The eight teams preparing for the NFL divisional round playoffs this weekend know they are now only two victories away from securing their place at Super Bowl XLIX (49) in Glendale, Arizona on 1 February.
The top four seeds in the NFL all had the luxury of a weekend off as the wildcard games unfolded last week and they will also have the advantage of playing their divisional round games at home.
But could momentum from playoff wins last weekend see some of the wildcard teams cause a shock on the road, or will the favourites win out as expected?
The action begins on Saturday in the AFC when the sixth seeded Baltimore Ravens, fresh from a road victory in Pittsburgh, travel to Foxboro, Massachusetts to face the number-one seeded New England Patriots (2135 Irish time).
Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco maintained his impressive post-season record in last weekend's 30-17 victory against divisional rivals the Steelers, throwing for 259 yards and 2 touchdowns.
Few who have seen Flacco’s playoff efforts in the past would have been surprised to see the Ravens win, but the Patriots are a much different proposition to the Steelers, particularly at Gillette Stadium.
A New England win would secure home-field advantage (as regular-season number one seed) for the AFC conference championship game and they will again look to quarterback Tom Brady to spur them to victory.
Brady has thrown for over 4,000 yards this year, despite a very sluggish start to the season which left many experts wondering if he was past his peak. Brady’s main weapon will continue to be 'The Gronk' 6'6 tight-end Rob Gronkowski, who has caught 12 touchdowns so far this campaign.
If the Ravens are to pull off a shock, they’ll need to get at the New England offensive line and in the face of Brady - as they did last weekend when they sacked Pittsburgh’s Ben Roethlisberger five times.
On the other side of the ball they’ll require more efficiency from their run game, in particular from running back Justin Forsett, who managed only 36 yards from 16 carries last week. The smart money will be on the Patriots, but you just can’t rule out a Joe Flacco-led team in the knockout stages.
The second game in the AFC Conference takes place on Sunday night (2140 IT) in the Mile High city of Denver, Colorado when the Indianapolis Colts make the trip west to face the number-two seed Denver Broncos.
The game marks the third occasion that veteran Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning (above) will face his old team, with whom he won a Super Bowl ring in 2006/7.
This game will be heavily billed as a battle between 38-year-old Manning and his Colts counterpart Andrew Luck, (25) but the outcome of this game is unlikely to rest solely on two players who will not come face-to-face on the field.
Luck has thrown 40 touchdowns so far this season but he faces a stern test against the best defensive backfield in the NFL.
The key battle could be how effective TY Hilton and the rest of the Colts receiving corps are against the impressive corner-backs of Aqib Talib and Chris Harris Jnr of Denver.
The Colts offensive line will need to protect their quarterback too as the Broncos’ DeMarcus Ware and Von Miller will look to pass rush Luck and force him to hurry plays at every opportunity.
For Denver, running backs CJ Anderson and Ronnie Hillman could be the men to watch as coach John Fox has increasingly shifted focus towards the running game.
Doubts remain in some quarters over Manning’s arm strength following a below-par second half of the season, at least by his own high standards. As with Tom Brady’s early-season dip though, only the bravest would write off Manning, a future hall of famer.
The result may very well be decided on defence. The most talented defensive unit will certainly be wearing the orange uniforms of Denver but, as history has proven, the NFL doesn’t always play out like that.
Over in the NFC Conference on Saturday, the Carolina Panthers will travel to face the Seattle Seahawks (0115 Sunday IT) and the famous fanatical support of the '12th man' at Century Link Field.
On paper this would appear the most one-sided games of the divisional round. The Panthers beat the Cardinals 27-16 at home in the wild card game last weekend but facing the reigning Super Bowl Champions in their own backyard is a very different proposition.
Few would bet against the Seahawks taking control through their effective running game, led by mobile quarterback Russell Wilson and running-back Marshawn Lynch, the man they affectionately call 'Beast Mode' in Seattle.
If the Panthers are to have a chance they’ll certainly need quarterback Cam Newton to be on top of his game. When Newton runs the ball well, Carolina usually are productive.
On defense, Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly has been almost unplayable in recent weeks. Could he be the man to stifle the Seahawks’ offensive game? This might just be a game too far for Carolina.
On Sunday, the second divisional game in the NFC will likely be played in sub-zero temperatures at the iconic Lambeau Field, home of the Green Bay Packers, who welcome the Dallas Cowboys to town (1805 Irish).
Some dubious decisions from officials gave Dallas a helping hand on the way to a narrow 24-20 win over Detroit in the wildcard round last weekend.
That victory set up the visit to Wisconsin to face Aaron Rodgers and the Packers, who are a team no one likes visiting at any time of the year, let alone in the playoffs.
Early weather forecasts suggest the temperature may be as low as -12C on Sunday which, bizarrely, may play into the hands of the visiting team as they rely more heavily on the run game.
The Cowboys boast the leading rusher in the NFL in Demarco Murray. The running back put 75 yards and a touchdown on the board against Detroit and if Dallas are to be successful on Sunday they’ll need the same again and more.
Green Bay, on the other hand, are a team loaded with genuine talent. They have an elite quarterback in Aaron Rodgers, who has thrown for 4,381 yards this season, as well as impressive wide receivers in Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb. The pair have racked up 25 touchdowns between them.
Importantly, given the cold, the Packers can also run the ball effectively, with Eddie Lacey chalking up 1,139 yards and nine touchdowns on the ground.
These two teams once famously met in the 1967 NFL championship game for a place in Super Bowl II. That game was dubbed 'The Ice Bowl' by the media as temperatures dropped to around -26 C with a wind chill of -44 C.
It is widely regarded as one of the greatest games in NFL history as well as the coldest on record. On that day the Packers came out on top with a 21-17 victory. This time around, it might be as cold, and just as close to call.
