NFL Playoffs 2020: Dates, Matchups and Bracket Breakdown for Weekend

Eight NFL teams still have their heads above water in the 2020 NFL playoffs.

Each sits just two victories away from a trip to Super Bowl LIV in Miami.

But that championship path is more treacherous than it sounds. With an increasing level of competition, these games become (at least) 60-minute tests of endurance.

Below, we'll break down the upcoming slate with scheduling information and the latest odds from Caesars Sportsbook. Then, we'll examine the biggest buzz leading into the divisional round.

2020 NFL Divisional Round

Saturday, Jan. 11

Minnesota Vikings at San Francisco 49ers (-7 | O/U 44.5), 4:35 p.m. ET on NBC

Tennessee Titans at Baltimore Ravens (-10 | O/U 47), 8:15 p.m. ET on CBS

Sunday, Jan. 12

Houston Texans at Kansas City Chiefs (-10, O/U 51), 3:05 p.m. ET on CBS

Seattle Seahawks at Green Bay Packers (-5, O/U 46.5), 6:40 p.m. ET on Fox

Adam Thielen Gets Stitches, Should Play Saturday

A breakout star the past three seasons, Adam Thielen spent most of this year trying (and often failing) to shake the injury bug. He not only failed to play 16 games for the first time in his career, but he fell six contests shy of that mark.

But he stayed healthy enough to dazzle during Wild Card Weekend, when he sprinted past the New Orleans Saints with seven receptions for 129 yards. That made it all the more frustrating for Minnesota fans when he suddenly popped up on Wednesday's injury report with a new ankle injury.

It turns out Thielen was cleated bad enough that he needed stitches. But NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports that Thielen should be able to go on Saturday:

A healthy Thielen is critical to the Vikings' upset hopes. The 49ers have a shutdown corner in Richard Sherman but fewer other proven options. Having Thielen out there with Stefon Diggs might be Minnesota's key to creating advantageous matchups and putting points on the board.

Kwon Alexander Will Be Activated from Injured Reserve and Available

The 49ers showered Kwon Alexander with cash last offseason, inking the linebacker to a four-year, $54 million contract. It was an eye-popping amount—the $13.5 million average salary topped the position—especially considering he was coming of a torn ACL.

But Alexander looked worth the money, at least when he was able to stay on the field. His 49ers debut ended early when he was ejected for a hit on Jameis Winston, and later Alexander's campaign was cut short by a torn pectoral.

A shade over two months later, though, Alexander is coming off injured reserve and returning to a defense that has missed his presence.

"Having Kwon is exciting," defensive coordinator Robert Saleh told reporters. "He brings a lot of juice, a lot of energy. ... To have Kwon, aside from the player, just from the juice and the energy he brings and what he does for everybody around him, is really priceless."

Fresh off a first-round bye, San Francisco is healthier than it has been in months. Safety Jaquiski Tartt is also ready to return, while edge-rusher Dee Ford is officially questionable with a hamstring injury.

Mark Ingram II Questionable but Expected to Play

A Week 16 calf injury wasn't expected to bother Mark Ingram II as long as it has, and it has now drawn him the questionable designation for Saturday.

But he was back at practice Thursday, and ESPN's Adam Schefter reports the power runner "is expected to play" this weekend.

Ingram was one of two 1,000-yard rushers—along with quarterback Lamar Jackson—in an historic attack. During his first season with the Ravens, the nine-year veteran posted his third-most rushing yards (1,018) and second-most rushing touchdowns (10), all while missing the team's final tilt because of his calf.

Ingram's force combines with Jackson's agility to routinely present puzzles that opposing defenses can't solve. While Baltimore probably has enough to take down Tennessee without Ingram, he was a big reason why this offense led the league in scoring.