The NFL regular season is nearing its close, and then the real fun begins.
Over the next three weeks, the NFL playoff field of 14 teams will eventually be dwindled down to the final two teams that will play in Super Bowl LVI on Feb. 13.
The NFC playoff matchups are all set as of Sunday evening, with the Sunday Night Football showdown between the Los Angeles Chargers and Las Vegas Raiders still left to determine the AFC picture.
With the 2022 postseason nearly ready to get underway, here are the matchups for the NFC’s wild-card weekend and the important numbers to know for each matchup.
First-round bye: No. 1 Green Bay Packers
The Packers are the NFC’s No. 1 seed for the second consecutive season, a first in franchise history. Green Bay is. guaranteed to play at Lambeau Field in the divisional round, where they finished a perfect 8-0 in the regular season.
The Packers’ last loss at Lambeau Field? The 2021 NFC Championship game — a 31-26 loss to Tampa Bay. They’ve lost the NFC Championship each of the last two seasons and are 0-4 in it since winning Super Bowl XLV in 2011.
NFC wild-card round:
No. 7 Philadelphia Eagles at No. 2 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Date and time TBD
The defending Super Bowl champion Bucs seek to become the first team to win back-to-back Super Bowls since Tom Brady’s New England Patriots in 2003 and 2004. Tampa Bay’s 13 wins this season are a single-season franchise record.
The Eagles are in the playoffs for the first time since 2019, and the fourth time in the last five seasons. They led the NFL this year in rushing (159.7 YPG).
No. 6 San Francisco 49ers at No. 3 Dallas Cowboys
Date and time TBD
San Francisco makes its first postseason appearance since 2019 — and the second time in five seasons under Kyle Shanahan. They’ve reached the NFC Championship game in each of their last four playoff appearances, dating back to 2011.
The Cowboys are in the playoffs for the first time since 2018, and they haven’t reached the NFC Championship game since 1995 (when they went on to win the Super Bowl). Washington and Detroit are the only other NFC teams that have not made at least one NFC Championship game appearance over the same period.
No. 5 Arizona Cardinals at No. 4 Los Angeles Rams
Date and time TBD
The Cardinals are in the postseason for the first time since 2015. They were an NFL-best 8-1 on the road this season, which should help against the Rams. Arizona last made a Super Bowl in 2008 — a loss to the Steelers.
Head coach Sean McVay leads the Rams to the playoffs for the fourth time in his five seasons. Matthew Stafford is in the playoffs for only the fourth time in his 13-year career and he’s still looking for his first playoff win (0-3).
Here is what we know so far about the AFC picture:
More to come!
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