NFL Playoff Schedule 2018: Wild-Card Matchups, Bracket Dates and Start Times

The hectic dash to the finish line that decided the final few playoff teams in the NFL provided us with all sorts of drama.

Once the clock struck zero on the final game of the regular season, we were left in shock after the Buffalo Bills secured a playoff berth by way of the Cincinnati Bengals' last-second touchdown against the Baltimore Ravens.

The Bills are part of a surprising collection of teams set to participate in Wild Card Weekend in the AFC. They will be accompanied by the Jacksonville Jaguars, Kansas City Chiefs and Tennessee Titans.

Over in the NFC, the Atlanta Falcons made sure there was no drama, as they clinched the No. 6 seed with a win over the Carolina Panthers. The set of results in the NFC South in Week 17 set up a divisional clash between the Panthers and the New Orleans Saints, while the Falcons will visit the Los Angeles Rams. 

Wild-Card Schedule

AFC

No. 6 Buffalo at No. 3 Jacksonville (Sunday, January 7, 1 p.m. ET, CBS)

No. 5 Tennessee at No. 4 Kansas City (Saturday, January 6, 4:35 p.m. ET, ESPN/ABC)

NFC 

No. 6 Atlanta at No. 3 Los Angeles Rams (Saturday, January 6, 8 p.m. ET, NBC)

No. 5 Carolina at No. 4 New Orleans (Sunday, January 7, 4:40 p.m. ET, Fox)

Saints, Panthers Set to Renew Hostilities 

After fighting each other for the NFC South crown in Week 17 while playing different opponents, the New Orleans Saints and Carolina Panthers will face off in the Wild Card Round.

Even though the Saints fell in Week 17 to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on one of the final plays of the game, they secured the No. 4 seed and the NFC South title by way of the Panthers' loss to the Atlanta Falcons.

The Saints won both their regular-season matchups against the Panthers, in Weeks 3 and 13. The first meeting at Bank of America Stadium resulted in a 34-13 blowout win by the Saints. In that game, Drew Brees threw for 220 yards and three touchdowns, and the New Orleans defense picked off Cam Newton on three occasions.

Joe Robbins/Getty Images

In the Week 13 matchup at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, the Saints won a tighter affair 31-21, with the running back duo of Mark Ingram and Alvin Kamara combining for 145 yards and three touchdowns. 

New Orleans will once again try to put pressure on Newton, who threw a trio of interceptions in the Week 17 defeat to the Falcons.

Newton has turned the ball over through the air on four occasions. If the Saints replicate their defensive performance from Week 3, the Panthers quarterback could end up with a fifth multi-interception showing.

Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images

Cameron Jordan had two of his best games of the season against the Panthers, and he will be relishing the opportunity to add to his total of 13 tackles against Carolina this season.

Although Brees is the face of the offense, he might not be the playmaker the Panthers have to watch the most. That player is Kamara, who is in contention for Rookie of the Year thanks to his dynamic play in both facets of the offensive game plan and special teams.

If Carolina fails to limit Kamara, like what happened in Week 13, the Saints could cruise into the divisional round.

Bills, Jaguars Square Off in Battle of Long-Suffering Franchises 

At the start of the season, few expected the Buffalo Bills and Jacksonville Jaguars to be in the playoffs, let alone be set to play each other in the Wild Card Round. 

Jacksonville has been wreaking havoc on the AFC for most of the season thanks to a tenacious defense, but the Jaguars offense will be the determining factor as to how far they go in the postseason. 

After going through a stretch in which he threw a single interception in five games, quarterback Blake Bortles was picked off five times in the final two weeks of the season.

Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images

If Bortles is able to limit his turnovers, the Jaguars will make a trip to face the Pittsburgh Steelers in the divisional round.

Just making the playoffs will have triggered a boisterous celebration across the Buffalo area. The Bills' official Twitter account provided us with reaction of the moment the team found out they were going to the postseason:

The celebration may be halted a bit by the concern over running back LeSean McCoy, who left the Week 17 game against the Miami Dolphins with an ankle injury. The X-rays on McCoy's ankle came back negative, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter: 

McCoy's health will be watched throughout the week as the Bills look to pull off an upset in their first playoff game since 1999.

Although the Bills have a 3-5 road record, two of those victories came against playoff teams: the Kansas City Chiefs and Atlanta Falcons.

Figuring out Jacksonville's defense will be a difficult task, but the Bills have a chance to win if McCoy is close to 100 percent and they find a way to unsettle Bortles.

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.