SEATTLE (11-6) at CAROLINA (15-1)
1:05 p.m. ET, Fox
OPENING LINE — Panthers by 2 1/2
RECORD VS. SPREAD — Seahawks 9-7-1, Panthers 11-5
SERIES RECORD — Seahawks lead 7-3
LAST MEETING — Panthers beat Seahawks 27-23, Oct. 18, 2015
LAST WEEK — Seahawks beat Vikings 10-9; Panthers had first-round bye
AP PRO32 RANKING — Seahawks No. 6, Panthers No. 1
SEAHAWKS OFFENSE — OVERALL (4), RUSH (3), PASS (20)
SEAHAWKS DEFENSE — OVERALL (2), RUSH (1), PASS (2)
PANTHERS OFFENSE — OVERALL (11), RUSH (2), PASS (24)
PANTHERS DEFENSE — OVERALL (6), RUSH (4), PASS (11)
STREAKS, STATS & NOTES — Seattle defeated Carolina 31-17 in last season's NFC divisional playoffs on its way to Super Bowl. ... Including playoffs, Seattle has won franchise-record six straight road games. ... Seahawks are 5-2 when trailing by nine points or more in postseason since 2010. ... Seattle has not allowed 100-yard rusher in 27 straight games, including playoffs. ... QB Russell Wilson has thrown multiple TD passes in six of last seven games. ... WR Doug Baldwin had 11 TD catches in five-game span this season and had TD catch in playoff win vs. Vikings. ... Seattle defense allowed NFL-low 14 TD passes. ... Seahawks advanced after Vikings K Blair Walsh missed 27-yard field goal at end of wild-card match. ... Carolina has won 11 straight games at home. ... Panthers are 1-3 all-time after having playoff bye. ... Panthers scored NFL-best and franchise-record 500 points in regular season. ... All-Pro Cam Newton is first QB to throw for 35 touchdowns and run for 10 TDs in same season. Newton's 45 TDs are tied for most ever by QB. ... Newton has 21,470 combined passing and rushing yards in his career, most by any player in NFL history in his first five seasons. ... Newton has thrown 24 TDs and no INTs in red zone. ... Carolina has run for at least 100 yards in 27 straight games. ... RB Jonathan Stewart expected back vs. Seattle after missing last three games with foot injury. ... K Graham Gano has had four kicks blocked this season. ... WR Ted Ginn Jr. has 15 TD catches in two seasons for Carolina, with eight of 25 yards or longer. ... Panthers led NFL with 39 takeaways. ... All-Pro LB Luke Kuechly led team with 118 tackles. Since entering NFL in 2012, Kuechly leads league with 591 tackles. His 11 INTs since 2012 are most by NFL linebacker.
PITTSBURGH (11-6) at DENVER (12-4)
4:40 p.m. ET, CBS
OPENING LINE — Broncos by 3 1/2
RECORD VS. SPREAD — Pittsburgh 8-6-3, Denver 8-7-1
SERIES RECORD — Broncos lead 18-11-1
LAST MEETING — Steelers beat Broncos 34-27, Dec. 20, 2015
LAST WEEK — Steelers beat Bengals 18-16; Broncos had first-round bye
AP PRO32 RANKING — Steelers No. 9, Broncos No. 2
STEELERS OFFENSE — OVERALL (3), RUSH (16) PASS (3).
STEELERS DEFENSE — OVERALL (21), RUSH (5), PASS (30).
BRONCOS OFFENSE — OVERALL (16), RUSH (17), PASS (14).
BRONCOS DEFENSE — OVERALL (1), RUSH (3), PASS (1).
STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES — Steelers tied Dallas Cowboys last week for most playoff wins (34) all-time. ... Steelers only team to top 30 points and 300 yards passing on Denver's top-ranked defense this season. QB Ben Roethlisberger threw for 380 yards and three TDs last month and WR Antonio Brown had 16 catches for 189 yards and two TDs. Both Roethlisberger (shoulder) and Brown (concussion) were injured in wild-card win over Cincinnati on hits by Bengals LB Vontaze Burfict. ... Game marks eighth playoff meeting between Steelers and Broncos. Last time was Jan. 8, 2012, when Demaryius Thomas caught 80-yard TD pass from Tim Tebow on first play of overtime for 29-23 Denver win. ... Steelers set NFL record with eight 2-point conversions in regular season (8 for 11) but failed in only attempt in wild-card round. ... Roethlisberger led NFL with 328.2 passing yards per game, third-highest single-season average in NFL history. ... Roethlisberger has 11-5 career playoff record. Peyton Manning is 11-13 in playoffs. ... Steelers backup QB Landry Jones passed for 209 yards and one TD in only career start, 23-13 loss at Kansas City on Oct. 25. ... Steelers advanced to postseason despite losing Roethlisberger for one month, running backs Le'Veon Bell and DeAngelo Williams, and center Maurkice Pouncey due to injury. ... WR Martavis Bryant has 17 TDs in 23 career games, including playoffs. ... Denver has 15-5 home playoff record. ... Manning (foot) set for first start since Nov. 15. ... Gary Kubiak is just ninth coach to earn No. 1 conference seed in first year with team. Twelve wins tied Red Miller (1977) for most by first-year coach in franchise history. ... Manning ranks second in playoff history in passing yards (6,800), completions (598) and attempts (935), trailing only Tom Brady (683 of 1,085 for 7,345 yards). ... Manning tied Brett Favre for most regular-season wins (186) and broke Favre's record (71,838) for most passing yards (71,940) during regular season. ... RB Ronnie Hillman led team with career-best 863 yards and seven TDs. C.J. Anderson added 720 yards and five TDs. ... Thomas (105 catches for 1,304 yards and six TDs) ranks second in NFL since 2012 with 5,787 receiving yards. He's averaged 99.9 yards in seven career playoff games, with six TDs. ... WR Emmanuel Sanders has 19 catches for 347 yards and two TDs in last three games. He previously played for Pittsburgh. ... LBs Danny Trevathan (110 tackles) and Brandon Marshall (101) led league's best defense in stops. ... Denver led NFL in total defense (283.1 yards per game) and pass defense (199.6).
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