The normal NFL season ends Sunday with 16 games. However, there is still much to come. In fact, there will be even more than in previous years.
That’s because 14 groups will make the playoffs, with a third wild-card position added to the AFC and NFC this year. So there will be 3 Wild Card Round games on Saturday, followed by 3 more on Sunday for a packed game list to start the playoffs.
With those games, the road to Super Bowl LV will be on track. On February 7, a team will emerge victorious at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. After one of the most unorthodox seasons in NFL history, one that was hit by the coronavirus pandemic.
Here’s a look at the playoff schedule, followed by a breakdown of the groups that may be in the box in the playoffs.
NFL playoff schedule
Saturday, January 9
Wild Card Round at 1:05 PM, 4:40 PM and 8:15 p. m. ET, TV to be determined
Sunday, January 10
Wild Card Round at 1:05 PM, 4:40 PM and 8:15 p. m. ET, TV to be determined
Saturday, January 16
Two departmental games, schedules and TV to be determined
Sunday, January 17
Two divisional games, schedules and TV to be determined
Sunday, January 24
NFC Championship Game, 3:05 p. m. ET, Fox
AFC Championship Game, 6:40 p. m. ET, CBS
Sunday, February 7
Super Bowl LV, 6:30 p. m. ET, CBS
NFL playoff field breakdown
Seven of the 14 spots in the playoffs have been secured, but many can be replaced with the Week 17 ranking.
Something you can’t change? The Kansas City Chiefs will be the No. 1 seed in the AFC and will earn the only first round license of the conference. This means that the Super Bowl champions will have two weeks off before hosting a Division game.
The Buffalo Bills and the Pittsburgh Steelers will host the AFC wild-card round games. However, it is unclear who will be the second favorite. Both groups are 12-3 at the start of Week 17, and each is expected to rest a few key players (Pittsburgh has announced in the past that quarterback Ben Roethlisberger will not play).
The No. 4 seed in the AFC will move on to whichever team wins the AFC South. They may still be the Tennessee Titans or the Indianapolis Colts. It is also conceivable that one of those groups ends up in a wild-card spot or out of the playoffs.
The Titans and Colts have 10-5 records, as do the Miami Dolphins, Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns, and all 3 groups have AFC spots. The only team not at their destination on Sunday is Indianapolis, which will want assistance to qualify for the playoffs even if they finish 11-5.
The Dolphins (at Buffalo), Ravens (at Cincinnati) and Browns (against Pittsburgh) can all get playoff berths with Week 17 wins, but they’ll all hit the road in the Wild Card round. ‘they participate.
In the NFC, there are 3 groups that could potentially become the number one seed: the Green Bay Packers, the New Orleans Saints and the Seattle Seahawks. At the start of Week 17, the Packers are in the most productive position, as they can secure the seed with a win over the Chicago Bears or a loss for the Seahawks to the San Francisco 49ers.
While there are scenarios in which New Orleans or Seattle can end up at the top of the list, both groups want help. For the Saints, they want a win, a Seahawks win and a Packers loss. The Seahawks want a win and a loss through the Packers and Saints.
The NFC No. 4 seed will move on to the winner of the NFC Est. Washington can secure that spot with a Week 17 win over the Philadelphia Eagles. However, if Washington loses, the winner of the game between the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants will be the department champion and will host a wild card round.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers clinched a playoff spot. They will be either the No. 5 or No. 6 seed and hit the road for their Wild Card Round game.
There are 3 groups alive in the war for the last two wild card spots in the NFC: Los Angeles Rams, Chicapass Bears and Arizona Cardinals. With the Rams and Cardinals set to go head-to-head in Week 17, all 3 groups can secure playoff spots with wins.
Los Angeles and Chicago may still qualify for the playoffs even with losses in Week 17, but Arizona will have to win to be successful in the playoffs.
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