Three teams – and three of the NFL’s highest-profile quarterbacks – have represented the AFC in the past seven Super Bowls, a trend that can continue Sunday at Heinz Field with a victory by Ben Roethlisberger and the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Don’t expect the New York Jets to be intimidated.

The sixth-seeded Jets have gotten through Peyton Manning and Tom Brady to punch a ticket to their second straight AFC championship game, leaving Roethlisberger’s Steelers as the last obstacle to their first Super Bowl appearance in 42 years.

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The Packers and the Bears first met in 1921, when the Bears were the Staleys, the N.F.L. was the A.P.F.A., and F. Scott Fitzgerald was 25 years old. A trainload of 300 Packers fans, joined by a brass band in woodsman costumes (the Cheeseheads came later), traveled to Chicago to watch the 20-0 loss. Pete Stinchcomb opened the scoring with a 45-yard touchdown, then Pard Pearce set up a second score with that pinnacle of 1920s innovation, a forward pass, to Dutch Sternaman.

“After several wallops at the line Pard Pierce finally bucked through for a touchdown on a quarterback plunge,” read a newspaper account of the game. Oddly enough, the Bears used the same series of plays against the Seahawks last Sunday.

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Through the years, Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings have turned to the Detroit Lions for comfort when things weren’t going their way.

The Vikings are 21-2 against the Lions in their last 23 meetings and Favre has more completions, yards and victories against them than any other team in his career.

Now, with Favre hurting and the Vikings rendered homeless by a massive snowstorm, the Lions are there for them both again.

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After an impressive win over the reigning AFC East champions last weekend, the New York Jets should be feeling good about themselves going into a showdown with the current division leaders.

The Miami Dolphins, however, are far from the Jets’ only concern.

New York must cope with the arrest of its top wide receiver and an injury to its star cornerback before Sunday night’s matchup in Miami, where the Dolphins open their home schedule with a chance for their first 3-0 start since 2002.

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As if facing Peyton Manning with a potentially depleted secondary wasn’t a big enough challenge, the Denver Broncos will also be dealing with the death of a teammate as they host the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday.

The apparent suicide of Kenny McKinley will be on the Broncos’ minds as they attempt to contain the reigning NFL MVP, who leads the league in passing yards and touchdowns and hasn’t thrown an interception.

Denver may struggle to focus on football this week after McKinley was found dead in his home Monday with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to his head, according to a sheriff’s investigative report. The 23-year-old wide receiver had been on injured reserve with a left knee injury.

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By leading the Philadelphia Eagles to victory in Week 2, Michael Vick has earned himself the starting job – although he had to wait an extra day to be sure.

Philadelphia travels to EverBank Field to take on the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday, looking for its first win in four all-time meetings.

Making his first start since 2006, Vick led the Eagles (1-1) to a 35-32 win at Detroit last Sunday, going 21 of 34 for 284 yards and two touchdowns while adding 37 rushing yards.

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The New Orleans Saints aren’t going to complain about their two victories, but there’s still plenty of room to improve for a team that’s adjusting to wearing a weekly target on its back.

It’s a mark the Atlanta Falcons think they’re finally capable of hitting.

The Super Bowl champions have dominated Atlanta since Drew Brees’ arrival four years ago, but Matt Ryan and the Falcons are hoping an outstanding Week 2 performance has them ready to measure up to their NFC South rivals Sunday at the Superdome.

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Vince Young will remain the starter for the Tennessee Titans, and that could be bad news for the New York Giants.

The Titans are 4-0 against the Giants since the franchise moved to Tennessee, and Young will lead them into the New Meadowlands Stadium on Sunday as he looks to bounce back from a rough performance.

Coach Jeff Fisher replaced a mistake-prone Young with former Giant Kerry Collins in the fourth quarter of a 19-11 loss to Pittsburgh last Sunday. Collins guided the Titans (1-1) to their lone touchdown after Young had two interceptions and a fumble as part of his team’s seven turnovers.

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An emotional Denver Broncos coach Josh McDaniels recalled a happy Kenny McKinley on Tuesday, one day after police found the receiver in what they said was an apparent suicide.

McDaniels said the team saw no evidence that McKinley, who has been on injured reserve since Aug. 5, was suicidal.

“We’ve all seen him the same way. He’s been the same guy,” McDaniels said. “Nothing that would alarm us.

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With all the “Hard Knocks,” holdouts and hype behind them, the New York Jets didn’t look much like a team that is ready to dethrone the New England Patriots in the AFC East.

Especially if Tom Brady and the Patriots’ vaunted offense are indeed back to their old tricks.

The Jets will find out firsthand if they can hang with New England in the rivals’ much-anticipated clash Sunday at the New Meadowlands Stadium, but New York must quickly improve its sputtering offense and replace one of its top defensive players.

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