NFL Playoff Picture 2025: Examining Latest Scenarios and Top Bracket Busters

The NFL playoff bracket is now set, and the postseason action will soon begin.

The Wild-Card Round is set for this weekend, with two games on Saturday, three more on Sunday and another on Monday. Six teams will win and advance to the Divisional Round, which will take place the following weekend.

The Kansas City Chiefs (No. 1 seed in the AFC) and Detroit Lions (No. 1 seed in the NFC) have first-round byes. They'll advance straight to the Divisional Round, where they'll each face the lowest remaining seed from their respective conference.

If the No. 7 seeds (the Denver Broncos and Green Bay Packers) pull off upsets in the Wild-Card Round, it's guaranteed they'll then play the Chiefs and Lions, respectively. But the Nos. 5 and 6 seeds also have the potential to face Kansas City/Detroit, depending on how this weekend's action unfolds.

Here's the full schedule for the Wild-Card Round, followed by a look at a pair of teams that could become bracket busters in this year's NFL playoff field.

Wild-Card Round Schedule

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INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - DECEMBER 22: A detailed view of an NFL logo is seen on a football as the Tennessee Titans take on the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium on December 22, 2024 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

Saturday, Jan. 11

No. 5 Los Angeles Chargers at No. 4 Houston Texans, 4:30 p.m. ET, CBS/Paramount+

No. 6 Pittsburgh Steelers at No. 3 Baltimore Ravens, 8 p.m. ET, Prime Video

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Sunday, Jan. 12

No. 7 Denver Broncos at No. 2 Buffalo Bills, 1 p.m. ET, CBS/Paramount+

No. 7 Green Bay Packers at No. 2 Philadelphia Eagles, 4:30 p.m. ET, Fox

No. 6 Washington Commanders at No. 3 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 8 p.m. ET, NBC/Peacock

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Monday, Jan. 13

No. 5 Minnesota Vikings at No. 4 Los Angeles Rams, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN/ABC/ESPN+

AFC Bracket Buster: Los Angeles Chargers

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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JANUARY 05: Justin Herbert #10 of the Los Angeles Chargers warms up as head coach Jim Harbaugh looks on prior to the game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium on January 05, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ian Maule/Getty Images)

In their first season under head coach Jim Harbaugh, the Chargers went 11-6 and reached the playoffs for only the second time in six years. Their 11 victories were their most since going 12-4 during the 2018 campaign.

The 2018 season also marked the last time the Chargers won a playoff game. But that could soon change, as Los Angeles prepares to travel to Houston for a Wild-Card Round matchup on Saturday evening.

The Chargers finished the regular season with three straight wins, building some momentum toward the playoffs. They'll now take on the Texans (10-7), who lost six of 11 games following a 5-1 start to the season.

Despite being the road team, Los Angeles is the favorite to win on Saturday. The Chargers had a plus-12 turnover margin during the regular season (tied for third best in the NFL), and they have an experienced quarterback in Justin Herbert who could lead them on a playoff run this January.

Los Angeles would need either Pittsburgh (at Baltimore) or Denver (at Buffalo) to also win this weekend to avoid a Divisional Round matchup vs. Kansas City. But even if the Chargers end up facing the Chiefs, they've shown they can keep things close with their AFC West rival.

Kansas City's pair of regular-season victories over Los Angeles came by slim margins—17-10 in Week 4 and 19-17 in Week 14. So if a third meeting occurs, the Chargers could potentially upset the Chiefs, who have had plenty of close calls during their one-loss season.

If there's a dark horse to make it as far as the AFC Championship Game, it could be the Chargers, who haven't reached that point in the playoffs since the 2007 season.

NFC Bracket Buster: Washington Commanders

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ARLINGTON, TEXAS - JANUARY 05: Jayden Daniels #5 of the Washington Commanders throws a pass against the Dallas Cowboys during the first quarter at AT&T Stadium on January 05, 2025 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images)

Not many could have predicted the Commanders going from a 4-13 season in 2023 to a 12-5 campaign in 2024. Then again, nobody knew how much of an impact rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels would make during his first year in the NFL.

With Daniels at the helm of the offense, Washington has proven it is never out of a game. The Commanders have racked up impressive wins, especially during their five-game winning streak to close out the regular season.

Washington is a much different team than it was in Week 1, when it opened the season with a 37-20 loss at Tampa Bay. There's a good chance that the rematch between the Commanders and Buccaneers in the Wild-Card Round on Sunday night will be much more competitive.

Although Washington made the playoffs as recently as the 2020 season, it hasn't won a postseason game since the 2005 campaign. In fact, its most recent playoff win came against the Bucs in the Wild-Card Round that year.

Don't be surprised if the Commanders stay hot and Daniels leads them to a win on Sunday. Then, there's a chance they'd face the top-seeded Lions in the Divisional Round, although they could also end up taking on a different NFC team.

Washington has a knack for finding a way to win games late, a skill that should be useful as it tries to go on a deep playoff run. Keep an eye on the Commanders as a dark horse that has already proven to be able to hang with some of the NFL's top teams.