Final NFL Playoff Seeding: Wild Card Weekend Predictions and Full Postseason Schedule

It seems like the 2023 NFL season only just started—that the Detroit Lions and Kansas City Chiefs were kicking off the season at Arrowhead Stadium. But after the conclusion of Sunday night's big showdown between the Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins, all 272 regular-season games have been played.

The 2023-24 playoffs are set.

Granted, there were some things we already knew ahead of Week 18—the Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco 49ers had already locked up the No. 1 seeds in their respective conferences. But half of the league's eight divisions weren't decided until Sunday, including one (the AFC East) that came down to the final game of the season.

There was jubilation in the Steel City. Dejection in Duval County. But that's all over now. The regular season is donesville. Now it's all about looking forward to the playoffs.

So, let's do that with the complete schedule for the postseason and some predictions for who will emerge from the Wild Card Round.

AFC Seedings

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Lamar Jackson

Here's the seeding for the AFC playoffs:

1. Baltimore Ravens (13-4): The Ravens may have lost a meaningless season finale, but they remain a loaded, balanced team that ranks fourth in the league in both total offense and total defense. Led by the likely NFL MVP in quarterback Lamar Jackson, the Ravens have to be considered the favorites to represent the AFC In Super Bowl LVIII.

2. Buffalo Bills (11-6): It's been an up-and-down season for the Bills, who entered Week 18 facing a potential scenario where they could miss the playoffs altogether despite winning four straight following their bye week. Instead, the Bills are the AFC East champion for a fourth consecutive year after beating Miami, and any team with Josh Allen under center and a top-five scoring defense is going to be tough out.

3. Kansas City Chiefs (11-6): The Chiefs won the AFC West for the eighth consecutive season, and the Kansas City defense has been a pleasant surprise this season, ranking second in the league entering Week 18. But the Kansas City offense hasn't been as explosive as in years past, and as a result, Patrick Mahomes could be looking at the first road playoff game of his career.

4. Houston Texans (10-7): There isn't a more surprising team in the AFC playoffs than the Houston Texans, who went from tomato cans in 2022 to AFC South champions in 2023 under first-year head coach DeMeco Ryans and rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud. It was a remarkable turnaround from a team that won just three games a year ago.

5. Cleveland Browns (11-6): Despite playing with four different quarterbacks and losing star running back Nick Chubb early in the season, the Browns had their most successful regular season since re-joining the NFL in 1999. The engine for that success? A defense that has paced the NFL in yards allowed per game for most of the season.

6. Miami Dolphins (11-6): For most of the season, the Dolphins have ranked at the top of the NFL in yards and points per game. And there's no question that Miami is loaded offensively when at full strength. But the team didn't have running back Raheem Mostert or wide receiver Jaylen Waddle on Sunday night, the team's edge-rushers have been ravaged by injuries, and Miami has one win this year over a team with a winning record.

7. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7): Pittsburgh has endured its share of adversity in 2023, including turning to three different starting quarterbacks. But the Steelers have never had a losing season under Mike Tomlin, and the team's Week 18 win over the Ravens coupled with Jacksonville's collapse against the Tennessee Titans got the Steelers into the postseason.

NFC Seedings

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Brock Purdy

Here's a look at how the NFC playoff bracket shakes out in 2023-24:

1. San Francisco 49ers (12-5): The 49ers are a loaded and balanced squad. Quarterback Brock Purdy has gone from "Mr. Irrelevant" to an MVP candidate. The Niners are loaded with offensive skill position talent. San Francisco's defense is as good as any in the NFL. And the road to Las Vegas goes through Levi's Stadium in the NFC.

2. Dallas Cowboys (12-5): Sunday's win over the Washington Commanders was huge for the Cowboys' chances of a deep playoff run. Simply put, Dallas is a completely different team at home than on the road. At AT&T Stadium, the Cowboys are a perfect 8-0 and averaged 37.4 points per game. On the road, Dallas was 4-5 and entered Week 18 averaging 21.5 points per game.

3. Detroit Lions (12-5): The last time the Detroit Lions won 12 games was all the way back in 1991. The last time the Lions won the NFC North was...never. It's been so long since Detroit won the division that it was still called the NFC Central back in 1993. Dan Campbell has done an outstanding job in Motown, but Detroit's mediocre defense could be an issue in the postseason.

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-8): It wasn't especially pretty (nothing in the NFC South was in 2023), but by virtue of Tampa's shutout win over the Carolina Panthers in Week 18, the Baker Mayfield-led Buccaneers are in the postseason for the fourth consecutive year. The question is whether an inconsistent Buccaneers team can make any noise in the playoffs.

5. Philadelphia Eagles (11-6): Not that long ago, the Eagles were considered arguably the best team in the NFL. But after an ugly loss to the New York Giants in Week 18, the Eagles limp into the postseason having lost five of six. As if that's not bad enough, quarterback Jalen Hurts (hand) and wide receiver A.J. Brown (knee) both left Sunday's face-plant with injuries.

