LeGere handicaps the NFL playoffs, Week 2

Saturday's games

Baltimore (12-5) at Tennessee (13-3)

Time: 3:30 pm., Channel 2

Line: Titans by 3.

Local flavor: Ravens FS-KR Tom Zbikowski (Buffalo Grove High School, Notre Dame), LB Bart Scott (SIU). Titans WR Justin McCareins (Naperville North High School, NIU), WR Justin Gage (Bears 2003-06), head coach Jeff Fisher (Bears CB-PR 1981-85), offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger (DeKalb native, LB at EIU), assistant head coach/LB's Dave McGinnis (Bears LB coach 1986-95).

By the numbers: Ravens have held 6 of last 7 opponents to 13 points or less, have won 6 of last 7, and all 6 victories have been by 9 points or more. ... Titans lost 2 of 3 to end regular season following 12-1 start. ... Titans were 27th in passing yards; Ravens were 28th. ... Ravens S Ed Reed has 10 interceptions in his last 7 games, including 2 last week.

Last meeting: Titans won 13-10 at Baltimore on Oct. 5, although they were outgained 285-210. Down 10-3, Titans scored 10 points in fourth quarter, including Kerry Collins' 11-yard TD pass to TE Alge Crumpler for the winner with 1:56 remaining.

Key questions: Which defense is more dominant? The Ravens were No. 2 in yards and No. 3 in points allowed. The Titans were No. 7 in yards and No. 2 in points allowed. ... Which Joe Flacco will we see? The Ravens' poised game manager who played mistake-free in last week's victory vs. the Dolphins? Or the rookie QB who tossed a pair of picks in the early-season loss to the Titans? Who wins when the Ravens' 262-pound RB-FB Le'Ron McClain runs into the Titans' 6-foot-6, 320-pound DT Albert Haynesworth? How much will the Titans miss seven-time Pro Bowl C Kevin Mawae (elbow), who says he won't play this week?

What to watch: The body count. This should be a physical, smash-mouth contest between two teams that play excellent defense and pound the ball on the ground much better than they throw it.

LeGere's pick: Ravens 16, Titans 13

Arizona (10-7) at Carolina (12-4)

Time: 7:15 pm., Channel 32

Line: Panthers by 10

Local flavor: Cardinals PK Neil Rackers (Illinois), LS Nathan Hodel (Belleville East High School, Illinois), LG Mike Gandy (Notre Dame, Bears 2002-04). Panthers: DB Dante Wesley (Bears 2006), DT Darwin Walker (Bears 2007), WR Muhsin Muhammad (Bears 2005-07), SS Chris Harris (Bears 2005-06), TE coach Geep Chryst (Bears coach 1991-95).

By the numbers: Cardinals lost 4 of last 6 in regular season. ... Panthers have scored 28 points or more in 7 straight games, but they've allowed more than 30 points in 4 of last 6. The Cardinals finished the regular season dead last in rushing yards. ... Panthers QB Jake Delhomme is 5-2 in the postseason with a 95.0 passer rating, the best of all 12 playoff QBs this season.

Last meeting: Panthers won 27-23 at home on Oct. 26. Panthers WR Steve Smith caught 5 passes for 117 yards and 2 scores, including the 65-yard game-winner. Cardinals QB Kurt Warner threw for 381 yards, and WR's Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin and Steve Breaston caught 25 passes for 267 yards.

Key questions: Can the disrespected Cardinals defense contain the Panthers' two-headed RB monster of DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart as well as it did the Falcons' Michael Turner (42 yards on 18 carries) last week? Can all-but-forgotten Cardinals RB Edgerrin James, who ran for 73 yards on just 16 carries last week, continue his resurgence against a Panthers defense that finished 20th in rushing yards allowed and was trampled for 301 yards on the ground to the Giants in Week 16? How healthy is Cardinals WR Anquan Boldin's injured hamstring?

What to watch: The scoreboard. It might blow a fuse keeping up with two teams that can score touchdowns in bunches and give them up almost as quickly.

