Ladies and gentlemen, buckle up and get ready for the wild ride that is the NFL playoffs! With the regular season wrapped up, the Buffalo Bills and the Dallas Cowboys are on cloud nine after securing big wins in Week 18. On the flip side, the Miami Dolphins and Philadelphia Eagles are left licking their wounds after stumbling in the final stretch.
But hey, whether you have momentum or not, the postseason is here, and it's time for the 12 out of 14 teams that made it to battle it out during wild-card weekend. The action kicks off on Saturday, with the Houston Texans hosting the Cleveland Browns and the Kansas City Chiefs welcoming the Miami Dolphins. It's going to be a clash of titans!
Now, hold on to your seats, because the No. 1 seeds, the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC and the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC, get to sit back and relax with a bye until the division round next week. Talk about a sweet deal!
But let's focus on the juicy storylines of this wild-card weekend. Matthew Stafford, former Lions quarterback who had a less than stellar playoff record with Detroit, is making a return to his former stomping grounds, this time in the colors of the Los Angeles Rams. The Lions, who had a remarkable 12-win regular season, are hungry for their first playoff victory since the early '90s. Will Stafford's presence on the opposing team add fuel to the fire? We can't wait to find out!
And speaking of drama, Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy will face his former team, the Green Bay Packers, led by none other than Jordan Love. With a dominant win over Washington to clinch the NFC East title, the Cowboys are looking to keep their unbeaten record at home intact. Will McCarthy have the last laugh against his old comrades? This matchup is oozing with intrigue!
Now, let's talk about the teams that have roared back to the postseason after missing out last year. The Browns, Lions, Packers, Texans, Rams, and Steelers all punched their tickets to the playoffs, proving that anything is possible in the NFL. Since 1990, at least four teams that missed the postseason one year have managed to qualify the next, so the NFL is all about second chances!
For those wondering how to catch all the action, here's the lowdown. On Saturday, we have the Browns taking on the Texans at 4:30 p.m. EST on NBC, followed by the Dolphins facing off against the Chiefs at 8 p.m. EST on Peacock, which will be exclusively streaming the game. Don't worry, folks in Kansas City and Miami, you can still watch it for free on your local NBC affiliates. On Sunday, brace yourselves for a great lineup—Steelers versus Bills at 1 p.m. EST on CBS/Paramount+, Packers against Cowboys at 4:30 p.m. EST on Fox, and Rams battling Lions at 8 p.m. EST on NBC. Finally, on Monday night, the Eagles will be taking on the Buccaneers at 8:15 p.m. EST on ABC/ESPN. Clear your schedules, people!
Now, let's talk NFL playoff format. This year marks the fourth season of the current format, which expanded to 14 teams in 2020. Each conference sends seven teams, with the division winners automatically clinching the top four seeds, regardless of their record. The remaining three spots go to the top teams with the best records who didn't win their divisions. So, on any given Sunday, a wild-card team could actually have a better record than a division winner! The top-seeded teams in each conference get a coveted bye week, while the rest of the teams, well, they battle it out during wild-card weekend.
Get ready for some mind-boggling betting odds, folks! According to FanDuel Sportsbook, the Browns are favored by 2 1/2 points over the Texans, while the Eagles also have the same advantage against the Buccaneers. However, for those who love an underdog story, keep an eye on the Steelers and Packers, who boast some colossal odds. Imagine the euphoria if they were to win it all!
And let's not forget about the prop bets. Want to take a chance on a wild-card weekend touchdown happening on the opening kickoff? Well, it'll give you a sweet +5000 payday! Talk about a cherry on top of an already thrilling weekend.
So, folks, get your snacks ready, grab your favorite team's jersey, and settle in for a knockout weekend of NFL playoff action. The road to Super Bowl 58 in Las Vegas at Allegiant Stadium starts now, and we can't wait to see which team emerges victorious in the end. Buckle up, because this ride is going to be one for the books!
(AP Pro Football Writer Rob Maaddi contributed to this report. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL)
