Four of the six active head coaches with Super Bowl rings — Bill Belichick, Mike Shanahan, Mike Holmgren and Jon Gruden — failed to qualify for the postseason. That helped create room for five head coaches making their playoff debut, the highest figure since the 2000 season.

The quintet — Arizona's Ken Whisenhunt, Baltimore's John Harbaugh, Miami's Tony Sparano, Atlanta's Mike Smith and Minnesota's Brad Childress — has previous playoff experience as assistants and coordinators. But there is a distinction between being an officer and a general, one that could spell the difference between a championship run and an early postseason exit if head-coaching responsibilities aren't handled properly.

"These guys know what they're getting into," said former Baltimore Ravens coach Brian Billick, who is now a FOX Sports NFL analyst. "You know how the intensity ratchets up and you talk to your team about that. But there is anxiety."

Those emotions can manifest themselves in different ways, starting with pregame preparation. Harbaugh has said he tried treating this past week as an "extension" of the regular season, which means attempting to keep as much normalcy as possible.

Other coaches have followed suit. Like with his team's previous West Coast trips, Smith flew the Falcons to Arizona two days prior to Saturday's kickoff even though Atlanta had an abbreviated week of preparation. Sparano didn't change Miami's usual practice schedule even with the New Year's holiday.

"When you try to go overboard, the players might read into that and get a little bit tight," Sparano told Dolphins media. "At the same time, you can't be 'loosey goosey' with them. You've got to stay the course."

That's easier said than done.

The pressure of a playoff game is far greater than during the regular season. Increased media coverage generates additional scrutiny. Head coaches must know how to diffuse such stress on their rosters — especially among younger players who have never been in this position — while dealing with any personal angst.