Peyton Manning will be making his first playoff start Sunday.

But considering they needed a freak play just to get past Buffalo, they're happy to be going anywhere, in this case to Indianapolis on Sunday.

The key to this one may lie in an old college reunion -- Peyton Manning against Jevon Kearse, "The Freak," who has become to NFL quarterbacks just what he was for Florida against Manning and Tennessee.

Kearse's contributions were forgotten in the drama of Frank Wycheck's lateral and Kevin Dyson's kickoff return that beat the Bills.

But he was directly responsible for nine of the 15 points the Titans had before the kick return -- a sack for a safety and a touchdown when the ensuing kickoff gave Tennessee good field position. If he does it again, the Colts have problems, particularly since Cornelius Bennett, the key to their defense, is out with a knee injury.

That could be important -- Steve McNair may scramble a lot more this week and has to throw downfield against an average Indianapolis secondary.

Indy is favored by 5½.

Too much. Colts 29, Titans 27

Minnesota (plus 7) at St. Louis: If anyone can beat the Rams, it's the Vikings in a game where the over-under is a whopping 52.

But that's predicated on the idea that both teams will score and the Vikings can't stop a good offense. It's also based on the fact the Rams won by an average of 25 points at home, albeit against opposition that was mediocre to poor -- the best team it beat was Carolina (8-8).

Consider Kurt Warner a question mark for St. Louis.

Yes, he was the NFL's MVP and its leading passer. But the pressure of a playoff game is far more intense than the other playoffs he's been in -- the Arena League and NFL Europe.

On the other hand, Warner has met every challenge this year. And Jeff George played just his second postseason game last week against Dallas.

Still, that was with Vikings' Dome noise.

This is with the Rams' Dome noise. Rams 35, Vikings 27

They also get a break -- Tony Boselli is out and Mark Brunell is hobbled even after a bye week.

Is that sufficient for Dan Marino and his pals to move on to the AFC title game against a team that lost only twice in the regular season?

The oddsmakers and wagerers think otherwise -- Jacksonville opened as an 8-point favorite and the line was bet up another point.

The reason is largely the Jacksonville defense and the Miami offense (or lack of it).

The Dolphins got two good drives out of Marino on Sunday, enough for a 20-17 upset against Seattle. They'll probably have trouble repeating that against the Jaguars, whose defense is the main reason they're the top seed in the AFC.

Still, the quick Miami defense will present problems for Jacksonville _ Brunell will be less mobile and the Jags are unlikely to run as well without Boselli.

Closer than the odds. Jaguars 17, Dolphins 13

But they also are likely to be without Stephen Davis, the NFC's leading rusher, and two starting offensive linemen -- left tackle Andy Heck and center Cory Raymer.

Yes, the Bucs are going with Shaun King, the greenest quarterback in these (or most other) playoffs. But with the Washington offense hurting, Tampa can win this one on defense.

Then they're on their own. Buccaneers 19, Redskins 13