NFL Playoff Bracket 2018: Wild Card Picture and Divisional Round Scenarios

There were multiple possibilities for the final two spots in the AFC playoff picture, but the unlikely duo of the Tennessee Titans and the Buffalo Bills earned the No. 5 and No. 6 spots, respectively.

With that duo winning and the Baltimore Ravens losing, the Ravens went from the No. 5 seed coming into Week 17 to being out of the playoffs at its conclusion. 

Both of these teams have tall tasks heading into Wild Card Weekend, but at least they have a seat at the table.

The NFC had less to be decided, but with a win over the Carolina Panthers, the Atlanta Falcons got in.

Below we'll look at the games on Wild Card Weekend and the divisional-round possibilities.

Here we go.

Wild Card Weekend

Game: Tennessee Titans at Kansas City Chiefs 

Date and Time: Saturday, January 6, 2018 at 4:35 p.m. ET

TV: ESPN

Game: Atlanta Falcons at Los Angeles Rams

Date and Time: Saturday, January 6, 2018 at 8:15 p.m. ET

TV: NBC

Game: Buffalo Bills at Jacksonville Jaguars

Date and Time: Sunday, January 7, 2018 at 1:05 p.m. ET

TV: CBS

Game: Carolina Panthers at New Orleans Saints

Date and Time: Sunday, January 7, 2018 at 4:40 p.m. ET

TV: FOX

Both road teams in the AFC are close to or are a touchdown underdog on the road. The Titans are seven-point dogs, and the Bills come in at 6.5.

The Titans will face a beatable Chiefs secondary, but can the Titans and quarterback Marcus Mariota have enough success in the air? They'll also have to halt tight end Travis Kelce, wide receiver Tyreek Hill and/or running back Kareem Hunt. It might be too much.

The Bills seem the best chance for an upset. The Jaguars have a vaunted defense for, but if the Bills can take an early lead and force Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles to throw, the Bills defense is good enough to force him into bad decisions. 

But can the Bills score on this Jaguars defense?

Both the Falcons and Rams possess high-flying offenses, but Los Angeles could get a leg up from its home crowd. The Rams have a better defense against the pass, ranking third in DVOA, and could have the better unit overall. 

Lastly, the Panthers will meet the Saints for the third time this season. The Saints are 2-0 against them, putting up over 30 points in each contest. Carolina is starting to click, but New Orleans and cornerback Marshon Lattimore should be able to contain Cam Newton and the Panthers offense at home.

Divisional Playoff Scenario

Game: No. 4, 5, or 6 seed at Philadelphia Eagles

Date and Time: Saturday, January 13, 2018 at 4:35 p.m. ET

TV: NBC

Game: No. 4, 5, or 6 seed at New England Patriots

Date and Time: Saturday, January 13, 2018 at 8:15 p.m. ET

TV: CBS

Game: No. 3, 4, or 5 seed at Pittsburgh Steelers

Date and Time: Sunday, January 14, 2018 at 1:05 p.m. ET

TV: CBS

Game: No. 3, 4, or 5 seed at Minnesota Vikings

Date and Time: Sunday, January 14, 2018 at 4:40 p.m. ET

TV: FOX

Kicking off the divisional round will be perhaps the most questionable No. 1 seed in recent memory.

With Nick Foles at quarterback, the Eagles have struggled over the past two weeks. Their opponents will be either the Saints, Panthers or Falcons, and all three of those teams could beat the Carson Wentz-less Eagles.

Conversely, the No. 2 seed Vikings are perhaps the NFC favorite. They have a superb offense and a rock-solid defense, and they should be considered a major contender to win the Super Bowl. 

Both the Steelers and Patriots should be able to handle their business at home, but the wild card (no pun intended) here is the Jaguars. They'll face the Steelers if they advance. Jacksonville could, realistically, beat Pittsburgh with its defense. Earlier in the season, that unit intercepted Ben Roethlisberger five times in a 30-9 road victory, although Pittsburgh and its quarterback has improved notably since then.

The Patriots will win in the divisional round. The Chiefs, Bills or Titans aren't beating them. Kansas City got the best of New England in Week 1, but that is unlikely to happen again after the Pats defense's improvement. 

Statistics courtesy of Football Outsiders. All odds courtesy of Odds Shark.