The NFL playoffs are finally here after the Week 17 matchups on Sunday and the entire bracket is set in the NFC and the AFC with wild card games coming this weekend on Saturday and Sunday in the postseason and the first games will be the Kansas City Chiefs taking on the Indianapolis Colts and the New Orleans Saints playing the Philadelphia Eagles and both those games will be on NBC on Saturday.
The next games will be on Sunday and has the San Diego Chargers taking on the Cincinnati Bengals while the San Francisco 49ers will play against the Green Pack Packers and the AFC game will be on CBS at 1:05 pm, while the NFC game will be on at 4:40 pm on FOX. The Packers made it into the playoffs in thrilling fashion despite missing Aaron Rodgers for seven weeks and now they have a rematch against the 49ers after they lost last season on the road on wild card weekend.
Check here for the playoffs bracket from ESPN.
Here is more on the playoffs from Reuters.com and the NFL playoff matchups coming up and who clinched on Sunday. Russell Wilson and the Seattle Seahawks secured the NFC West title and sewed up top seeding in the conference by beating the visiting St. Louis Rams 27-9 in their regular season finale on Sunday. The victory improved Seattle's record to 13-3 and ensured them a first-round bye in the Super Bowl tournament and the homefield advantage throughout the playoffs.
Seattle, winners of 11 of their first 12 games, had dropped two of their last three games before getting back on track against the Rams. Quarterback Russell Wilson completed 15 of 23 passes and a touchdown, while the Seattle defense throttled the Rams running game allowing just 13 yards on the ground.
The reigning Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens have missed the NFL playoffs, ending a run of five consecutive appearances in the postseason. Baltimore's season limped to a disappointing end when the Ravens were beaten 34-17 at the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday.
The Ravens became the latest in a line of Super Bowl champions who failed to earn a playoff spot the following season. The New York Giants did not make the playoffs last season in their Super Bowl defense, while the Pittsburgh Steelers came up short the season after going all the way in Super Bowls for the 2005 and 2008 seasons. The New England Patriots were the last team to win consecutive Super Bowls, winning for the 2003 and 2004 seasons.
The Ravens never really got on track this season. After winning two of their first three games, they lost five of their next seven with all five defeats by a touchdown or less. They recovered with four consecutive victories to get into playoff contention, before closing out their season with two straight losses to finish the campaign 8-8. Although 6-2 at home, they were only 2-6 in road games.
Cam Newton and the Panthers clinched the NFC South title and a first-round playoff bye by beating the Atlanta Falcons 21-20 in their regular season finale on Sunday. The Panthers, winners of 11 of their last 12 games, trailed most of the game against the disappointing Falcons (4-12) but overtook Atlanta when Cam Newton hit Greg Olsen with a seven-yard touchdown pass late in the third quarter for a 21-17 lead. Carolina won the division crown for the first time in five years and have advanced to the playoffs for the first time since that success in 2008. The Panthers improved to 12-4 for the season.
(Reuters)
