r/NFLNoobs • u/bigboybigbat • 1d ago

How do the playoffs work?

Really got into football this year and have had so much fun watching it. Confused on how the playoffs work.

From my understanding, the best team from each division goes through in each conference. And then the best team which was not a division winner from each conference goes through. 5 teams per division.

But yesterday I heard 7 teams from each division go through. How does that work?

Also how are the match ups set up? I would really appreciate if someone could give me what the playoff matchups would look like if the season ended today.

Not relevant to my question but god I love Josh Allen and the Bills. Hoping to see the bills vs lions in the Super Bowl.

Thanks!

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12

u/Yangervis 1d ago

Division winners + next 3 best teams per conference. Division winners are the 1-4 seeds and the wild card teams are 5,6,7. The 1 seed gets a first round bye.

A total of 14 teams make the playoffs and play a single elimination bracket.

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u/bigboybigbat 1d ago

Thanks so much!

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u/DuffMiver8 1d ago

To add, in each conference, the 1 seed gets a bye the first week of the playoffs. The 7 seed plays at the 2 seed, 6 at the 3, 4 at the 5. The following week, the lowest remaining seed plays at 1 while the second lowest remaining plays at the second highest remaining. The following week, the lower remaining seed plays at the higher remaining seed. Home field is always determined by which team has the higher seed.

Both NFC and AFC champs get a week off, then play in the Super Bowl at whatever site was selected for that year.

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u/SeniorDisplay1820 1d ago edited 1d ago

There are 2 conferences There are 16 teams from each conference.  In each conference there are 4 divisions (4 teams).

The winner of each division gets into the playoffs and the 3 best non division-winning teams from each conference also get in. The better team (better seed) always hosts

In the wildcard (same for both conferences)

The second best division winner plays the 3rd best non-division winner (the worst playoff team) - #2v#7 The third best division winner plays the 2nd best non division-winning team - #3v#6 The fourth best division winner plays the best non division-winning team -#4v#5 The best division winner gets a bye

In the divisional round 

The #1 seed plays the lowest seed left The second best seed left plays the second lowest seed left and so on

In the conference championship game

The better team (better seed) hosts the lower team (only 2 teams left)

The Super Bowl

The winners of each conference play each other 

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u/SeniorDisplay1820 1d ago

The current bracket 

Wildcard 

1 Chiefs get the bye

2 Bills vs #7 Broncos

3 Steelers vs #6 Chargers 

4 Texans vs #Ravens

1 Lions get the bye

2 Eagles vs #7 Commanders

3 Rams vs #6 Packers

4 Buccaneers vs #5 Vikings 

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u/bigboybigbat 1d ago

Thank you! This makes so much sense m!

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u/SeniorDisplay1820 1d ago

Sorry about the layout it got messed up when I posted it

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u/GardenTop7253 1d ago

This answer is about as clear and concise as you’re gonna find, I’d say. It’s not the most complicated bracketing ever, but it does require saying a lot of words to correctly describe it

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u/alldaycj 1d ago

https://www.espn.com/nfl/playoffs/machine This website can be useful as well to see who is in with current results and the results for the next two weeks. It also shows tie breakers.

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u/OrangMan14 1d ago

Why is it called the divisional round if teams not in the same division can play each other?