AFC South Division rivals Indianapolis and Houston square off in the opening game of the NFL playoffs Saturday, while prime time is reserved for the Dallas Cowboys and Seattle Seahawks.
Here is a breakdown of the games.
INDIANAPOLIS (10-6) at HOUSTON (11-5)
Sunday, 4:35 p.m., ESPN
OPENING LINE — Texans by 3
LAST WEEK — Colts beat Titans 33-17; Texans beat Jaguars 20-3
STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES — Colts will make first playoff appearance since 2014 AFC championship game loss at New England. … Only four players who appeared against Patriots will be active Sunday: QB Andrew Luck, WR T.Y. Hilton, LT Anthony Castonzo, K Adam Vinatieri. … Indy has won four straight and nine of last 10, including 24-21 win at Houston in early December, to become third team in league history to make postseason after starting 1-5. … Defense forced turnovers in 15 games, finished with 26 takeaways and team allowed 16.4 points over Colts’ final eight games. … Offensive line allowed league-low 18 sacks after giving up league-high 56 in 2017. … Colts lead league in third-down conversion percentage (48.6). … Luck is 3-3 in playoffs and threw 39 TD passes this season, second in league. … He has thrown TD passes to 13 receivers this season, tying league record established by Matt Ryan in 2016 and matched by Drew Brees earlier in 2018. … Marlon Mack has four 100-yard games, most by Colts running back since Joseph Addai also had four in 2007. … Pro Bowler Eric Ebron set franchise record for TD caches by tight end with league-high 13. … Vinatieri became career leader in scoring and field goals this season — and already holds postseason marks with 234 points, 56 field goals. Vinatieri has played in 30 career postseason games, second most behind Tom Brady. … Colts and Texans are two of three teams (New Orleans) that did not allow 100-yard rusher in 2018. … Texans are sixth team since 1980 to reach playoffs after starting 0-3 and first since 1998. … Houston won AFC South for third time in four years. … Texans have 26 players with combined 87 games of playoff experience. … Houston’s 11 wins are second in franchise history behind its 12 wins in 2012. … Houston led NFL with nine comeback wins this season. … Coach Bill O’Brien is 1-2 in three playoff games. … DE J.J. Watt had AFC-leading 16 sacks, 25 quarterback hits, 18 tackles for losses and forced career-high seven fumbles, which tied for most in NFL. It’s Watt’s fourth season with at least 15 sacks, which ranks second in NFL history behind Reggie White (5). … WR DeAndre Hopkins tied franchise record with 115 receptions for career-high 1,572 yards receiving, which ranked second in NFL. … QB Deshaun Watson has 4,165 yards passing with 26 touchdowns and 551 yards rushing with five scores to become first player to have at least 4,000 yards passing and 25 touchdowns and 500 yards rushing and five scores in single season in NFL history.
SEATTLE (10-6) at DALLAS (10-6)
Saturday, 8:15 p.m., Fox
OPENING LINE — Cowboys by 1
LAST WEEK — Seahawks beat Cardinals 27-24; Cowboys beat Giants 36-35
STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES — Only other playoff meeting was 21-20 Seahawks victory in Seattle during 2006 season when Tony Romo botched hold on snap of potential go-ahead field goal with 1:19 remaining. … Previous postseason appearance for both teams came in 2016, with both losing in divisional round. … Seventh playoff appearance for Seahawks in nine seasons under coach Pete Carroll, six in past seven with QB Russell Wilson. … Matchup features two of top six QBs in wins in first three seasons of career: Wilson is first with 36 from 2012-14, Dak Prescott tied for fifth with 32. Wilson, Prescott tied for most 100-plus rating games in first three NFL seasons at 24. … Seattle first team with 1,000-yard rusher and three with at least 300 yards since 2001 Steelers. … Seahawks led NFL with plus-15 turnover margin, with 11 giveaways tied for third fewest in league history. … Wilson tied for third in NFL with 35 TD passes, ranked third with 110.9 rating. … RB Chris Carson led team with 1,151 yards rushing, club’s first 1,000-yard rusher since Marshawn Lynch on Seattle’s most recent Super Bowl qualifier in 2014. … WR Tyler Lockett led team with career highs in catches (57), yards receiving (965) and TDs (10). … WR Doug Baldwin has 24 receptions, 266 yards, two touchdowns in past three playoff games. … Cowboys tied with Packers, Patriots for second-most playoff wins with 34, two behind Steelers. Cowboys will pass Steelers for most postseason games with 62. … Cowboys with three NFC East titles in past five seasons under Jason Garrett. … Prescott had career high with 3,885 yards passing, has six TDs rushing in each of three seasons. … RB Ezekiel Elliott led NFL with 1,434 yards rushing, was second with 2,001 yards from scrimmage. He joined Earl Campbell, Eric Dickerson, Emmitt Smith, Edgerrin James as backs to win at least two rushing titles in first three seasons since 1970 merger. … Cowboys were 29th in yards passing in seven games without WR Amari Cooper, 11th in nine games after acquiring him for first-round pick in trade with Oakland. … Two-time Pro Bowl and 2016 All-Pro LB Sean Lee (Penn State) played just one playoff game in first eight seasons. … LB Leighton Vander Esch set club rookie record with 176 tackles, according to coaches’ count.
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