Top-three 2024 draft picks, New England's Drake Maye and Chicago's Caleb Williams
A longstanding powerhouse has fallen, big names have faltered, and longshots have transformed into legitimate title threats.
Even seasoned analyst Cris Collinsworth has remarked, "this is the most unusual year I can remember in the NFL."
The playoff field is set with 14 teams, marking the first time in over a decade that the Kansas City Chiefs are not participating.
The defending champion Philadelphia Eagles have not displayed the same dominance as last season, while preseason favorites like the Buffalo Bills have failed to meet lofty expectations.
Yet, showcasing the competitive balance, 11 playoff qualifiers won 11 or more games, a rarity seen just one other time in the last three-and-a-half decades.
A record five teams qualified after suffering 11 or more losses the previous year, with two—New England and Chicago—completing a "worst-to-first" turnaround in their divisions.
Collinsworth further explained, "Selecting a frontrunner is challenging because compelling arguments exist for each contender."
"The clash of these young quarterbacks will be fascinating to observe, as their potential is unpredictable. This is the stage where legendary statuses are forged."
Understanding the NFL Playoff Structure
A field of 14 clubs competes in the playoffs, comprising seven squads from the AFC and seven from the NFC.
A twelve-game, single-elimination bracket over three weeks keeps AFC and NFC teams apart, culminating in the conference champions facing off in Super Bowl 60.
The highest-seeded team in each matchup enjoys home-field advantage, with the top seeds—Denver and Seattle—receiving a first-round bye during Wildcard Weekend.
The top seeds enter in the Divisional Round. Victors in the Conference Championships, which serve as Super Bowl semifinals, advance to the championship at Santa Clara's Levi's Stadium.
A rematch of the 2014 Super Bowl between Seattle and Denver is possible, though Denver later rebounded to win Super Bowl 50 at the same venue in 2016.
Why the AFC Championship Race Is Completely Open
With Kansas City's Patrick Mahomes absent from the playoffs for the first time in his career, a major postseason fixture is missing.
Furthermore, this year's Super Bowl will be the first since 2019 not to include either Mahomes or Cincinnati's Joe Burrow.
With recent MVPs Mahomes and Lamar Jackson (Baltimore) also out, the AFC playoff field lacks its recent dominant forces, creating a void for new contenders.
Consequently, the competition for the AFC crown is remarkably open, presenting a golden opportunity for new quarterbacks such as Denver's Bo Nix and New England's Drake Maye to achieve postseason fame.
A mere three clubs have captured the AFC Championship since 2016, and their championship rosters have completely turned over.
Denver, despite its high seed, is a playoff novice in recent years, and the Pittsburgh Steelers are the sole other AFC qualifier to have reached a Super Bowl in the past three decades.
Yet, seasoned passers like Pittsburgh's Aaron Rodgers and Josh Allen of Buffalo remain, possessing the know-how to potentially outduel the younger generation.
Who Are the Super Bowl and MVP Favorites?
Teams from the NFC have dominated Super Bowl appearances lately, with the Eagles, Rams, or 49ers featuring in nearly every title game for eight years.
Facing off against Seattle in the brutal NFC West, the Rams and 49ers have already been immersed in a playoff atmosphere for several weeks.
The Seahawks claimed the division crown with a 14-3 mark, riding a seven-game victory streak into the postseason after besting both the Rams and 49ers late.
Winning the NFC's number one seed makes Seattle marginal Super Bowl favorites, slightly edging the 12-5 Rams, whose passer Matthew Stafford leads the MVP conversation.
Stafford, who won a Super Bowl in his first season with the Rams in 2022, has never won the MVP but is rated just ahead of New England's second-year quarterback, Drake Maye.
Under the guidance of new coach Mike Vrabel, Maye has flourished, instrumental in New England's stunning reversal from 4-13 a year ago to a 14-3 powerhouse.
In Chicago, quarterback Caleb Williams has also prospered with a new head coach, Ben Johnson, transforming the Bears into an 11-win team and the NFC's second seed.
Schedule for Wildcard Weekend
All times are in GMT
Saturday, 10 January
Carolina Panthers host the Los Angeles Rams (21:30)
The Packers visit the Chicago Bears (01:00 Sunday)
Sunday, 11 January
Jacksonville Jaguars host the Buffalo Bills (18:00)
Philadelphia Eagles face the San Francisco 49ers (21:30)
New England Patriots host the Los Angeles Chargers (01:00 Monday)
Monday, 12 January
Pittsburgh Steelers face the Houston Texans (01:00 Tuesday)
What to Watch For During the Playoff Openers
The Rams begin Wildcard Weekend in Carolina, a team that made history by reaching the playoffs with a losing 8-9 record after stumbling to the NFC South title.
The Rams, playing as visitors, are powered by Matthew Stafford's league-leading passing numbers and a record year from wideout Puka Nacua.
The Packers, slowed by key injuries, get quarterback Jordan Love back from concussion for a rare playoff meeting in football's longest-standing rivalry.
Chicago, which surpassed preseason forecasts to win the NFC North, is under pressure to avert a three-game skid and a quick postseason departure.
In the NFC's other wildcard game, a banged-up San Francisco squad travels to face Philadelphia, the defending champions who rested players after locking up the NFC East.
Reigning MVP Josh Allen of Buffalo dreams of his first Super Bowl, but the Bills face a difficult road test against a red-hot Jacksonville team on an eight-game win streak.
{New England aims to avoid an upset at home against the Los Angeles Chargers, whose quarterback Justin Herbert seeks his first playoff win in his sixth season.|The Patriots hope to defend their home field against the Chargers, as LA's quarterback Justin Herbert looks for his inaugural postseason victory in year six.|At home, New England tries to stave off the Chargers, with Justin Herbert attempting to secure his first career playoff
