Baltimore and Philadelphia became part of the NFL's final eight Sunday in games that looked identical right down to the scoreboard.
Both the Ravens and Eagles won by the score of 21-3 -- Baltimore capturing the first post-season game in franchise history against Denver and Philadelphia adding to Tampa Bay's woes in cold weather by downing the Buccaneers.
"We're not through," Philadelphia coach Andy Reid told his surprising team after its triumph. "Everybody stay safe. We're going to need everybody next Sunday."
For the first time since the NFL expanded the playoffs in 1990, all four wild-card games this weekend were won by the home team.
The victories by the Ravens and Eagles came after Miami and New Orleans had taken advantage of the home field on Saturday. The outcomes set up a divisional round next weekend that on Saturday will send New Orleans to Minnesota and Miami to Oakland and on Sunday will find Baltimore at Tennessee and Philadelphia at the New York Giants.
Weather played a role in both of Sunday's with the mercury around the freezing mark, the winds gusting and the chill factor close to 10 degrees in Baltimore and Philadelphia.
And defense was also first-rate in both games.
Baltimore set a record this season for fewest points allowed (165) in a 16-game season and the Ravens put that defense on display Sunday by allowing Denver across the 50-yard line just once.
Jamal Lewis scored two of Baltimore's touchdowns and former Denver tight end Shannon Sharpe scored the other -- grabbing a deflected pass and surprising even himself by carrying it 58 yards to the goal line.
"I thought I might get 10 yards," he said. "But the end zone kept getting closer and closer."
Baltimore's defense did the rest, limiting the Broncos to 42 ground yards and just 2.8 yards per play.
It was the Ravens' eighth straight victory, a streak that began when they finally broke a five-game skid in which they failed to produce a touchdown. The second of those eight straight was a 24-23 victory in Nashville, the only game Tennessee has lost during its two years at Adelphia Coliseum.
In Philadelphia, quarterback Donovan McNabb carved up Tampa Bay's defense with a short passing game and Hugh Douglas turned the game around by forcing a second-quarter fumble. It was the Eagles' first post-season victory in five years.
Tampa Bay's reputation for being unable to win in cold weather was only enhanced. For the 20th time in their history, the Buccaneers played a game in temperatures below 40 degrees. Tampa Bay has lost all 20 of those games.
McNabb accounted for all three Philadelphia touchdowns, throwing for two and running for oen.
Tampa Bay owned a 3-0 lead in the second period and it appeared the first half would end that way. But a critical Buccaneers turnover ignited the Eagles, who scored twice in the final 3:21 of the first half to take control.
Tampa Bay had a third down situation, needing 19 yards from its own 25 with four minutes to play in the first half, when quarterback Shaun King was sacked by Douglas. The resulting fumble was recovered by Mike Mamula at the Buccaneers' 15.
McNabb scrambled for 10 yards on first down and, three plays later, scored on quarterback draw from five yards out to put Philadelphia in front.
After the kickoff, the Eagles quickly forced a Tampa Bay punt and Philadelphia took over at its own 31 with 1:43 to play in the half. McNabb completed five of six passes on a drive that ended with a five-yard scoring toss to Na Brown with 12 seconds remaining.
