Until this past weekend, the last time the NFL playoffs commenced without the Patriots either playing or enjoying a bye was the weekend of Jan. 3-4, 2009.
Not that the reminder is necessary, but that is a long time ago on the calendar — and eons ago in football years, as confirmed by some scattered notes from the games of that wild-card weekend long past:
Asante Samuel picked off a pass in the Eagles’ win over the Vikings … Anquan Boldin torched Lawyer Milloy on a 71-yard catch-and-run in the Cardinals’ victory over the Falcons … Ed Reed intercepted Chad Pennington for a pick-6 in the Ravens’ defeat of the Dolphins … Philip Rivers actually threw a couple of spirals as the Chargers topped the Colts.