VOORHEES, N.J. (AP) -Gang Green, Big Blue, or Da Birds?

This weekend, New Jersey will be in the unique position of having three of ``its'' football teams in the NFL playoffs, even though only two actually play in the state, and none has New Jersey in its name.

Around the state, football loyalties will be at play Sunday when the New York Giants and Jets, plus the Philadelphia Eagles all play postseason games.

It's only the second time since the Jets joined the Giants in New Jersey that all three teams are in the playoffs at the same time.

``North Jersey is almost all Giants, with the Jets making some inroads, but not much,'' said George Zoffinger, president of the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority, which operates Giants Stadium in East Rutherford. ``Trenton and below, it's all Eagles.

``Giants fans are longer-term and more established. The Jets fans are younger and drink more.''

Kerin Gardiner, a bartender at a Voorhees restaurant in the appropriately named Eagle Plaza, is typical of the fanatical Eagles fans across south Jersey and the Philadelphia suburbs. She was trying to think of a way to win a radio station's contest for tickets to Sunday's game against the Giants at Lincoln Financial Field.

``I may go to the studio in my Eagles' bra and underpants, with my face painted green,'' she said. ``Seriously.''

They're serious, indeed, about the Eagles in these parts. Charles Beatty is considering shutting his Marlton liquor store early on Sunday afternoon.

``If the game starts at 4:30, we can close the store at 4:15. You wouldn't see anyone else in here the rest of the day,'' he said.

Instead of ads touting the price of beer or wine, the store has a giant banner stretched across both panes of its front window with the Eagles 2006 schedule on it. Inside, more banners and flags proclaim ``Welcome Eagles Fans.''

``You can't wear a Giants or Jets jacket around here,'' employee and Eagles fan Ken Brant said. ``You're just asking for trouble.''

Even the Ben Franklin Bridge, linking Philadelphia and Camden, is getting into the act. From Friday night until Sunday night, it will be illuminated in green-and-white lights in honor of the Eagles.

Loyalties start changing around the Toms River area, which seems to be a tipping point between fans of the Giants and Jets, and the Eagles. Anthony Baiamonde, whose Mugsy's Tavern is halfway between New York and Philadelphia, says his clientele seems divided equally between Giants and Eagles fans. (Sorry, Jets.)

``Philadelphia and New York meet right here,'' he said. ``We're the meeting point. From a business standpoint, this is the best possible matchup I could ask for, the Giants playing the Eagles.''

Along the highway strip malls near Giants Stadium, Big Blue fans were far more in evidence on Friday.

``You're in Giants country,'' boasted Alicia Makoe of Franklin Lakes as she sipped a beer in a restaurant with her friend, a Miami Dolphins fan. ``We're better fans, and just nicer people.''

``Most people around here grew up with the Giants,'' added Raphael Castelluber of Kearny, who was waiting tables and recalling the day Giants linebacker LaVar Arrington stopped in.

JoAnne Scarnaty of Hackensack has rooted for the Jets for 20 years, and would love to see them get farther in the playoffs than the Giants.

``It would get them a lot of respect, but you know the Jets: they just as easily could hand it right back the following week,'' she said, sounding every bit the two-decade Jets fan.

She predicted the Jets and rookie coach Eric Mangini would beat his former mentor, Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots on the road. That would be sweet enough in itself, but would also carry an added bonus.

``There's a lot of Giants fans around here to rub their faces in it,'' she said.

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