The NFL playoffs have finally arrived after an 18-week wait. Six wild-card games will be played over the course of the next three days to determine who advances to the divisional round. The following is the schedule:
- Chargers at Texans (4:30 p.m. ET Saturday)
- Steelers at Ravens (8 p.m. ET Saturday)
- Broncos at Bills (1 p.m. ET Sunday)
- Packers at Eagles (4:30 p.m. ET Sunday)
- Commanders at Buccaneers (8 p.m. ET Sunday)
- Vikings at Rams (in Arizona at 8 p.m. ET Monday)
NBC News’ Rohan Nadkarni and Andrew Grief, along with NBC Sports’ Patrick Daugherty, are here to analyze the many storylines to watch from every perspective.
Which game are you most looking forward to?
Ravens-Steelers, Nadkarni. Regarding these two teams, it’s difficult to avoid feeling sentimental. Although Pittsburgh has lost four straight games going into the playoffs, I’m all for a meeting between two tough, cold-weather teams that already hate one other. Even though Baltimore is the superior team on paper, I think we might have a competitive game when you factor in the funkiness that comes with divisional matchups.
If Lamar Jackson does win a Super Bowl this year, the Steelers also offer a promising start to the storyline. In addition to defeating Russell Wilson, who even in his later years merits respect for his playoff resume, Jackson could do worse than defeat a strong AFC North opponent in the first round. There is a wide range of possible outcomes here, from an upset to a slugfest between fierce rivals.
Greif: Ravens-Steelers, since few teams have had the ability to consistently irritate Ravens quarterback and consistent MVP contender Jackson during his career. Jackson frequently receives criticism for his inability to win crucial games, but this season he has improved his accuracy as a passer and his running game. The idea of witnessing Jackson at his most gifted and driven is equivalent to entertaining television.
Chargers-Texans, too. Is there anyone who believes that either club has a chance to win the entire season? I also didn’t think so. However, I believe the Chargers and Texans would be at the top of the list if NFL executives were asked which AFC teams have the best chance of competing in the upcoming five years. Therefore, this meeting is an opportunity to determine which team is ready to make that initial move. A postseason triumph can provide a launching pad for the future.
Daugherty: Commanders and Buccaneers. These two squads have players all over the field and are built to win shootouts. Baker Mayfield might have been the most exciting player of the season overall, but Jayden Daniels is the most exciting young football player. He led the NFL in turnovers and ranked second in passing touchdowns. This one is going to be interesting whatever.
Name a team on upset alert
Minnesota, Nadkarni said. Even though Minnesota has a 14-3 record, I’m still concerned about them, and the Vikings are a very modest favorite versus the Rams. To begin with, Los Angeles has already defeated the Vikings at home once this season, winning 30–20 in Week 7 thanks to four touchdowns from quarterback Matthew Stafford. And Minnesota is back on the road to begin the playoffs because the NFL loves division winners.
Simply put, after a disappointing performance against the Lions in the Vikings season finale, I’m anxious for Sam Darnold in his first-ever postseason action. Additionally, Stafford has seen every possible strategy that defensive coordinator Brian Flores can come up with.
Greif: Philadelphia. The Eagles received a huge boost Wednesday when quarterback Jalen Hurts was released from concussion protocol and practiced after missing the final two games of the regular season due to a concussion. However, how will he appear on Sunday against a Packers defense that recorded 17 interceptions and caused 31 turnovers, which is fourth-highest in the NFL? The Packers have been above average at stopping the run this season, giving up the third-fewest rushing yards among playoff teams, but Philadelphia has won thanks to their running attack.
Minnesota, Daugherty said. The Vikings were on the verge of being the first seed in the NFC, but they spent the entire season winning by a single score. Of course, it takes skill to do that, but there is also a degree of chance. In December, Arizona and Seattle nearly defeated Minnesota. Throughout the regular season, this club was reliable, but it was never as strong as its gaudy record suggested.
Which coach has the most pressure on them this weekend?
