NFL Playoffs Are Set After Season-Ending Thriller in Pittsburgh
The NFL’s postseason picture came into focus after a season-ending thriller in Pittsburgh, where the Pittsburgh Steelers edged the Baltimore Ravens to close out Week 18. With that result, all 14 playoff teams are in, opening a three-day wild-card slate featuring two games Saturday, three Sunday, and a Monday night finale.
Unlike a fixed bracket, the NFL reseeds after each round. That means the road only gets tougher for lower seeds—and home-field advantage matters immediately, as all wild-card games are hosted by the higher seed.
The 2025 NFL playoff field is officially set after the conclusion of Week 18, locking in all 14 teams and finalizing the opening-round matchups. While it’s commonly referred to as a bracket, the NFL postseason does not operate as a fixed path.
Teams are reseeded after each round, meaning lower seeds will continue to face higher seeds as long as they advance. The Wild Card round features the No. 2 vs. No. 7, No. 3 vs. No. 6, and No. 4 vs. No. 5 matchups in each conference, all hosted by the higher seed. The No. 1 seed in each conference earns a first-round bye.
The final piece of the playoff puzzle came together after the Pittsburgh Steelers held on for a 26–24 win over the Baltimore Ravens in a season-ending classic, clinching the AFC North and securing a home game on Monday night. With that result, the postseason slate is complete, and wild-card weekend will run from Saturday through Monday, Jan. 12, with two games Saturday, three Sunday, and a standalone Monday Night Football matchup airing on ESPN and ABC.
The top seeds this year are the Denver Broncos in the AFC and the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC, both finishing 14–3 and earning byes into the divisional round. That extra week of rest could prove critical as the remaining 12 teams battle through a compressed and physical opening weekend.
Wild-Card Matchups (All Times Eastern)
AFC
- No. 7 Los Angeles Chargers (11–6) at No. 2 New England Patriots (14–3) — Sunday, 8 p.m., NBC
- No. 6 Buffalo Bills (12–5) at No. 3 Jacksonville Jaguars (13–4) — Sunday, 1 p.m., CBS
- No. 5 Houston Texans (12–5) at No. 4 Pittsburgh Steelers (10–7) — Monday, 8 p.m., ESPN/ABC
- No. 1 Denver Broncos (14–3) — First-round bye
NFC
- No. 7 Green Bay Packers (9–7–1) at No. 2 Chicago Bears (11–6) — Saturday, 8 p.m., Amazon Prime
- No. 6 San Francisco 49ers (12–5) at No. 3 Philadelphia Eagles (11–6) — Sunday, 4:30 p.m., Fox
- No. 5 Los Angeles Rams (12–5) at No. 4 Carolina Panthers (8–9) — Saturday, 4:30 p.m., Fox
- No. 1 Seattle Seahawks (14–3) — First-round bye
