NFL Network player correspondent Ty Law is making sure that I put in my blog that he told us Chargers RB Darren Sproles needed to get some screen passes so he could operate in space.

The Commissioner is in the building. I made sure to call Roger Goodell “Mr. Commissioner” this time. The first time I met him, he caught me off guard. He tapped me on the shoulder while I was texting someone on the sidelines, and I called him Roger. I was mortified and made fun of by my colleagues for weeks. I later apologized to him, to which his response was, “Don’t worry about it. People have definitely called me worse things.”

This year’s NFL playoffs are shaping up to be one for the underdogs. With the Eagles’ upset of the Giants on Sunday, it’s the second time since 1970 (1971 was the other) that three road teams have won in the divisional playoffs.

Ty Law, producer Ed O’Brien and I are on the field for pregame, and we’re amused by the Chargers’ linebackers, who are getting fired up by yelling at the Steelers’ fans. Shawne Merriman is acting like a player/coach, although you can tell it’s killing him to not be out there in a uniform. Shaun Phillips is ready to hit someone (I won’t use his exact words).

So much for top seeds and home-field advantage.

Those edges that teams fight for over 16 regular-season games mean nothing in these NFC playoffs. The Cardinals and Eagles, who had the worst records among the NFC’s playoff teams, will meet in the conference championship game Sunday in Arizona to determine who plays in the Super Bowl.

The Chargers have deactivated RB LaDainian Tomlinson for today’s game against the Steelers due to his lingering groin injury.

CB Asante Samuel, who had an interception that set up the Eagles’ first-half touchdown — the only touchdown to that point — had to be administered an IV to replenish fluids at the start of the third quarter. He returned to the Eagles’ sideline after the Giants kicked a field goal early in the third quarter.

NFL GameDay Morning, the first information packed show on the air Sunday mornings, checks in at 9:00 a.m. ET on the only network dedicated entirely to football. Warren Sapp, Marshall Faulk and Steve Mariucci alongside hosts Spero Dedes and co-host Alex Flanagan with news reports by Adam Schefter, bring fans the latest news, injury reports, pregame analysis and game previews on NFL Network. Special player correspondents Ty Law and Antwaan Randle El provided analysis from Sunday’s Division Playoff games.

Having the chance to work with Redskins WR Antwaan Randle El this weekend for NFL Network has been really great, especially since he has handled himself well on TV and as a spot-on prognosticator.

The Eagles had a number of offensive starters on the injury report this week, including TE L.J. Smith, OT Jon Runyan and RB Brian Westbrook. Runyan was listed as questionable, but he’ll be ready to go. FB Dan Klecko was listed as doubtful but will play.

NFL.com senior writer Steve Wyche reports from Giants Stadium that Eagles TE L.J. Smith is active and will start today against the Giants.

Tampa Bay is no longer the lone NFC South team expected to be looking for a quarterback this offseason. With his woeful performance Saturday night, Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme made Tarvaris Jackson look like Bart Starr.

Over and over, former Steelers coach Bill Cowher has insisted that he is not interested in returning to the sidelines in 2009. But now a potential landing spot has emerged for 2010.

If the Eagles and Chargers win today, then Arizona will host next Sunday’s NFC Championship Game and San Diego will host next Sunday’s AFC Championship Game. Should it happen, it would be as stunning as four road teams winning each of the Divisional Playoff games.

At 4-8, the Chargers were left for roadkill. But their season might have looked most bleak on Sunday, Dec. 14, when they trailed the Chiefs in Kansas City 21-10 with about four minutes to play in the game. A loss would have ended the season for the Chargers and clinched the AFC West title for the Broncos.