New England's Drake Maye (left) and Chicago's Caleb Williams were top-three draft picks in 2024
A dynasty has crumbled, established stars have stumbled, and former also-rans have surged into Super Bowl contention.
As noted by experienced analyst Cris Collinsworth, "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.
Last year's champions, the Philadelphia Eagles, have been less formidable, and teams like the Buffalo Bills, tipped for success early on, have not delivered.
Demonstrating the season's strength, an impressive 11 out of the 14 playoff entrants notched 11-plus wins, something that has happened merely twice since the late 1980s.
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."
How Do the NFL Playoffs Function?
The NFL playoffs consist of 14 total teams—seven from the American Football Conference (AFC) and seven from the National Football Conference (NFC).
The conferences remain separate throughout a three-week, 12-game knockout tournament that determines each conference's representative in Super Bowl 60 on February 8.
Home-field benefit goes to the better seed each round, and the number one seeds, Denver and Seattle, automatically advance past the initial Wildcard Weekend.
These top seeds debut in the Divisional Round. The winners of the subsequent Conference Championships—the de facto Super Bowl semifinals—will clash in the title game at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara.
The possibility exists for a Seattle-Denver Super Bowl replay from 2014, despite Denver's subsequent victory in the last Super Bowl held at Levi's Stadium back 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.
Adding to the change, Super Bowl 60 will lack both Mahomes and Joe Burrow of Cincinnati, breaking a streak dating back to 2019.
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.
The path to the AFC title is therefore unobstructed, allowing rising talents including Bo Nix of Denver and New England's Drake Maye to pursue playoff immortality.
Since 2016, only three franchises have won the AFC Championship, and none of those teams' players from their last title remain.
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.
The AFC does feature established quarterbacks such as Pittsburgh's Aaron Rodgers and Buffalo's Josh Allen, whose playoff experience might prove decisive against the influx of youth.
The Leading Contenders for the Championship and MVP Award
The NFC boasts more recent playoff pedigree, with Philadelphia, Los Angeles, or San Francisco appearing in seven of the last eight Super Bowls.
Facing off against Seattle in the brutal NFC West, the Rams and 49ers have already been immersed in a playoff atmosphere for several weeks.
Seattle ultimately secured the division with a 14-3 record, entering the playoffs on a seven-game winning streak after defeating both rivals in the final stretch.
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.
The 37-year-old Stafford, a Super Bowl winner with the Rams in 2022, seeks his first MVP award and is currently favored over New England's promising second-year QB, Drake Maye.
Maye has thrived under new head coach Mike Vrabel, helping New England dramatically improve from a 4-13 record last season to 14-3.
Similarly, Chicago's Caleb Williams has blossomed in his second year with new coach Ben Johnson, leading the Bears from five wins to eleven and securing the NFC's number two seed.
Schedule for Wildcard Weekend
All times are in GMT
Saturday, 10 January
Carolina Panthers host the Los Angeles Rams (21:30)
Green Bay Packers @ Chicago Bears (01:00 Sunday)
Sunday, 11 January
Buffalo Bills @ Jacksonville Jaguars (18:00)
Philadelphia Eagles face the San Francisco 49ers (21:30)
Los Angeles Chargers @ New England Patriots (01:00 Monday)
Monday, 12 January
Houston Texans @ Pittsburgh Steelers (01:00 Tuesday)
Key Storylines for Wildcard Weekend
Carolina, having secured the NFC South with a poor 8-9 mark, hosts the Los Angeles Rams in the first playoff game, an unusual occurrence.
The Rams, playing as visitors, are powered by Matthew Stafford's league-leading passing numbers and a record year from wideout Puka Nacua.
Injuries late in the year halted Green Bay's surge, but the return of quarterback Jordan Love is timely for the latest chapter of the league's most historic rivalry.
Despite exceeding expectations by winning the NFC North, Chicago faces pressure to avoid a third consecutive loss and an early playoff exit.
Another NFC wildcard clash sees an injury-plagued San Francisco team visit the defending champion Eagles, who rested starters after clinching the NFC East.
Josh Allen and the Bills, often thwarted in recent playoffs, must go on the road to confront a surging Jacksonville squad that has won eight straight.
{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
