Complete Guide to the Schedule, Games, and Key Information

NFL Playoffs: Wild Card Weekend Kicks Off the Road to the Super Bowl

After a thrilling Week 18 Sunday Night Football showdown between the Ravens and the Steelers, the 2025-2026 NFL regular season has officially come to an end. Now, it’s time to turn our eyes to the playoffs, beginning this weekend with the highly anticipated Wild Card round. Let’s dive into what awaits us in this exhilarating playoff sequence.

How to Watch

Fans can catch all the action of Sunday Night Football on NBC as well as streaming on Peacock. The games are set to bring heart-pounding excitement, making it a perfect weekend for football fans.

The Path Ahead: Wild Card Round Overview

From January 10-12, the league’s top teams will battle for a chance to advance to the Divisional Round, inching closer to the ultimate goal: Super Bowl LX on February 8, broadcasted live on both NBC and Peacock. This round features 12 teams, ranging from fierce underdogs who fought hard for a postseason berth to high-flying squads that secured playoff positions well ahead of time.

In the Wild Card Weekend, regular-season records become irrelevant. Each matchup is a standalone event, giving underdogs a shot against established powerhouses.

The Structure of the Playoffs

The Wild Card round includes six teams from each conference, making up a total of six games—three in the NFC and three in the AFC. At the end of the regular season, each of the qualified 14 teams is assigned a “seed” based on performance. The top-performing team in each conference holds the No. 1 seed and automatically receives a bye for the first round.

Here’s how the seeding unfolds:

• NFC:

  • 1. Seattle Seahawks (bye)
  • 2. Chicago Bears
  • 3. Philadelphia Eagles
  • 4. Carolina Panthers
  • 5. Los Angeles Rams
  • 6. San Francisco 49ers
  • 7. Green Bay Packers

• AFC:

  • 1. Denver Broncos (bye)
  • 2. New England Patriots
  • 3. Jacksonville Jaguars
  • 4. Pittsburgh Steelers
  • 5. Houston Texans
  • 6. Buffalo Bills
  • 7. Los Angeles Chargers

Wild Card Matchups: What to Expect

As Wild Card Weekend approaches, excitement builds for the six matchups that are sure to deliver intense competitions. Here’s the full schedule for the upcoming games:

1. Los Angeles Rams at Carolina Panthers

   • Saturday, January 10 at 4:30 p.m. ET

2. Green Bay Packers at Chicago Bears

   • Saturday, January 10 at 8 p.m. ET

3. Buffalo Bills at Jacksonville Jaguars

   • Sunday, January 11 at 1 p.m. ET

4. San Francisco 49ers at Philadelphia Eagles

   • Sunday, January 11 at 4:30 p.m. ET

5. Los Angeles Chargers at New England Patriots

   • Sunday, January 11 at 8 p.m. ET, live on NBC and Peacock

6. Houston Texans at Pittsburgh Steelers

   • Monday, January 12 at 8:15 p.m. ET

Looking Ahead to Super Bowl LX

As the playoffs begin, NBC will provide complete coverage leading up to Super Bowl LX. On February 8, fans can tune in for an all-day celebration of football culture, pitting the best of the best against one another.

Are you excited about the playoffs? This weekend is just the beginning of what promises to be a thrilling journey through January and into February for football fans everywhere.