2022 NFL Playoffs: Divsional round schedule, games, times, bracket, teams
Eight teams remain in the NFL playoffs heading into this Sunday as the top seeds come off their byes. The winners are on to the confernce championships.
The Wild Card Round if over and the eight remaining teams in the NFL playoffs are just two wins away form the Super Bowl. This weekend’s games are divided up between Saturday and Sunday. Here is everything you need to know about the Divisonal Round of the playoffs.
Saturday:
Cincinnati Benglas at Tennessee Titans
When: 4:30 pm ET Saturday, 22 January 2022
The Titans are the one seed in the AFC, but everyone seems to be doubting them. In the sports books they are sixth favorite of the remaining eight teams remaining in the post season. They were able to lock up the first seed in the conference even without Derrick Henry, who will make his long awaited return. The Bengals look like the most exciting team not named the Kansas City Chiefs on the offensive end. Joe Burrow looks like a seasoned vet and Jamaar Charles is his perfect partner in crime. How will this young Bengals team fair against a veteran Titans side.?
San Francisco 49ers at Green Bay Packers
When: 8:15 pm ET Saturday, 22 January 2022
Green Bay is the best team in the league. Few people would argue that fact. The oddsmakers have put them as the heavy favorite to take the Lombardi Trophy at the end of the playoffs but will have to get through a streaking San Francisco side. The question for Kyle Shanahan’s team is how long can they keep this up? They have played one more “playoff game” than everyone else if you consider the Rams game in Week 18 was a win or go home matchup. They squeaked by the Rams, and then the Cowboys, but can they do it against the league’s best team?
Sunday:
Los Angeles Rams vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
When: 3:00 pm ET Sunday, 23 January 2023
The Rams lost their final game of the regular season at home to forfeit the second seed in the NFC and that’s why they have to travel east to take on the Tampa Bay Bucs in the Divisional Rounds. They had won their previous four games going into Week 18, but three of those games were one possession wins, and the other they won by 10 points against the Seattle Seahawks. The Bucs are the defending champs and have proven they know how to win in January. The GOAT Tom Brady will go up against Matthew Stafford who is coming off of his first playoff win in his 13 year career.
Buffalo Bills vs. Kansas City Chiefs
When: 6:30 pm ET Sunday, 23 January 2023
Both of these teams are coming off of convincing first round wins, and both these teams were considered the two favorites in the conference coming into this season. Each have had their rough patch, the Chiefs early in the season going 2-4 in their first six, and the Bills dropping five of eight in the middle of the season. Now the Chiefs and the Bills look to be playing their best football of the season. You have to think this is the most even, most anticipated game of the weekend.
Bracket:
The winner of the Niners vs. Packers game will play the winner of the Rams vs. Bucs game in the NFC Championship.
The winner of the Bills vs. Chiefs game will play the winner of the Bengals vs. Titans game in the AFC Championship
The two winners of the conference championships will go on to the Super Bowl LVI on February 13th at Los Angeles’ Sofi Stadium.