PRO FOOTBALL / DAILY REPORT : THE PLAYOFFS : Gibbs Knows They’re No Paper Lions

For the second week in a row, the Washington Redskins face a team they thrashed during the regular season, and Coach Joe Gibbs again is saying his team shouldn’t expect another rout.

Last Saturday, Washington defeated the Atlanta Falcons, 24-7, after trouncing the Falcons, 56-17, during the regular season.

Sunday, in the NFC championship game, the Redskins will play the Detroit Lions, whom they routed in the first game of the season, 45-0. Gibbs says it isn’t the same Lion team that took apart Dallas, 38-6, Sunday. “Anybody who can do that to Dallas, I’ve got tremendous respect for, and I know our team does, because we haven’t been able to do that,” Gibbs said.

Gibbs also pointed out that Barry Sanders didn’t play for the Lions that game back in September because of an injury, and that Rodney Peete was the quarterback after missing most of training camp.

Peete is injured and out for the season, but quarterback Erik Kramer has led the Lions to seven consecutive victories. That doesn’t surprise Gibbs.

“We tried to get (Kramer) at one point,” Gibbs said. “Rod (Dowhower, Washington’s quarterback coach) liked him. I think everything we know about Erik Kramer is that he’s a heck of a football player.”

Kramer was a Plan B free agent when the Redskins tried to sign him, but he decided to stay with the Lions.

In four previous AFC championship games, the Denver Broncos have never lost, but the Buffalo Bills present one of the Broncos’ toughest challenges.

The Bills averaged 44 points in their last three playoff games at home and beat their opponents by an average margin of 27 points.

Last season, the Broncos dominated the Bills early at Rich Stadium but ended up falling victim to Bills’ quick-scoring ability.

Buffalo produced 20 points in a 77-second span to pull out a 29-28 victory. Denver was leading, 21-9, and was lined up for a short field goal, but the kick was blocked and returned 80 yards for a touchdown, triggering the Bills’ burst early in the fourth quarter.

Leonard Smith returned an interception 39 yards for a touchdown, and on Denver’s next play from scrimmage, John Elway fumbled a snap at the two, setting up still another Buffalo touchdown.