The NFL playoffs are finally upon us. After 18 crazy weeks, the NFL regular season is finally over and it’s now time for the playoffs.
While there will be some familiar faces in the playoffs this year – like the 49ers, Chiefs and Cowboys – there will also be some new blood. In fact, of the four teams in NFL history that have never been to the Super Bowl, three of them – Houston, Cleveland and Detroit – are in the playoffs this year. Unfortunately for the Browns and Texans, they will face each other, meaning one of these teams will go home after the first round.
As for Detroit, the Lions will host their first playoff game in 30 years and, to everyone’s surprise, they will face someone they know very well: Matthew Stafford. With Jared Goff starting for the Lions, the game between Los Angeles and Detroit will mark the first time in playoff history that both starting quarterbacks will face their former team. This match will take place Sunday at 8:15 p.m. ET on NBC.
As for the rest of the 2024 NFL playoff schedule, you can see it below.
Super Wild Card Weekend
Saturday January 13
- (5) Browns at (4) Texans, 4:30 p.m. ET (NBC). For only the second time in 20 years, the Browns are in the playoffs. These two teams met in Week 16, but you probably shouldn’t take too much away from that 36-22 Cleveland win because CJ Stroud didn’t play. The Texans’ superstar rookie will be on the field this week and he will face one of his biggest tests of the season in the Browns defense.
- (6) Dolphins at (3) Chiefs, 8:15 p.m. ET (Peacock). Tyreek Hill is going to get a second chance to beat his old team, and this time, he’ll be able to do it in Kansas City. These two teams met in Week 9 in a game that Kansas City won 21-14, but that game was played in Germany. The temperature in Kansas City is expected to be below 12 degrees Saturday evening.
Sunday January 14
- (7) Steelers at (2) Bills, 1 p.m. ET (CBS/stream on Paramount+ (click here). This game will be played in Buffalo, where the Bills have been nearly unbeatable this year, going 7-1. Josh Allen has faced the Steelers four times in his career and he is 3-1 in those games. Sunday’s forecast in Buffalo calls for below-freezing temperatures with snow possible.
- (7) Packers at (2) Cowboys, 4:30 p.m. ET (Fox). This will be a revenge game for Mike McCarthy. This will be just the second time the Cowboys coach has faced the Packers since they were fired in December 2018. McCarthy lost the first meeting in 2022 and will look to earn his first win against Green Bay.
- (6) Rams vs. (3) Lions, 8:15 p.m. ET (NBC). For their first home playoff game in 30 years, the Lions will welcome back an old friend to Detroit: Matthew Stafford. The Rams QB led the Lions to the playoffs three times, but never got to play a home game. This will also be a huge game for Jared Goff, who will face a team and head coach that traded him because they didn’t want him anymore.
Monday January 15
- (5) Eagles at (4) Buccaneers, 8:15 p.m. ET (ABC/ESPN). The Eagles stumble in the playoffs, but they’ll head to Tampa Bay knowing they beat the Buccaneers 25-11 at Raymond James Stadium in Week 3.
Divisional round
Saturday January 20
TBD versus TBD, 4:30 p.m. ET
TBD versus TBD, 8:15 p.m. ET
Sunday January 21
TBD versus TBD, 3 p.m. ET
TBD versus TBD, 6:30 p.m. ET
Divisional Round Notes: The 49ers will face the worst remaining seed in the NFC divisional round while the Ravens will face the worst remaining seed in the AFC. Additionally, the winner of Monday night’s game will be eligible to play in the divisional round on Sunday.
Championship Sunday
Sunday January 28
AFC Championship, 3 p.m. ET (CBS)
NFC Championship, 6:30 p.m. ET (Fox)
AFC vs. NFC in Las Vegas, 6:30 p.m. ET
The Super Bowl will be televised on CBS with an alternate broadcast available on Nickelodeon. You will also be able to stream the game on Paramount+.
