NFL Playoff Schedule 2016: AFC and NFC Divisional Round Matchup Analysis

There are eight teams remaining in the 2016 NFL postseason as we prepare to kick off the divisional round on Saturday, Jan. 16, and Sunday, Jan. 17. 

After all four road teams won in the Wild Card Round, we see two matchups between No. 2 seeds and No. 5 seeds and two matchups between No. 1 seeds and No. 6 seeds over Divisional Round Weekend. 

The following bracket contains all the scheduling information you'll need to know ahead of this weekend's games, including start times and television broadcasts. Take a look and figure out when and how to watch the games, and then we'll preview what to watch for in each of the four matchups on the slate. 

AFC Divisional Round Analysis

No. 5 Kansas City Chiefs at No. 2 New England Patriots: Saturday, Jan. 16, 4:35 p.m. ET (CBS)

The AFC clash between the Chiefs and Patriots is probably the most delicious matchup on the docket for Divisional Round Weekend. 

The Patriots may be the defending Super Bowl champions, but the Chiefs are the hottest team in football right now. With its 30-0 shutout of the Houston Texans in the Wild Card Round, Kansas City has now won 11 games in a row, and its 30 postseason points are second only to, of all teams, the Green Bay Packers. 

The most crucial battle in this game will be the Chiefs' front seven vs. the Patriots offensive line and quarterback Tom Brady.

Brady will be bolstered by the return of offensive tackle Sebastian Vollmer, as NESN's Sam Galanis confirmed on Wednesday, but he'll have to face a ferocious Chiefs pass rush that pestered Houston's Brian Hoyer with three sacks, four quarterback hits and the constant threat of pressure last week.

Brady has already been sacked 38 times this season, so he needs all the help he can get. Ultimately, if Kansas City can be disruptive enough, it can secure this game and a ticket to the AFC Championship Game. 

No. 6 Pittsburgh Steelers at No. 1 Denver Broncos: Sunday, Jan. 17, 4:40 p.m. ET (CBS)

There's one question surrounding the Steelers' matchup with the Broncos on Sunday that resonates above all others: Will quarterback Ben Roethlisberger play?

Roethlisberger was limited to taking "mental reps" in practice on Wednesday—a significant red flag—and "doesn't know when he'll throw" again, per NFL Network's Aditi Kinkhabwala:

If the Steelers have to go with Landry Jones, needless to say, they'll be in trouble.

The Broncos may not be hot and have had their own questions at quarterback this postseason, with Peyton Manning getting his first start in two months on Sunday. But if Manning can sit comfortably in the pocket, wide receivers Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders can take a lot off his plate, as can running back C.J. Anderson.

While Jones would have weapon Martavis Bryant at his disposal, things "aren't looking good" for wideout Antonio Brown as he goes through the concussion protocol, per ESPN's Bob Holtzman. 

Brown and Roethlisberger—the package deal—are what got the Steelers into the postseason in the first place. Without either of them, this is Denver's game to lose. 

NFC Divisional Round Analysis 

No. 5 Green Bay Packers at No. 2 Arizona Cardinals: Saturday, Jan. 16, 8:15 p.m. ET (NBC)

While it's safe to say this weekend the Green Bay Packers shouldn't resemble the team that was embarrassed 38-8 by the Arizona Cardinals in Week 16, it's also unclear whether the playoff-caliber squad that showed up in the Wild Card Round against Washington will be back for a second consecutive week. 

Green Bay entered its Week 16 matchup against Arizona missing three starters on the offensive line and briefly lost center Corey Linsley during the action as well.

On Saturday, the Packers could have all five starters on the line healthy to start the game, as left tackle David Bakhtiari was back at practice Wednesday taking reps at his position, as Ryan Wood of Press Gazette Media shared. 

However, even if the Packers offense continues its upward trend that it began in its 35-18 victory over Washington in the Wild Card Round, can it really go blow-for-blow with the Cardinals offense?

Arizona has likely the most complete team in the postseason and can attack a defense a variety of ways, whether it's in the short game, with quarterback Carson Palmer airing the ball out or with running back David Johnson's legs.

While the Packers may at least end their season on a respectable note, it's hard to imagine they can top Arizona.  

No. 6 Seattle Seahawks at No. 1 Carolina Panthers: Sunday, Jan. 17, 1:05 p.m. ET (Fox)

There are so many ways both the Seahawks and the Panthers can score, it's hard to imagine this game won't turn into a high-scoring, must-watch highlight of Divisional Round Weekend. 

Carolina's Cam Newton and Seattle's Russell Wilson can both tuck the ball and run if they don't like what they're getting through the air, but they're each facing a strong defense. Seattle will look to blitz heavily, while Carolina hopes to be able to cover receiver Doug Baldwin. 

And while it's been obvious that the Seahawks have leaned on their defense to make the Super Bowl in the last two seasons, this year, it's fair to say Wilson has carried the team. 

The Seahawks lost running back Marshawn Lynch and tight end Jimmy Graham, but Wilson, through his legs and his arm, only got better. Now, the team could get an added boost with the potential return of Lynch, who was practicing with the team Wednesday, as Gregg Bell of the News Tribune reported: 

These are two of the most explosive teams that made the postseason this year, and the Seahawks will be motivated to prove themselves in a revenge match after the Panthers showed them up in Week 6 of the regular season.