The NFL Playoffs have arrived and 14 franchises remain in the race for Super Bowl glory, as ESPN brings a blockbuster Week One of the post-season with six LIVE games – including a Cowboys-Buccaneers showdown that may be the last time we see legend Tom Brady in action.
Wild Card Weekend sees six live NFL Playoff games, beginning with a double header on Sunday January 15.
Kicking off at 8.30am AEDT Sunday, the Seattle Seahawks meet conference rivals the San Francisco 49ers.
The Seahawks just snuck into the playoffs on the final day of the season, courtesy of the Detroit Lions win against the Green Bay Packers.
Meanwhile San Francisco are storming into the playoffs, having won 10 straight games to take the #2 seed in the NFC.
The 49ers have gone 2-0 this season against Seattle and will go in as heavy favourites.
Following at 12.15pm AEDT, the Los Angeles Chargers face off against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Five straight wins have rocketed Jacksonville into the playoffs, after winning the AFC South.
The Jaguars had to hold their nerve in the final regular season game against Tennessee – an early test of playoff like pressure.
Los Angeles may have ended the season with a loss to Denver, but it was a game that had no sway over their seeding, and largely inconsequential.
The Chargers though are battling a number of injuries and will have to face the parochial Jaguars supporter base, who are in the playoffs for the first time since 2017.
The NFL Playoff action continues on Monday January 16 with a triple header of live NFL.
First up at 5am AEDT Monday, the Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills collide, live on ESPN.
A clash between the top two in the AFC East, where the Bills finished four wins clear of Miami to take #2 seed in the AFC.
#7 seed Miami just scrapped into the post-season following an 11-6 win over the Jets in the final week of the season.
The Bills meanwhile are in ominous form, riding a seven game win streak.
Buffalo will also be looking to honour Damar Hamlin, who continues to recover after collapsing during the Week 17 game against the Bengals.
At 8.30am AEDT, New York Giants meet the Minnesota Vikings, in a showdown between #3 and #6 in the NFC.
Minnesota have showed this season that they could be a Super Bowl contender, having downed the Buffalo Bills on the way to a 13-4 record.
But a 40-3 defeat to Dallas and 41-17 loss to Green Bay shows their weakness.
Despite the Giants finishing third in the highly competitive NFC East, a 9-7 record was enough to secure a place in the post season.
An up and down season overall, New York come into the playoffs following a 22-16 loss to the #1 Philadelphia Eagles.
The pair met just three weeks ago, where the Vikings held on to win a thriller 27-24.
Following at 12.15pm AEDT, the Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals go head to head – for the second time in a fortnight.
Cincinnati ran out 27-16 winners over Baltimore just last week, with the two conference foes experiencing contrasting fortunes right now.
The Bengals claimed the conference, and are prepping for another run to the Super Bowl, having won their last eight games.
The heartbreak of the 23-20 loss to the Rams in Super Bowl LVI is fueling the 2022-23 season and hopes are high for Joe Burrow to steer the Bengals to the promise land this time around.
Baltimore have lost successive games, with the Week 18 loss to the Bengals following a disappointing 16-13 defeat to Pittsburgh.
The final game of Wildcard Weekend is on Tuesday January 17, where the Dallas Cowboys clash with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Their 8-8-1 record isn’t all that inspiring, but Dallas have shown they can match it with the best in the NFL, being one of just three teams to defeat the Philadelphia Eagles this season.
Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have had their own struggles this campaign, but still managed to claim the NFC South, despite their 8-9 record.
There will be much fascination around Brady, whose future remains in question. Monday could be the final time we see the GOAT in action. Or he could spark another run to the Super Bowl.
Tampa and Dallas have had disappointing displays in the last month, but have the firepower to go all the way – they remain perhaps the two most intriguing sides in the NFL Playoffs.
NFL Wild Card Round on ESPN
Sunday January 15
8.30am AEDT, Seattle Seahawks vs San Francisco 49ers, ESPN
12.15pm AEDT, Los Angeles Chargers vs Jacksonville Jaguars, ESPN
Monday January 16
5am AEDT, Miami Dolphins vs Buffalo Bills, ESPN
8.30am AEDT, New York Giants vs Minnesota Vikings, ESPN
12.15pm AEDT, Baltimore Ravens vs Cincinnati Bengals, ESPN
Tuesday January 17
12.15pm AEDT, Dallas Cowboys vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers, ESPN
ESPN and ESPN2 are available on Foxtel, Kayo Sports, Fetch TV and Sky NZ.
Media Release – ESPN
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