NFL Playoff Bracket 2021: Wild-Card Picture and Divisional-Round Scenarios

The NFL's new 14-team playoff format brings a novel wrinkle to how the brackets are constructed.

Instead of the top two teams in each conference waiting for opponents in the divisional round, only the top seeds in the AFC and NFC are off during wild-card weekend.

The Kansas City Chiefs and Green Bay Packers will face the lowest remaining seed in the divisional round at Arrowhead Stadium and Lambeau Field, respectively. Green Bay is the only one of the two that has the potential to face a divisional opponent in its playoff opener since the Chicago Bears are the No. 7 seed in the NFC.

The expanded playoff field did not help avoid divisional matches on the opening weekend of the postseason. The Seattle Seahawks will play the Los Angeles Rams for a third time and the Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers will square off for the second consecutive week.

AFC Playoff Picture

Jeff Roberson/Associated Press

Wild-Card Matchups

Saturday, January 9

No. 7 Indianapolis at No. 2 Buffalo (1:05 p.m. ET, CBS)

Sunday, January 10

No. 5 Baltimore at No. 4 Tennessee (1:05 p.m. ET, ESPN/ABC)

No. 6 Cleveland at No. 3 Pittsburgh (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC)

Divisional-Round Scenarios

Kansas City will face the lowest remaining seed to start its Super Bowl title defense this postseason.

If all three of the home teams win in the Wild Card Round, the Chiefs would be aligned in a rematch with the Tennessee Titans, who put up 17 first-half points on them in the 2020 AFC Championship Game.

Were the Indianapolis Colts to upset the Buffalo Bills, they would set up a rematch from the divisional round two years ago. Patrick Mahomes picked up his first playoff victory in that game.

The only two teams Kansas City can't face in the divisional round are the Buffalo Bills and Pittsburgh Steelers. If Buffalo and Pittsburgh both win in the Wild Card Round, they would set up a rematch of the Week 14 contest that was won by the Bills.

Before Pittsburgh sets up that rematch, it has to take care of the Cleveland Browns, whom it split the season series with. The Browns clinched their first playoff berth since 2002 by beating the Steelers, with backup quarterback Mason Rudolph at the helm, in Week 17. Pittsburgh won the first meeting 38-7 in Week 6.

NFC Playoff Picture

Nam Y. Huh/Associated Press

Wild-Card Matchups

Saturday, January 9

No. 6 Los Angeles Rams at No. 3 Seattle (4:40 p.m., Fox)

No. 5 Tampa Bay at No. 4 Washington (8:15 p.m., NBC)

Sunday, January 10

No. 7 Chicago at No. 2 New Orleans (4:40 p.m., CBS)

Divisional-Round Scenarios

Green Bay can face one of four teams in the divisional round.

If all three home teams win, the Washington Football Team would be headed to Lambeau Field. However, the disparity in records between the NFC East champion and the Tom Brady-led Tampa Bay Buccaneers may lead to the No. 5 seed taking control of the contest.

Tampa Bay may be the team the Packers want to see the least in the postseason. The Bucs handed Green Bay their worst loss of the regular season in Week 6, and Brady carries the most postseason experience of any quarterback in the field.

If New Orleans and Seattle win in the Wild Card Round, they would face each other no matter what happens in the Tampa Bay-Washington contest.

A year ago, Seattle was one of two road teams to win in the NFC Wild Card Round. In the past three years, the No. 6 seed in the NFC won at least one playoff game.

That trend may end with the Los Angeles Rams if quarterback Jared Goff is not back in the lineup. The Rams mustered 18 points with John Wolford at the helm in a battle of backups with the Arizona Cardinals. The Seahawks split their regular-season meetings with the Rams, but they controlled their Week 16 clash, restricting their divisional rival to nine points.

If that trend applies to the lowest seed in the bracket, the Chicago Bears could upset the Saints and set up a third meeting with the Packers.

Bears-Packers is one of two potential rivalry games that could happen in the divisional round. Tampa Bay could play New Orleans if the Rams or Bears win.