Bottom line: This is a game the Patriots should and almost certainly will win. An AFC Championship Game rematch looms against the Steelers.

Sunday, Jan. 14: 1:05 p.m. ET, CBS | Game HQ

Jaguars lowdown: After outlasting the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, the Jaguars drew an interesting divisional-round matchup. They more than handled the Steelers in Week 5, intercepting quarterback Ben Roethlisberger five times in a 30-9 victory at Heinz Field. It was one of nine games in which the Jaguars’ entirely legitimate defense held an opponent to 10 or fewer points. Quarterback Blake Bortles, however, has regressed since an early- and midseason surge, and his play poses a massive obstacle to advancing further. Read more on the Jaguars from Michael DiRocco.

Steelers lowdown: Promising playoff paths have crashed for the Steelers because of injuries to one or more of their Big 3: Roethlisberger, wide receiver Antonio Brown and running back Le’Veon Bell. So all eyes will be on Brown, whom the Steelers are hoping can return after missing the final three regular-season games with a calf injury. Like the Patriots, the Steelers were nearly unbeatable during the final three months of the season. They lost once — to the Patriots — after Oct. 8, but their worst day of the season was undoubtedly that Week 5 loss to the Jaguars. Read more on the Steelers from Jeremy Fowler.

Bottom line: It’s not easy to envision Bortles winning a road playoff game, but any team with a defense as sharp as the Jaguars’ unit has the chance to at least keep it close. The Steelers are and should be the favorites.

NFC

Saturday, Jan. 13: 4:35 p.m. ET, NBC | Game HQ

Falcons lowdown: After some early-season struggles, the Falcons now have the look of a low-seed that no team wants to play. They’ve won seven of their past nine games, and Saturday night’s choke-out of the high-scoring Los Angeles Rams demonstrated how Atlanta can win a defensive/ball-possession game. It was amazing to see the Falcons pull out the 26-13 win, even as quarterback Matt Ryan threw shorter (3.8 air yards per pass) than in any game of his career. Their ability to navigate a cross-country trip, and a slippery track at the Los Angeles Coliseum, bodes well for a long playoff run. Read more on the Falcons from Vaughn McClure.

Eagles lowdown: These are teeth-grinding times in Philadelphia, where the season-ending knee injury of quarterback Carson Wentz has stunted anticipation about a Super Bowl run. The Eagles’ offensive scoring output dropped by almost half in the three games backup Nick Foles has started — from 28.3 points to 15.7 points per game — and it’s fair to question whether they can navigate the playoffs without Wentz. And in a trend that has gained attention recently, the Eagles’ defense allowed seven touchdown passes over their final four games, tied for third most in the NFL. Could they have discovered a solution during their first-round bye? Read more on the Eagles from Tim McManus.

Bottom line: It’s pretty wild but really not debatable that a No. 6 seed opened as a 2.5-point favorite in a playoff game at the No. 1 seed. (A top seed has never been an underdog in its first playoff game, per ESPN Stats & Information.) But it’s an appropriate recognition of the Falcons’ winning formula and concern about the Eagles’ post-Wentz drop-off.

Sunday, Jan. 14: 4:40 p.m. ET, Fox | Game HQ

Saints lowdown: After an 0-2 start, the Saints have put together their best team since winning Super Bowl XLIV in 2009. That was also the year they defeated the Vikings in the NFC Championship — the game that prompted the NFL’s Bountygate investigation. We’ll see just how much the Saints have changed since their Week 1 loss to the Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium, and whether they can establish a ball-control running attack against Minnesota’s top-rated defense. Read more on the Saints from Mike Triplett.

Bottom line: All you need to know about the teams’ Week 1 matchup is that Sam Bradford threw for 346 yards and three touchdowns in the Vikings’ 29-19 victory. Both teams have undergone significant changes since then, and this matchup could be the best game of the 2017 playoffs.

“I’ve been on worse,” Freeman said.

“Yeah, it was slick,” Donald added. “But you still have to find a way to keep your balance and get to the quarterback.”

The Coliseum is almost a century old, but slippery conditions hadn’t really been an issue this season, even for USC games played at night. Colder temperatures also played a part. The Coliseum field received a fresh batch of turf after the Nov. 26 game against the New Orleans Saints, making this only the third contest played on the new grass.

“It does have a little effect on the game, just cutting, coming off the line, making your cuts, having full force when you’re making that cut to get upfield,” said Rams return specialist Pharoh Cooper, who fumbled a kickoff and had a hand in a muffed punt. “But we ain’t going to blame it on the field. We lost the game. We just lost.”

Information from ESPN’s Vaughn McClure contributed to this report.