Familiar faces to watch in NFL wild-card games

Here's a glance at this weekend's NFL wild-card playoff games, along with the local connections involved.

SATURDAY'S GAMESOakland Raiders (12-4) at Houston Texans (9-7)When: 3:35 p.m. Saturday

TV: ABC 7

Line: Texans by 3 ½

Series record: Texans 6-4

Last meeting: Raiders beat Texans 27-20, Nov. 21, 2016

Last week: Raiders lost to Broncos 24-6; Texans lost to Titans 24-17

Raiders familiar faces: Rookie DE Jihad Ward, the second-round pick (44th overall) out of Illinois, has 30 tackles. OL coach Mike Tice was on the Bears' staff from 2010-12 as OL coach and offensive coordinator.

Texans familiar faces: Starting ORG Jeff Allen is a Chicago native who played at King H.S. He started 47 consecutive games at Illinois before he was drafted in the second round (44th overall) by the Chiefs in 2012. Starting TE C.J. Fiedorowicz attended Johnsburg High School. and was the first pick of the third round (65th overall) out of Iowa. He enjoyed a breakout season this year and is second on the team with 54 catches, third with 559 yards and tied for first with 4 touchdowns. Illinois OLB Whitney Mercilus, a 2012 first-round pick (26th overall) leads the team with 7 ½ sacks. Backup ILB Brian Peters played at Northwestern.

Detroit Lions (9-7) at Seattle Seahawks (10-5-1)When: 7:15 p.m. Saturday

TV: NBC

Line: Seahawks by 8

Series record: Seahawks 8-5

Last meeting: Seahawks beat Lions 13-10, Oct. 5, 2015

Last week: Lions lost to Packers 31-17; Seahawks beat 49ers 25-23

Lions familiar faces: Rookie starting LG Graham Glasgow, a third-round (95th overall) pick, is an Aurora native who attended Marmion Academy and Michigan. OG Laken Tomlinson, a first-round pick (28th overall) in 2015, is a Chicago native who attended Lane Tech and Duke. Starting SS Tavon Wilson, who attended Illinois and was a second-round pick (48th overall) of the Patriots, is second on the Lions with 89 tackles and tied for second with 2 interceptions. RB Joique Bell spent four games with the Bears in October and had 3 carries for 6 yards.

Seahawks familiar faces: RS Devin Hester, who was signed last week after being cut by the Ravens in December, spent his first eight seasons (2006-13) with the Bears, where he had 18 return touchdowns. Rookie third-round RB C.J. Prosise (Notre Dame) has 30 carries for 172 yards and 17 receptions for 208 yards. Assistant defensive backs coach Ricky Manning played cornerback for the Bears (2006-07) and led the 2006 team with 5 interceptions.

SUNDAY'S GAMEMiami Dolphins (10-6) at Pittsburgh Steelers (11-5)When: 12:05 p.m. Sunday

TV: CBS

Line: Steelers by 10

Series record: 13-13

Last meeting: Dolphins beat Steelers 30-15, Oct. 16, 2016

Last week: Dolphins lost to Patriots 35-14, Steelers beat Browns 27-24, OT

Dolphins familiar faces: Head coach Adam Gase was the Bears' offensive coordinator last season and was largely credited with helping QB Jay Cutler to his best season. OT Jermon Bushrod was a Bear from 2013-15 and a starter for the first two years before losing the job to Charles Leno. Practice squad players LB Lamin Barrow (2015) and RB Senorise Perry (2014) were formerly with the Bears.

Steelers familiar faces: DE Stephon Tuitt, a second-round pick out of Notre Dame in 2014, was third on the team with 4 sacks and tied for second with 2 forced fumbles. Offensive coordinator Todd Haley was the Bears' wide receivers coach from 2001-03.

New York Giants (11-5) at Green Bay Packers (10-6)When: 3:40 p.m. Sunday

TV: FOX

Line: Packers by 4 ½

Series record: GB 32-26-2

Last meeting: Packers beat Giants 23-16, Oct. 9, 2016

Last week: Giants beat Washington 19-10; Packers beat Lions 31-24

Giants familiar faces: Giants PK Robbie Gould was the Bears' kicker the previous 11 seasons. After he was cut by the Bears just prior to the start of the season, Gould signed with the Giants around mid-season and is a perfect 10-for-10 on FG attempts, but he is just 20-for-23 on extra-point attempts. Former Illinois TE Matt LaCosse is on injured reserve.

Packers familiar faces: Undrafted rookie WR Geronimo Allison, who had a career day in Week 17 with 4 catches for 91 yards and 1 TD, played at Illinois. Starting OT Bryan Bulaga, a first-round pick (23rd overall) in 2010, played at Marian Central Catholic in Woodstock and Iowa. Rookie DE Dean Lowery, a fourth-round draft pick, is a product of Rockford Boylan H.S. and Northwestern. He has 8 tackles and 2 sacks. OLB Julius Peppers, a 15-year veteran, had 37 ½ sacks in four years (2010-13) with the Bears.

• Associated Press contributed