Larry Stone: As Expected?

Wild Card Weekend is in the books...and as seems to always be the case, games that look to be real humdingers on paper turn out to be the opposite. All the higher seeded teams won.

It's true that Saturday's Colts/Dolphins game kept your attention. You had a sense, however, that the Dolphins would come back to at least make it close when the Colts could get just six points on the early turnovers. Once Indianapolis got up 14, it seemed they turned off the engines and started coasting.

This is a playoff game where only one team survives. I'm not suggesting you head to page 109 of the playbook in the chapter titled 'Tricks' but with the Manning-James-Harrison trio leading your offense, you have to keep the pedal pushed to the floorboard, don't you?

In the late game, you really did begin to think, as ABC's Al Michaels suggested, that the Saints were cursed and would not win that first playoff game. Up 31-7 against the world champion Rams, New Orleans, too, took their feet off the accelerator. It's somewhat understandable because you're talking about a 24-point lead. However, against the explosive Rams, what really is a safe lead?

In truth, had Az Hakim not fumbled the punt, the Saints might still be winless in playoff history. The fumble seemed to be a fitting end to the St. Louis season, a year when things just never seemed to come together as they had in 1999. When stories came out during the week leading up to Saturday's game that the real Rams were ready to show up, you had to question how long St. Louis would last.

The answer: one game.

Sunday's games both finished 21-3 as the Broncos and Bucs never got their offenses on track. Give credit to the Ravens and Eagles defense for some of that, but, for whatever reason, it just wasn't there.

The three and four seeds move on to the divisional round where Minnesota, New York, Oakland and Tennessee await.

The Saints will be without another weapon, Joe Horn, as they face the Vikings. Big question in this game would seem to be the health of quarterback Dante Culpepper. Minnesota's offense needs a jump-start heading into the playoffs and the second-year sensation can provide it if his ankle has improved.

Miami travels to Oakland and, again, quarterback health will be a prime question. Lamar Smith proved sensational running the ball but the Dolphins need a healthy Jay Fielder to make some plays as he did late Saturday. Perhaps another week of rest will help his shoulder.

Divisional showdowns Sunday starting with Tennessee and Baltimore. Bloodbath. Knockdown-Dragout. Trench Warfare. Use your favorite description though I would not be surprised that the winner of the game turns out to be the quarterback who makes one or two plays in the passing game. Again, don't look for the Titans or Ravens to run four-wides, but the offense will need to come up with some plays passing. Call me biased but I think Steve McNair has better weaponry to do it.

The finale of divisional weekend happens Sunday afternoon when the Giants try to make it three-straight against the Eagles. How long can Donovan McNabb keep doing it all?

Hard to size up these four games...which probably means they will all go to overtime kicks to win. Will the higher seeds all advance? Stay tuned!