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After 18 weeks, the NFL regular season has come to an end and the playoffs are here.
There are 14 teams left standing, all looking for a chance to reach the Super Bowl that concludes with confetti on the field in Santa Clara, California. Week 18 was disheartening for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Baltimore Ravens, who failed to win their division and missed the playoffs.
Wild card weekend has two games on Saturday, three games on Sunday and one game on Monday.
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New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye celebrates after a touchdown scored by running back TreVeyon Henderson during the second half of an NFL football game against the Miami Dolphins. In Foxborough, Massachusetts, on January 4, 2026. (Charles Krupa/AP Photo)
In Week 18, the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks earned the No. 1 seed and the all-important bye week.
While the Broncos and Seahawks will watch chaos unfold at home, 12 teams will fight for their playoff lives during NFL Wild Card weekend.
The NFL Wild Card weekend has a little bit of everything: heated rivalries that will add another chapter, rematches of closely contested regular season games and rematches of NFC and AFC championship games.
The Los Angeles Rams will enter the weekend looking to avenge their Nov. 30, 31-28 loss to the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers lost to the Buccaneers on Saturday, leaving their playoff fate in the hands of the Altanta Falcons. If the Falcons lost to the Saints, then the Buccaneers would have advanced.
However, the Falcons beat the Saints, setting up a rematch with the Rams.
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Caleb Williams of the Chicago Bears passes the ball against the Green Bay Packers during the second quarter at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois, on December 20, 2025. (Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
Saturday night’s game sets up a third-round tie between the Green Bay Packers and the Chicago Bears, who have provided two thrillers so far this season. The teams split the series with each team winning at home.
It is also the third time the two teams have played in the playoffs, with the bitter rivals splitting the previous two matchups.
Sunday’s schedule begins with the Buffalo Bills traveling south to play the Jacksonville Jaguars. Both teams are among the best in the NFL entering the playoffs, as the Bills have won four straight games while the Jaguars have won eight straight games.
The Jaguars had a phenomenal first season under head coach Liam Coen, going 13-4 and having the second-most games in a single season in franchise history. They will look to defeat the Bills, who enter as a wild card team.
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Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) scores a touchdown during the second half against the Kansas City Chiefs at EverBank Stadium. (Nathan Ray Seebeck/Image Images)
Sunday’s halfgame is a rematch of the 2022 NFC Championship Game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the San Francisco 49ers. The Eagles beat the 49ers 31-7 after quarterback Brock Purdy and backup quarterback Josh Johnson suffered injuries.
The 49ers and Eagles have played twice in the playoffs and each won one game.
Sunday’s final game is between the New England Patriots and the Los Angeles Chargers, marking the fourth time the two teams have met since the turn of the century. The Patriots won all of those playoff appearances, defeating the Chargers in the AFC Divisional Round in 2007 and 2019, while beating the Chargers in the AFC Championship in 2008.
Monday night’s game is between the Pittsburgh Steelers, who needed a missed Tyler Loop field goal to advance, and the Houston Texans, who have the best defense in the NFL. The two teams have never met in the playoffs, and the Steelers have a 5-3 record against the Texans all-time.
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Baltimore Ravens kicker Tyler Loop (33) reacts after missing the winning field goal against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the second half at Acrisure Stadium. (Charles LeClaire/Image Images)
Where to watch:
Saturday January 10
No. 5 Los Angeles Rams at No. 4 Carolina Panthers, 4:30 p.m. ET on FOX
No. 7 Green Bay Packers vs. No. 2 Chicago Bears, 8 p.m. ET on Prime Video
Sunday January 11
No. 6 Buffalo Bills at No. 3 Jacksonville Jaguars, 1 p.m. ET on CBS
No. 6 San Francisco 49ers vs. No. 3 Philadelphia Eagles, 4:30 p.m. ET on FOX
No. 7 Los Angeles Chargers at No. 2 New England Patriots, 8 p.m. ET on NBC
Monday January 12
The No. 5 Houston Texans at the No. 4 Pittsburgh Steelers, 8 p.m. ET on ESPN