LeGere's pick: Panthers 34, Cardinals 27

Sunday's games

Philadelphia (10-6-1) at N.Y. Giants (12-4)

Time: Noon, Channel 32

Line: Giants by 4.

Local flavor: Eagles QB Donovan McNabb (Mt. Carmel High School), WR Greg Lewis Rich South High School, Illinois), WR Jason Avant (Carver High School), defensive quality control coach Mike Caldwell (Bears LB in 2002). Giants LB Danny Clark (Hillcrest High School, Illinois), NT Barry Cofield (Northwestern), OT David Diehl (Brother Rice High School, Illinois), RB Brandon Jacobs (SIU), OG Rich Seubert (WIU), CB R.W. McQuarters (Bears 2000-04).

By the numbers: Eagles have not allowed more than 14 points in any of their last 5 games. ... After 11-1 start, Giants lost 3 of last 4 to end regular season, failing to score 20 points in any of the losses. ... Giants normally ferocious pass rush had zero sacks of McNabb this season on 66 pass attempts. ... Giants have the NFL's No. 1 running offense, but the Eagles are No. 4 in run defense.

Last meeting: Eagles won 20-14 at Giants Stadium on Dec. 7 to avenge a 36-31 defeat four weeks earlier. Eagles RB Brian Westbrook had huge game in rematch with 2 TD's, 131 rushing yards on 33 carries and 72 yards on 6 catches.

Key questions: How much do the Giants miss malcontent WR Plaxico Burress? He caught just 35 passes for 454 yards before being suspended by the team Dec. 2, but he prevented opponents from committing an extra defender vs. the run. The Giants have lost 3 of 4 since then, and their rushing yards per game dropped from 173 to 132 without him, even though they had 301 yards on the ground in Week 16. ... How healthy is Giants RB Brandon Jacobs (knee), who missed three of the last six games and averaged just 3.8 yards per carry, after averaging 5.4 yards per carry in the first 10 games?

What to watch: Eagles RB Brian Westbrook. He had just 30 yards on his first 16 touches last week, but on his 17th, he took a screen pass 71 yards for a TD.

LeGere's pick: Eagles 21, Giants 17

San Diego (9-8) at Pittsburgh (12-4)

Time: 3:45 pm., Channel 2

Line: Steelers by 6½.

Local flavor: Chargers defensive coordinator Ron Rivera (Bears LB 1984-92, coach 1997-98 and defensive coordinator 2004-06), DE Luis Castillo (Northwestern), P Mike Scifres (WIU), OG Mike Goff (LaSalle-Peru High School). Steelers FB Carey Davis (Illinois), OT Trai Essex (Northwestern).

By the numbers: Chargers have won 5 straight since bottoming out at 4-8. ... Steelers have won 6 of 7, allowing 13 points or less in each of the victories. ... Steelers defense is No. 1 in total yards, passing yards, average gain per pass and points allowed, and in third-down efficiency. They're No. 2 in sacks, and in rushing yards and first downs allowed. ... Chargers offense is No. 1 in average gain per pass and No. 2 in scoring. ... Steelers offense is 24th in total yards and 20th in scoring.

Last meeting: Steelers won only 11-10 game in NFL history on Nov. 16 at Pittsburgh. Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger completed 31 of 41 passes for 308 yards and 96.4 passer rating. Chargers QB Phillip Rivers completed 15 of 26 for 164 yards with 2 interceptions, no TD's and 44.4 passer rating, his worst game of the season.

Key questions: Can 5-foot-6, 181-pound, do-it-all RB-RS Darren Sproles do it again? He had 328 all-purpose yards last week filling in for RB LaDainian Tomlinson (groin), who isn't expected to play. ... How healthy is Steelers RB "Fast" Willie Parker, a home run threat who has been injured much of the season but had 115 yards on 25 carries vs. the Chargers in Week 11?

What to watch: Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger, who suffered a concussion in the final regular-season game but is scheduled to start. The Steelers' shaky offensive line was 29th in allowing sacks, but the Chargers' defense was 31st in passing yards allowed.

LeGere's pick: Steelers 23, Chargers 13.