NFL Playoffs Are All Set

The final seedings for the NFL playoffs came down to the last regular season game on Sunday night football, and we are all set for the post season. Let the playoffs begin. And they will, with Wild Card Weekend, as they call it, on January 13th, 14th, and 15th.

In the NFC, the top seeded San Francisco 49ers (12-5, NFC West champions) have a first round bye. The number 2 seeded Dallas Cowboys (12-5, NFC East champions) will host the seventh seeded Green Bay Packers (9-8, Wild Card) on Sunday the 14th. The Packers looked dead in the water when they were 3-6, but improved under new QB Jordan Love as the season went on, winning their last three games to reach the playoffs. But they are facing a Cowboys team that is 8-0 at home. Also on Sunday, the #3 Detroit Lions (12-5, NFC North champs) will host the #6 Los Angeles Rams (10-7, Wild Card). This is the first division title for Detroit since 1993, and only the eighth post season appearance for the Lions since then. They have not won a playoff game since 1991, so their fans are more than ready for this post season.

On Monday night, January 15th, the #4 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-8, NFC South champs) will host the #5 seed Philadelphia Eagles (11-6, Wild Card). Philadelphia began the season 10-1, but has gone into a freefall, losing five of the last six games of the season. Tampa Bay was 4-7 at one point, but finished the season strong, winning five of six.

In the AFC, the #1 seeded Baltimore Ravens (13-4. AFC North champs) have a first round bye. The #5 Cleveland Browns (11-6, Wild Card) open up Wild Card Weekend on Saturday the 13th at the #4 Houston Texans (10-7, AFC South champs). Houston went from 3-13-1 last year to division champs this year. Also on Saturday, the #3 Kansas City Chiefs (11-6, AFC West champs) will host the #6 Miami Dolphins (11-6, Wild Card). The Chiefs didn’t seem to be firing on all cylinders this season, but still managed to win the West, while Miami tailed off a bit at the end, losing its last two games, including on Sunday night against the Buffalo Bills. That cost them the AFC East championship. And speaking of the Bills, Buffalo (11-6, AFC East champs) won five in a row to close out the season and earned the #2 seed in the AFC. The Bills will host the #7 Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7, Wild Card) on Sunday the 14th. The Steelers are the third AFC North team in the post season, joining Baltimore and Cleveland.

Here’s some highlights of that Buffalo—Miami game.