A couple of short, but sweet leftovers from Thursday’s Pro Bowl practice at Hickam Air Force Base.

After 16 seasons in the NFL, Ray Lewis is at peace with his status — as what many consider the best ever at linebacker, and as a regular visitor to Honolulu as a runner-up.

Call it sour grapes, but Baltimore Ravens linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo might not be among the hundreds of millions of people watching two Sundays from now when the New England Patriots take on the New York Giants in the Super Bowl.

When you look at the tape, the Patriots and Giants walked away conference champions for reasons that spanned the length of the game. And the Ravens and 49ers exited stage right for just as many reasons.

“Playbook” analysts Solomon Wilcots, Brian Baldinger, Joe Theismann and Brian Billick make their picks for the conference championship games.

Ball So Hard University has produced its first crop of graduates. Matt Richey, Kenny Silkworth and Robert “McFreshington” Norton have put their heads together to pump out “Ravens Nation,” a song dedicated to Naltimore’s 12-4 jaunt through the regular season that continues Sunday with a home playoff game against the Texans.

Joe Flacco deserves some credit in at least one area. The guy is getting pretty good at brushing off criticism.

Four divisional playoff games this weekend to break down. Let’s get right to it.

The No. 3 seeds (Houston and San Francisco) are feeling pretty good about themselves after big wins in the Wild Card round. What kind of obstacles will they face this week?

There’s an art form to getting away with pass interference — offensive or defensive — in the NFL. Essentially, it’s about not being caught.

The Cowboys-Giants battle for the NFC East title will be shown in prime time next Sunday, the NFL announced.

With news that Anquan Boldin is finished for the regular season, fantasy owners might find more relief in Baltimore’s tight end than in their receiving corps.

Congratulations to the Texans, who have clinched the first playoff berth in franchise history. With three weeks left in the season, there are still eight playoff spots up for grabs. And three teams – the Patriots, Ravens and Steelers – all have a chance to officially join the party this weekend.

We know that Texans LB Connor Barwin is a bad man, but so bad that the Jaguars fired coach Jack Del Rio and then owner Wayne Weaver sold the team, all after Barwin recorded four sacks against two quarterbacks in a 20-13 Texans win in Jacksonville on Sunday?

After tonight’s Thanksgiving feast, you’ll probably feel stuffed like a 300-pound defensive lineman. That’s actually quite appropriate, because if you tune in to watch Thursday Night Football on NFL Network, all of the best talent will be in the trenches for the 49ers and Ravens.