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ST. LOUIS - Mike Martz and Dick Vermeil, two coaches with a very big connection, always keep in touch.

Vermeil gave Martz his first big break, hiring him as the St. Louis Rams' offensive coordinator in 1999. Then he gave him his second big break, retiring after the Rams won the Super Bowl in 2000 so Martz could take over.

So every week, one or the other coach picks up the telephone and dials across the state.

"I haven't talked to Mike yet this week, but I plan to," Vermeil said. "We talk once a week, usually on Friday or Saturday morning."

This week they've got a lot in common, with both Martz's Rams and Vermeil's Kansas City Chiefs in the playoffs. It's the first time both of Missouri's teams have made it to the postseason in the same year.

The Rams, who host Carolina today, have been in the playoffs four times in nine seasons since moving to St. Louis, reaching the postseason in 1999, 2000, '01 and '03.

The Chiefs, who will host Indianapolis Sunday, are making their 14th playoff appearance but the first since 1998.

Tennessee will take on New England in today's other playoff game, and there's a good chance the weather in Foxboro could be as bad as the fans' reception for the Titans. The temperature is expected to be in single digits.

"We're going to leave the Florida guys home," Titans coach Jeff Fisher deadpanned. "We'll bring them up Saturday, put them up in the press box, give them some pizza and let the rest of the guys play."

The Titans practiced all week in sub-freezing weather, but they haven't played a game this season when the temperature has been lower than 37 degrees.

The Philadelphia Eagles had a first-round bye, and if history holds up, that will give them a big advantage when they host the Green Bay Packers Sunday.

In the NFC, the ledger shows a 24-2 home-team edge since the advent of the present playoff format in 1990, and top seeds are 13-0.

"Those are some unbelievable stats," Eagles coach Andy Reid said this week.

Divisional playoffs

Today's games

• Carolina at St. Louis, 4:30 p.m., Ch. 19, 45.

• Tennessee at New England, 8:15 p.m., Ch. 12, 7.

Sunday's games

• Indianapolis at Kansas City, 1 p.m., Ch. 12, 7.

• Green Bay at Philadelphia, 4:45 p.m., Ch. 19, 45.

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