Discussion: Recapping the NFL playoff weekend

This week’s Monday edition of our NFL Google+ hangout -- “NFL Slam with Mark and Sam,� starring Times NFL columnist Sam Farmer and Mark Thompson of “Mark and Brian� radio fame -- will start at 11:30 a.m. today on this blog post and will cover a host of topics.

One topic will include last weekend’s slate of NFL playoff games. As Farmer wrote earlier this week:

“So much for momentum.

“Green Bay had it, having throttled Minnesota in the first round of the NFL playoffs. But the Packers were turned back by a San Francisco team that was two weeks removed from its worst loss of the season.

“The Denver Broncos had momentum too, riding an 11-game winning streak into the postseason. They lost at home to the Baltimore Ravens, who had lost four of their last five regular-season games.

“Also rolling were the Seattle Seahawks, who had won six in a row, counting their playoff victory at Washington. But, despite an epic comeback Sunday, the Seahawks were beaten by the Atlanta Falcons, who lost two of their final four games in the regular season and were 0-3 in playoff games under Coach Mike Smith.

“The only divisional-round winner that had momentum going in and kept it was New England, and the Patriots did what they were supposed to do Sunday, beating Houston at home.

“With one Sunday of games left before Super Bowl XLVII, it’s San Francisco at Atlanta, followed by Baltimore at New England.�

“NFL Slam with Mark and Samâ€� is usually held every Monday and Friday at 11:30 a.m. You can watch it on this blog post. If you have questions for Mark and Sam, email them to [email protected] and we will try to get them answered live during the chat.