One of the most epic, thrilling wild-card weekends in NFL playoff history isn’t quite done, but the schedule for the divisional round is settling into place.
The NFC field is set and is loaded with three NFC West teams after the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers went on the road and won thrilling games this weekend. The AFC field won’t be complete until after Monday’s night game between the Houston Texans and Pittsburgh Steelers, but the league has announced the dates of all the divisional round games. Times and networks will be announced after Monday’s Texans-Steelers game.
The top-seeded Seattle Seahawks, fresh off a first-round bye, will host the division-rival 49ers on Saturday. San Francisco overcame yet another devastating injury, this one George Kittle’s torn Achilles, to outlast the Philadelphia Eagles and advance. The Chicago Bears, who rallied from an 18-point deficit to beat the Green Bay Packers on Saturday night, will host the Rams on Sunday.
Not long after the 49ers’ dramatic win in Philly, coach Kyle Shanahan was openly campaigning — unsuccessfully — for his team’s rematch with the Seahawks to be played on Sunday.
“If the NFL is cool and understanding, they’ll make it Sunday,” said Shanahan, whose team lost to the Seahawks in a Week 18 Saturday night showdown to determine the NFC West title and conference’s top seed.
That was San Francisco’s second straight game playing on a short week and it will now have to get ready on short notice again for Seattle without Kittle, as well as fellow stars Nick Bosa and Fred Warner.
Over in the AFC, the Denver Broncos will welcome Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills on Saturday. The Bills advanced to the divisional round for the sixth straight season by beating the Jacksonville Jaguars. The New England Patriots, who smothered the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday night, will host the winner of Monday’s Texans-Steelers game. That game will be on Sunday.
The winners of next weekend’s games will advance to the conference championship games to be played on Jan. 25. Super Bowl LX is scheduled for Feb. 8 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif.
Here’s a look at the divisional-round matchups (all times Eastern and tentative):
AFC
No. 6 Buffalo Bills at No. 1 Denver Broncos, 4:30 p.m. or 8 p.m., Saturday
No. 5 Houston Texans/No. 4 Pittsburgh Steelers at No. 2 New England Patriots, 3 p.m. or 6:30 p.m., Sunday
NFC
No. 6 San Francisco 49ers at No. 1 Seattle Seahawks, 4:30 p.m. or 8 p.m., Saturday
No. 5 Los Angeles Rams at No. 2 Chicago Bears, 3 p.m. or 6:30 p.m., Sunday