Nadkarni: John Harbaugh, coach of the Ravens. Look, if any of the coaches lose this weekend, I don’t think they’ll be fired. This field is excellent for the playoffs. However, Harbaugh cannot afford to waste another season of MVP-caliber play from Jackson by losing to a struggling Steelers team. There will be concerns about Lamar’s ability to do well in the postseason each time he plays in the playoffs until he wins a Super Bowl. Even if Harbaugh is not solely responsible for those difficulties, whether they are genuine or imagined, I believe he stands to lose the most from an early departure.
Greif: Mike Tomlin, coach of the Steelers. January 15, 2017 was his last playoff appearance. This is not to imply that Tomlin’s career would be in jeopardy with a fifth straight playoff loss; he is the only institution in a league that frequently replaces its coaches. Nevertheless, this season has been a microcosm of his eighteen-year coaching tenure with the Steelers. It has now taken a backslide after making all the correct decisions early on. Before they hobbled into wild-card weekend with a four-game losing streak, the midseason quarterback switch from Justin Fields to Russell Wilson this fall appeared to be a brilliant move.
Daugherty: Sean McDermott, coach of the Bills. Buffalo has made every effort to make it to the Super Bowl. Winning the wild card round is no longer sufficient. When anything less than a championship is viewed as a failure, the pressure can easily become too much to handle, and many Bills supporters think McDermott is the only thing preventing them from winning the Lombardi Trophy. McDermott might be signing his own pink slip if he feels the pressure to win on Sunday.
Which quarterback will have the biggest performance?
Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels, Nadkarni. He will have a fantastic chance to provide the Commanders with numbers. The Buccaneers participated in a couple shootouts this season and had the fourth-worst passing defense in the NFL throughout the regular season. In a back-and-forth game, I anticipate Daniels to have a strong day in terms of numbers because of his rushing abilities and how much Washington depends on him in general.
Greif: Sam Darnold of the Vikings. Indeed, Darnold just had his worst game of the year, especially in the red zone. Indeed, the Rams have already defeated the Vikings this season. But Minnesota coach Kevin O Connell is one of football s most creative offensive minds, and now he is going against a Rams defense that ranks below the league average in how often it gets sacks, and also ranks 23rd this season in opponent passer rating. Detroit s aggressive pass rush clearly bothered Darnold in the regular-season finale, but if the Vikings can give him time, he can be effective. Only Tampa Bay’s defense has given up a higher average passer rating among playoff teams.
Daugherty: Baker Mayfield, quarterback for the Bucs. He is never the first name that comes to mind for this sort of question, but the Bucs scored under 26 points at home only two times in nine games, while the Commanders have the worst pass defense in the playoff field. Mayfield had nine three-touchdown performances during the regular season, including against the Commanders in Tampa. I like the Bucs to win a high-scoring contest, and Mayfield is going to be the main reason why.
Which team playing this weekend has the best chance to win the Super Bowl?
The Eagles are Nadkarni. Philadelphia has the combination of talent, complimentary football and big-game experience that really nobody else playing this weekend has. The Eagles may not be as exciting as the Lions, but there s almost too much lack of noise around a team that nearly won a Super Bowl only two years ago.
Greif: The Bills. Though not a No. 1 seed, Buffalo has already beaten the AFC s No. 1 seed, Kansas City, to break the Chiefs 15-game win streak, and their resume also includes a Dec. 15 win on the road against Detroit, the eventual No. 1 seed in the NFC. Few NFL franchises are more snakebitten in the postseason than Buffalo, but if there were ever a season to break Kansas City s hold on the AFC, this might be it considering how well Josh Allen has played en route to potentially becoming the NFL s Most Valuable Player.
Daugherty: The Ravens. Football fans outside of Baltimore are probably tired of hearing it, but this might finally be the Ravens year. They were arguably second to only Detroit on offense this season, and tightened up significantly on defense down the stretch. Jackson could win his third MVP. Coach Harbaugh has seen everything. You do not want to play the Ravens this postseason.