New England Patriots V. New York Jets Among Top Divisional Round Storylines

Following an exciting Wild Card round, teams have very little time to prepare for their next opponent.

The Baltimore Ravens, Green Bay Packers, Seattle Seahawks and New York Jets cannot get caught up in their celebration. They have to get back to work and focus on their fresh opponents.

We have four exciting match-ups once again. In fact, all are rematches from the regular season.

Two of the match-ups are between two heated division rivals. Both of these division match-ups will serve as the rubber match in the third meeting as they split the regular season.

This time around, it’s more important as the loser will be going home, while the winner will advance to the AFC Championship.

The Divisional round of the playoffs pits the Baltimore Ravens against Pittsburgh Steelers, Atlanta Falcons hosting the Green Bay Packers, Seattle Seahawks flying to meet the Bears in Chicago and the New York Jets visiting the New England Patriots.

It’s tough to ask for a better weekend of football when taking a look at these match-ups and story lines.

Is Joe Flacco Prepared to Make Next Leap?

Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images

KANSAS CITY, MO - JANUARY 09: Quarterback Joe Flacco #5 of the Baltimore Ravens looks to pass against the Kansas City Chiefs in their 2011 AFC wild card playoff game at Arrowhead Stadium on January 9, 2011 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishw

Everyone will look at the Baltimore Ravens defense as the most important factor for the team. Clearly, they’re the unit that gets all of the attention because of the excellent linebacking tandem of Ray Lewis and Terrell Suggs.

Really, the key to the Ravens’ success throughout the postseason will be Joe Flacco.

Flacco needs to make that leap to the next tier of professional quarterbacks. Flacco needs to cement himself as one of the league’s best signal-callers.

Against the Chiefs in the Wild Card round, Flacco was on point. He completed 25 of 34 attempted passes (73.5 completion percentage) for 265 yards and two touchdowns.

He did lose a fumble and we all remember what happened last time the Steelers and Ravens played. Flacco needs to be safe with the football if Baltimore hopes to advance to the AFC Championship.

Troy Polamalu Ready to Lead Pittsburgh Steelers to Super Bowl

Geoff Burke/Getty Images

BALTIMORE, MD - DECEMBER 05: Troy Polamalu #43 of the Pittsburgh Steelers looks from the sidelines while playing against the Baltimore Ravens during the fourth quarter of the game at M&T Bank Stadium on December 5, 2010 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by

Troy Polamalu is finally expected to make his return to the Pittsburgh Steelers after suffering from an ankle injury over the past month.

The Steelers are a completely different team when Troy Polamalu is on the field. He creates so much havoc and mayhem that he strikes fear in opposing offense. His ball hawking skills are top notch and his football IQ is among the tops in the league.

Troy Polamalu is the catalyst for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Without him they will not win a Super Bowl. With him, they are one of the scariest teams in the league and arguably the biggest threat to win it all.

Atlanta Falcons Looking to Continue NFC Dominance

Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

ATLANTA - DECEMBER 27: Quarterback Matt Ryan #2 and Roddy White #84 of the Atlanta Falcons wait for player introductions before facing the Buffalo Bills at Georgia Dome on December 27, 2009 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Although the Falcons lost Week 16 to the New Orleans Saints at home, they still sealed their fate by winning the division and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.

This is the best news for the Falcons as that home loss to the Saints was just their first home loss all season.

The Packers are coming in with a ton of momentum, but the Falcons are well rested and boast one of the best offenses in the game.

“Matty Ice” has proven how clutch he is throughout the season and is ready to display his heroics on a grander stage in front of the entire world.

Green Bay Packers Found Their Rushing Attack

Nick Laham/Getty Images

PHILADELPHIA, PA - JANUARY 09: James Starks #44 of the Green Bay Packers runs through the tackle of Ernie Sims #50 of the Philadelphia Eagles during the 2011 NFC wild card playoff game at Lincoln Financial Field on January 9, 2011 in Philadelphia, Pennsy

All season the long the Green Bay Packers could hardly run the ball. Ryan Grant’s Week 1 ankle injury left a major void to be filled. Brandon Jackson and John Kuhn had difficulty finding consistency.

The Packers finally found their man. Luckily for them, it came in the first round of the playoffs.

Rookie James Starks missed most of the entire season rehabbing a hamstring injury. The Packers went back and forth on whether or not they should place him on injured reserve.

Good thing they didn’t.

Starks erupted against the Eagles rushing 23 times for 123 yards.

Business has just picked up in Green Bay!

Brian Urlacher and Julius Pepper Looking to Drown These Seahawks

Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

CHICAGO, IL - DECEMBER 26: Julius Peppers #90 of the Chicago Bears runs onto the field during player introductions before a game against the New York Jets at Soldier Field on December 26, 2010 in Chicago, Illinois. The Bears defeated the Jets 38-34. (Pho

The Chicago Bears were never projected to make the playoffs, let alone a first round bye.

