It’s that time of the year again, the NFL playoffs are right around the corner. Seven teams in both the AFC and NFC will have a shot at greatness. This year should be full of surprises, as the lineup for this year is certainly out of the ordinary. Here’s a rundown of this year’s postseason.
NFC
Starting off with the NFC, it’s completely up for grabs. The number one seed this year is the Seattle Seahawks, which means they have the first round bye and home field advantage all postseason. They are led by new quarterback Sam Darnold, who is in his first year with the team after having a breakout year in Minnesota. The Seahawks also have a top pick for Offensive Player of the Year in Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who had 119 catches for 1,793 yards and 10 touchdowns. The Seahawks came out on top in a very stacked NFC West division, with the Rams and 49ers also coming in close to the first seed.
The second seed are the Chicago Bears, and they are going against the seven seed Green Bay Packers. Both are divisional rivals, and have played against each other twice already. They split the series 1-1, with both games being really close. They are bound to have an intense third meeting.
The third seed are the Philadelphia Eagles, and they will be playing the sixth seed San Francisco 49ers. The Eagles and 49ers have some history in recent years when it comes to the postseason. In 2023, the Eagles defeated the 49ers in the Conference Championship to move on to the Super Bowl. The very next season, the 49ers played the Eagles in week 13 in the regular season, and the Eagles got demolished 42-19. That lead to the collapse of the team towards the end of the stretch. Both teams will be looking to make a deep playoff run, and they both have the talent to do so.
Finally, the fourth seed Carolina Panthers are going up against the fifth seed Los Angeles Rams. The Panthers are winners of a lackluster NFC South division, as they only have a record of 8-9. However, anything is possible. This is the first time the Panthers have made the playoffs since 2017, and last time they won the division since 2015, which is where they lost in the Super Bowl. Speaking of Super Bowl, the Rams have recently won a Super Bowl in 2022, and are looking to make it back.
AFC
In the AFC, the number one seed are the Denver Broncos. The Broncos, just like the Panthers, won their first division title since 2015, which is when they ended up winning the Super Bowl. Denver is led by second year quarterback Bo Nix, and after losing in the wildcard round last year, they are looking to go on a better run.
The second seed are the New England Patriots, and they will be facing the seventh seeded Los Angeles Chargers. The Patriots are led by second year quarterback Drake Maye, who is in contention for the MVP this season. Maye has thrown for 4,394 passing yards along with 31 touchdowns and 8 interceptions. The Chargers aren’t no slouch though, as they are being led by veteran quarterback Justin Herbert. It should be an interesting matchup.
The third seeded Jacksonville Jaguars are going against the sixth seeded Buffalo Bills. The Jaguars have been a surprise to everyone, as they are being led by a rookie head coach in Liam Coen, and quarterback Trevor Lawrence. The Bills are the same old Bills, who have made the postseason for seven straight seasons. Although they don’t look the same as they normally do, without the Chiefs in the postseason, Buffalo might finally get over the hump.
The final matchup in the AFC consists of the fourth seeded Pittsburgh Steelers and the fifth seeded Houston Texans. The Steelers are led by 42 year old Aaron Rodgers, in his potential final season. The Texans have been red hot at the end of the year, as they have won nine straight games to end the season.
This postseason looks to be an exciting one, with the chance for many upsets and big moments. Good luck to all of the teams, and if your favorite team is in the fold, hopefully they can outlast all other teams and win the big one, just like our Birds did last year. The games can be watched this weekend, Saturday the 10th, Sunday the 11th, and a final game on Monday the 12th.
