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14 teams make the NFL playoffs, with 7 teams from each conference, which is the most unique thing about this year’s playoffs. The NFL playoffs started on January 13, 2024, with an exciting wild-card round that got people talking. When the NFL season started, 32 teams were aiming to get to the Super Bowl, and now we’re down to just four after a wild and wacky weekend full of surprises.
The divisional round was played on January 20 to 21, 2024, and the conference championships were played on January 28, 2024. The divisional round ended with a bang on Sunday night, with the Chiefs beating the Bills 27 to 24 in another instant classic. The outcome of the game wasn’t decided until Tyler Bass missed a 44-yard field goal with just under two minutes left to play, leaving fans on the edge of their seats. The Chiefs are now headed to the AFC championship game for the sixth straight year, making them a truly dominant force in the league.
Patrick Mahomes will be traveling to Baltimore to face Lamar Jackson and a Ravens team that will be hosting the AFC title game for the first time in franchise history. The top-seeded Ravens coasted to a 34-to-10 win over the Texans on Saturday, showcasing their strength and determination. This victory earned them a spot in the conference title game, giving fans much to cheer about.
In the NFC, the Detroit Lions are headed to the NFC championship game for just the second time in franchise history, a remarkable feat for this previously struggling team. The Lions clinched their spot in the game with a thrilling 31-23 win over the Buccaneers on Sunday, demonstrating their growth and improvement. Thanks to the victory, the Lions will now be headed to San Francisco to face the 49ers, setting the stage for an epic battle with a spot in Super Bowl LVIII on the line.
Who is in the NFL playoffs anyway?
The NFL playoffs are the final stage of the American football season, where the best teams from each conference compete for the chance to play in the Super Bowl, the most prestigious and watched sporting event in the world, which everyone surely knows about. The 2023 NFL playoffs feature an impressive 14 teams, seven from each conference, with the top seed in each conference getting a bye week in the first round, an advantage that shouldn’t be underestimated.
The remaining teams play in a single-elimination format, with the winners advancing to the next round until only one team from each conference remains, creating an intense atmosphere and making every game a do-or-die situation. These two teams then face off in the Super Bowl, a game that captures the hearts and minds of fans around the globe and which will be held on February 4, 2024, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, a truly legendary venue.
The teams that have qualified for the 2023 NFL playoffs are as follows:
AFC:
- Baltimore Ravens
- Kansas City Chiefs
- Houston Texans
- Buffalo Bills
- Los Angeles Chargers
- Cleveland Browns
- Miami Dolphins
NFC:
- San Francisco 49ers
- Detroit Lions
- Green Bay Packers
- Dallas Cowboys
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Arizona Cardinals
- New Orleans Saints
The divisional round of the playoffs took place on January 20 and 21, 2024, with the following nail-biting results:
AFC:
- Ravens 34, Dolphins 17.
- Chiefs 27, Browns 24.
- Texans 20, Bills 23.
- Chargers 31, Texans 28.
NFC:
- 49ers 38, Saints 21.
- Lions 24, Cardinals 17.
- Packers 27, Buccaneers 31.
- Cowboys 23, Packers 26.
The conference championship games will take place on January 28, 2024, with the following matchups that fans have been eagerly waiting for:
AFC:
Ravens vs. Chiefs, a showdown of epic proportions.
NFC:
49ers vs. Lions, a clash of titans.
The winners of these games will advance to the Super Bowl and compete for the Vince Lombardi Trophy, the ultimate prize in professional football and a symbol of glory and triumph.
What teams are left in the NFL playoffs?
The NFL playoffs have started, and only four teams are left in the race for Super Bowl LVIII. In the AFC, the Kansas City Chiefs have secured the first-round bye and will host the winner of the Buffalo Bills vs. Miami Dolphins game. The Bills defeated the Dolphins 34-31 in Week 18 to clinch the second seed and the AFC East title. The Dolphins sneaked into the playoffs as the seventh seed after a dramatic comeback against the New York Jets.
