Back in the NFC championship game, the San Francisco 49ers are confident they can take that next step this year behind multi-threat quarterback Colin Kaepernick. More »

One major reason the New England Patriots received a bye into this weekend's AFC divisional playoffs is their dominant performance in a rout of the Houston Texans last month. More »

Green Bay Packers star Aaron Rodgers is a northern California native who is returning to face the team he grew up rooting for and the one that bypassed him in the 2005 draft. More »

Even with the surging Seattle Seahawks standing in the way, the Atlanta Falcons are confident they can end their recent playoff struggles. More »

In the midst of a career revival, Peyton Manning has led the surging Denver Broncos to the best record in the AFC and into prime position to reach the Super Bowl. More »

One year ago, the first NFL playoff game with rookie quarterbacks starting for both teams was staged. More »

Chuck Pagano and Ray Lewis spent the previous four seasons as part of a Baltimore Ravens defense known for making life tough for the opposition. More »

The Houston Texans are hosting the Cincinnati Bengals on Saturday to begin the NFL playoffs for the second straight year. More »

The Green Bay Packers did everything they could to avoid Saturday night's rematch with the Minnesota Vikings, though they couldn't overcome Adrian Peterson's determination to push his team into the pl … More »

The Seattle Seahawks need to defeat the St. Louis Rams to have any shot of winning their second NFC West title in three seasons. More »

It's pretty simple for the Green Bay Packers: Beat the Minnesota Vikings on the road Sunday and earn a direct ticket to the NFC divisional playoffs. More »

While the San Diego Chargers kicked off their season with a win over the AFC West rival Oakland Raiders, it's been a turbulent ride since. More »

Chuck Pagano has been a source of inspiration for the Indianapolis Colts throughout their improbable season. More »

Not only did the San Francisco 49ers fail to clinch the NFC West title in their last game, they lost control of their ability to gain a first-round bye in the playoffs. More »

While a second-half collapse has put their postseason hopes in doubt, the Chicago Bears managed to stay alive with a big win last weekend. More »

No matter what happens in Sunday's season finale at LP Field, the Tennessee Titans and Jacksonville Jaguars will finish with the worst records in the AFC South. More »

The New York Giants' chances for the NFC East title have slipped away, and now they will need plenty of help just to reach the playoffs. More »

The Pittsburgh Steelers are in unfamiliar territory under coach Mike Tomlin: eliminated from postseason contention. The Cleveland Browns have become too accustomed to missing out on the playoffs, and mass … More »

The New York Jets' season appears to be ending much the way it began - fit for a three-ring circus. More »

After disappointing seasons, the Carolina Panthers and New Orleans Saints are both looking to use their Week 17 meeting to springboard them to better things next year. But it's unclear whether a win in … More »

Buoyed by their longest win streak in 16 years, the Redskins have gotten into a winner-take-all game for the NFC East title. More »

While the AFC's other top teams have stumbled recently, the Denver Broncos look to keep rolling into the postseason. More »

The Cincinnati Bengals didn't look like a team that would contend for a postseason spot while being routed by the Baltimore Ravens in the season opener, but both these clubs are playoff-bound following … More »