The Falcons are in the playoffs? And the Cardinals? Against each other?

But not the Cowboys? Or the Patriots? Or the Bears? Or Brett Favre?

Or a team from L.A.?

And Tiki Barber is now a sideline reporter? Is this to get him ready to hype up a Titans-Panthers Super Bowl in February?

We can’t answer most of those things. Yet, if you’ve just crawled out from a cave and it seems as if the balance of power may not have shifted in the NFL, it’s definitely been thrown for a network loop.

The postseason begins on NBC on Saturday with this TV lineup:

SATURDAY:

==1:30 p.m., Channel 4: Atlanta at Arizona (with Tom Hammond, Cris Collinsworth and Tiki Barber on the sidelines)
==5 p.m., Channel 4: Indianapolis at San Diego (with Al Michaels, John Madden and Andrea Kremer)

SUNDAY:
==10 a.m., Channel 2: Baltimore at Miami (with Jim Nantz and Phil Simms)
==1:30 p.m., Channel 11: Philadelphia at Minnesota (with Joe Buck, Troy Aikman and Pam Oliver)

Moving ahead:

Saturday, January 10:
==1:30 p.m., Channel 2: Baltimore, San Diego or Indianapolis at Tennessee
==5:15 p.m., Channel 11: Arizona, Atlanta or Minnesota at Carolina

Sunday, January 11:
==10 a.m., Channel 11: Arizona, Atlanta or Philadelphia at N.Y. Giants
==1:45 p.m., Channel 2: Miami, San Diego or Indianapolis at Pittsburgh

Sunday, January 18:
==Noon, Channel 11: NFC championship
==3:30 p.m., Channel 2: AFC championship

Sunday, February 1:
==3 p.m., Channel 4: Super Bowl XLIII from Tampa, Fla.