OPINION

By Dave Goldberg

updated 11:41 p.m. ET Jan. 5, 2009

With the second round of the NFL playoffs upon us, there are multiple aspirants to become last season’s Giants, the team from nowhere that swept through the postseason to an improbable Super Bowl title.

Unfortunately for the Giants, they aren’t one of them. They are the NFC’s top-seeded team, the hunted instead of the hunter, as they prepare to meet Philadelphia for the third time this season.

Actually, it wouldn’t be too long a shot to suggest that the two sixth-seeded teams could make it to the Super Bowl in Tampa. Pittsburgh went that route in 2006 and won, and the Giants, the fifth seed (same difference) did it last year. But never have two teams seeded that low gone to the same Super Bowl.

This season’s bottom seeds are the Ravens in the AFC and the Eagles in the NFC. They go up against the top-seeded Titans and Giants on the road in an all-rematch weekend. Both are live underdogs who would surprise no one if they won.

The Ravens lost 13-10 to the Titans in Baltimore in October with the help of a dubious penalty that extended Tennessee’s winning drive. And the Eagles and Giants split their two games, each winning on the road.

“They’re about as dangerous as all four teams left in the playoffs,” Giants middle linebacker Antonio Pierce said of the Eagles — the four referring to the teams remaining in the NFC.

He might as well have said that for all eight teams.

AFC

Put a blanket over all four contestants, including San Diego, which is just 9-8.

Remember that the Chargers were one of the preseason favorites to represent the conference in the Super Bowl and that they’ve looked strong in winning five straight. The last two were especially impressive: 52-21 over Denver in the regular-season finale that cemented the AFC West title, and 23-17 in overtime over Indianapolis that moved them on.

Yes, San Diego normally plays well against Peyton Manning and his teammates — the Chargers now have won four of the last five with Indy.

But this wasn’t LaDainian Tomlinson and Shawne Merriman doing it, it was Darren Sproles, who had 328 all-purpose yards. And punter Mike Scifres, who pinned the Colts inside their 20 on six kicks. Field position is a huge part of playoff football and Scifres’ punting and Sproles’ returns could make a difference in Pittsburgh, where the temperature figures to be 30 degrees colder than in San Diego.

Pittsburgh, who the Chargers play, has one big question mark in Ben Roethlisberger, who was carried off the field with a concussion in the final regular-season game. He says he’ll play, but the final verdict is up to the doctors.

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Moreover, the reason Ben was carried off was a shaky offensive line that allowed 49 sacks this season and was especially vulnerable to teams such as the Eagles and Giants, who rush the passer well. The Chargers can do that with outside linebackers Jyles Tucker and Shaun Phillips and can stuff the run with Jamal Williams.

The Steelers may have been four games better in the regular season, but this is no gimme.

The game between Baltimore (12-5) and Tennessee (13-3) takes us back to the pre-realignment turn of the century, when both teams played in the AFC Central. In the same round that season, the Ravens won 24-10 in Nashville as a wild card against the Tennessee team that had won the division.

Baltimore had just 134 yards of offense and six first downs in that game, but won because of two obscure special teamers and still-very-much around Ray Lewis, who had just been chosen the league’s defensive player of the year. How exactly? First Keith Washington blocked a field-goal attempt and Anthony Mitchell returned it 90 yards for the go-ahead score, then Lewis returned an interception 50 yards.

Omens?

The Super Bowl that season was in Tampa, where it is again. The Ravens got there and faced the Giants, something that is very possible this season. The Giants quarterback in that game was Kerry Collins, who is now Titans QB.

NFC

The Eagles (10-6-1) beat the Giants 20-14 on Dec. 7 in the Meadowlands. The Giants (12-4) won 36-31 in Philly on Nov. 9. Aggregate score: Eagles 51, Giants 50.

“Plenty of sun,” the positive section of the long-range forecast reads. “Highs in the low 30s. Lows in the low 20s.” No mention of winds. No need. They almost always blow at the Meadowlands, which probably means the team that runs better wins this game.

The Giants, who lost three of their last four games, got the only one they needed in that span by beating Carolina in overtime to secure home-field advantage. The formula: banging with Brandon Jacobs to wear down the defensive front, then sending Derrick Ward for 215 yards through ever-widening holes.

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In Philly’s win at the Meadowlands, Brian Westbrook twice exploited Pierce for TDs, one on the ground, the other through the air. The Giants excuse? It was the week after Plaxico Burress shot himself in the leg and they were 11-1 with seven tough wins in a row, just the time for a letdown.

So take your pick on that one. But not on the other game.

Arizona (10-7) is 4-7 outside the NFC West, was 3-5 on the road and 3-6 against teams with a .500 record or better. That includes a 27-23 loss to the Panthers (12-4) in Charlotte on Oct. 26. Now that the Cardinals have validated their season by winning a playoff game, it’s hard to see them beating a team that has improved a lot since that first meeting.

On the other hand, imagine Arizona hosting the NFC championship game against the Eagles, who beat them 48-20 Thanksgiving night in Philadelphia.

A lot of strange things have happened this year, one of the strangest last Feb. 3 in the Cardinals’ own stadium when the Giants beat the unbeaten Patriots in the Super Bowl.

So why not?

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