The NFL playoffs are here and the goal is simple.
Win or go home.
Super Bowl 57 is upon us, but only two teams will punch their ticket. It takes three wins to secure the exclusive invite. This weekend, 12 teams will begin their postseason slate during “Super Wild Card Weekend.”
Each team will compete against an opponent they have already played against this season.
A rivalry between NFC West was renewed on Saturday afternoon. The San Francisco 49ers defeated the Seattle Seahawks for the third time this season, while the Jacksonville Jaguars made the third-biggest postseason comeback in NFL history against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Follow every match: Latest NFL Scores and Schedules
Two other division matches are scheduled for Sunday. The Buffalo Bills will host the Miami Dolphins in the early slate. Meanwhile, the Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals will renew their rivalry in AFC North in prime time.
The remaining matchups feature teams looking for retaliation. The Dallas Cowboys and Baltimore Ravens hope to work off an upset. Can the Cowboys spoil another playoff run for Tom Brady?
HIGHEST HONOR: NFL stars Travis Kelce, Justin Jefferson lead NFL All-Pro teams
SELECTION: Will Cowboys or Buccaneers advance when the playoffs begin?
TAKE DESIGN: Alabama stars lead the intriguing list of eligible college athletes
Here’s a rundown of all the wild card action around the NFL.
San Francisco 49ers 41, Seattle Seahawks 23
Short: Despite fighting hard in the first half, the Seattle Seahawks couldn’t keep up with the red hot San Francisco 49ers in the wild card opener. Brock Purdy led San Francisco’s powerful offense with four total touchdowns and 332 passing yards. Christian McCaffrey added 136 total yards and was on the receiving end of one of the scores. Despite the loss, Seahawks receiver DK Metcalf had 10 receptions for 136 yards and caught both of Geno Smith’s touchdown passes. The San Francisco defense quieted them in the second half, led by 11 tackles from Dre Greenlaw and two sacks from Charles Omenihu.
A highlight to know: With 2:31 left in the third quarter and the 49ers leading 23-17, the pocket collapsed around Smith and Omenihu sacked him. The quarterback lost the football in the frenzy and NFL sack leader Nick Bosa jumped on the ball for the fumble recovery. The game crushed any momentum the Seahawks had.
Next one: The 49ers will advance to the Divisional Round and will play host to the Minnesota Vikings, Tampa Bay Buccaneers or Dallas Cowboys. The Seahawks’ season is over.
Jacksonville Jaguars 31, Los Angeles Chargers 30
Short: The Chargers looked poised to advance to the division round after five takeaways in the first half, but Jacksonville QB Trevor Lawrence led the Jaguars to a 27-point comeback, defeating the Chargers 31-30, marking the third-biggest comeback in history. the NFL playoff. history. It was just a story of two halves for Lawrence. He had 77 passing yards, one touchdown and four interceptions in the first half, but Lawrence finished the game with 288 yards, four touchdowns and four interceptions. “You can’t write a crazier script,” said Lawrence afterwards.
A highlight to know: Trailing 30-28 with 3:09 to go, Lawrence led the Jaguars on a winning 61-yard drive. The Jaguars converted a crucial fourth-and-1 play with Travis Etienne’s 25-yard run to set up Riley Patterson’s 36-yard field goal as time expired.
Next one: The Jaguars lived to fight another day. Their opponent and destination in the division playoffs will be determined by the results of Sunday’s AFC games. However, the Chargers go home.
Miami Dolphins at Buffalo Bills
Kick-off: 1:00 PM ET (Sunday)
TV: CBS
Betting info: Opportunities, money line and more
What to know: The Bills play for more than just football. With teammate Damar Hamlin making progress after a scary collapse in Week 17, the Bills enter the postseason with a newfound spirit and mission. The Dolphins have some confidence too. They defeated Buffalo in Week 3 and lost by a field goal in Week 15. While both rivals know each other well, the elephant in the room is Dolphins rookie quarterback Skylar Thompson. A lot will be on his shoulders in his first playoff start. Expect the Dolphins to rely on the run play to relieve early pressure. However, it will be up to Thompson to play in time if Miami has any hope of a monumental surprise.
New York Giants at Minnesota Vikings
Kick-off: 4:30 p.m. ET
TV: FOX
Betting info: Opportunities, money line and more
What to know: Which Vikings team will show up on Sunday? This is the million dollar question regarding the matchup. Minnesota looked like Super Bowl contenders this season. The trio of stars Kirk Cousins, Justin Jefferson and Dalvin Cook dominates at times. However, the Vikings can suffer a lot from disappointments. The Giants should be well rested as the starters got a nice break in Week 18. Expect the Giants to challenge the Vikings with a passing defense that ranks 31st in the league. Giants quarterback Daniel Jones completed 30 of 42 passes for 334 yards in the previous game. He added a touchdown and an interception.
Baltimore Ravens at Cincinnati Bengals
Kick-off: 8:15 p.m. ET
TV: NBC
Betting info: Opportunities, money line and more
What to know: The Ravens are expected to be without quarterback Lamar Jackson on Sunday. It’s a major blow to their chances against the Bengals in the wild card round. Reserve quarterbacks Tyler Huntley and Anthony Brown have been useful. However, the Bengalis are a different entity. Week 18 provided a blueprint of both teams’ current realities. The Bengals won 27–16, forcing four sacks and four turnovers. Bengals star Ja’Marr Chase pulled in eight catches for 86 yards and a touchdown. It could be a similar story on Sunday night.
Dallas Cowboys at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Kick-off: 8:15 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN, ABC
Betting info: Opportunities, money line and more
What to know: Tom Brady has another chance to win his eighth Super Bowl title. Despite a turbulent season that resulted in an 8-9 losing record, Brady still has the Buccaneers in a prime position. Tampa Bay has a home game against a challenging team from Dallas. Brady is 7-0 in his career against the Cowboys. However, Dallas arrives with confidence. The key players have returned since their Week 1 loss to Tampa Bay. Expect the Cowboys to rely on running back duo Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard to control the line of scrimmage. This can be a close encounter where a mistake can affect the outcome of the game.
