NFL Playoff Schedule & Bracket: Your Complete Guide to Championship Weekend!

NFL Playoff Schedule & Bracket: Your Complete Guide to Championship Weekend!

The NFL playoffs are one of the most exciting times of the year for football fans. The regular season may be over, but the real competition is about to begin. As the best teams in the league battle it out for a chance to lift the Vince Lombardi Trophy, fans are left wondering what the playoff schedule looks like and how the bracket will shake out. In this comprehensive guide, we'll break down the NFL playoff schedule and bracket, giving you a complete understanding of the championship weekend ahead.

The NFL playoffs are a single-elimination tournament that begins in January and culminates in early February. The postseason is divided into two conferences: the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). Each conference is further divided into four divisions, with four teams from each division qualifying for the playoffs. The teams are seeded 1 through 6 in each conference, with the team having the best win-loss record earning the number one seed.

Seeding Process

The seeding process for the NFL playoffs is based on the teams' win-loss records during the regular season. The team with the best record in each conference earns the number one seed, while the team with the next best record earns the number two seed, and so on. If two or more teams are tied in record, the tiebreaker is determined by head-to-head matchups, with the team that won the most games against the other tied teams earning the higher seed.

Here are the seeding criteria:

• Win-loss record
• Head-to-head matchups
• Strength of victory (the average strength of the opponents a team has beaten)
• Strength of schedule (the average strength of the opponents a team has faced)

Conference Championship Weekend

The conference championship games are played on Sunday, with the AFC Champion facing off against the NFC Champion. The winners of these games will then meet in Super Bowl LVII, the championship game of the NFL.

The conference championship games are typically played at the higher-seeded team's home stadium, but the teams may agree to play at a neutral site if they have a previously agreed-upon schedule or if the higher-seeded team's home stadium is not available.

Wild Card Round

The wild card round is the first round of the NFL playoffs, featuring the lowest-seeded teams in each conference. The wild card round typically takes place on the second weekend in January and features the following matchups:

• (5) vs. (4)
• (6) vs. (3)

These games are played at the higher-seeded team's home stadium, and the winners advance to the divisional round.

Divisional Round

The divisional round features the winners of the wild card round, as well as the top two seeds in each conference. The divisional round typically takes place on the third weekend in January and features the following matchups:

• (1) vs. (4)
• (2) vs. (3)
• (1) vs. (5)
• (2) vs. (6)

These games are played at the higher-seeded team's home stadium, and the winners advance to the AFC Championship Game and the NFC Championship Game.

AFC Championship Game

The AFC Championship Game features the winners of the divisional round, with the winner advancing to Super Bowl LVII.

NFC Championship Game

The NFC Championship Game features the winners of the divisional round, with the winner advancing to Super Bowl LVII.

Super Bowl LVII

The Super Bowl is the championship game of the NFL, featuring the AFC Champion and the NFC Champion. The game is played on the first Sunday in February and typically takes place at a neutral site.

Game Day Schedule

Here is a general outline of the NFL playoff schedule:

• Wild Card Round: Saturday and Sunday, January 7-8
• Divisional Round: Saturday and Sunday, January 14-15
• AFC Championship Game: Sunday, January 22
• NFC Championship Game: Sunday, January 22
• Super Bowl LVII: Sunday, February 5

Bracket Projector

The NFL playoff bracket is determined by the results of the regular season games, as well as the outcomes of the playoff games. The NCAA uses a similar bracket projection system to determine the NFL playoff seeding.

Here are the projected teams in the NFC playoffs:

• (1) San Francisco 49ers
• (2) Green Bay Packers
• (3) Minnesota Vikings
• (4) Seattle Seahawks
• (5) Arizona Cardinals
• (6) New Orleans Saints

And here are the projected teams in the AFC playoffs:

• (1) Kansas City Chiefs
• (2) Baltimore Ravens
• (3) Tennessee Titans
• (4) Los Angeles Chargers
• (5) Buffalo Bills
• (6) New England Patriots

Fan Favorites

As the NFL playoffs approach, fans are eagerly anticipating the games and potential matchups. Here are some fan favorites to keep an eye on:

• Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers: The veteran quarterback is looking to lead his team to another Super Bowl title.
• Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers: The Packers have a talented roster and a strong team dynamic, making them a formidable opponent.
• Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs: The Chiefs are looking to repeat as Super Bowl champions, and Mahomes is a major reason why.
• Christian McCaffrey and the San Francisco 49ers: The 49ers have a strong running game and a deep roster, making them a contender for the NFC title.

Expert Analysis

Experts from around the NFL are weighing in on the playoff matchups, with some predictions and analysis worth noting:

• ESPN's Mike Greenberg predicts the 49ers will win the NFC Championship Game and the Chiefs will win the AFC Championship Game.
• Fox Sports' Terry Bradshaw