The NFL’s Wild Card Spherical has kicked off, and the league’s better of one of the best have began their quest for the Lombardi Trophy. The Houston Texans and Los Angeles Chargers began issues off with a back-and-forth AFC battle between the fourth and fifth seeds.
Present NFL Playoff Bracket For Divisional Spherical
Let’s have a look at the outcomes from Wild Card Weekend and what meaning relating to the 2024 NFL playoff bracket. Notice that the NFL reseeds the playoffs after every spherical, so the matchups can change relying on the outcomes of the remaining Wild Card video games.
NFC Playoff Seeds and Standings
1. Detroit Lions (15-2)
2. Philadelphia Eagles (14-3)
3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-7)
4. Los Angeles Rams (10-7)
5. Minnesota Vikings (14-3)
6. Washington Commanders (12-5)
7. Green Bay Packers (11-6)
AFC Playoff Seeds and Standings
1. Kansas City Chiefs (15-1)
2. Buffalo Bills (13-4)
3. Baltimore Ravens (12-5)
4. Houston Texans (10-7)
5. Los Angeles Chargers (11-6) – Eradicated
6. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7) – Eradicated
7. Denver Broncos (10-7)
NFL Wild Card Outcomes
Houston Texans Defeat Los Angeles Chargers, 32-12
The primary sport of the NFL Wild Card Spherical didn’t disappoint. Sure, it wasn’t the high-scoring affair some thought it will be, but it surely was an in depth, hard-fought battle nonetheless.
The primary half was just about all Chargers, proper up till the ultimate drive, the place the Texans marched down the sphere with some large chunk performs. The Texans recorded the fifth 99-yard drive within the playoffs since 2001 to take a 7-6 lead. That was after having simply 70 whole yards via their first 5 drives.
After that drive, the wheels fell off for the Chargers. The second half was affected by Justin Herbert’s interceptions and Nico Collins’ breakout. Collins put up essentially the most receiving yards ever by a Texans participant in a postseason sport. DeAndre Hopkins had 118 in opposition to the Chiefs within the 2019 Divisional Spherical, Andre Johnson had 111 within the 2011 Divisional Spherical sport (at Ravens), and Keke Coutee 110 within the 2018 Wild Card sport (vs. Indianapolis Colts).
Herbert threw three interceptions in his first 27 makes an attempt after throwing simply three in 504 makes an attempt throughout the common season. Herbert is the second QB since 2000 to qualify for the passing leaderboard and throw as many interceptions in a playoff sport as he did the entire common season. The opposite was 2016 Tom Brady, who clearly missed 4 video games. Brady threw two picks in 12 video games after which two picks within the playoff opener (additionally vs. the Texans).
Primarily based on PFN’s win probabilities, the Texans’ most probably opponent is Kansas Metropolis. With each the No. 2-seed Buffalo Payments and No. 3-seed Baltimore Ravens favored to win, Houston could be the bottom remaining seed within the AFC and head to Arrowhead.
There’s a 45.2% probability that the Texans play their Divisional Spherical sport in Kansas Metropolis. The subsequent most probably end result based mostly on our win possibilities is a 26.3% probability of taking part in in Baltimore, with a sport in Buffalo at 18.0%, after which a sport in Houston in opposition to the Steelers at 10.5%.
Baltimore Ravens Defeat Pittsburgh Steelers
Within the third matchup between these two groups this season, the Ravens continued what they completed the final time round and defeated Russell Wilson and co. It was a workforce effort, with each Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry gashing the Steelers’ protection.
Henry grew to become the primary participant over 30 years of age to have 4 video games in a single season with 130 speeding yards and a number of speeding scores. He entered the evening tied with Priest Holmes (2004) for essentially the most such video games.
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The Steelers have now misplaced their sixth consecutive postseason matchup. Previous to this stretch, they’d by no means misplaced greater than three in a row.
