Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson promises "one for the ages" when the Super Bowl champion Seahawks take on the Green Bay Packers on Sunday for a place in this season's NFL championship showcase.
The Seahawks and Packers will duel for the National Football Conference crown, while in the American Conference, superstar quarterback Tom Brady leads the New England Patriots against the Indianapolis Colts, whose quarterback Andrew Luck is trying to build a playoff legacy to match his dazzling talent.
In Seattle, the Packers will be up against a streaking Seahawks team who have won seven straight games.
"It's going to be one for the ages," predicted Wilson, who connected on 15-of-22 passes for 268 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions in Seattle's 31-17 victory over Carolina in the second round of the playoffs.
The third-year pro is an impressive 25-2 as a starter at  the Seahawks' CenturyLink Field, where the frenzied fans are an additional nightmare for visiting teams.
The win over the Panthers made Seattle the first reigning Super Bowl champs to win a playoff game the next season since the 2005 New England Patriots.
That's not enough for Wilson.
"It's exciting but the job's not done," said the 26-year-old signal-caller. "We're on one mission. You just have to take it one game at a time. Our goal is to go 1-0."
- Rodgers battles injury -
The immediate concern for Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers will be not Wilson but Seattle's formidable defence, which in the regular season led the league in average points allowed with a stingy 15.9.
Against Carolina, Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman notched his 25th career interception and safety Kam Chancellor turned a pick-off into a 90-yard touchdown return.
"We're going to have to be efficient against them," said Rodgers, who was clearly hobbled by a left calf injury in the Packers' second-round victory over Dallas. "They're a great defense, they've got Pro Bowlers all over the place and they're well-coached."
Rodgers and the Packers capped the 2010 season with a Super Bowl title. They, too, say their job this season isn't over.
"Our goal is to go a lot deeper than the NFC Championship Game," said offensive guard T.J. Lang. "Going up to Seattle, it's going to be a good matchup and we're excited about it. It's going to be a tough one, we understand that, but we'll be ready for the challenge."
New England's Brady has been meeting post-season challenges for more than a decade. Sunday's showdown with Luck's Colts will be Brady's ninth AFC title game with the Patriots under coach Bill Belichick.
He has won five of them, leading to three Super Bowl triumphs.
"It's great to have Tom and his ability and his poise and presence as our quarterback," Belichick said of the 37-year-old superstar. "There's no quarterback I'd rather have than Tom Brady."
- Challenge and opportunity -
The 25-year-old Luck, selected first overall by the Colts in the 2012 draft, emerged for good from the shadow of former Colts QB Peyton Manning last weekend as he led Indianapolis past Manning's current team, Denver, 24-13.
Since Luck entered the league, the Patriots have beaten the Colts by an average 48-22 in three meetings, including a 43-22 win in the second round of the playoffs last season.
The Pats routed the Colts 42-20 in a regular-season match-up in November.
Luck threw for 265 yards and two touchdown passes against the Broncos. His 1,703 passing yards in the playoffs is the most by any player in his first five post-season games.
But now the young quarterback who has led the Colts to the post-season in each of his first three seasons needs to prove he can take things further. Against Brady and the Patriots that won't be easy.
"The Patriots are a great, great team," said Colts coach Chuck Pagano.
"Hall of Fame coach. Hall of Fame quarterback. We all know how hard it is to win there. We know it will be a tall order but it's going to be a great opportunity for our guys. We'll continue to embrace this opportunity and prepare accordingly."
Source: AFP