NFL Playoffs: Full Wild Card Slate, Seeds and Scenarios

All seven AFC and NFC seeds, every Wild Card pairing, and the final TBD scenario explained.

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The NFL playoffs officially kick off Saturday and now fans know exactly who is playing whom… almost. The Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers play on Sunday Night Football for the 14th and final postseason spot. The winner clinches the AFC North and the No. 4 seed in the AFC.

But the rest of the field is set. 

UPDATE: The Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday Night Football to clinch the AFC North. 

Broncos Clinch Top AFC Spot 

The Denver Broncos defeated the Los Angeles Chargers, who rested quarterback Justin Herbert and other starters, to secure the top seed in the AFC and a first-round bye. The New England Patriots walloped the Miami Dolphins in Week 18 to lock up the second seed in the AFC, setting up a Wild Card round home game against the seventh-seeded Chargers. 

Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix hugs his wife, Izzy.

Bo Nix and the Denver Broncos clinched the top seed in the AFC with a win over the Chargers in Week 18. 

(Ron Chenoy/Imagn Images)

The two teams did not meet in the regular season. The Patriots beat the Chargers 41-28 in the 2019 Divisional Round, the last time they met in the playoffs. 

The AFC South champion Jacksonville Jaguars could have earned the top seed in the conference with a lot of help in Week 18, but didn't get it and will settle for the third spot. That sets up a tough Wild Card round matchup at home against the sixth-seeded Buffalo Bills. The two teams did not meet in the regular season. 

The last time the Jaguars and Bills met in the playoffs, Jacksonville defeated Buffalo 10-3 in a 2018 Wild Card game. 

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The Houston Texans secured the No. 5 seed in the AFC with their win Sunday over the Indianapolis Colts. They will travel to Pittsburgh, a team they didn't face in the regular season. 

AFC Wild Card Round Matchups: 

  • No. 2 New England Patriots (14-3) vs. No. 7 Los Angeles Chargers (11-6)
  • No. 3 Jacksonville Jaguars (14-3) vs. No. 6 Buffalo Bills (12-5)
  • No. 4 Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7) vs. No. 5 Houston Texans (12-5)

Bears Get NFC No. 2 Seed Despite Loss 

The Seattle Seahawks earned the No. 1 seed in the NFC by beating the San Francisco 49ers on Saturday night. The NFC West is heavily represented in the postseason with the Los Angeles Rams grabbing the No. 5 seed by beating the Arizona Cardinals and the 49ers, who could have clinched the top seed with a win over Seattle, dropping all the way to No. 6. 

The drama in the NFC on Sunday came down to a pair of nail-biters with the Chicago Bears and Philadelphia Eagles vying for the No. 2 seed in the conference. While the Bears decided to go all-out to win in Week 18 against the Detroit Lions, the Eagles rested all of their key players against the Washington Commanders. 

Ultimately, both teams lost on late scores. The Lions kicked a game-winning 42-yard field goal as time expired to defeat the Bears. Commanders third-string quarterback Josh Johnson rushed for a touchdown with 2:32 remaining to give Washington a 24-17 lead. The Eagles had two more offensive possessions, but failed to score on either. 

Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams passes the ball against the Detroit Lions in NFL Week 18.

Despite losing to the Lions in Week 18, Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears clinched the No. 2 seed in the NFC. 

(David Banks/Imagn Images)

The Green Bay Packers clinched the final Wild Card spot in the NFC following Week 17, so they were able to rest their starters in a loss against the Minnesota Vikings. It'll be interesting to see if the Packers, who rested their players, have an advantage against the Bears, who played their starters in a physical Week 18 loss against a division rival. The two teams split the regular season series, with each team winning its home game. 

The Eagles' decision to rest their starters potentially cost them a matchup against the Packers, who won nine games this season, and instead pits Philadelphia against the 12-win 49ers. The teams didn't meet in the regular season; the last time they squared off in the postseason, the Eagles beat the 49ers 31-7 to win the 2023 NFC Championship. 

That leaves the Carolina Panthers, who won the NFC South despite losing to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Saturday thanks to the Atlanta Falcons beating the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, to face the Rams. While it looks like a mismatch on paper, the Panthers shocked the Rams in Week 13 with a 31-28 upset in Carolina. 

NFC Wild Card Round Matchups: 

  • No. 2 Chicago Bears (11-6) vs. No. 7 Green Bay Packers (9-7-1)
  • No. 3 Philadelphia Eagles (11-6) vs. No. 6 San Francisco 49ers (12-5)
  • No. 4 Carolina Panthers (8-9) vs. No. 5 Los Angeles Rams (12-5)

Check back with OutKick on Monday for a full breakdown of all six NFL Wild Card matchups. 

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Dan began his sports media career at ESPN, where he survived for nearly a decade. Once the Stockholm Syndrome cleared, he made his way to OutKick. He is secure enough in his masculinity to admit he is a cat-enthusiast with three cats, one of which is named "Brady" because his wife wishes she were married to Tom instead of him.