The NFL playoffs kick off this weekend with the wild-card round. Twelve teams will meet over the course of three days while trying to lock up a spot in the divisional round.
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These games will feature representatives from all eight divisions and from both conferences. The only inactive teams are the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks, who won the top seed in the AFC and NFC, respectively.
Game No. 1: Los Angeles Rams at Carolina Panthers (Saturday, Jan. 10 at 4:30 p.m. ET on Fox)
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The Los Angeles Rams will start the playoffs on the road despite having a 12-5 record. Sean McVay's team finished second in the top-heavy NFC West while the 8-9 Carolina Panthers won the NFC South. This means that the Panthers will host a game at Bank of America in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Saturday's game marks the first time since the 2017 season that the Panthers have reached the playoffs and the first time under head coach Dave Canales. The Rams, for comparison, will make their seventh playoff appearance in nine seasons under McVay.
Game No. 2: Green Bay Packers at Chicago Bears (Saturday, Jan. 10 at 8 p.m. ET on Prime Video)
The wild-card round of the playoffs continues with a Saturday night battle between NFC North rivals. The Green Bay Packers (9-7-1) will head to Chicago to take on the Bears (11-6) for the third time this season. The Bears won the division and earned the right to host the playoff game.
The Packers, the seventh seed for the third consecutive season under Matt LaFleur, won the Week 14 game against the Bears but lost in Week 16.
These two teams have only met in the postseason twice. The Packers won the 2010 NFC championship game after facing off with backup quarterback Caleb Hanie. The Bears won the 1941 divisional playoff game.
Game No. 3: Buffalo Bills at Jacksonville Jaguars (Sunday, Jan. 11 at 1 p.m. ET on CBS)
The playoffs continue on Sunday afternoon with the first of three games. The (12-5) Buffalo Bills will head to Jacksonville to face the (13-4) Jaguars after finishing second in the AFC East. The Jaguars won the AFC South and earned the right to host a playoff game.
These two teams have met 10 times overall and twice in the playoffs. The Jaguars won the 2017 wild card game and the 1996 wild card game. Bills quarterback Josh Allen is 2-2 against the Jaguars and 1-2 in games featuring Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence.
Game No. 4: San Francisco 49ers at Philadelphia Eagles (Sunday, Jan. 11 at 4:30 p.m. ET on Fox)
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The Sunday afternoon schedule continues with the 12-5 San Francisco 49ers heading East to take on the 11-6 Philadelphia Eagles. The 49ers finished third in the NFC West while the Eagles won the NFC East.
These two teams have faced off in the postseason two times. The most recent battle was the 2022 NFC championship. The Eagles won 31-7 as the 49ers relied on a backup quarterback. The first postseason matchup was the 1996 wild card game, which the 49ers won 14-0.
Game No. 5: Los Angeles Chargers at New England Patriots (Sunday, Jan. 11 at 8 p.m. ET on NBC)
The Sunday schedule concludes with a wild card battle between the (11-6) Los Angeles Chargers and (14-3) New England Patriots. The Chargers have to travel to Massachusetts after finishing second in the AFC West. The Patriots host the game after winning the AFC East.
The Chargers have made the playoffs both seasons under head coach Jim Harbaugh. They lost in the wild card round last season but hope to advance to the divisional round with a Sunday night win over the Patriots.
This weekend marks the first time since the 2021 season that the Patriots have reached the playoffs, and the first time under head coach Mike Vrabel. The Patriots have not advanced beyond the wild card round since the 2018 season.
The Patriots and Chargers have met in the playoffs four times. The 2018 season served as the most recent example as the Patriots won a divisional round game. The Patriots also beat the Chargers in the 2007 AFC championship and in the 2006 divisional round game. The Chargers won the 1963 AFL championship.
Game No. 6: Houston Texans at Pittsburgh Steelers (Monday, Jan. 12 at 8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN)
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The final game of the wild card round features the 12-5 Houston Texans taking on the 10-7 Pittsburgh Steelers. The Texans finished second in the AFC South and have to travel early in the playoffs. The Steelers defeated the rival Ravens to capture the AFC North.
The Steelers and Texans have only faced off eight times. They have never played in the postseason. The Steelers hold the overall record at 5-3, but the Texans won the most recent matchup (2023) 30-6.