6. Los Angeles Rams (10-7): Like the Houston Texans in the AFC, not much was expected from the Rams in 2023. But thanks to a pair of massive surprises on offense in running back Kyren Williams and wide receiver Puka Nacua and a solid season from veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford, the Rams already had a postseason spot locked up entering Week 18.

7. Green Bay Packers (9-8): It wasn't always pretty, but Jordan Love's first full season as the starting quarterback in Titletown ended with a trip to the postseason. The Packers head into the playoffs with a fair amount of momentum as well, having won six of eight to rally and make the tournament.

Playoff Schedule

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Micah Parsons

Get your popcorn ready. Here's the full schedule for this year's playoffs.

WILD CARD ROUND

Saturday, January 13

AFC Wild Card Round—(5) Cleveland Browns at (4) Houston Texans: 4:30 p.m. ET (NBC)

AFC Wild Card Round—(6) Miami Dolphins at (3) Kansas City Chiefs: 8:00 p.m. ET (Peacock)

Sunday, January 14

AFC Wild Card Round—(7) Pittsburgh Steelers at (2) Buffalo Bills: 1:00 p.m. ET (CBS)

NFC Wild Card Round—(7) Green Bay Packers at (2) Dallas Cowboys: 4:30 p.m. ET (FOX)

NFC Wild Card Round—(6) Los Angeles Rams at (3) Detroit Lions: 8:15 p.m. ET (NBC)

Monday, January 15

NFC Wild Card Round—(5) Philadelphia Eagles at (4) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 8:00 p.m. ET (ESPN/ABC)

DIVISIONAL ROUND

Saturday, January 20

AFC Divisional Round— 4:30 p.m. ET (TV TBD)

NFC Divisional Round—8:15 p.m. ET (TV TBD)

Sunday, January 21

AFC Divisional Round—3:00 p.m. ET (TV TBD)

NFC Divisional Round—6:30 p.m. ET (TV TBD)

CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS

Sunday, January 28

AFC Championship— 3:00 p.m. ET (CBS)

NFC Championship—6:30 p.m. ET (FOX)

SUPER BOWL LVIII

Sunday, February 11

AFC Champion vs. NFC Champion – Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas: 6:30 p.m. ET (CBS)

(5) Cleveland Browns at (4) Houston Texans

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Joe Flacco

Saturday, January 13, 4:30 p.m. ET (NBC)

On some level, it's kind of disappointing that the Browns and Texans are playing in the Wild Card Round. The two teams are the biggest surprises on that side of the bracket, and it's a shame one has to see their season end next week.

This is actually a movie we have seen before—the Browns and Texans just played on Christmas Eve, with Joe Flacco's 368 passing yards and three touchdowns keying a 14-point win for the Browns.

Yes, that Joe Flacco. It has been a weird year in Cleveland.

However, there's a major difference between that game and the one about to be played—the Texans did not have quarterback C.J. Stroud in that contest. Now, the prohibitive favorite to be named Offensive Rookie of the Year is healthy, and that makes a big difference.

The dealbreaker here is defense. The Browns lead the NFL in both total defense and pass defense. The Texans rank in the middle of the pack in total defense and outside the top 20 against the pass.

Look for Flacco to have another big game, and provided he can avoid a killer turnover (Flacco has eight interceptions in five games), that difference in defense will propel Cleveland into the Divisional Round.

Prediction: Browns 27, Texans 23

(6) Miami Dolphins at (3) Kansas City Chiefs

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Patrick Mahomes

Saturday, January 13, 8:00 p.m. ET (Peacock)

The first-ever exclusively streamed NFL playoff game features a pair of fanbases that go into the postseason with chewed-up fingernails.

For most of the 2023 season, the Dolphins have fielded the most prolific offense in the league. Miami appeared to be cruising toward the AFC East title, but injuries started piling up on both sides of the ball. Meanwhile, the Bills got red-hot, and after losing to Buffalo in the season finale, a banged-up Dolphins team is headed to Arrowhead to face the defending Super Bowl champions.

With that said, playing the Chiefs this year doesn't appear as daunting a task as in years past. Sure, the Chiefs won the AFC West for the eighth consecutive time. But the Chiefs barely rank inside the top 15 in scoring this season. The Chiefs just aren't as potent an offensive football team as in years past. The defense is carrying Kansas City this year—second in the NFL in yards allowed and third in points allowed.

Those aren't the numbers that really matter, though. This number does—1. That's the number of wins the Dolphins have in six tries against teams with winning records, including a 21-14 loss to the Chiefs in Germany in Week 9.

The score may be different this time, but the result won't be.

Prediction: Chiefs 27, Dolphins 13

(7) Pittsburgh Steelers at (2) Buffalo Bills

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Stefon Diggs

Sunday, January 14, 1:00 p.m. ET (CBS)

The Buffalo Bills must be butter, because they are on a roll.

