Sports

From Peyton to Peterson, still plenty of football for fans to enjoy

New York football fans need not go through withdrawal. The NFL playoffs beginning tomorrow will fix your addiction in no time, and here’s why and how and who:

1. PEYTON MANNING: Not bad for a rusty 36-year-old coming off four neck-fusion surgeries. Not only is he trying to tie kid brother Eli with a second Super Bowl ring, he’d like to hoist the Lombardi Trophy in his New Orleans hometown. Might not have the arm he once did, but the beautiful mind more than compensates. The NFL wasn’t the same without him. “We passed on him,” Woody Johnson said. Of course the Jets did. They had Mark Sanchez.

2. ROBERT GRIFFIN III, ANDREW LUCK and RUSSELL WILSON: Jets fans forgot how exhilarating it was when Sanchez was their rookie heartthrob in the 2009 playoffs. RG3 will be the Giants’ worst nightmare for the next decade, even after Manning is gone. He has resurrected a franchise that had been waiting an eternity for a franchise quarterback. Indianapolis sure is thankful that its Colts Sucked For Luck. If RG3 is The Natural in the NFC, Luck is The Natural in the AFC. He has gone 105 throws without an interception. The 5-foot-10 Wilson, who duels RG3 next, must be tempting Doug Flutie to make a comeback. Does anyone still think he’s too short to play in the NFL? Once he completed that Fail Mary, Wilson never looked back. The three come armed with poise, maturity and leadership beyond their years. The games won’t be too big for them.

3. ADRIAN PETERSON: He didn’t really rush for 2,097 yards so soon after December ACL surgery, did he? Isn’t that supposed to be impossible for a human being? When there are eight men in the box daring young Christian Ponder to beat them through the air? Peterson has run for 309 yards in two games against the cheeseheads this season, but Charles Woodson (collarbone) is back. What if Rex Ryan had Purple Jesus for his Ground & Pound instead of Shonn Greene?

4. CHUCK PAGANO: The Colts head coach’s battle with leukemia and the team and the town’s Chuckstrong support came to a tear-jerking climax when Pagano returned to the sidelines for the regular-season finale against the Texans. Now he heads back to Baltimore, where he coached for four years and knows the personnel intimately.

5. AARON RODGERS: He has had to make do most of the season without Greg Jennings, but should have his full complement of nuclear weapons now. Always capable of putting on a clinic with his precision throws and rampaging legs. Has a 106 QB rating in six playoff games. Another championship and he goes one up on Brett Favre. But don’t tell that to Valyncia Jennings, sister of the free-agent receiver, who tweeted: “ARod is the most overrated qb in the league! He is no where near Peyton or Brady! It sickens me. Peyton would average 5 TD with this squad!!!.” And: “he (Greg) should have more catches if this idiot (ARod) could see the coverage.” No Discount Double check for Valyncia!

6. J.J. WATT, ALDON SMITH, VON MILLER and CLAY MATTHEWS : You want young pass rushers who can ruin the game? You want to see the kind of player Vernon Gholston was supposed to be? Watt registered 20.5 sacks for Wade Phillips. Smith (19.5) reminds some of Charles Haley. Miller (18.5) reminds some of Derrick Thomas. Matthews (13), with his flowing blond hair, reminds some of Dog the Bounty Hunter.

7. TOM BRADY: Won’t have Eli Manning waiting for him at the end of the road. An epic duel against Peyton Manning looms before he can take his shot at a fourth Super Bowl championship. Has a legitimate running game (Stevan Ridley) this time around. If tight end Rob Gronkowski (forearm) is anywhere close to himself, watch out. If we’re lucky, the television cameras will catch a glimpse of new-mommy, model-wife Gisele Bundchen, who will be praying for Tommy.

8. RAY LEWIS: Once-in-a-generation middle linebacker is retiring after the postseason. Hasn’t played (triceps) since Oct. 15, but his inspirational presence — he is a gametime decision — will send a jolt of emotion through the Ravens and the city of Baltimore. The pregame introductions will be worth the price of admission. XII years after demolishing the Jim Fassel Giants in Super Bowl XXXV, Lewis has this one last chance to ride off into the sunset with another.

9. BILL BELICHICK: The playoffs wouldn’t feel the same without the gray hoodie. Has infused quality youth in his defense (rookies Chandler Jones and Dont’a Hightower) and gambled on big corner/problem child Aqib Talib, and very well may have to match wits with old nemesis Peyton Manning for the chance to capture that elusive fourth ring. We know how Jets fans will be rooting.

10. COLIN KAEPERNICK: Will the gamble pay off for Jim Harbaugh? Was it the right move to sit Alex Smith? The trial-and-error period is over. It’s “Super Bowl or Bust” for Kaepernick and his coach.

11. MATT RYAN: Matty Ice enjoyed a breakout season (68.6 completion percentage), but he’s 0-3 in the playoffs. This is his postseason legacy. It’s no longer enough for him to boast that he’s 33-5 at the Georgia Dome.

12. PETE CARROLL: Capable of running up the score, or running around like a 12-year-old boy who just got his bike on Christmas morning. A mere 18 years since Dan Marino’s Fake Spike spelled his Jets’ doom and led to the hiring of Rich Kotite.

13. FACE TIME: You want evidence of the intensity of playoff football? Just check out the faces of Jim Harbaugh and Mike Shanahan. Parental guidance advised.

14. HANDS TIME: No Megatron, but sit back and enjoy the wondrous feats of young wide receivers Julio Jones, A.J. Green, Demaryius Thomas, Eric Decker, Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb.

15. THE OLD PROS: Andre Johnson, Jared Allen, London Fletcher, Reggie Wayne, Wes Welker, Anquan Boldin,Ed Reed, John Abraham. Charles Woodson, Frank Gore, Champ Bailey, Roddy White, Tony Gonzalez to name a few.

16. BACKS TO THE PRESENT: Arian Foster and Ray Rice are elite. Marshawn Lynch vs. Alfred Morris is the undercard to RG3 vs. RW1.

17. MATTY DICE: Matt Schaub has thrown one TD pass over his last four games and will be starting his first playoff game, against a formidable Bengals pass rush.

18. THE ELEMENTS: Should be about 20 degrees tomorrow night at Lambeau Field. Might we see snow in Foxborough? Delicious appetizers for the 2014 New York Super Bowl.

Out of deference to Peyton, we’ll stop at 18.

steve.serby@nypost.com