One weekend is already in the books for the NFL Playoffs, as the Wild Card round is (almost) behind us and the table has been set for the Divisional Round. Two teams have yet to take the field, but that will change when the Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco 49ers host games next weekend as the top seed in their respective conferences.
They're arriving late to the party, though, as we've already seen some surprises and upsets in the first weekend of action. The Dallas Cowboys have been eliminated before the NFC Championship Game for the 13 straight attempt, having not made that far since 1995.
Not every team in Texas had a bad weekend, though. The Houston Texans, who made such a splash by trading up to draft Will Anderson last season after taking C.J. Stroud, watched their bold moves pay off in a Wild Card victory. Houston destroyed Cleveland, as Joe Flacco folded at the wrong moment and now the Texans advance as one of the most impressive teams left standing.
Only eight teams remain, and after next weekend's action we'll officially be down to our final four teams standing.
What teams are playing in the Divisional Round?
NFC:
- San Francisco 49ers
- Green Bay Packers
- Detroit Lions
- Bucs or Eagles
Perhaps the most stunning result of the weekend was the Green Bay Packers dropping the hammer in Dallas. It wasn't just that the Packers beat the Cowboys, it was how they beat them and the extent of the ass whooping we all witnessed.
As their reward for pulling off the biggest upset of the weekend, Green Bay will now travel out to San Francisco to play the top-seeded 49ers next weekend. It's yet another chapter in the storied postseason battles between the two franchises.
AFC:
- Baltimore Ravens
- Kansas City Chiefs
- Houston Texans
- Buffalo Bills
Sub-zero temperatures couldn't cool off the Chiefs offense, in fact Kansas City looked hotter than we've seen them recently. Miami stood no chance and now Patrick Mahomes and company might be hitting their stride at the right time and are riding an underdog narrative through the AFC bracket.
Houston might have had the most impressive win of the weekend. Were it not for the Packers thumping the Cowboys we'd probably be talking about how they pulled off the best story of the Wild Card round, but now they're simply the only team in Texas left standing.
NFL Playoffs: 2024 Divisional Round TV Schedule (Updated)
Here's where and when to watch all of the playoff action next weekend for the Divisional Round:
Date | Game | TV Channel | Start Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|---|
Saturday, Jan. 20th | Ravens vs. Texans | ESPN/ABC | 4:30 pm |
Saturday, Jan. 20th | 49ers vs. Packers | FOX | 8 pm |
Sunday, Jan. 21st | Lions vs. Buccaneers | NBC | 3 pm |
Sunday, Jan. 21st | Bills vs. Chiefs | CBS | 6:30 pm |
Unlike the Wild Card round there will be no streaming exclusive in the Divisional Round. One new wrinkle, though, is ESPN getting involved in broadcasting one of the game which typically hasn't been the case.
In the past, ESPN has aired a Wild Card game, which gave one of the other networks and extra game on the second weekend of the playoffs. With ESPN getting a game it means the games will be divided up evenly among everyone.