🔗 Share this article

A longstanding powerhouse has fallen, big names have faltered, and longshots have transformed into legitimate title threats.

Veteran NFL commentator Cris Collinsworth stated, "this is the most unusual year I can remember in the NFL."

Fourteen teams will battle in the postseason, and notably, the Kansas City Chiefs are missing for the first time in eleven years.

The defending champion Philadelphia Eagles have not displayed the same dominance as last season, while preseason favorites like the Buffalo Bills have failed to meet lofty expectations.

Demonstrating the season's strength, an impressive 11 out of the 14 playoff entrants notched 11-plus wins, something that has happened merely twice since the late 1980s.

An unprecedented five clubs reached the playoffs following seasons with 11 or more defeats, including New England and Chicago, who each went from last place to first in their divisions.

"If you ask me to pick a favourite, I don't know, because you can put something on all of them," Collinsworth added.

"Witnessing these emerging quarterbacks compete will be incredible, given their unknown ceilings. These moments are where football legends start their journeys."

How Do the NFL Playoffs Function?

Fourteen teams enter the postseason, split evenly with seven representatives from both the AFC and NFC.

A twelve-game, single-elimination bracket over three weeks keeps AFC and NFC teams apart, culminating in the conference champions facing off in Super Bowl 60.

The highest-seeded team in each matchup enjoys home-field advantage, with the top seeds—Denver and Seattle—receiving a first-round bye during Wildcard Weekend.

These top seeds debut in the Divisional Round. The winners of the subsequent Conference Championships—the de facto Super Bowl semifinals—will clash in the title game at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara.

Seattle and Denver could potentially recreate their 2014 Super Bowl meeting, a game Seattle won handily, though Denver triumphed at Levi's Stadium in the 2016 championship.

The AFC Championship Picture: A Field of Opportunity

With Kansas City's Patrick Mahomes absent from the playoffs for the first time in his career, a major postseason fixture is missing.

Moreover, the championship game will feature neither Mahomes nor the Bengals' Joe Burrow, a first for the Super Bowl in several years.

The absence of recent Most Valuable Players like Mahomes and Baltimore's Lamar Jackson leaves the AFC postseason without its usual headliners, opening the door wide.

This scenario creates a wide-open AFC Championship race, offering a chance for emerging stars like Denver's Bo Nix and New England's Drake Maye to etch their names in playoff lore.

A mere three clubs have captured the AFC Championship since 2016, and their championship rosters have completely turned over.

Denver, despite its high seed, is a playoff novice in recent years, and the Pittsburgh Steelers are the sole other AFC qualifier to have reached a Super Bowl in the past three decades.

Yet, seasoned passers like Pittsburgh's Aaron Rodgers and Josh Allen of Buffalo remain, possessing the know-how to potentially outduel the younger generation.

The Leading Contenders for the Championship and MVP Award

Teams from the NFC have dominated Super Bowl appearances lately, with the Eagles, Rams, or 49ers featuring in nearly every title game for eight years.

The Rams and 49ers have felt postseason pressure for a while, competing intensely with Seattle in what is considered the NFL's toughest division, the NFC West.

Seattle ultimately secured the division with a 14-3 record, entering the playoffs on a seven-game winning streak after defeating both rivals in the final stretch.

As the NFC's top seed, the Seahawks are now narrow favorites for the Super Bowl, while Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford is the player most likely to win MVP honors.

Despite his Super Bowl ring from 2022, Stafford has yet to be named MVP and is positioned just ahead of New England's Drake Maye in the award race.

Maye has thrived under new head coach Mike Vrabel, helping New England dramatically improve from a 4-13 record last season to 14-3.

Similarly, Chicago's Caleb Williams has blossomed in his second year with new coach Ben Johnson, leading the Bears from five wins to eleven and securing the NFC's number two seed.

Schedule for Wildcard Weekend

All times are in GMT

Saturday, 10 January

Carolina Panthers host the Los Angeles Rams (21:30)

Chicago Bears welcome the Green Bay Packers (01:00 Sunday)

Sunday, 11 January

Buffalo Bills @ Jacksonville Jaguars (18:00)

The 49ers take on the defending champion Philadelphia Eagles (21:30)

The Chargers visit the New England Patriots (01:00 Monday)

Monday, 12 January

Houston Texans @ Pittsburgh Steelers (01:00 Tuesday)

Major Plotlines Heading into Wildcard Weekend

The Rams begin Wildcard Weekend in Carolina, a team that made history by reaching the playoffs with a losing 8-9 record after stumbling to the NFC South title.

Although on the road, the Rams feature Matthew Stafford, the regular-season leader in passing yards and TDs, and receiver Puka Nacua, who amassed 1,715 receiving yards.

Injuries late in the year halted Green Bay's surge, but the return of quarterback Jordan Love is timely for the latest chapter of the league's most historic rivalry.

Chicago, which surpassed preseason forecasts to win the NFC North, is under pressure to avert a three-game skid and a quick postseason departure.

San Francisco, dealing with numerous injuries, must challenge the reigning champion Eagles in Philadelphia, a team that enters well-rested.

Josh Allen and the Bills, often thwarted in recent playoffs, must go on the road to confront a surging Jacksonville squad that has won eight straight.

{New England aims to avoid an upset at home against the Los Angeles Chargers, whose quarterback Justin Herbert seeks his first playoff win in his sixth season.|The Patriots hope to defend their home field against the Chargers, as LA's quarterback Justin Herbert looks for his inaugural postseason victory in year six.|At home, New England tries to stave off the Chargers, with Justin Herbert attempting to secure his first career playoff