WildCard weekend is beyond us now and we have our elite eight.  In this column we’re going to go over the remaining eight teams in the playoffs and what they need to advance to Miami and the Super Bowl.

• 1. Arizona Cardinals: Anyone who watched that game on Sunday versus Green Bay already knows that quarterback Kurt Warner and company can light up a scoreboard with anyone. That being said, if their defense doesn’t play better it won’t matter as sooner or later you will lose one of these shootouts. Like Green Bay on Sunday, New Orleans can score points in bunches, certainly enough to keep up with the Cardinals. Arizona needs their defense to be able to pressure the QB; you can’t keep relying on the offense to score 45 points. The front four has to be able to keep the opposing QB from getting to comfortable in the pocket and picking their secondary apart.
• 2. New Orleans Saints: The first thing the Saints must do is shake off the rust of not having played a game that really mattered in three plus weeks. Secondly they must prove to their opposition that they can run the ball effectively. They don’t have to rush for 200 yards, just enough so that the opposing team can’t tee off of quarterback Drew Brees. Secondly their defense must continue to be opportunistic. The defense is not as bad as some people would have you believe, but it’s not great either. They are going to give up their share of yards and points, but they must continue to force turnovers.
• 3. Baltimore Ravens: The first thing Baltimore needs is for quarterback Joe Flacco’s hip to heal so that he can throw the ball effectively. The Ravens destroyed the Patriots on the ground in their game on Sunday and harassed quarterback Tom Brady all game. Their defense must continue to make life uncomfortable for Colts QB Peyton Manning, if not, Peyton will pick them apart. Blitzing Manning is generally not the way to go as he will see it coming and hit the hot read. The Ravens can’t afford to get into a shootout with Indianapolis. They must limit the big play and force the Colts to drive the entire length of the field.
• 4. Indianapolis Colts: Like the Saints the Colts need to shake off the rust as soon as possible. They must stop the Ravens run game and find out if Flacco can throw the ball. If that means committing an eighth man in the box, then do it until Flacco proves he can beat you with his arm. The Colts are the better team and as long as they don’t turn the ball over should be victorious here and they know that. Manning needs to be conservative and take what the Ravens defense gives him, don’t force anything allowing the Ravens to have a short field.
• 5. Dallas Cowboys: Dallas may be the favorite to advance to the Super Bowl in the NFC, but that doesn’t mean they will have an easy time here. Dallas needs to continue to have a balanced attack. Keep feeding the ball to running back Felix Jones; he is your big play threat in the backfield. Don’t let defensive end Jared Allen beat you, make sure he is blocked. Big plays in the passing game will come as Minnesota’s weakness is in the secondary. The defense must continue to pressure the quarterback. Brett Favre will take chances and the secondary must pick off the passes when they have the chance. Favre may not move around like he used to, but he is still sly enough to find an opening, he can’t be given extra time to throw the ball. Possibly most important of all, stop taking dumb penalties.
• 6. Minnesota Vikings: Like the Cowboys they must have a balanced offensive attack. Even if the Cowboys bottle up running back Adrian Peterson early, don’t go away from him. He’s a big play waiting to happen every time he touches the ball. Plus if you drop Favre back to pass 40+ times, he’s going to take quite a few hits, and sooner or later he’s not going to get up. Favre must not take unnecessary chances and give the Cowboys free points. If it’s not there, check down to an underneath route. The Cowboys biggest weakness in the secondary is covering the tight end and Favre may have a lot of success finding Visanthe Shiancoe over the middle. Defensively the Vikings must pressure QB Tony Romo, and they must do it with their front four. If they blitz and don’t get there, Romo will pick their secondary apart.
• 7. New York Jets: The Jets may be the most confident team in the AFC right now. They believe they can win the whole thing, and that is half the battle. Their game plan is simple, run the ball with Tomas Jones and Shonn Greene, and play tough defense. They do not want to get into any sort of shootout. They are not a team that is built to come from behind. We all know that cornerback Darrelle Revis will take wide receiver Vincent Jackson out of the game; they need to make sure that Antonio Gates isn’t running free over the middle.
• 8. San Diego Chargers: They must stop the Jets rushing attack and force quarterback Mark Sanchez to beat them. Make the Jets one dimensional. Chargers QB Phillip Rivers must not be full of himself and decide to throw at Revis and risk turnovers. Use the rest of your team. Every team would like to get up early, but if the Chargers can get a double digit lead, this game is over.