There will be a familiar feel to the NFL playoffs next weekend: Every divisional-round game will be a rematch from the regular season, the first time that’s happened in six years.

The Pittsburgh Steelers trounced the Miami Dolphins 30-12 in the NFL wildcard play-offs.

The Pittsburgh Steelers clinched their NFL play-off place with a last-gasp win over the Baltimore Ravens - but reigning champions the Denver Broncos were dumped out and embarrassed by the Kansas City Chiefs.

American Football

The Green Bay Packers, Pittsburgh Steelers and Dallas Cowboys booked their places in the play-offs after victories on Sunday while the New England Patriots earned a first round bye for the post-season.

The Pittsburgh Steelers came on strong in the fourth quarter on Sunday night for a 42-21 NFL triumph over Cincinnati that blew open the AFC North division race.

Tom Brady won the battle of the marquee quarterbacks over Peyton Manning, while the Arizona Cardinals knocked off the Dallas Cowboys to claim the NFC’s best record.

Chicago Bears’ defensive end Lamarr Houston will miss the rest of the season after a freak injury while celebrating a sack.

Seattle Seahawks 43 Denver Broncos 8

The Seattle Seahawks produced one of the most dominant performances in Super Bowl history as Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos were neutralised in a 43-8 humbling.

The New England Patriots claimed their 10th consecutive NFL season-opening win when Stephen Gostkowski hit a 35-yard field goal with five seconds left to beat the Buffalo Bills 23-21.

The NFL in Dublin: it’s the tease that just won’t end.

Ben Roethlisberger has never heard of Brian O’Driscoll. Or Jonathan Sexton, Ronan O’Gara or Robbie Keane for that matter.

Peyton Manning made a sparkling return after a year’s injury absence from the NFL, leading Denver to a 31-19 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers in his Broncos debut.

ONLY Tim Tebow could resurrect Tebowing and early yesterday morning even Dan Marino joined the growing procession of adoring fans genuflecting to the Denver Broncos quarterback.

THE Pittsburgh Steelers will be hoping star quarterback Ben Roethlisberger can survive 60 minutes of football tomorrow as the NFL wild card round gets going this weekend.

THE New Orleans Saints suffered a shock 31-21 defeat to the previously winless St Louis Rams and the Pittsburgh Steelers beat the New England Patriots in NFL action on Sunday.

Pittsburgh 25 Green Bay 31

The Green Bay Packers beat the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XLV, securing their fourth Vince Lombardi trophy in a dramatic showdown, writes John Riordan.

GREEN BAY PACKERS coach Mike McCarthy has pledged to bring the Vince Lombardi trophy “back where it belongs” tomorrow night.

PITTSBURGH native Mike McCarthy will come face-to-face with the city of his birth in the Super Bowl on Sunday week after the showdown so long desired by the purists became a reality on Sunday night.

CONCUSSION ruled Brett Favre out of his own swansong as his 20-year career in the NFL came to an end yesterday.

Pittsburgh 27 Arizona 23

BODY-SHAKING hits will help decide a winner in Super Bowl 43 as one of American football’s most punishing players and most severe injury victims face a Sunday showdown, (11pm Irish time, live on TV3).

DEFENDING champions New York struggled to score on Sunday but they managed a touchdown when it mattered most to defeat Pittsburgh 21-14 in a showdown of division leaders.

NEW ENGLAND preserved their perfect NFL season on Sunday, while Dallas, Green Bay and Seattle locked up divisional titles and Indianapolis booked their playoff berth.

TOM BRADY threw for 269 yards and a touchdown, while Asante Samuel picked off three passes as the New England Patriots beat Chicago 17-13 in a showdown of American football division leaders on Sunday.

ATLANTA, Kansas City and Tampa Bay all won their NFL games in dramatic fashion Sunday with late field goals, including Matt Bryant’s 62-yarder as time expired to lift the Bucs over Philadelphia.

BALTIMORE rallied to shock Cleveland, Cincinnati left their mark on the Steelers and Indianapolis held off Jacksonville as three NFL grudge matches lived up their billings.

It was twice the laughs for members of the White House Correspondents’ Association and guests when President George W Bush and a look-alike, sound-alike sidekick poked fun at the president and fellow politicians.

AMID all the whooping and the hollering, one man was strangely subdued.

PITTSBURGH completed an improbable road sweep of top seeds and Seattle achieved a dream 30 years in the making. Each side won lopsided playoff triumphs on Sunday to book a Super Bowl 40 showdown.

NFL win leader Indianapolis saw a Super Bowl dream end in misery while road triumphs on Sunday allowed bottom-seeds Pittsburgh and Carolina to sustain their title hopes.

PITTSBURGH’S ‘Big Ben’ tolled doom for Cincinnati’s first NFL play-off game in 15 years, while the Carolina Panthers advanced on Sunday with a defensive effort unseen in 25 years.

THE Cowboys and the Jaguars worked overtime for NFL victories on Sunday.

WARRING team-mates Donovan McNabb and Terrell Owens put aside their differences to lead the Philadelphia Eagles to a 42-3 victory over the San Francisco 49ers in the early NFL games last night.

THE National Football League’s elite sewed up division titles on Sunday.

THE Tampa Bay Buccaneers have scuppered Atlanta’s hopes of locking up a division title with weeks to spare in the National Football League.