NFL Playoff Schedule 2018: Bracket Dates, Picture and Wild-Card Predictions

It took a miracle for the Buffalo Bills to make the playoffs, and they got what they needed at the last possible second.

The Bills took care of their business, as they beat the Miami Dolphins 22-16 in South Florida. But as they were jogging off the field, the Baltimore Ravens were beating the Cincinnati Bengals 27-24 late in the fourth quarter.

Buffalo needed the Bengals to beat the Ravens if it was going to make the postseason for the first time since 1999, and the chances were remote as Cincinnati quarterback Andy Dalton brought the Bengals to the line of scrimmage for a fourth-and-12 play from the Baltimore 49-yard-line.

Dalton, who had been under pressure from the Baltimore defense on the final drive, got the time he needed from his offensive line.

He hit Tyler Boyd in the middle of the Baltimore secondary, and the wide receiver avoided the tackles and snaked his way into the end zone for the go-ahead touchdown in the final minutes.

Baltimore got the ball back, but the Bengals held firm and won the game 31-27.

Suddenly, the Bills were in the playoffs, and the celebration in their locker room was joyous.

That victory ended the 2017 NFL regular season, and the Wild Card Round is set.

The playoffs will open Saturday, as the No. 5 seed Tennessee Titans will go to Arrowhead Stadium to take on the fourth-seeded Kansas City Chiefs at 4:35 p.m ET. The Atlanta Falcons were victorious in the final regular-season game against the Carolina Panthers and earned the No. 6 seed. They will face the third-seeded Los Angeles Rams at 8:15 p.m. Saturday night.

The Bills earned their way into the playoffs as the sixth seed after their victory and Baltimore's loss, and they will face the Jacksonville Jaguars Sunday at 1:05 p.m. The final wild-card matchup is between NFC South rivals, as the Carolina Panthers will go to the Mercedes-Benz Superdome to take on the New Orleans Saints at 4:40 p.m.

New Orleans won both meetings with Carolina during the regular season.

Predictions

The Titans showed their toughness and determination Sunday in beating the Jacksonville Jaguars after struggling down the stretch. They get to show off their speed and athleticism against the Chiefs.

Kansas City appears to have righted itself with a four-game winning streak to close the season, but the Chiefs lost six of their seven games before that streak.

While Kansas City has a solid team when all is going well, the Chiefs are on the slow side. Since Marcus Mariota and his teammates have plenty of speed and quickness, look for the Titans to come up with the road victory

The Falcons came through with a win in the regular-season finale, but they have been an up-and-down team all year. That's not ideal when they are facing a powerful team like the Rams. 

Quarterback Jared Goff and running back Todd Gurley are a dynamic combination, and they will be too much for the defending NFC champions. Look for the Rams to win this playoff game at home.

The Bills will be overjoyed to have made the playoffs, but reality is likely to hit hard. Star running back LeSean McCoy injured his ankle in the win over the Dolphins, and if he can't play, Buffalo will have a hard time surviving.

The Jaguars have one of the most aggressive defenses in the league, and that unit will dictate the pace of this game. Jacksonville survives and advances.

The Panthers have a hard-hitting defense and several strong weapons on offense in Cam Newton, Greg Olsen and Christian McCaffrey. However, Newton can be erratic when throwing the ball, and if he doesn't get off to a sharp start, the Panthers may be playing come-from-behind football. 

That will play right into the hands of Drew Brees and the Saints. New Orleans will grab the lead and stretch it out. The Saints pick up a big win to close the first weekend of the postseason.