 Jax* D5 W 42-15 Cle*
W 17-6 NYJ D12 W 35-28 Cin
W 33-30 NYG*-c D19 L 29-28 Mia*-d
W 20-7 Balt D26 W 23-7 NYJ*
W 29-24 Buf* J2 W 21-7 SF
Bye J9 Bye
W 20-17 NYJ J16 W 20-3 Ind
*–away
a-S9; b-N22; c-D18; d-D20
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