Solely Marvin Lewis now has an extended shedding streak all-time than Mike Tomlin.
- Marvin Lewis 7
- Mike Tomlin 6
- Marty Schottenheimer 6
- Jim Mora Sr. 6
- Steve Owen 6
A whopping 28 coaches have gained a playoff sport since Tomlin’s final win.
Primarily based on PFN’s win possibilities, the Ravens’ most probably opponent is the Buffalo Payments. With the No. 2 seed favored to beat the Broncos at house (61.8%), the Ravens and Payments could be the 2 center seeds remaining and face off within the Divisional Spherical.
There’s a 61.8% probability that the Ravens play their Divisional Spherical sport in Buffalo. The Ravens have a 38.2% probability of internet hosting the No. 4 seed Houston Texans.
As outlined above, the Ravens would face the second-seeded Payments if Buffalo wins at house in opposition to Denver. At that time, the Texans’ win over the Chargers would have been irrelevant to Baltimore’s Divisional Spherical vacation spot.
If the Broncos pull off the street upset, Baltimore will face the Texans. That’s attributable to Denver being the lowest-seeded workforce within the AFC subject, which suggests the Broncos would routinely draw the two-time defending champion Chiefs.
NFL Playoff Dates and Divisional Spherical Schedule
Saturday, Jan. 18
- AFC/NFC divisional sport: 4:30 p.m.
- AFC/NFC division sport: 8:15 p.m.
Sunday, Jan. 19
- AFC/NFC divisional sport: 3 p.m.
- AFC/NFC divisional sport: 6:30 p.m.
Convention Championship Spherical
Sunday, Jan. 26
- NFC Championship Sport: 3 p.m.
- AFC Championship Sport: 6:30 p.m.
Tremendous Bowl 59
- Date: Feb. 9, 2025
- Location: Caesars Superdome (New Orleans)
- Time: 6:30 p.m. ET
- TV: Fox
How Many Groups Make the NFL Playoffs?
A complete of 14 groups make the NFL playoffs. This consists of seven groups from the American Soccer Convention (AFC) and 7 from the Nationwide Soccer Convention (NFC).
Every of the 4 division champions from the 2 conferences routinely earns a bid, adopted by three Wild Card groups from every convention.
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The three Wild Card spots in every convention are earned by the highest three groups by file who didn’t win their respective divisions. To interrupt ties between groups with equal data which can be vying for a Wild Card spot, the NFL employs a set of tiebreaking procedures.
There are separate 12-step processes for breaking ties between two groups and ties between three or extra groups. Provided that the primary 11 steps are exhausted does the NFL resort to a coin toss to resolve which workforce makes the playoffs. Typically, ties are damaged inside the first 5 steps.
NFL Playoff Format and Bracket
Groups are seeded Nos. 1 via 7 in every convention, with the division winners receiving seed Nos. 1 via 4, with the three Wild Card groups receiving seed Nos. 5 via 7.
The division winners are seeded in response to file, with one of the best file receiving the highest seed, and the identical is true of Wild Card groups.
The league makes use of the identical playoff tiebreaking procedures to interrupt ties for seeds.
The NFL’s playoff bracket is split between the AFC and NFC. There are 4 rounds: Wild Card Weekend, the Divisional Spherical, Convention Championship Weekend, and the Tremendous Bowl.
Throughout Wild Card Weekend, the No. 2 seed faces the No. 7 seed, the No. 3 seed faces the No. 6 seed, and the No. 4 seed faces the No. 5 seed in every convention. In every subsequent spherical, the best remaining seed faces the bottom remaining seed, and so forth.
The No. 1 seed receives a first-round bye. On this format, the No. 7 seed, in the event that they win on Wild Card Weekend, routinely goes to the highest seed on the street. The identical is alleged if the No. 6 seed wins and the No. 7 seed is eradicated.
Within the Tremendous Bowl, the successful groups from every convention face off to battle for the Lombardi Trophy.
