As the wild-card weekend unfolds, the Titans and the Steelers, the AFC’s No. 1 and No. 2 seeds, respectively, can only stop and stare.

And try not to lose their edge.

Both teams know what a little postseason momentum can mean. The Titans went to the Super Bowl as a wild-card team to close out the 1999 season, then lost their first playoff game to close out the 2000 season - to the Ravens, a wild-card team - after they had finished with the best record in the league.

And the Steelers? They were the first No. 6 seed to win three consecutive road playoff games, one of those at Invesco Field at Mile High, and go on to win a Super Bowl, to finish off the 2005 season.

“We worked hard to get there,” Titans quarterback Kerry Collins said this week. “. . . These opportunities don’t come along very often. We’ve got to take advantage of it. The finality of it is very real.”

Colts-Chargers, Ravens-Dolphins to Play Rematches
The AFC games this weekend are do-overs. The Ravens were 2-3 when they went to Miami on Oct. 19. But Baltimore stonewalled the Dolphins’ run game, holding Miami running backs to 46 yards rushing on 18 carries. Dolphins quarterback Chad Pennington added 25 yards rushing, but the Ravens controlled the tempo throughout the game with a variety of run blitzes.

The Colts went to San Diego on Nov. 23 and earned a three-point win despite Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne not reaching 50 yards receiving, despite a Peyton Manning interception and despite being outgained in the game by the Chargers offense.

“But they are playing with more confidence. When we played them the last time, they were in the middle of a losing streak,” Colts coach Tony Dungy said this week. “. . . We’ve got to keep their offensive weaponry under control.”

The Chargers have won four games in a row, and the Colts have the longest current winning streak in the league, at nine.

2008 Playoffs Injury Update
The Chargers saw their postseason hopes, and their chance at a huge upset against the Patriots, evaporate in January 2008 when running back LaDainian Tomlinson and tight end Antonio Gates were hurting.

Tomlinson carried the ball only twice in the nine-point loss to New England in the AFC Championship Game, and Gates had two receptions.

The two are hurting again this week. Tomlinson suffered a groin strain late in the Chargers’ win against the Broncos that got them into the postseason, and Gates has a sprained ankle.

The two were limited in practice this week. “I’m not frustrated yet, but concerned,” Chargers coach Norv Turner said early in the week. The two are expected to play Saturday.

For the Ravens, wide receiver Derrick Mason is playing through a shoulder injury. Safety Ed Reed and cornerback Samari Rolle were held out of some practice work this week, but both are expected to play.

Miami might be the healthiest team in the playoffs, with virtually all its regulars having practiced fully through the week.

Steelers 2009 Schedule Easy Compared to 2008