Direct from the NFL, here is a bunch of news & notes on the upcoming playoff game this Saturday night:

                       BALTIMORE AT INDIANAPOLIS

                SATURDAY IN AFC DIVISIONAL PLAYOFFS

SATURDAY, JANUARY 16

BALTIMORE RAVENS–AFC NORTH (10-7) AT INDIANAPOLIS COLTS–AFC SOUTH

(14-2)

SERIES

STAT LEADERS

NOTES

TEAMS MEET for 2nd time in postseason.  Clubs meet for 2nd time this season & 2nd time in postseason.  Colts beat Ravens 15-6 in Divisional on 1/13/07. 

RAVENS:  Club has 2-2 record in Divisional games…Team has 6-2 postseason road record…QB JOE FLACCO has 3-1 postseason record (all games on road).  Flacco is 1st QB in NFL history to start 16 games in each of his 1st 2 seasons & lead team to playoffs in both years…Ravens had franchise postseason record in rush yards (234) & rush TDs (4) in single game last week…RB RAY RICE had franchise postseason record 159 rush yards last week & tied Bal. playoff record w/2 rush TDs last week.  Rice had 83-yard rush TD on 1st play from scrimmage last week, 2nd-longest rush TD in postseason history.  Rice totaled 135 yards in last regular-season game vs. Colts (71 rush, 64 receiving).  RB WILLIS MC GAHEE has 3 rush TDs in past 2 postseason games & aims for 3rd consecutive playoff game w/rush TD…FB LE’ RON

MC CLAIN has 2 rush TDs in 4 career playoff games…In last regular season game vs. Colts (11/22/09), WR DERRICK MASON had 9 rec. for season-high 142 yards (15.8 average).  In past 3 postseason games, WR MARK CLAYTON averages 16.0 yards per catch…Club posted 3 INTs last week & has 4-1 postseason record when defense has 3+ INTs…Ravens have 25 INTs in 12 postseason games…In 6 career postseason games, S ED REED has 6 INTs.  Reed had 2 INTs in last playoff meeting vs. Colts…Ravens have not allowed RB to gain 100+ rush yards in 12 consecutive postseason games (3rd-longest current streak)…LB RAY LEWIS posted 1st career playoff sack last week…LB TERRELL SUGGS aims for 5th consecutive playoff game w/sack & has 5 in past 4 playoff games…S DAWAN LANDRY had 1st career playoff INT last week…Club had 5 players selected to Pro Bowl (Lewis, McClain, HALOTI NGATA, Reed & Rice).

COLTS:  Incl. postseason, Colts aim for 8th consecutive win against Ravens…Club will host 1st playoff game in Lucas Oil Stadium…Since ’00, club has 4-2 postseason record at home…JIM CALDWELL aims to become 11th rookie head coach since ’90 to win 1st career playoff game…QB PEYTON MANNING ranks 5th all-time w/4,208 postseason passing yards.  Manning (6) needs 1 300-yard passing game in playoffs to surpass Pro Football Hall of Famer JOE MONTANA and KURT WARNER for most in NFL history.  Aims for 3rd consecutive playoff game w/300+ passing yards (402, 310).  Ranks 6th in NFL history w/348 completions in postseason.  In 7 career postseason games at home, Manning has completed 180 of 272 passes (66.2 pct.) for 2,371 yards w/15 TDs vs. 7 INTs & 101.2 passer rating.  Incl. postseason, Manning has 17 TDs vs. 7 INTs & 97.5 passer rating vs. Bal…RB JOSEPH ADDAI (10) reached double-digit rush TDs for 2nd time in career in ’09 (12 in ’07).  Addai has 3 rush TDs in past 3 vs. Bal…WR REGGIE WAYNE (963) needs 37 receiving yards to become 11th player all-time to reach 1,000 postseason receiving yards.  Wayne reached 100 rec. for 2nd time in career in ’09 & totaled 1,000 rec. yards for 6th time in career.  Wayne is averaging 102.5 receiving yards per game in past 2 playoff games & aims for 4th consecutive postseason game w/TD rec.  WR AUSTIN COLLIE (Round 4, BYU) led NFL rookies w/7 TD rec. & tied for NFL-best among rookies with 60 rec. in ’09…TE DALLAS CLARK (667) needs 74 postseason receiving yards to surpass BRENT JONES (740) for 3rd-most among TEs in NFL history…Incl. postseason, DE ROBERT MATHIS has 5 sacks in past 5 vs. Bal…S ANTOINE BETHEA has 3 postseason INTs.  Club had 6 players selected to Pro Bowl (Clark, Freeney, Manning, Mathis, JEFF SATURDAY, Wayne).