2025 NFL Playoffs Kick Off with Wild Card Weekend Matchups

The 2025 NFL playoffs are set to begin on Saturday, Jan. 11, with Wild Card Weekend featuring seven high-stakes matchups. This year’s postseason includes a mix of fresh faces and perennial contenders, with teams like the Houston Texans, Los Angeles Chargers, and Minnesota Vikings making their return to the playoffs. The Kansas City Chiefs, aiming to become the first team in NFL history to win three consecutive Super Bowls, headline the field as they enter their 10th straight postseason.

The action kicks off on Saturday with the Houston Texans hosting the Los Angeles Chargers in a game broadcast on CBS. Later that evening, Amazon will stream its first-ever NFL playoff game, featuring a divisional showdown between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens, who hold the AFC’s second seed, are favored by 9.5 points, while the Steelers look to defy expectations in their third meeting this season.

On Sunday, the Buffalo Bills, led by quarterback Josh Allen, will host the Denver Broncos as 9-point favorites. The Bills, seeded third in the AFC, are seeking to advance past the wild-card round for the first time since 2020. Meanwhile, the NFC wild-card games include the Philadelphia Eagles hosting the Green Bay Packers and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers facing the Washington Commanders. Both games are expected to be tightly contested, with the Eagles and Buccaneers favored by 4.5 and 3 points, respectively.

The wild-card round concludes on Monday, Jan. 13, with the Los Angeles Rams hosting the Minnesota Vikings. The Vikings, who narrowly missed securing the NFC’s top seed after a loss to the Detroit Lions in Week 18, will look to rebound on the road. The winner of this game will face the top-seeded Lions in the divisional round.

Byes for the divisional round were awarded to the Detroit Lions and Kansas City Chiefs, who secured the top seeds in their respective conferences. The divisional round begins on Saturday, Jan. 18, with the AFC matchup between the Ravens and the lowest-seeded wild-card winner. The NFC divisional round kicks off on Sunday, Jan. 19, with the Lions hosting the lowest-seeded NFC wild-card winner.

The conference championship games are scheduled for Sunday, Jan. 26, followed by Super Bowl LIX on Sunday, Feb. 9, in New Orleans, Louisiana. With a mix of historic rivalries and new contenders, the 2025 NFL playoffs promise to deliver thrilling action as teams vie for a chance to hoist the Lombardi Trophy.