Brian Urlacher, Julius Peppers, Lance Briggs and the Chicago Bears defense will look to suffocate the fired-up Seattle Seahawks.

These Bears will be looking to avenge their Week 6 23-20 home loss to these same Seahawks.

Urlacher, Peppers and Briggs form one of the scariest defensive trios in the game. This defense is one of the most talented in the game with plenty of play makers.

This could get ugly for Seattle.

Seattle Seahawks Carry Ocean-Sized Momentum into Chicago

Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images

SEATTLE, WA - JANUARY 08: Head coach Pete Carroll of the Seattle Seahawks celebrates the Seahawks 41-36 victory against the New Orleans Saints during the 2011 NFC wild-card playoff game at Qwest Field on January 8, 2011 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by

The Seahawks entered the wild card round with nothing to lose and everything to gain as they won the NFC West with a losing 7-9 record.

That was all the motivation they needed.

The Seahawks toppled the defending Super Bowl Champion New Orleans Saints.

The Seahawks have now won two huge games in a row. They might just be the most dangerous team in the playoffs as they are fighting for everything they have to prove their believers right.

Sexy Rexy v. the Hoodie: Which Mastermind Will Advance?

Jim Rogash/Getty Images

FOXBORO, MA - NOVEMBER 22: Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots shakes hands with Rex Ryan of the New York on November 22, 2009 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. The Patriots won 31-14. (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)

These are two of the best head coaches in the league.

More importantly, they are two of the most diabolical mastermind defensive schemers in the league.

This is going to be your classic chess match.

Rex Ryan has fueled this Patriots-Jets rivalry far more than the soft-spoken Belichick has, but make no mistake about it, these two teams hate each other and would anybody be surprised to find out that Belichick not only hates Rex Ryan, but wants nothing more than to shut his big mouth?

Exactly.

These two head coaches probably won’t sleep much this week as they prepare to meet each other Sunday afternoon in Foxboro with all of the Super Bowl aspirations on the line.

New York Jets Travel Back to Foxboro to Avenge Monday Night Loss

Andy Lyons/Getty Images

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - JANUARY 08: Head coach Rex Ryan of the New York Jets looks on during warm ups against the Indianapolis Colts during their 2011 AFC wild card playoff game at Lucas Oil Stadium on January 8, 2011 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Andy

On Monday Night Football December 3, the New England Patriots hosted the New York Jets in the biggest game of the season at that point.

Both teams entered the game tied atop the AFC East division and AFC Conference with 9-2 records.

It was assumed that the winner of that game would most likely control the AFC East division and home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs.

That rang true as the Patriots won the AFC and have home-field advantage throughout the NFL playoffs.

Rex Ryan talked up a big game in the 10 days leading up to the contest.

Should’ve kept his mouth shut.

The Patriots proceeded to obliterate the New York Jets 45-3.

The Jets handled the Patriots in Week 2 of the season but it was not as impressive as the Patriots’ Week 13 dominance.

The Jets now travel back to the scene of the crime, when the Patriots stole their manhood.

Tom Brady to Continue Historic Pace?

Elsa/Getty Images

FOXBORO, MA - JANUARY 02: Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots celebrates a touchdown by teammate BenJarvis Green-Ellis in the first quarter against the Miami Dolphins on January 2, 2011 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Elsa

In 2007, Tom Brady threw 50 touchdown passes and took his team to a perfect 16-0 record.

Yet this has been his most impressive season.

Brady finished the season throwing for 3900 yards, 36 touchdowns and just four interceptions.

This wasn’t the most impressive part of the season though.

Brady has not thrown an interception since he threw two against the Baltimore Ravens Week 6. That’s 11-straight games without a pick.

Even more impressive, Brady has thrown at least two touchdowns and zero interceptions in nine straight games.

Simply historic.

If Brady can keep up this pace throughout the playoffs, he just may cement his legacy as the single greatest quarterback of all-time.

Predictions

Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

NEW ORLEANS - SEPTEMBER 09: Harry Connick Jr. leads a float out onto the field which carried the Vince Lombardi Super Bowl Trophy which was won last year by the New Orleans Saints prior to the Saints playing against the Minnesota Vikings at Louisiana Sup

This is going to be one of the most exciting weekends of the 2010-2011 season.

Which teams will advance to the Conference Round?

Baltimore Ravens @ Pittsburgh Steelers: Baltimore Ravens

Green Bay Packers @ Atlanta Falcons: Green Bay Packers

Seattle Seahawks @ Chicago Bears: Chicago Bears

New York Jets @ New England Patriots: New York Jets