When the Bills headed into their bye fresh off an overtime loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, they were a 6-6 team in real danger of missing the postseason altogether. Now, after five straight wins, the Bills are champions of the AFC East for the fourth consecutive season, in the playoffs for the fifth straight year and the AFC's No. 2 seed.

The Bills have the NFL's sixth-ranked scoring offense and fifth-ranked scoring defense. Whether it's Stefon Diggs and James Cook on offense or Greg Rousseau and Terrell Bernard on defense, the Bills are balanced and talented. They are battle-tested. And in Josh Allen they have an elite quarterback who has experience in the postseason.

The Pittsburgh Steelers aren't a bad team by any stretch—Mike Tomlin's teams never are. And the Pittsburgh defense can keep the team in games. But the Steelers are also a team that was smoked 24-10 by a bad Arizona Cardinals team in Week 13 and beaten by three scores by the Indianapolis Colts two weeks later.

Pittsburgh's offense is 25th in the league in scoring. They just aren't in the same weight class as Buffalo.

There's more than a little blowout potential here, especially with edge-rusher T.J. Watt likely out with an MCL injury.

Prediction: Bills 27, Steelers 10

(7) Green Bay Packers at (2) Dallas Cowboys

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CeeDee Lamb

Sunday, January 14, 4:30 p.m. ET (FOX)

The future appears bright for the Green Bay Packers. It wasn't without bumps in the road, but Jordan Love's first full season as the starter for the Pack ended with a playoff berth. The Packers are loaded with young talent at wide receiver in players like Christian Watson, Jayden Reed and Romeo Doubs.

The future may be bright, but the present is substantially murkier...because the Dallas Cowboys are a buzzsaw at home.

We already mentioned that the Cowboys are undefeated at home and average over 37 points per game there. In the friendly confines of Jerruh World, Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott has completed over 73 percent of his passes with 22 touchdowns, just three interceptions and a passer rating of 120.0.

CeeDee Lamb has staked his claim to the title of the NFL's best wide receiver by setting franchise records in receptions and receiving yards. The Cowboys rank eighth in total defense and sixth in scoring defense.

Green Bay's late-season run was admirable, and the Packers are no pushover. But the Cowboys are just a better team on both sides of the ball, especially at home.

Dallas by three scores.

Prediction: Cowboys 38, Packers 20

(6) Los Angeles Rams at (3) Detroit Lions

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Jahmyr Gibbs

Sunday, January 14, 8:15 p.m. ET (NBC)

There isn't a game in the Wild Card Round more replete with subplots than the battle between the Rams and Lions at Ford Field. There's the improbable Rams winning 10 games and the Detroit Lions trying for their first postseason victory in over three decades.

Oh, and there's also the fact that Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford will be returning to the team he played a dozen seasons for...to face the quarterback who led the Rams to a berth in Super Bowl LIII.

Stafford vs. Jared Goff will be the dominant storyline in this game, but the winner will be determined by which defense is able to step up and make a key stop.

The Rams have an 1,100-yard running back in Kyren Williams, a former Offensive Player of the Year in wide receiver Cooper Kupp and another wideout in Puka Nacua who just broke a 63-year-old record for rookie receiving yards. They've also got a quarterback with a Super Bowl ring.

The Lions have one of the best one-two backfield punches in the league in David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs and a superstar wideout in Amon-Ra St. Brown. What they likely won't have is outstanding rookie tight end Sam LaPorta, who hyperextended his knee Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings and is expected to miss time.

Neither of these teams is especially stout defensively, so this has the makings of a high-scoring affair that could come down to who has the ball last.

The home team wins a squeaker.

Prediction: Lions 31, Rams 30

5) Philadelphia Eagles at (4) Tampa Bay Buccaneers

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Baker Mayfield

Monday, January 15, 8:00 p.m. ET (ESPN/ABC)

Not that long ago, we'd be looking at this game much differently. 12 weeks into the season, the Eagles had all of one loss. Philadelphia had just beaten the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs in back-to-back weeks. The defending NFC champions looked like the best team in the league. Meanwhile, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers had lost six of seven coming out of the bye and appeared to be headed nowhere.

Since then, however, the teams have switched places. The floundering Eagles have lost five of six after an embarrassing loss in New York on Sunday. The Buccaneers didn't pile up style points in downing the two-win Panthers 9-0 to claim the NFC South, but it was Tampa's fifth victory in their last six games.

Frankly, the Eagles are probably still the better of the two teams, but that momentum cannot be ignored.

Neither can Philadelphia's defensive deficiencies. The Eagles are stout against the run, but entering Sunday's meltdown, the Eagles had the third-worst pass defense in the NFL. The Eagles also have injury issues—quarterback Jalen Hurts injured the middle finger on his throwing hand Sunday, and star wideout A.J. Brown left with a knee injury and did not return.

With neither team having much success stopping the pass this year, this could be a high-scoring affair.

But the result is going to surprise some people.

Prediction: Buccaneers 30, Eagles 28