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NFL Playoffs 2021: Overtime Rules, Bracket and Postseason Format

Kristopher KnoxJan 9, 2021

The 2021 NFL postseason is set to kick off this weekend, with three games on Saturday and three on Sunday. If it feels like there's more football going on than there is on a typical Wild Card Weekend, that's because there is.

Traditionally, the NFL has had four games in both the wild-card round and in the divisional round. However, this is the first year under the new expanded playoff format. The bracket is going to look a bit different than it has in years past, and for some fans, it could take a little getting used to.

Here, you'll find a quick rundown of the new playoff format, the postseason overtime rules and the upcoming playoff schedule.

The New Playoff Format

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Fans have likely become used to seeing eight teams play on Wild Card Weekend, with the top two seeds in each conference sitting it out. This format was enacted in the 2002 season, along with the NFL expansion and realignment. Under that format, four division winners and two wild-card teams entered the postseason from both the AFC and the NFC. The top two seeds in each conference received a first-round bye.

Four division winners still represent each conference, but the wild-card pool has been expanded to six teams, three in each conference. Along with the expanded 14-team playoff field, the NFL has shifted to having only one team in each conference on bye.

Under this new format, the No. 1 seed in each conference will wait until the divisional round to play. The No. 2 seed will host the No. 7 seed, the No. 3 seed will host the No. 6 seed, and the fourth seed will host the fifth seed.

All four division-winners will host games in the wild-card round, regardless of their records. Thus, we'll have the 7-9 Washington Football Team hosting the 11-5 Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Saturday.

Moving into the divisional round, the lowest seed in each conference will travel to face the No. 1 seed, while the highest remaining seed will host the next lowest. The third-highest seed will host the fourth-highest.

To put it simply, the biggest change in the new format is that there is an extra wild-card team and only one team with a bye in each conference. After Wild Card Weekend, the postseason will essentially unfold as it always has.

Playoff Overtime Rules

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Ties may be rare in the NFL, but they do occur. Back in Week 3, the Philadelphia Eagles and Cincinnati Bengals played to a draw following a 10-minute overtime period.

Things are a bit different in the NFL postseason, as ties cannot occur. One of the biggest differences is that the postseason overtime period is 15 minutes instead of 10. The other big difference is that extra periods will occur as needed until there is a winner.

From NFL Operations:

"If the score is still tied at the end of an overtime period—or if the second team’s initial possession has not ended—the teams will play another overtime period. Play will continue regardless of how many overtime periods are needed for a winner to be determined."

As is the case in the regular season, if the team with the opening possession scores a touchdown in overtime, the game is over. If that team only scores a field goal, the opponent will get a chance to answer. If that team does not score, the game is over.

After the opening possession in overtime, the next score of any kind wins the game.