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The NFL's Wild Card Round Matchups Are Essentially Set

Originally posted on The Spun | By Tzvi Machlin | Last updated Jan 5, 2025 7:18 PM ET

With the results of NFL Week 18 finishing up, the NFL playoff picture is firmly in view now. While the Sunday Night Football game between the Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions will determine who gets the top seed in the NFC, all of the other matchups are now effectively set.

Week 18 saw the Tampa Bay Buccaneers become the final NFC playoff team when they defeated the New Orleans Saints to win the NFC South and lock up the No. 4 seed in the playoffs. Hours later, the Denver Broncos snagged the last Wild Card spot in the AFC playoffs with a win over a resting Kansas City Chiefs team.

As for the matchups, there wasn't a whole lot that this week determined in terms of seeding other than a few slight adjustments. But now there's a lot more clarity as to who will be playing who.

In the AFC we'll be getting the Buffalo Bills hosting the Denver Broncos, the Baltimore Ravens facing the rival Pittsburgh Steelers, and the Houston Texans hosting the Los Angeles Chargers.

Over in the NFC, the Philadelphia Eagles will host the Green Bay Packers, the Los Angeles Rams will host the Washington Commanders and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will take on the NFC North runner-up - either the Detroit Lions or the Minnesota Vikings.

Here are the matchups:

AFC No. 2 Buffalo Bills vs. No. 7 Denver Broncos
AFC No. 3 Baltimore Ravens vs. No. 6 Pittsburgh Steelers
AFC No. 4 Houston Texans vs. No. 5 Los Angeles Chargers
NFC No. 2 Philadelphia Eagles vs. No. 7 Green Bay Packers
NFC No. 3 Los Angeles Rams vs. No. 6 Washington Commanders
NFC No. 4 Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. No. 5 NFC North runner-up (Detroit Lions or Minnesota Vikings)

The first-round byes will go to the Kansas City Chiefs (AFC) and the winner of tonight's NFC North title game between the Lions and Vikings.

We'll find out the exact schedule for the Wild Card Round in a few hours, but that's a lot of promising teams vying to appear in Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans next month.

Who will win Super Bowl LIX?

This article first appeared on The Spun and was syndicated with permission.

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