Eagles coach Andy Reid can't explain it, and perhaps no one can, but recently the road to conference championship games and the Super Bowl has been smoother for wild-card teams.

RORY SEGREST'S group sure picked the perfect time to be, well, special.

JUST BECAUSE the last three Super Bowl winners all participated in the wild-card round, that doesn't mean it's such a nifty thing to have to do.

I DON'T KNOW about you, but I prefer my crow medium rare.

One of the indisputable truths of our world is that rank has its privileges.

They barely got into the playoffs as a wild card.

The Vikings couldn't be merciful and just lose the Football game.

Vikings coach Brad Childress had no regrets about declining a 10-yard holding penalty midway through the first quarter.

There were plenty of warts on this homely toad of a Football game, but in January in the NFL there is no award for style points.

After seeing his unit dismantle the Miami Dolphins offense Sunday, Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Rex Ryan had a message for the Broncos and every other team in the market for a head coach:

Brian Westbrook proved once again Sunday you can't keep a good man down forever.

Vikings coach Brad Childress had no regrets about declining a 10-yard holding penalty midway through the first quarter.

BOB SANSEVERE

Stretching his Lazarus routine into the postseason, celebrated and vilified quarterback Donovan McNabb made enough big plays to neutralize his turnovers.

Unimaginative play calling and inconsistent playmaking dogged the Philadelphia Eagles all season, and doubts about their character persisted entering their wild-card playoff game Sunday against the Vikings.