There's no clear-cut favorite among final eight in NFL playoffs The little guys are out of the NFL playoffs. For only the second time since realignment in 2002, the second round is composed entirely of division champions. What's more, three of this weekend's four games are rematches of regular-season meetings. New England beat Denver. Baltimore beat Houston. Green Bay beat the New York Giants. And even New Orleans at San Francisco is a rematch of sorts; the Saints beat the 49ers in an exhibition opener. But now, maybe more than in other years, anyone is capable of beating anyone else. Here's how: They're moving on: Who could bet against Drew Brees? He directs an offense that puts up absurd numbers - an NFL-best 467.1 yards per game this season, almost 40 yards more than second-place New England - and the Saints rolled up 627 in beating Detroit last weekend. They're moving out: The Saints are at home in the dome. They're 0-4 in road playoff games and last year were upset in Seattle. Candlestick Park, particularly on a windy day, doesn't make for the most comfortable confines. San Francisco 49ers They're moving on: The 49ers can run and stop the run. They can use their Frank Gore-led ground game to play keep-away from the Saints, and they have the ability to make New Orleans more one-dimensional. The Saints rely on a balanced run-pass attack to set up their play-action passes and bootlegs. They're moving out: There's no way 49ers quarterback Alex Smith can match Brees pass for pass if the game turns into a shootout. Smith was excellent at protecting the ball this season - he had just five interceptions - but he directed a passing offense ranked 29th. Denver Broncos They're moving on: The Broncos are riding high after their stunning overtime upset of Pittsburgh. Tim Tebow leads the league's No. 1 rushing attack, and the Patriots were a so-so 17th against the run this season. The Patriots were one and done in the last two postseasons, thanks to strong-running opponents. They're moving out: With Eric Decker out, Tebow loses his favorite target. That means the Patriots can double-team Demaryius Thomas, last week's star, and limit what the Broncos can do with the pass. The Steelers didn't do that Sunday, instead putting all their efforts into stopping the run, but the Patriots will learn from that tape. New England Patriots They're moving on: There's no question these Patriots have resolve and mental toughness, so they're rarely out of games. They've come back from big deficits - including 17-0 to Miami and 21-0 to Buffalo - to win. That's the sign of a mature team, and one that's unlikely to break. They're moving out: If defenses can get to Tom Brady, that means big problems for New England. The Broncos have an outstanding pass rush with Elvis Dumervil and Von Miller. Generally speaking, teams that can get pressure up the middle have been the biggest defensive challenge for the Patriots line. They're moving on: The Texans are a lot like Baltimore. The two teams have strong defenses and effective running games. If Houston can get Arian Foster going - something they couldn't do when they played the Ravens earlier this season - that will take a lot of pressure off rookie quarterback T.J. Yates.