Pro Canes Set For Wild Card Weekend

Jan. 2, 2012

CORAL GABLES, Fla. – When the NFL playoffs kick off on Jan. 7, no college will have more players participating in the postseason than the University of Miami. 26 Pro Canes appear on rosters spread across 11 of the 12 postseason-bound teams, and many of them will play key roles in the potential chances of Super Bowl runs.

No playoff team boasts more Pro Canes than the Houston Texans, who have a whopping six Hurricanes on their first ever playoff roster. Though Rashad Butler and Darryl Sharpton are out with injuries, Andre Johnson, Eric Winston, Chris Myers and Brandon Harris will all suit up for the Texans when they take on the Cincinatti Bengals in the first playoff game at 4:30 p.m. on Jan. 7 (NBC).

The lone Pro Cane member of the Bengals is cornerback Kelly Jennings, who finished the season with 33 tackles and one sack. Cincinatti, who earned the No. 6 playoff seed in the AFC, was one of three teams from the AFC North to make the postseason.

In the second game of the weekend, sophomore sensation Jimmy Graham and veteran linebacker Jonathan Vilma hope to lead New Orleans into the second round with a victory over Detroit (8 p.m, NBC). The only Pro Canes member of the Lions is offensive lineman Jason Fox, who was placed on Injured Reserve earlier in the season.

Sunday’s action includes one of the more intriguing matchups in Atlanta’s showdown with the NFC East-champion New York Giants. The Falcons, boasting Matt Bosher, Spencer Adkins and Brett Romberg, are hosting the Giants, who will have Kenny Phillips and Antrel Rolle in their secondary, as well as an injured Bruce Johnson looking on from the sidelines. The game is set for a nationally-televised 1 p.m. kickoff on FOX.

In the final game of the weekend, the Steelers will travel to Denver for a 4:30 p.m. kickoff from Mile High Stadium (CBS). Though no Pro Canes found their home in Pittsburgh, Orlando Franklin, Willis McGahee and D.J. Williams will all factor heavily into the Broncos’ chances of success against the Steelers.

Frank Gore, Tavares Gooden and the San Francisco 49ers earned a first-round bye after capturing the NFC West title and finishing the year 13-3. Vince Wilfork and the No. 1-seeded New England Patriots will also watch along as other teams do battle, earning a first-round bye with a similar 13-3 record. Both teams are set to play on Saturday, Jan. 14.

Veterans Bryant McKinnie, Ray Lewis and Ed Reed will be awaiting the results of the weekend in preparation for their second-round matchup. The Ravens, who finished the year 12-4 and earned the AFC North crown, also have a first-round bye. Sam Shields and the Green Bay Packers, the first team to clinch a first-round bye, are planning another run deep into the playoffs. Both the Ravens and Packers will play on Sunday, Jan. 15.

Canes History in NFL Playoffs: Super Bowl Champions | 17 in 2011 Playoffs