NFL Playoff Bracket 2024: Updated Postseason Picture, Divisional-Round Scenarios

And then there were eight.

The opening weekend of the 2024 NFL playoffs saw six different franchises get forced into offseason mode. Chalk held in nearly every matchup, with the seventh-seeded Green Bay Packers' dismantling of the second-seeded Dallas Cowboys serving as the lone exception.

With Divisional Round tussles looming just around the corner, let's look at the playoff schedule ahead and analyze this weekend's matchups.

NFL Playoff Schedule

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LANDOVER, MARYLAND - DECEMBER 31: Brock Purdy #13 of the San Francisco 49ers throws a pass against the Washington Commanders at FedExField on December 31, 2023 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images)

Divisional Round

Saturday, Jan. 20

Houston Texans at Baltimore Ravens, 4:30 p.m. ET

Green Bay Packers at San Francisco 49ers, 8:15 p.m. ET

Sunday, Jan. 21

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Detroit Lions, 3 p.m.

Kansas City Chiefs at Buffalo Bills, 6:30 p.m.

Conference Championships

Sunday, Jan. 28

AFC Championship at 3 p.m. ET

NFC Championship at 6:30 p.m. ET

Super Bowl LVIII

Sunday, Feb. 11

AFC Champion vs. NFC Champion at 6:30 p.m. ET

AFC Matchups

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KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - DECEMBER 10: Patrick Mahomes #15 of the Kansas City Chiefs looks to throw a pass during pregame warmups before an NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on December 10, 2023 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Ryan Kang/Getty Images)

Texans at Ravens

While these two teams squared off in the season opener—a comfortable 25-9 victory for Baltimore—so much has changed since that neither coach may bother spending a ton of time on that film. The Ravens ascended to AFC superpower status with Lamar Jackson all but securing the second MVP honor of his career, while the ahead-of-schedule Texans shattered all realistic expectations for themselves and their rookie quarterback, C.J. Stroud.

Baltimore boasts the better roster, but there could be some worries of rust, since the Ravens had a first-round bye and didn't suit up all of their regulars in a meaningless Week 18 bout. Houston, meanwhile, is riding high after dispatching the fifth-seeded Cleveland Browns by a 45-14 count and has now won three in a row.

Chiefs at Bills

Kansas City and Buffalo both had their ups and downs this season, but each looked the part of a heavyweight contender during Wild Card weekend. The Chiefs and Bills ousted the Dolphins and Steelers, respectively, in games decided by 14-plus points.

Just two years back, these same teams—and these same quarterbacks—locked horns in a Divisional Round shootout that featured 78 combined points. Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen combined for seven touchdown throws and each rushed for 60-plus yards (with Mahomes adding a rushing score) in that thrill ride, which wasn't decided until Mahomes found Travis Kelce for a walk-off, eight-yard touchdown strike in overtime.

NFC Matchups

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TAMPA, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 15: Jared Goff #16 of the Detroit Lions attempts a pass during the fourth quarter against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium on October 15, 2023 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

Packers at 49ers

The red-hot Packers recorded their fourth consecutive victory Sunday with an eye-opening 48-32 road victory over the Cowboys. The question, now, is whether this young Green Bay group has come far enough to knock off a San Francisco squad that basically scorched all season (outside of a three-game skid between Weeks 6 and 8).

The Niners have a loaded—and experienced—roster, but they last played a meaningful game on New Year's Eve. If they don't bring their best, they could absolutely slip-up against a Packers club getting tremendous play from quarterback Jordan Love, who's thrown 12 touchdown passes and zero interceptions over his last five outings.

Buccaneers at Lions

The Buccaneers encountered some rough patches this season, none rougher than the one started by their Week 6 loss to these same Lions. That contest kicked off a stretch in which Tampa Bay dropped six of seven games and made the playoffs appear to have the longest of long-shot probabilities.

The Bucs have gone 6-1 since, though, including their 32-9 rout of the Eagles on Monday night. That surely caught the attention of the Lions, who did just enough to eke out a 24-23 triumph over the visiting Rams on Sunday. Jared Goff didn't throw multiple touchdowns in that game and hasn't in three of his last four.