Texans (11-6) at Ravens (12-4), 11 a.m.
Line: Ravens by 7½ points.
Hash marks: Texans coach Gary Kubiak is 0-3 against the Ravens, including a 29-14 loss in October. During that game, Ravens tailback Ray Rice had 161 yards from scrimmage — 101 yards rushing and 60 receiving.
The Texans win if: Rookie quarterback T.J. Yates can avoid the mistakes that turn playoff games. The Ravens ranked third in the NFL with 48 sacks and led the league in forced fumbles with 21. The Texans need Yates to be a game manager, not a game changer. So look for them to lean on their running game.
The Ravens win if: They simply hold serve. QB Joe Flacco has been almost unbeatable in home games during his NFL career, compiling a 27-5 record in home starts. He completed less than 50 percent of his passes in four games this season, but the Ravens can live with that if he plays turnover-free football.
Texans player on the spot: Running back Arian Foster, who has 109, 158 and 153 yards rushing in his last three starts. The Texans’ zone-blocking scheme doesn’t create the gaps that aggressive defenses like to run through.
Ravens player on the spot: Rice, without question. He is the Ravens’ leading rusher and their leading receiver. If he has a big game against the Texans, the Ravens should be one step closer to playing in Super Bowl XLVI.
Bet you didn’t know: The Ravens haven’t won a playoff game at home since Dec. 31, 2000, when they beat the Broncos 21-3.
Key matchup: Texans offensive tackle Duane Brown vs. Ravens outside linebacker Terrell Suggs. Suggs is a candidate for NFL defensive player of the year. He had 14 sacks and a league-leading seven forced fumbles. He doesn’t have the speed of other elite pass rushers, but he plays with top-tier leverage.
The call: Ravens 24-21
Giants (10-7) at Packers (15-1), 2:30 p.m.
Line: Packers by 8½ points.
Hash marks: This game is the classic battle between rest and momentum. The Packers earned their first-round playoff bye. The Giants were dominant in their postseason opener, beating the Falcons 24-2 at the Meadowlands. The Packers beat the Giants in a 38-35 shootout at the Meadowlands on Dec.4. Mason Crosby, a former Colorado star, kicked a 31-yard field goal on the last play.
The Giants win if: Their four-man defensive front consistently puts pressure on Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who was sacked only twice in the Dec. 4 game. He hit the Giants with 369 yards and four touchdowns passing.
The Packers win if: They do what they do best, and that’s move the ball — seemingly with ease. Coming off a Super Bowl title, they had the NFL’s best record this season. Rodgers isn’t their only weapon on offense, as the Giants found out in the Dec. 4 game. But for the Packers to repeat as NFL champions, their defense needs to improve in a hurry.
Giants player on the spot: Running back Brandon Jacobs, who gained 59 yards on only eight carries against the Packers last month. He can be dominant, and he can be a dud. He had six games this season with 35 or fewer yards rushing.
Packers players on the spot: The team’s offensive line, whose protection of Rodgers is vital to Green Bay’s run at another NFL championship. The Giants rattled Falcons QB Matt Ryan last weekend.
Bet you didn’t know: The Packers went 6-0 this season against teams that made the playoffs.
Key matchup: Packers offensive tackle Bryan Bulaga vs. Giants defensive end Justin Tuck. Jason Pierre-Paul had 16½ sacks this season, but Tuck is the Giants’ most disruptive defensive player.
The call: Packers 35-21
Jeff Legwold, The Denver Post