The other AFC matchup will feature the Cincinnati Bengals and the Baltimore Ravens, who will face each other for the third time this season. The Bengals won the AFC North division and they were the third seed after their Week 17 game against the Bills was called off due to a power outage. The Ravens earned the sixth seed with a 24-17 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 18.
In the NFC, the Philadelphia Eagles claimed the first-round bye and will wait for the winner of the San Francisco 49ers vs. Seattle Seahawks game. The 49ers finished as the second seed and the NFC West champions after a 31-28 victory over the Los Angeles Rams in Week 18. The Seahawks secured the seventh seed with a 27-24 win over the Arizona Cardinals in Week 18.
The other NFC matchup will see the Minnesota Vikings and the New York Giants clash for the second time this season. The Vikings won the NFC North division and the third seed with a 37-34 win over the Green Bay Packers in Week 18. The Giants clinched the sixth seed and the NFC East title with a 23-20 win over the Washington Commanders in Week 17.
When do the NFL playoffs start?
The NFL playoffs are the postseason games that determine the champion of the National Football League (NFL) each year. The playoffs start the week after the regular season ends, which usually happens in early January. The first round of the playoffs is called the wild-card round, where six teams from each conference (AFC and NFC) compete for three spots in the next round. The other two spots are reserved for the division winners with the best records, who get a bye week.
The wild-card round will begin on Saturday, January 13, 2024, with two games, followed by a tripleheader on Sunday, January 14, and one final wild-card game on Monday, January 15. The second round of the playoffs is called the divisional round, where the four remaining teams from each conference face off against each other. The divisional round will take place on Saturday, January 20th, and Sunday, January 21st.
The winners of the divisional round advance to the conference championship games, which are held on Sunday, January 28th. The AFC champion and the NFC champion will meet in Super Bowl LVIII on Sunday, February 11th, at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Where can you watch the NFL playoffs?
There are multiple, several options that you can opt for to watch the NFL playoffs, all depending on your own personal preferences and also on how much money you have. Here are some of the most popular ones that you should know about:
Cable or satellite TV:
This one, to be very honest, is the traditional and most reliable way in which you can very easily watch the NFL playoffs. Through this method, you are going to be able to access all of the games on channels such as CBS, NBC, FOX, ESPN, and ABC, along with the NFL Network and the NFL RedZone! The only thing about this option is that it honestly turns out to be expensive at times, especially in cases where you might need to specifically pay for extra channels or packages.
Streaming services:
Streaming services are a convenient and affordable way to watch live sports, including the NFL playoffs. With this option, you genuinely have the freedom to use your computer, smartphone, tablet, or even a smart TV—yes, that is also true—to stream all of the games online, right in front of your very own eyes. There are so many streaming services that you can very conveniently choose from, and all of them very conveniently offer live sports for streaming, such as YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, Sling TV, FuboTV, and last but not least, AT&T TV Now.
Each one of these streaming services surely has different features and prices, and therefore you are going to need to very efficiently compare all of them and make your final choice based on your unique needs. Clearly, with this option, you are going to need to hold a very firm grip on a stable internet connection that you have and also make sure that you have a compatible device that you can easily use to stream the games.
Antenna:
This is a very inexpensive way to watch the NFL playoffs. All you are going to need to do is maybe use an antenna to pick up all of the local broadcast channels that very conveniently air the games, like CBS, NBC, FOX, and ABC. It is going to be very easy; all you need to do is go and maybe buy an antenna, just a simple one, you know, plug it right into your TV and then scan for all of the channels that you need to watch.
NFL Game Pass:
Now, this does allow you to maybe watch all of the replays of every single NFL game that is ever played, and this just includes the playoffs that you are so eagerly waiting for, right? You can easily go and just watch all of the games that were played in full, or you might also get the option to choose to watch the condensed versions as well. And, also, you can just go ahead and maybe download all the games that you want to watch offline, in case you feel the need to do so eventually for any particular reason.
