NFL Playoff Picture: Wild Card Weekend set in stone

The NFL playoff field is set.

The league officially announced the schedule for Wild Card Weekend, with a contest between the Los Angeles Rams and Carolina Panthers kicking the action off Saturday afternoon.

AFC

The Buffalo Bills will go up against the Jacksonville Jaguars in a battle of top-10 offenses. The New England Patriots and Los Angeles Chargers - rivals in the Tom Brady and Philip Rivers eras - will see each other in the postseason again. Expect fireworks with Drake Maye and Justin Herbert under center.

The Pittsburgh Steelers, who won the AFC North and eliminated the Baltimore Ravens in an instant classic Sunday night, will host the Houston Texans next week. Aaron Rodgers extends his career with another postseason appearance, but he'll have a tough challenge ahead against Houston's top-ranked defense.

The Denver Broncos took care of business Sunday to secure the AFC's 1-seed. They'll rest next week before hosting a divisional-round game against the lowest-seeded team left.

AFC playoff standings

NFC

Intriguing NFC wild-card clashes lie ahead. None will feature the Seattle Seahawks, who'll watch the first round from home as the No. 1 seed.

The Los Angeles Rams will be on the road, but Sean McVay's outfit will play the 8-9 Carolina Panthers, who won the NFC South despite losing their final two games. The San Francisco 49ers will travel to Philadelphia to face the Eagles in their first playoff meeting since the NFC title game in 2023.

Finally, the Chicago Bears will host the Green Bay Packers in another colossal matchup in the NFL's oldest rivalry. The Bears and Packers split their regular-season series with two thrilling games in December.

NFC playoff standings